PCT Tent Shopping: the Devil is in the Details

Whether you love it or hate it, shopping for backpacking gear is a lot of work. There is much to consider: weight, material, dimensions, durability, fit, price, temperature ratings, etc. It’s enough to make anyone go cross-eyed. 

Fortunately, I already have most of the gear I need for my upcoming PCT thru-hike. The one big ticket item I do need is a new tent. A good tent is crucial on a long thru-hike. Not only will it protect you from the elements, but it will be your home for several months. You’d better be sure you like it!

Narrowing it down

It’s easy to succumb to analysis paralysis when comparing hundreds of tents online. To narrow my scope, I set a few parameters. I decided to look only at non-DCF trekking pole tents (DCF is too pricey for me) that weighed 24 oz or less. 

With those filters in place, I quickly narrowed it down to two:  The One by Gossamer Gear, and the ProTrail by TarpTent. 

Similarities 

Though constructed from different fabrics and completely different pitch styles, these two tents are comparable in many ways:

• One-person tents
• 2 trekking pole set up
• Single wall 
• Made from materials other than DCF
• Under 24 oz
• Similar price
• 10 square feet of vestibule space
• 45 inches at the tallest point 
• Bathtub floors
• Made by reputable companies

Which one for me?

Always mindful of weight, I looked at that first. The One by Gossamer Gear was listed as a staggeringly low 17.7 oz, while the ProTrail was quoted at 24 oz. It seemed that with a 6.3 oz weight difference, The One was the clear winner. I loved my Gossamer Gear Gorilla pack on my AT thru-hike, so I knew the company made quality products. 

Though I was fairly confident that The One was indeed “the one” for me, I wanted to be 100% sure. I decided to do my due diligence by comparing the tents in person. Both companies allow returns for unused gear within 30 days of purchase, so I ordered both. 

Upon receiving the tents, I set up both in my backyard. Comparing these two tents side by side led to some interesting discoveries. 

Discoveries

1. Width

On long distance hikes, I like to indulge in an extra wide inflatable pad (I use the Nemo Tensor Regular Wide). I love the extra width when sleeping, but it can be a tight fit in some one-person tents. Once I received the two tents in the mail, I put the pad in both to see how it fit.

The dimensions for both tents were listed online, so I already knew that The One had a width of 21 inches at the narrowest point while the ProTrail’s narrowest width was 30 inches. I knew the wide pad would be a tight squeeze in The One, but I hoped it would work.

It did fit, sort of, but the pad pressed against the sides of the tent. Not ideal, especially for a single-wall tent. Condensation is inevitable in a single-wall tent, so gear will get wet if it touches the tent wall.

I was disappointed, but it wasn’t necessarily deal breaker. I decided that if I chose The One for the PCT, I could bite the bullet and downgrade to a regular-width pad. That would be more weight savings, after all.

In contrast, I was surprised at how roomy the ProTrail was. The wide pad fit comfortably with several inches of room on either side. 

2. Area

Both manufacturers listed the outer vestibule area as 10 square feet. Only TarpTent however also listed the interior floor area — 21 square feet for the ProTrail. 

I didn’t know the interior area of The One, though it definitely felt smaller. I was curious about the square footage so I reached out to Gossamer Gear via email. They very kindly responded with an estimate of 15 3/4 square feet. 

In other words, the ProTrail had 33% more interior floor space. 

3. Material

The ProTrail is made from 20D material while The One is made from 10D material. The D stands for denier and indicates the weight of the fabric. 

While shopping online, this difference hadn’t meant much to me. Though I knew that a 20D fabric would be thicker than a 10D one, without actually touching them, it was hard to know if it was a meaningful difference. On my computer screen, 10D and 20D just looked like obscure numbers. Now holding both tents in my hands, the difference was palpable. It was clear that 20D was a much more robust fabric. 

I was beginning to feel less confident that The One would be my winner. However, the weight of The One would be hard to beat. 

4. The kicker – the actual weight

On my home kitchen scale, I weighed both tents exactly as they came out of the box—in the stuff sack with all included stakes and guy lines. 

The One came in at 22.9 oz. I did a double-take. What happened to 17.7 oz? I thought. I pulled up the website and noticed that 17.7 oz was the weight of the shelter alone, with no stuff sacks, stakes, or extra cord. This was clearly stated on the website, but I had missed it. 

