Ultralight Tents - Is the Easton Kilo the Best?

QUESTION:
I had never heard of the Easton Kilo until it was mentioned in Outside
Mag (10/10). While I only need a solo tent, its weight is equal to the
two tents on my short list – Nemo Meta 1P and Big Agnes Fly Creek UL1.
Have you had any experience with either of these? Regardless, why
would you recommend the Easton tent?

P.S. I tried a 3.5 lb tent and need to get the weight down to around 2
lbs. Thank you.

Julie

ANSWER:

The Easton Kilo Tent at Outdoor Retailer 2010

Great question. All 3 tents will get you to your 2 pound trail weight goal. The main differences between the Easton Kilo and the tents you’re looking at are that it is the only one that can actually fit 2 people due to the shape of the tent floor, and the waterproof coating on the floor and fly is superior. Since you only need a 1 person tent, the decision you’ll make will be whether or not you want a free standing tent or not, how much head height you need, and how much you’re willing to pay for extra waterproofness.

Similar to the Big Agnes Fly Creek, the Easton Kilo is free standing, yet has more head height. Personally, I prefer free standing tents, so I’d be deciding between the Easton Kilo and the Big Agnes tent. The Easton Kilo has 6 inches more head height, but also has a steeper price tag.

I put together a quick comparison of the main features of each, so you can decide which features are most important to you.

Ultralight Tent Comparison:

Easton Kilo tent: The Easton Kilo tent is innovative in that it is a 2 person free-standing tent. Even though the floor square footage is the same as the Nemo Meta 1P, its shape enables 2 people to fit.

Weight:
- Packed weight = 2.2 pounds (0.910 kg)
- Trail Weight = 2.0 pounds (includes stakes, fly, and canopy)
Dimensions:
- Floor Square Footage = 26 square feet.
- Height = 44″
Fabric:
- Tent = Mesh and 20D Nylon
- Floor = 30D Nylon, 5000mm coating
- Fly = 20D Nylon, 1500mm coating
Set-up: Free standing.
Vestibule Area: 6 square feet
Price: $399

Big Agnes Fly Creek UL 1 Ultralight Tent:

Weight:
- Packed weight = 2.3 pounds (0.992 kg)
- Trail Weight = 1.9 pounds
Dimensions:
- Floor Square Footage = 22 square feet
- Height = 38″
Fabric:
- Tent = Mesh and ultralite nylon
- Floor = ultralite silicone treated nylon with 1200mm waterproof coating
- Fly = ultralite silicone treated nylon with 1200mm waterproof coating
Set-up: Free standing.
Vestibule Area: 5.5 square feet
Price: $299.95