The One

I’ve used both and I don’t like the A-frame design or the nylon fabric on the GG One. The Durston tents have more useable space and better materials IMO. If those trade-offs work for you then the One is a great tent and very light and inexpensive comparatively. I’m 6’4” so that’s definitely a factor for me.

hard agree. They sometimes do site-wide sales too. https://www.gossamergear.com/products/the-one

If you use trekking poles then your answer Is a trekking pole tent. I have a 1P the One from Gossamer Gear and an Arches 2P from Paria both of these are good value for the cost. Neither one is best in class.  Both are sil-nylon which is a PITA when wet but pack down really small.

I get it! I’m diabetic and have lost 100 pounds through diet, Metformin, and Mounjaro. Congrats! It’s definitely a big change. I use the GG the One as my main tent. It is smaller. But I find it enough room for me. The two pole set up and higher roof make it feel bigger than the specs portray. It’s the lightest tent to my knowledge you can get for the price without going to DCF or using a tarp.

Great and thorough intro to your shakedown. Here are some recs: - You correctly identify that your tent is really heavy. I have two suggestions. Switch to a trekking pole tent since you already carry poles. You can use platform anchors when camping on a platform. It will still be lighter than a freestanding tent. Since you do solo backpacking get a solo tent rather than using a two person tent like the UL2. Two great budget friendly options would be the Gossamer Gear The One (18 ounces) or the Lanshan One Pro (24 ounces). Both are $250 or below and almost half the weight or less than your Copper Spur. - 1 ounce for a tent stake bag is really heavy especially if it’s DCF. Is that weight right? For example, my $6 DCF stuff sack from Borah Gear weighs .1 ounces. - Given that you are sleeping in 40 degrees and above you could switch to lower r value pad or a mummy style Exped pad both of switch would save you several ounces. - Don’t use a 4 ounce dry bag. You should be able to compress the down bag in the bottom of your liner bag which will keep the down dry. Save yourself 4 ounces. - I’m unfamiliar with Adirondack hiking. Is 4 liters always necessary? That’s a lot of water weight to carry. - Do you cook in your pot or only boil water? If it’s just boiling water, swap to a 550 light pot without the lid. Weighs 2.1 ounces. Almost half. Also swap over to the BRS stove which weighs just under an ounce. Both are affordable switches. - 2.5 ounces is a lot for cords. Can you consolidate or simplify? For example, I run all of my electronics off of USBC and bring a small keychain cord which only weighs .3 ounces. - Consider switching to WYSI wipes instead of toilet paper. They get you clean, weigh less, and pack smaller. For a four day trip, WYSI Wipes and Ziplocs for me weigh .8 ounces. - If you are considering going stoveless as you mention in your post, check out the Bare Boxer Contender. It’s a compact bear canister that weighs 1.6 pounds and can get at least 3 days of food with careful planning. - 6 ounces for a hygiene kit is a bit heavy. Consider the amount of each product you actual use on a trip and get LiteSmith containers that are that size. Switch to bug lotion instead of spray as you could more use out of the same size container. - Do you need a Swiss Army knife? How much do you actually use it on a trip? Trying bringing a 17 gram Classic SD in Alox instead. I’d bet you get the same usage for a fraction of the weight. - Ditch the camp shoes. They are extra weight. As well as the clothes. - Optimize your mid layer and rain layer. An alpha midlayer and a Frogg Toggs would weigh the same as 2/3s of just your rain jacket.

I use the GG One in a similar part of the country as you. I have mixed feelings. Super light, compact, and roomy enough for me (I’m 6’2” and 175 pounds) and my gear. Drawbacks other than those inherent to single wall tents: It takes 12 (!!!) effing stakes to properly set up; very delicate materials means it’s easily damaged; crappy seam taping from the factory; does not inspire confidence in bad weather. I’m strongly considering replacing it with an X Mid, actually

2025 Hiker: -If you can fit in the 1 person tent then use it. I used the Gossamer Gear “The One”. It’s far from top of the line but it was lightweight, had a smaller footprint, and was extremely cheap. -I can’t count the number of people with X-mids who had a zipper fail at least once on their hike.(they’re not bad tents) Idc how careful you are with your tent, at some point something will happen to it. Don’t let replacing a tent take you off trail bc you spent 600 dollars on DCF and it ripped or the zippers broke and you can’t afford to fix/replace it. -Also any non freestanding tent will have issues with condensation, you kinda just have to deal with it. -Although your tent is your home, you spend more time on your feet everyday than you do in your tent so if you can shave several ounces, I think it’s worth it. -when it comes to splurging for comfort, price, and weight, you’re better off spending the extra money and sacrificing ounces on a quality sleeping pad from my experience. (Ended up sleeping on a torso length foam pad to save weight after the sierras😂)

It held up great! I’m 5’11 tho so I was basically the max height to fit lengthwise. Had a lot of wet toes or forehead in the mornings. For the price you honestly can’t beat The One. -I did have a the zipper fail about halfway through Washington but my tents zipper lasted longer than everyone else’s in my group (handful of xmids). I just Jerry ridged it till the end and it was fine. -when it comes to zippers failing, how you pitch your tent is important. Try not to put a ton of stress on the zipper. The one is super easy to pitch tho so it really wasn’t a problem

I'm about to do do 5 days Backcountry on the benton mackaye, and I'll sleep in my single UL Tent(GG the One) the whole time. The first night I will be car camping before starting as I'm arriving 11ish pm. I will use my cheap big car camping tent that night. While I am used to my backpacking tent, they're not the same thing as a car tent. One is a fine shaving straight razor with a beautifully stropped blade, delicate, precise and perfect for its purpose. The other is a Bowie knife perfect for hacking at greenery and shaping wood that would turn the razor into a zig zag. I wouldn't expect a UL tent to last a super long time with kids in it on the regular, especially on gravel etc like many of the car sites around me. I think it would be long gone by the time they want to hike any trails with you backpacking if you are waiting for when they are older. You can get a resonable car camping tent for a fraction of the Xmid/dome anyway. On another note: no reason a little backpacking can't be done with them at any age, though mileage is often very different. I'd get the tent, and take em out on the trail. Let them grow up out there, and they'll be dying to get away in the Backcountry with you by the time they are old enough to ask. So no it's not worth it for your purposes, but you should get it anyway.