Tarptent, a name synonymous with ultralight and artisan backpacking equipment, is unveiling its latest offering: the ProTrek shelter. This innovative tent is a reimagined version of the popular ProTrail, promising an affordable, versatile, and lightweight solution for outdoor enthusiasts. It boasts an asymmetrical design that allows for numerous pitching styles, catering to a wide range of weather conditions and personal preferences.
Scheduled for release later this month, the ProTrek is positioned as a significant advancement in the trekking pole shelter market. Its predecessor, the ProTrail, garnered a loyal following due to its straightforward yet effective design, minimal weight, and accessible price. The ProTrek builds upon this legacy by introducing an asymmetrical structure that facilitates diverse entry and ventilation options. This adaptability, combined with a competitive price point of $249, distinguishes it as one of the most budget-friendly American-made trekking pole shelters available today.
During field tests conducted near Tarptent's headquarters in Nevada City, California, the ProTrek was evaluated against its earlier iteration and current ultralight one-person shelters. While the ProTrail featured a basic, front-entry A-frame, the ProTrek offers entry from the front, side, or a combination thereof, providing unparalleled flexibility. This enhanced configurability is achieved through a two-trekking pole setup, where the tent slopes from a 40-inch peak at the head to 28 inches at the foot. The intelligent design allows users to manipulate the rainfly panels independently, offering various degrees of openness or enclosure. For instance, the head corner features a triple-zipper system, enabling entry from either side or a complete open-air experience when both zippers are retracted.
The ProTrek maintains the minimalist setup of its predecessor, requiring only four stakes for a basic pitch. However, it significantly expands on versatility with 11-12 total guy-out positions. This abundance of anchoring points, coupled with its slender, angular profile, makes the ProTrek remarkably more resistant to strong winds compared to the previous model. The attention to detail extends to robust construction, utilizing 2.3-millimeter reflective UHMWPE guylines with a dual line-lock system for superior tensioning. Critical stress points are reinforced with durable fabrics like Challenge Sailcloth’s UltraGrid and recycled polyester RBC, ensuring longevity and resilience.
The tent's innovative features also include elastic door tie-backs for the front fly and mesh panels, along with magnetic Dyneema tabs on the side. These tabs allow for quick and versatile tethering of the mesh, fly, or both, even enabling separation of wet fly fabric from the mesh. A unique mesh shelf positioned along the left side of the floor addresses condensation issues by allowing moisture to evaporate or drain away, preventing pooling inside the tent. Furthermore, the ProTrek accommodates various pitching methods for trekking poles, including tip-up or tip-down configurations, utilizing Ultragrid pockets, grommets, and elastic cinches.
The ProTrek's fly is constructed from 20-denier high-tenacity silicone-coated polyester (silpoly), a material increasingly favored in ultralight trekking pole shelters for its resistance to sagging and UV degradation. Tarptent claims its silpoly surpasses industry standards, featuring a high-tenacity monofilament variety and a 100-percent silicone coating. However, like other non-Dyneema Tarptent shelters, it requires seam sealing, an additional service offered for $35 or a DIY task for the user. The tent's floor uses 30-denier silnylon, chosen for its strength and puncture resistance. The complete kit, including five 6.38-inch aluminum stakes, bags, and lines, weighs 26.7 ounces, making it a mid-range option in terms of ultralight standards for a single-walled tent.
During field testing in the American River region of the Sierras, the ProTrek demonstrated its capabilities. While initial setup took less than 10 minutes, practice reduced this to under 5 minutes. The tent's vestibules provide versatile storage options, accommodating trail runners and a 35-liter pack with ease. Utilizing the larger side vestibule for storage allowed for larger items like work boots and a 45-50 liter pack, although this sometimes made entry and exit cumbersome, especially in rainy conditions where contact with condensed walls was unavoidable. The 84-by-28-inch floor offers ample space for lounging, particularly when the weather permits opening both the front and side. However, in cold, wet conditions with all openings secured, condensation became a notable concern, with the tent's shoulder width proving insufficient to prevent contact with damp walls during movement. Despite its ability to handle nearly 30 mph winds in the Tahoe National Forest, the ProTrek ultimately succumbed to a snowstorm, collapsing under 7-plus inches of snow, highlighting its three-season minimalist design.
The ProTrek enters a competitive market, with its $249 price tag being a major draw. Competitors such as the Durston X-Mid 1 offer a more spacious and weather-resistant double-wall design for slightly more, but at a heavier weight and often limited availability. The Zpacks Pivot Solo, though half the weight, costs significantly more and lacks the ProTrek's multi-configurability. Other brands like Six Moon Designs and Mountain Laurel Designs offer sil-poly trekking pole shelters that are pricier and less versatile in terms of ventilation and access. Ultimately, the ProTrek stands out as one of the most cost-effective and adaptable American-made ultralight shelters. While it may not be the ideal choice for consistently damp environments, it remains a robust option for backpackers seeking a lightweight, minimalist shelter capable of handling occasional adverse weather conditions.