5 Cool Tent Upgrades
Make your tent a little sturdier, a little handier, and a little more visible with these five accessories.
Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.
Prestige Tent Lights – Save your eyes with these tent lights. Wrap ’em around your tent poles and “Let There Be Light!” The LEDs will last around 50 hours on 3 standard AAs. www.prestigeglassart.com 3 oz., $9
Sierra Designs Grip Clips – Make your tent a solid shelter with these removable clips that attach anywhere in seconds and hold firm. Best location is near a pole 1/3 of the way up. www.sierradesigns.com 3 oz for set of 4 with guyline, $11.95
Sterling Rope GloCord Tent Lines – No more tripping on tent line with GloCord. When your headlamp shines on them it’s like a laser beam. The yellow is visible during the day and night. www.sterlingrope.com 3 oz for 50′ GloCord + 4 cleats, $15
Mountain Hardwear X Stakes The X Stake holds in swirling gusts so you’ve got a solid anchor in all directions. They come pre-drilled for use as a deadman in snow. www.mountainhardwear.com 2 oz. for 15cm set of 4, $18, 4 oz. for 25cm set of 4, $22
REI Schwag Pockets – These mesh and nylon pockets can clip anywhere and keep anything in easy reach. The pockets have a wire loop to keep them open and fit a 1-quart bottle. www.rei.com 1 oz per pair, $9
Photos and text by Joel Nyquist.
A new tent wasn’t in my budget, but my old dome needed an upgrade. Check out these five simple accessories that let me pimp out my tent without breaking the bank. I tested them on my Kelty Gunnison 2, REI Cirque ASL, and Integral Designs SilTunnel for two months in Shenandoah, VA, and in Colorado at the Great Sand Dunes and atop St. Mary’s Glacier.