The arms race in tent construction typically revolves around weight, and while our backpack-loving side appreciates the load reductions, sometimes shaving a few ounces can also mean sacrificing comfort when the tent interior shrinks along with the weight. This spring, Brooks-Range offers their solution by introducing the new Tension Tent line, which deploys a single carbon pole to create the majority of the tent’s rigidity, along with two cross poles that connect to an internal cord system—hence the “tension” in the product name—to provide substantial headroom 40 inches off the tent floor. The two-person Tension 30 ($420) boasts 30 square feet of floor space, but weighs less than 2.5 pounds (the three-person Tension 40 delivers 40 square feet for just under 3 pounds for $460). A 6.6-square-foot vestibule in front of the single C-shaped door should give you decent additional storage space, while fully taped seams and a 15d nylon fly should protect you from the elements, provided you stake the tent down according to the instructions.
—Nathan Borchelt
