The guy at REI swore the lighter tent would fall apart on the PCT

Back in 2021 I was getting ready for a 500 mile section of the Pacific Crest Trail and this older employee at the REI in Portland kept telling me my 2 pound tent was too fragile for the rougher parts. He insisted I needed a 4 pound traditional tent. I went with my gut and took the light one anyway. Turns out that flimsy tent held up through wind, rain, and even a few nights near goats in the Sierra. Not a single tear or broken pole. I saved like 2 pounds on my back every day of the hike. Has anyone else had a gear store employee give you advice that was just plain outdated?

2 comments

2 Comments

oliver71926d ago

Bet that old timer never actually hiked the PCT himself.

jessica_miller26d ago

You ever have one of those moments where you realize you’ve been carrying around a heavy, outdated belief for years? I used to think heavier meant tougher, but after watching my buddy @oliver719 breeze through the Sierra with a silnylon tarp that weighed nothing, I totally changed my mind. That old REI guy probably had good intentions, but the tech has moved on, and now lighter stuff can take a real beating without costing you extra back pain.