Big Agnes Scout UL2

This is one of those rare tents which is a two man tent, weights 2 lbs or less, and costs less than $300. Those last few pounds in your pack weight are hard to get rid of, and are generally expensive. You can spend $600 on a tent made of Cuben fiber, and it can weight 16 oz. If you are trying to get your pack down below 10 lbs, that might be necessary, though do-it-yourself tarp strategies are also doable. With a tarp you also have to have a ground cloth, and are at the mercy of the mosquitoes unless you have a big net. Tarp plus ground cloth is generally around 1.5 lbs, with no mosquito protection. Many of the trips I do are in the fall, so the mosquitoes are not a problem. However, how nice to have a mosquito net for when you need it.

This tent with 13 stakes weighs exactly 2 lbs on my scale, and is wide enough for two sleeping pads. I’ve had it in wind and rain and it does fine. When used by one person, its palacial, and wonderful.  Present price on the net: $265. I think I’ll take this one on the JMT this summer. It sets up with two hiking poles, and there is a mesh panel on each side and the back wall, so condensation is minimal