Hilleberg, a small, unassuming Swedish firm, has been quietly churning out a few of the sturdiest, hardest, most wind- and weather- resistant, best-made backcountry shelters you should purchase for many years. The Akto was first launched in 1995 and has seen just one design change in all these years. For this reason Hilleberg has one thing of a cult following. Hilleberg tents are additionally very costly, which has all the time left me questioning, “Are they price it?”
To seek out out, I had Hilleberg ship me its iconic four-season, one-person, hoop-style tent—the Akto. With a retail value of $740 (although yow will discover it for much less on sale), it isn’t low cost, however after utilizing it for practically two weeks this fall and into winter, I feel it is completely well worth the cash. The Akto is the greatest tent I’ve ever used by a really vast margin. It isn’t good, however it’s the most effective solo tent you should purchase, and I am fairly positive it is the one factor product of nylon that may have a shot at making our Purchase It For Life information.
Assume Completely different
{Photograph}: Scott Gilbertson
The Akto was a groundbreaking tent when it arrived on the scene in 1995. (For reference, the identify means “alone” within the language of the Sami, the indigenous folks of northern Scandinavia.) Again then, virtually nobody was making four-season one-person tents, nobody was utilizing silicone nylon—now the usual cloth for light-weight tents—and nobody was making hoop tents. Quick-forward to right this moment, and whereas a good portion of the out of doors business now makes such issues (e.g., Tarptent’s Scarpa 1), the Akto stays kind of the identical tent. When one thing works, do not mess with it. (Though technically, Hilleberg did add the little vent hood over the fly door in some unspecified time in the future, and I am glad they did. It is perhaps my favourite characteristic.)
Sufficient historical past, let’s get into the tent. Except you have been utilizing cottage business ultralight tents, it is most likely very completely different than most backpacking tents you have used.
There are two issues that set Hilleberg’s Akto aside. The primary is the hoop-style design. The opposite factor that makes this tent completely different is the material, which is more durable and lighter (albeit perhaps not ultralight) than most different tents I’ve examined. Extra on that beneath.
The Akto just isn’t freestanding. The design consists of a single curved pole in the midst of the tent, like the ring of a lined wagon. The ends are then staked out from that curved heart pole, with two stakes at every finish. There are some benefits to a freestanding design, like with the ability to simply transfer the tent after it is arrange. However after spending time with the Akto and different non-freestanding designs, I’ve discovered that I am high-quality with the trade-offs. Skipping the freestanding design offers you a lighter tent, with an excellent low-end wind profile, whereas remaining a lot sturdy sufficient ought to the wind shift within the evening. It is also simpler to pitch.
{Photograph}: Scott Gilbertson