The Magazine of Lightweight Hiking and Backcountry Travel

M Integral Designs MK1Lite eVENT Tent REVIEW

by Ryan Jordan

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Article Summary:

Every once in awhile a product comes along that completely shatters your expectations of how a product can - or at least should be able to - perform in the field. One such product is the Integral Designs MK1Lite eVENT Tent, a 3-pound, single wall, breathable solo tent as capable for backpacking in the wet rainforests of the Washington Olympics as for expedition climbing in Alaska or the Himalayas.

At $530, you won't find the Integral Designs eVENT MK1Lite sitting at the bottom of too many bargain bins. And, if you calculate the cost/weight, cost/area, cost/height, or cost/anything ratios for this tent, it's going to come up short.

This review discusses the Integral Designs eVENT MK1Lite Tent's specifications, ease of setup, usable features and options, usable space, and field performance observations related to wind stability, storm protection (including snow loading), ventilation and condensation resistance (with special attention paid to its eVENT waterproof-breathable fabric), field durability, and value.

In addition, we discuss the applicability and limitations of using a Fibraplex carbon fiber pole set with the tent, and comment on its weight savings, impact on pitching the tent, and durability.

Its value can be measured more effectively in terms of the qualities adored by mountaineers and cold-region backpackers: simplicity, breathability, durability, and storm protection. You certainly pay for what you get, but in this case, you get what you pay for and once sticker shock has subsided, you'll probably be pleased as punch for quite some time.

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