Gear Review: Mountain Hardwear SuperMegaUL 1
A lightweight tent that doesn't skimp on weather protection.
[best stability]
If you’re ruthless about shaving ounces—but can’t afford to skimp on weather protection—consider this bomb shelter. “It barely rippled in crosswinds and bullet-like rain,” says our tester, who endured 40-mph gusts in Utah’s High Uintas and Colorado’s Maroon Bells. Credit the low, wind-shedding profile (33 inches at the peak) that achieves rock-solid stability with just three guyouts (two at the head and one at the foot). One hubbed pole with forks at both ends creates a freestanding dome with a single front door.
The welded zipper flap and corner seams take a page from waterproof jackets, which forego stitching to save weight. A generous drip line keeps the interior dry during wet-weather exits, and ventilation is adequate (condensation collected only inside the fly). The 4-square-foot vestibule managed to house wet gear and a pack (and in one case, a 65-pound husky). Fabrics stand up to abuse: The 30-denier nylon ripstop floor held strong against corrosive sandstone and gritty granite. Tradeoff: Interior dimensions are tight. “I couldn’t sit up straight,” our 5’10” tester reports. But the 17-square-foot floor is “big enough for a tired backpacker who just wants to sleep through a storm.” $350; 2 lbs.; mountainhardwear.com