Question about the real weight of 'lightweight' tents

I was looking at a new two-person tent online, and the specs said it weighed 4 pounds 2 ounces. That seemed fine. But then I dug into the actual product page on the manufacturer's site. The fine print said that weight was 'minimum trail weight,' which only includes the tent body, rainfly, and poles. The 'packaged weight,' with stuff sacks, stakes, and guylines, was actually 5 pounds 11 ounces. That's over a pound and a half more than the big number they lead with. It feels a bit sneaky. Do you think brands should be forced to list the full packaged weight first, or is it on us to always check the details?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_karen5d ago

My new "3 pound" backpack was actually 4.8 with the lid and belt. They bury the real number in a chart at the bottom of the page. It's totally a trick and they should lead with the full weight.

hall.nora5d ago

I mean, I always check the specs anyway.