Scouting Report: Not only is this tent great for camping, but it’s perfect for hikers thanks to the trekking poles that also function as its base.
Camping season is upon us but before you rush out and buy any old tent you find on sale (been there, done that, and hated the tent I wound up with), consider how you’re going to use the tent. If you only go car camping and don’t mind lugging around a heavy tent, you can pretty much go with any cheap, heavy beast you find on the shelves.
Campers that want a tent that won’t take up much space in their backpack, however, need to consider the weight and size of the tent. Backpackers that also plan on hiking need to be even more selective since every ounce and square inch are precious. Enter the Black Diamond Distance Tent with Z-Poles, which is pretty much a hiking pole and tent two-in-one combo that allows you to use hiking poles as the frame of the tent instead of also having to lug around separate tent poles.
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I’m a notoriously slow tent setter upper and I get this bad boy up in 10 minutes on my first try. Since it only requires attaching the two hiking poles as the frame, there’s no massive web of interconnecting tent poles that keep falling over on one side while you’re trying to set up the other side. You know what I’m talking about.
At 1 lb. 9 oz., the tent is ultralight and folds up to the size of a butternut squash. Technically, it’s a two-person tent but I like enough room in my tent to store all my gear and still have space to move around so I use this just for myself. As a three-season tent, it works great during spring, summer, and fall and has good cross ventilation to keep you cool on hot and humid evenings. The tent has handy features like a headlamp pocket, where you can store your light or other must-have camping items like this bug spray that will save your summer.
If you already have hiking poles you enjoy, you can buy the Black Diamond Distance Tent with Adapter, and hook your own poles in. Pretty much any hiking poles can be used with the tent but adjustable poles work best so there’s some wiggle room with height.
Just like with any other new toy or tool, however, be sure to try it out at home before heading out on a big trip. My new tent graduated from the backyard to the backcountry and I’ll be spending many a secluded summer night in it this summer. See you in the forest!
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