I have never been a big tent fan. Tents always mean compromise; they are far from a perfect shelter. But they are often the only choice for many outdoor adventures, unless you prefer sleeping under the stars. That can be great sometimes, but the weather and bugs don't always cooperate, and a tent is your best option, albeit a compromise.

When I look for a tent, I look for these features:

• Very light weight (I hate to carry them)
  
   
• Enough room for me and my gear
  
   
• Waterproof
  
   
• Strong enough to put up with gusty winds
  
   
• Easy to assemble and disassemble
  
   
• Lots of ventilation
  
   
• Built tough for the long haul

As you can see, some of these objectives are mutually exclusive. For example, how can a tent be tough enough to handle big gusts, or be roomy enough, and still be very lightweight? Again, those compromises.

While I have yet to find that elusive perfect tent, one of the closest I have found is the new Ultra Flash from Sierra Designs. The Ultra Flash is the ultralight version of Sierra Design's venerable Clip Flashlight. The Ultra Flash is a two-person, three-season tent that has a packed weight of about 4 pounds, 2 ounces (trail weight of about 3 pounds 8 ounces). It is non-self-supporting, which means that is must be staked out before you put it together. While a little less convenient than using a self-supporting tent, the weight savings more than makes up for it.

Here is why the Ultra Flash is world class:

• It has 32 square feet of living space, and 6 square feet of vestibule space. This is just enough room for two average people with their gear stored in the vestibule, or for one larger person with the gear stored in the tent. The vestibule is a little on the small side and will only hold two backpacks if they aren't too large. Personally, I use this 2-person tent for 1 person, me. I find that 1-person tents, at about 20 square feet, are a little to confining for me, and 2-persons tents are just right.
  
  The tent's dimensions are 58x89 inches, and the peak is 43 inches. That's just barely enough room to sit up for tall people, but average height people will have no problem.
  
   
• The Ultra Flash, without the rain fly, breathes very well. There is a lot of mesh that lets in air (and light). This mesh fabric also contributes to its light weight.
  
   
• With the rain fly on, the tent breaths just above average when compared to similar tents. The rain fly allows several inches of ventilation around all sides, and works OK if there is a breeze to move the air.
  
   
• Waterproofness is excellent. I have yet to get wet in it. The waterproof bottom of the tent comes up on the sides like a bathtub, preventing moisture from blowing into the tent at the bottom of the rain fly where the ventilation space is.
  
   
• The Ultra Flash has two DAC Featherlite aluminum poles that are shock-cord attached. It also comes with tie-down cord and aluminum stakes.
  
   
• As I said before, the tent is very lightweight for its class, weighing in at about 4 pounds 2 ounces packed. It folds down to about 5 inches by 20 inches, which means it can fit into virtually any backpack. The fastpack weight is about 2 pounds 7 ounces (using optional footprint, poles, and rain fly).
  
   
• Even though the tent is made out of ultralightweight materials, this doesn't seem to have any negative affects on the tent's strength and quality of construction. The Ultra Flash can take a lot of wind before you begin to feel uncomfortable.

This tent is excellent for backpacking, cycling, paddling, or for any outdoor adventure where you want to keep weight to a minimum.

Using the Sierra Designs Ultra Flash in the Real World

When I first got this tent and saw how small it packed, and felt how little it weighed, I was immediately impressed, even before opening it up.

The tent is very easy to assemble. First, you lay out the tent on the ground and stake it out. Next, you add the two poles, one at a time. The tent is held to the poles using Sierra Designs' Cam-Lock system, which are essentially plastic hooks. Once the poles are attached, you are ready to use it, unless you also want to add the rain fly. If so, the rain fly sits on top of the two poles and then is attached to the base of the tent. For extra ventilation and support, the vestibule and sides of the rain fly should be tied down using the enclosed cord. I like to pull out the fly away from the tent as much as possible in order to maximize air movement. I often do this by attaching the cord to a handy tree or bush.

Inside the tent, the back part is smaller than the front part. This means that you can sit upright in the front part (by the door), but you can't sit up in the back part. This shouldn't be a problem, but if you are used to much bigger tents, you might get a little claustrophobic. Since I sleep in the tent by myself, I put my gear at the back and the sides the tent, and if the rain fly is up, stow my boots in the vestibule.

The tent is relatively easy to get in and out of. The front door, made with a mesh fabric, is easy to unzip and zip, and it can be stowed closed if desired.

As with all tents, depending on the weather conditions, condensation can develop in the tent, although it is not at an unacceptable level. But for the most part, if there is a breeze, ventilation is good without the rain fly, and adequate with the rain fly.

Recommendation

If you are looking for an ultralightweight tent, and don't mind the size of the tent, you can't go wrong with the Ultra Flash.

Product Notes

The Sierra Designs Ultra Flash comes in only one color combination: Khaki and Yellow. The MSRP is $189.00. The optional footprint is $35.00. If this tent is still too heavy for you, consider Sierra Designs' Ultra Light Year, 1 person tent, which has a pack weight of only 3 pounds 1 ounce.