Serious question, why does everyone rave about ultralight shelters?

Tbh I used to be all in on the 2 pound tent thing. I dropped $600 on a DCF shelter back in 2021 and took it on the Colorado Trail for a week. Sure it packed small but every gust of wind had me rethinking my life choices. Now I carry a 4 pound freestanding tent from REI that I got on sale for $180. Setup takes me 5 minutes instead of 25 with trekking poles and stakes. The extra weight on my back is worth not waking up at 3am in a puddle or chasing my fly across a meadow in Montana. Has anyone else gone back to heavier but more reliable gear after chasing the gram count? Or am I just missing the trick with these fancy shelters?

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gibson.mark2mo ago

The 25 minute setup time sounds like the stakes were the issue, not the shelter itself. I've seen people take forever with UL gear because they're using those tiny titanium nails that bend on the first rock they hit. Swap those out for some full size groundhogs and that pitch time drops way down. Still, I get your point about the freestanding tent being easier in bad spots. There's something to be said for just throwing up a tent anywhere without hunting for the perfect stake angle. Did you try different stakes before you made the switch back, or was it the flapping fabric that pushed you over the edge?

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