MSR FreeLite 1 £400

This tent defies the expectation that small, lightweight solo backpacking tents are cramped and coffin-like. It’s got great headroom and a generous rectangular inner footprint with good length and width. This makes it extremely liveable, aided by a generous porch area that means gear doesn’t have to be stored in with you.

The exceptional space-toweight is achieved via a design that incorporates steep walls and a clever overhead spreader bar, combined with ultralight yet weatherproof fabrics.

All extraneous features are omitted, so it lacks things like storage pockets. There are hanging tabs for a gear line or loft though, and a clever door design means the two zippers always meet in the same place – no fumbling around in the dark needed.

The mesh inner ensures ventilation for good airflow and minimal condensation. The fly also provides good all-round coverage except at one end of the tent, where only a single fabric inner guards against water ingress. But on test in drizzly north Wales, we stayed dry. Though it’s worth noting that the inner pitches first – less practical if it’s already raining when you set up camp.

IF WE’RE BEING FUSSY We’d like greater flysheet coverage at the foot end. The groundsheet is very thin – use a footprint for added protection – and one side of the tent has a steep wall that can catch wind.

■ PACKED SIZE 46x10cm ■ TRAIL WEIGHT 0.88kg ■ DOORS 1 ■ PORCHES 1 ■ DESIGN TYPE Semi-freestanding

■ MATERIALS 15D sil-nylon ripstop Xtreme Shield (1200mm

HH), 15D ripstop nylon Xtreme Shield polyurethane and DWR sewn-in groundsheet, 10D nylon micromesh inner.

Verdict

A superb ultralight tent for solo backpacking that boasts a class-leading space-to-weight ratio, particularly for a doublewall design. It isn’t flawless, but it’s still impressive.