Hoop or Trekking pole?

My family never camped, and I was in my late 20's when I began backpacking. My first tent for that purpose was an early REI Halfdome -- sturdy, but about 5 lbs. I also bought a cheap Eureka 1P, much too low to sit up in.

My first UL tent was a SMD Lunar Duo -- very spacious for two, but I stopped doubling up with my hiking buddy and eventually sold it. Then I bought a Tarptent Rainbow, excellent shelter except I had difficulty pitching it without the door netting sagging to the ground. Not long after that I started hanging in my Warbonnet Blackbird. My buddy used the Rainbow for years. Now it's showing its age but is seviceable, and I still loan it.

Not every destination is suitable for hammocks, so I bought a SMD Lunar Solo at a sale price. Very spacious 1P, but challenging to pitch a straight floor. Single pole design results in sloping ceiling which can touch a sleeping bag for taller hikers. It does have tie-outs to alleviate that problem. I sold it after a few trips.

Recently bought a Durston X-Mid 1 sylpoly. Uses 2 offset trekking poles which provide two spacious vestibules. Easier pitch, large footprint. Used it once so far, as I always hang if possible.

Like zeke I started with a pup, then a dome. Then, I found a SD Clip Flashlight in the back of the mall sporting goods store and used that for many years.
After a long hiatus, I tried a bivy (which I wish I still had) once. Now, my go-to is a SMD Gatewood Cape. Like zeke and driftwoody I got a WBBB and use that more and more.

So, that means poles, to hoops, to poles, toward no poles.

I like a single pole shelter because we often set up our shelters and then go for a day hike somewhere steep, so having a pole is ideal for me.

I prefer trekking pole.

For backpacking, I started with a Sierra Designs 1p, which used a fairly stiff modified hoop design (more like three sides of a trapezoid). Then I graduated to a hoop, old-version Tarptent Cloudburst then a Tarptent Double Rainbow. In major storms, I didn't like how much they flexed. My next and last phase was the old-version Tarptent Contrail followed by the Tarptent Notch (both poles).

Notch is my favorite ever. I like the ease of entry and how storm-worthy it is due to the pole stiffness, mesh inner, and multiple extra tie-down options. It's only negative is that I usually have to move some stakes to improve the pitch after the initial setup. I haven't found a 2p that I like as much.

The first tent I ever purchased was a Eureka Timberline 2. That was probably the late 80s. I used that tent for several decades, for car camping, canoe camping, and backpacking. When I started to get serious again about backpacking, I bought an REI Halfdome 2, a really great tent that I still use for car camping. My next major upgrade came about 10 years ago, when some grant money allowed me to purchase a ZPacks Duplex, still one of the best all-around tents I own, though I rarely use it anymore because of the footprint size. Nowadays I am more likely to use shaped tarps, primarily a Silnylon Duomid and a Gatewood Cape. I recently purchased a BA Copper Spur HVUL 1, which I've been very happy with. Hammock (Dutchware Chameleon) is a great option in suitable terrain. So I have numerous options, depending on expected conditions:

In mild weather conditions where I don't anticipate a lot of bugs, I usually take the Gatewood Cape. It is a minimalist shelter, but extremely light and compact, with a very small footprint. I usually pair it with a small piece of polycro. E.g., shoulder season trips to the Indian Peaks, winter trips in the Texas Hill Country.

In winter conditions, when wind, rain, and snow are possible factors, I usually take the Duomid. It is very sturdy, and does a good job of shedding wind and snow. In cold temps with long nights, I like having a larger shelter, since I'm usually spending more time in it. E.g., January trips to the Guadalupe Mountains and Saguaro NP.

For shorter trips, where I am less concerned about weight, I like the Copper Spur. It is easy to pitch, has a small footprint, and just enough floor space, with fairly roomy interior volume, as the name implies. E.g., Big Bend this past winter, when I hiked up into the high country and pretty much base camped for 3 nights.

I've used my hammock setup several times on canoe trips to the Boundary Waters, and a few backpacking trips, including a late summer trip to the South San Juan Wilderness. That actually turned out to be a less than ideal situation, because so many of the available trees were dead lodgepole pines, which made me nervous. I often take it on shorter trips, I love the ease of setup and, of course, the comfort.

Anybody remember when REI bought Walrus? I seem to remember having one or two of their tents.
REI had two really nice 4 season tents in the early 90's as well. I had one of those, Loved the room, but 5 lbs was beginning to be too much for me solo, and I think I found the Cloudburst II at that time.

I started with the freestanding Eureka Backcountry 1. 4 lbs, but a solid tent even above tree line in Wyoming. I passed it along to my nephew and it's still in perfect condition.


12 years ago I switched to the Six Moons Designs Skyscape Trekker. That was the original version, silnylon, with one door. about 28 oz. Changed the ridge pole to pex tube. It withstood some big storms. But, it has one large single wall running from the poles to the foot. The foot of the tent had to be pulled out to prevent sagging with heavy rain or an inch of snow, otherwise the sleeping bag would get soaked. Not fun when the temp drops below freezing in the morning.


Got tired of the one single wall and recently purchased the Tarptent Dipole 1 DW. A little under 2 lbs. I didn't want Dyneema so paying a price in weight. It's a fit fiddly to set up, even for a trekking pole tent. The geometry at the base has to be a perfect rectangle with margin of error for stake placement around an inch or 2. Not great in rocky or rooty ground. SectionHiker had to move the tent several times to get a good pitch under forest conditions. Dipole DW review But, it is a popular tent in the UK where winds and stormy conditions are common. +1 on Trek-Lite.com. They have an ongoing thread for the Dipole 1 DW. Best source of info on the details of set-up, use and modifications. Trek-Lite Dipole DW Kudos to texasbb for adding to that conversation. Looking forward to using the Dipole in the Winds this year. Have several planned camps above tree line in Bear Basin. It will be challenging to pitch in rocky soil, but opted to not go with a freestanding. The solid DW will help keep the cold drafts down as well.