February 1, 2001


What's a good tent for hiking the Pacific Coast Trail?

My wife and I are seeking shelter/tent for hiking the Pacific Coast Trail. What will keep us dry, bug free, and comfortable? We want something lightweight but practical (doesn't everyone?).

— Anonymous

Sure, that's what everyone wants. And why not? I, for one, think tents have gotten far too heavy and fussy in recent years, what with clear windows, multiple vestibules and lengthy poles that add some weird architectural whimsy but add little to the tent's usefulness.

So, keep it simple. You'll be hiking a lot -— a LOT (What are your plans? A long through-hike or multiple legs done individually?) -— and need to travel light. So my first choice might be a Sierra Designs Orion CD ($239). At only 4 pounds, 14 ounces, it's a great little tent—though the weight-saving design of just a single door on one side makes it awkward for the inboard camper to climb over the outboard one when nature calls. There's room enough for two but nothing extraneous and it's very tough. In somewhat the same class you'll find Mountain Hardwear's aptly named (in your case) Thru-Hiker ($275). It's a few ounces heavier, but also a good design in a two-person, three-season tent.

If you think you might face some early spring or late fall weather in the high country, you may have to put up with more weight. One candidate: Moss's Starlet GT ($379), a four-season/mountaineering tent made with that company's fanatical attention to durability. Bombproof, but at 7 pounds, 2 ounces, it's at the very high end of what I regard as acceptable weight in a two-person tent used for backpacking. More reasonable on that count is Bibler's single-wall Ahwanee (5 pounds, 4 ounces), another tent that can withstand severe weather. Alas, its price tag of $750 may mean you have to do some gold prospecting along the way.

Anyway, that's a starting point. Take a look at those four tents, weight your budget and needs, then make a decision. But, if most of your hiking is planned for late June to the middle of September, go with the Orion.