Big Agnes Scout 2 Platinum

Our take There was a time when carrying a pound per person for a tent made us feel like ultralight rock stars. The new Scout 2 Platinum cuts that number in half. The big weight savers: single-wall construction, trekking-pole support, siliconized nylon, and no vestibules. It packs so small it stows more like a jacket than a tent. The result is a minimalist shelter that will appeal to backpackers who accept the livability tradeoffs. “On a hike on the CDT in Colorado, the Scout repelled a summer thunderstorm,” says a tester. “My partner and I were a bit cramped, but we slept fine.”

The details The headroom toward the front of this single-door tent is adequate, but the narrow, 27-square-foot floor tapers to 38 inches wide at the feet, so rectangular pads will overlap. Vents along the sides provide some airflow, but we still experienced significant condensation (not surprising for a single-wall).

Trail cred “Some tents this shape can’t handle much wind, but gusts up to 30 mph didn’t knock this one down,” one tester reports.