For
a more traditional Basecamp-style design from Big Agnes for mountaineering or serious winter goals, check out the Battle Mountain line. Even if you look at the trail weight and not the package weight (which doesn’t include dry bags, pegs, and tie lines), you’ll still weigh almost 9 pounds for a number of tents on this list for the two-person version (the three and four-person models weigh even more). And while the storm is raging outside, the interior is well-designed for comfort. This includes an excellent 33 square feet of living space for the two-person version (significantly more than single-walled tents such as the Samaya 2.0 and Firstlight), almost vertical walls, and a large main vestibule. We found it perfect for summer mountain hikes in the Lower 48 and southern Canada, modest snow camping trips, and multi-day ski tours
.
Breaux from MSR describes the Access as a weekend mountaineering tent because it isn’t as spacious as a typical expedition tent, which usually offers extra space for bulky winter gear. They are designed for ski and snowshoe camping and are also ideal for mountaineering in summer when snow, wind and cold weather are possible. REI calls it “All Season Light” (hence ASL), which translates as that a tent offers better weather protection than a traditional 3-season model, but isn’t built for super-strong winds or heavy snow loads. They’re just sturdy enough for winter camping and just light enough, usually less than six pounds for backpacking
in summer.
This is particularly true for mountaineers or ski tourers, who are likely to have a few camps at lower altitudes below the tree line where there are buggies. Since many people looking for a 4-season tent spend much of the time camping in 3-season conditions (often as they get close to the route or simply camp above the tree line on warm summer days), the Black Diamond Ahwahnee is really hard to beat. In recent years, at least six new tents have come onto the market from just as many different brands, which claim to be suitable for every season. These tents are particularly attractive for people who have just four seasons and for those who only plan one or two trips a year in more temperate environments
.
You’ll probably need a full-featured tent to sleep in the snow, but as a shelter to eat, store gear, or simply as a change of scenery when cabin fever hits, the Black Diamond Mega Light is absolute basecamp luxury.
