GoLite Imogene UL2 Tent

[freestanding ultralight]

Here’s a rare find: a two-person tent at this price and weight that still delivers freestanding, double-wall performance. It’s a bit small—no surprise—but the ounce-saving dimensions (best for sleeping, not lounging) worked just fine for our long-distance-hiking testers, who used the Imogene during a 400-mile Appalachian Trail trek through Maine and New Hampshire. The shelter held firm in roaring rainstorms that forced hikers in lesser tents to flee for the lean-to, and the weight-saving, 10-denier fabrics (20-denier for the floor) survived the journey intact.

The Imogene packs down small—the size of a 1-liter bottle—and setup is speedy, using one hubbed pole. There’s just one door (at the head end), which requires careful exits to avoid disturbing a companion. The 39-inch peak height allows even 6’4” campers to sit upright. But the length and width proved “cramped for two big guys,” reports one tester, who calls the 30 square feet “just big enough for sleeping.” And we wished for better ventilation in humid conditions, when condensation collected. $300; 2 lbs. 7 oz.; golite.com

Our lightest weight free-standing tent ever. Roomy enough for two, light enough for one. Setting the standard for ultra-lightweight livable space.

-Three-season and free-standing ultralight backpacking tent
-Single door and vestibule
-Factory-taped seams using waterproof, solvent-free polyeurthane tape (No PVC or VOCs)
-Pre-Attached rear guy line for field-ready performance
-Additional reflective guy points for stability and visibility
-Durable YKK® zippered door with snag-guard, Velcro® & snap closures
-High internal gear loops for clothes lines and hanging items
-DAC Featherlite (R) NSL pole system with press fit connectors, lightweight hubs and eco-friendly anodizing
-DAC TH72M Aluminum poles
-Single hub design for quick and easy set up
-No-See-Um Mesh body keeps the smallest bugs out and lets the air flow
-Floor and fly feature ultra-light Ripstop nylon with a 1200 mm waterproof coating
-1200mm waterproof polyurethane-coated nylon bathtub style floor
-Color-coded webbing on tent body and fly for easy set up
-Waterproof stuff sack
-Pitches with 4 stakes, packaged with 8

No-See-Um Mesh
Green Anodizing DAC®

10 Denier Ripstop Nylon Fly
20 Denier Ripstop Nylon Floor
Silicone/PU 1200mm Waterproof Fire Retardant Coating
15 Denier Polyester No-See-Um Mesh
TH72M-6 Aluminum Poles
TH72M-6 Aluminum J-Stakes