Next I weighed the ProTrail, again straight out of the box with all included accessories. It was 23.8 oz, actually .2 oz under the website’s quoted weight. 

Comparing the full weights of each, the 6.3 oz weight difference had suddenly shrunk to only a 1.1 oz difference. I was beginning to change my mind, leaning toward the ProTrail. 

For just an extra 1.1 oz, I could get-

• Fabric that’s twice as thick 
• 9 extra inches of width at the narrowest point 
• An extra 5 1/4 square feet of floor area

5. To groundsheet or not to groundsheet 

Groundsheets protect tent floors from abrasion, helping to prevent rips and holes. The more delicate the tent material, the more need for a groundsheet. 

The thicker material of the ProTrail may negate the need for a groundsheet. The TarpTent website states that groundsheets “generally are not needed unless ground conditions are exceptionally sharp or abrasive.” Based on my own previous experience, I have found this to be accurate. I used my previous tent, a 20D TarpTent Notch, without a groundsheet on the Long Trail, the Colorado Trail, and for half of the AT, with no holes or tears. 

Gossamer Gear on the other hand does recommend the use of a groundsheet with The One. Though I haven’t been able to field test this myself, based on the feel of the 10D fabric, I think I would opt to carry a groundsheet with this tent.

If you factor in the addition of a groundsheet, The One is actually the heavier option. 

The One

Tent only	17.7 oz
Stuff sacks and all stakes	5.2 oz
Gossamer Gear Polycro Groundsheet	3.7 oz
Total Weight	26.6 oz

ProTrail

Tent only	22.1 oz
Stuff sacks and all stakes	1.7 oz
Gossamer Gear Polycro Groundsheet	N/A
Total Weight	23.8 oz

My choice

Given the discoveries above, I decided to go with the ProTrail for my PCT thru-hike. Even without factoring in the groundsheet, I felt that the benefits of the ProTrail were well worth 1.1 oz. I can’t wait to test it out on a shakedown hike and then put it through the wringer on the PCT.

Side-by-side specs

	The One	ProTrail
Fabric	SilNylon	SilPoly
Fabric weight	10D	20D
Entry	Side	Front
Width at narrowest point	21”	30”
Height at tallest point	45”	45”
Interior floor area	15 3/4 sq ft	21 sq ft
Vestibule area	10 sq ft	10 sq ft
Minimum # stakes	6	4
Total weight (w/ accessories)	22.9 oz	23.8 oz
Groundsheet recommended?	Yes	No
Price	$255	$239

Not for everyone 

The features of the ProTrail were more closely aligned with my needs for my upcoming PCT thru-hike, but it is not necessarily the better tent. Both are very high-quality lightweight tents. 

Much of it comes down to personal needs and preferences. Many hikers would prefer the specific features of The One. It has a lot going for it. The side entry, for example, would be preferable for some hikers. Others may prefer silnylon over silpoly. I found The One to be a little easier to set up than the ProTrail, which is especially important for those new to trekking pole tents. The One comes pre-seam-sealed, while the ProTrail does not. It also had a slightly smaller footprint, which is an advantage in small or crowded campsites. (I found a comparison of the footprints here).

Each tent has its pros and cons, but the point is that it’s important to give attention to detail when comparison shopping. With an extra level of scrutiny, you may, like me, end up changing your top pick.  

Industry-wide problem 

Unfortunately, they don’t make it easy. Companies use different conventions when listing gear technical specs, and not just with tents. This problem is seen all over the outdoor gear industry. Temperature ratings on sleeping bags, for example, are inconsistent. One company’s 20-degree bag may be another company’s 15-degree bag. When calculating the capacity of backpacks, some manufacturers include the outer pockets, while others do not. In the past R-values for sleeping pads were all over the place—though thankfully there is one area where there is now an established industry standard.

Conclusion

Things aren’t always what they seem. When comparing gear specs, take a second look to ensure you make a fair apples-to-apples comparison. Read the fine print and test in person whenever you can.  Think about your gear holistically and consider how a new item will fit in with the rest of your kit. A little attention to detail will go a long way in making sure you have the very best gear for your needs. It can be tedious, but it will be worth the effort!

 

 

 

Featured image courtesy of Pixabay.com