In honor of the company’s 50th Anniversary, Sierra Designs created a new Elite Collection of gear. This lightweight yet high performance line of products includes everything from rain gear to tents and sleeping bags, all reflecting the brand’s new unconventional approach to design.
Similar in style to the MSR FlyLite tent, the non-freestanding Tensegrity (a rift on tensional integrity) ditches the majority of poles in favor of using your trekking poles as support instead. One small pole for the foot area and seven tent stakes ensure this tarp tent offers enough interior space and remains stable in inclement weather.
Wider at the top than at the bottom, you get a bit of extra space at the head and shoulders without the added weight of a more uniform footprint. The Tensegrity Elite tents use a silicone treated 20D nylon ripstop in the floor and body—you need to do your own seam sealing.
Ditching the traditional vestibules, the Tensegrity instead features large drop doors that give an open, airy feel and tons of ventilation, while 12” awnings provide abundant sun and rain protection. A small gear closet at the back of the tent can be used to keep your packs out of the rain or rolled up for nighttime star-gazing.
The Sierra Designs Tensegrity comes in a 1 Elite version (1lb, 10oz; 17.1 sq ft interior; $399.95) and 2 Elite version (2lb, 2oz; 29.3 sq ft interior; $489.95). The tents are also available in two beefier (Feather Light) versions featuring a 30D nylon ripstop floor, 20D polyester ripstop body, and seam taping throughout—the Tensegrity 1 FL (1lb, 15oz; 17.1 sq ft interior; $319.95) and the Tensegrity 2 FL (2lb, 8oz; 29.3 sq ft interior; $389.95).
A redesign of Cooke Custom Sewing Lean Shelters.