Equipment Outfitters

Flysheets, groundsheets and A-poles

Although a weight of 4.5 kilos was given in the equipment checklist, some specialist tents weigh as little as half or even a third of that amount. This can be achieved nowadays by making them out of polyurethane- or silicone-proofed nylon, and generally standards of manufacture are very high. But the backpacker or cyclist should think twice before buying a tent without a tough, sewn-in groundsheet. A large protective flysheet which extends right down to the ground is also worth the effort of the extra couple of pounds. As well as making the tent less transparent, warmer and more rain and windproof, a flysheet with a front or side extension provides an undercover space in which to stow your gear or shelter your cooking apparatus during any bad weather.

A great deal of trouble has also been taken by manufacturers to develop “Ripstop” and other lightweight nylon materials which “breathe” in the same way as the much heavier canvas that is traditionally used for frame tents. However, because the volume of air inside a low ridge tent is fairly small it can still rather easily become saturated with moisture that condenses on the cold fabric when the door is zipped up and two people are sleeping inside. In order to minimise this problem, look for a tent which has fair-sized ventilation panels made from insect-proof mesh. Also check whether the entrance zip of the inner tent closes upwards from the bottom: if it does, it can often be left partially open without the fear that rain will enter.

With some models of lightweight tent, you may be offered A-poles — or angle poles — as an alternative to the simple upright poles that support the ridge. By bridging the entrance or the interior space, although they again add an extra pound or two to the weight, A- poles give you greater freedom of movement inside, and with the single-pole type of tent they may actually make it possible to fit in an extra person.

Options such as this are much easier to take a decision on if you can actually see the tent erected and creep inside it, so it may be worth travelling some distance to a showroom or display area where this is possible. There are also camping exhibitions from time to time. Before you complete your purchase, however, do not forget the opposite consideration: i.e. look at the packed-up size of tent and poles to make sure that they will fit into your rucksack.

Also pause for a moment to think about the colour of your tent. Bright orange nylon may look very cheerful but it is also quite conspicuous, not to say an eyesore, in a green landscape. In theory, as a backpacker you should always ask the permission of the local landowner before camping wild but whether the land is publicly or privately owned you may still not want to stand out like an orchid in an onion patch.

A Double-skinned nylon ridge tent with sewn-in groundsheet with A-poles and flysheet which extends down to the ground for protection and storage.

B Single pole tent with sewn-in groundsheet. This design is slightly less stable in high winds than a two-pole ridge tent but has more headroom in the centre and enough space for three persons if the single pole is replaced by A-poles.

C High quality transverse ridge tent with an entrance on both sides and ample stowage space.

D Dome tent with shock-cord linked alloy pole sections. The flysheet can be pitched first to form a large shelter before the inner tent is erected.

Tunnel tent with fibreglass supporting hoops and a wide valance which allows it to be weighted with rocks for greater security on hard ground and under mountainous conditions.

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