I never thought I’d be a one-person tent kind of gal.
On every thru-hike, I’ve always used a two-person (2P) tent. What can I say? I love having space when I’m living on trail for 30+ days. A one-person (1P) tent always felt like a glorified bivvy to me. A claustrophobic cocoon that sacrificed comfort for weight savings. But after falling in love with the Hyperlite Unbound 2P tent (review here), I decided to give the Hyperlite Mid 1P Tent a shot, in an effort to shave even more weight from my pack.
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Quick Look
Product Name: Mid 1-Person Tent
Brand: Hyperlite Mountain Gear
Price: $1099.99 AUD at WildEarth
Weight: 476g (tent only)
Packed Size: 22cm x 14cm x 14cm
Exterior Floor Size: 271cm long x 137cm wide x 137cm high
Internal Floor Size: 244cm long x 81cm wide
What I Loved
The Design
The Hyperlite Mid 1P Tent is a 3-season, non-freestanding tent that pitches with one pole: either a hiking pole or a collapsible pole (if I’m bikepacking). It’s a single-wall Dyneema tent with one door, a mesh inner opening, and a partial internal floor. The design follows a true pyramid shape, with a rectangular bathtub floor that covers only half the interior space. The other half functions as a vestibule, helping keep weight down while still giving a dry space to store gear.
The set-up is similar to the Hyperlite Unbound 2P. There are six points to peg in total: one at each corner, one at the door, and one halfway along the back wall. There are also external loops on the side walls and the top of the tent for adding extra guy lines (not included) if you’re expecting rough weather. When pitched correctly, it feels very stable. No flapping fabric, no sagging sides. If a peg comes loose though, be prepared for the whole thing to collapse but that’s just the nature of non-freestanding tents. A word of warning from experience: don’t overtighten the pitch or you might bend a pole.
Inside, there’s a single gear pocket positioned directly below the door. It’s handy for a headtorch or lip balm, but I left my phone in there and stepped on it while getting out and cracked my screen. So not the safest spot for any fragile items.
The adjustability of the 6-inch bathtub floor is a nice touch, and I love the magnetic outer door tie-up toggles (the same ones used in the Unbound 2P). They’re super useful when you’re fumbling around in the dark trying to get out in a hurry. The mesh door tie-up toggles are a newer design and I like them better than the old simple strings.
The storage bag is the exact same one that comes with the 2P tent, which means there’s a little extra room to get the tent back in easily. That extra space is actually a good thing for Dyneema, since the fabric should be folded and then gently rolled rather than stuffed, to help extend its lifespan.
Size & Weight
The Hyperlite Mid 1P tapers from 137cm at the peak all the way down to the ground, just like a pyramid – dur. It also comes with a small pole jack, which I originally mistook for a repair piece until I sat down to write this article. The jack can be used to lift the peak to get the full 137cm height of the tent if your collapsible pole isn’t long enough (most are 125cm).
It’s longer than most ultralight shelters, measuring 244cm inside, which gives my 178cm frame plenty of space at both ends. The interior is 81cm wide. Since the pole runs through the centre, you sleep right beside it, with room to store gear along the sloped wall and in the vestibule. I had my pack, shoes, and a few other bits and pieces stored inside the tent, without it feeling too cramped. I can sit up comfortably in the centre, but the sloped walls do make the ends a little tight for moving around.
This is where the Mid 1P really wins me over. I’m on a mission to become an ultralight hiker without sacrificing too much comfort, and this tent weighs just 476g (a little over 1 pound). For a fully enclosed one-person shelter with this much space, that’s seriously impressive. To put it in perspective, the North Face Assault Futurelight Bivy weighs 740g and is basically a waterproof sleeping bag. The Mid 1P gives you far more liveable space for even less weight.
Fabric
The Hyperlite Mid 1P is made from Dyneema Composite Fabric (DCF), which is known for being incredibly light, strong, and waterproof. It’s the reason this tent comes in at such a low weight without compromising on durability. But Dyneema has its flaws. This one’s pretty transparent, and I mean, literally-see-the-stars-through-it transparent. Personally, I don’t mind it as it brings in the natural light so I can wake with the sun rise. In a well-lit campground, or if there’s a full moon, be prepared to have a restless nights sleep. Just be aware, if you turn a headtorch on inside, the tent will light up like a lantern from the inside.
As for durability, I’ve only had three nights in this tent so far, but my 2P Hyperlite, made from the same fabric, has seen over 50 nights of use and is still holding up strong. The only maintenance I’ve had to do was resealing a seam after some heavy rain I saw some water drops see through. Dyneema might look delicate, but in my experience, it’s built to last.
Ventilation & Condensation
Single-wall tents get a bad rap for condensation, and while they’re not perfect, I think the issue is often overstated. The Hyperlite Mid 1P has decent ventilation, with a sheltered opening at the peak and mesh around the edge of the bathtub floor. I’ve never had any major condensation issues, though I’ll admit, I usually sleep with the door open unless it’s raining.
Unlike nylon, Dyneema doesn’t absorb moisture. So instead of carrying around a soggy tent the next morning, I just wipe down the inside and outside with a cloth before packing it up. Dyeema also dries quicker than other fabrics, especially once the sun hits.
What Could be Better
Price & Extras
For the price ($1099.99AUD), I do wish Hyperlite included a few extras. The Mid 1P doesn’t come with stakes or a pole, so these will need to be purchased separately. It also doesn’t include the additional wall guy lines that the 2P version has. I really wish they were part of the kit, since they help pull the side walls out for more space and give the option to open both doors up. I ended up buying a set of Big Agnes Guylines for $30. It wasn’t a huge deal, but when you’re already dropping $1099.99 on a tent, it would be nice not to have to chase down extra parts just to unlock its full potential.
How It Compares
Compared to standard 3-season one-person tent, like the Mont Hypermid 1P, the Hyperlite Mid 1P is much lighter. The Mont comes in at 446g for the inner and 595g for the outer, which adds up to over a kilogram (half a kilo heavier than the Hyperlite). The Mont is also roughly $500 cheaper, so you’re paying for the Dyneema performance and serious weight savings with the Hyperlite.
When comparing it to other Dyneema tents, the Mid 1P still holds its own. Zpacks’ Offset Solo is a similar hiking-pole shelter, though a bit more complex in design. It uses three poles instead of one, weighs around 506g, and falls into a similar price range($1100 at Ultralight Hiker). The Mid 1P is simpler, faster to pitch, has slightly more headroom, and is a little longer inside. If you value ease of use and space over technical features, the Hyperlite is the better pick IMO.
Final Thoughts
The Hyperlite Mid 1P Tent feels just as reliable as the Hyperlite Unbound 2P version I’ve trusted for years, only without the bulk. It’s helped cut down my pack weight without having to crawl into a bivvy each night. There’s still enough space to be comfortable, enough simplicity to be quick to set-up, and enough durability to rely on in the backcountry.
If you’re looking to lighten your base weight and have the budget to invest in a premium shelter, this tent hits that sweet spot between comfort and performance. It’s not cheap, but it’s one of the lightest and most liveable solo tents out there and for me, that trade-off has been well worth the cost.
Disclosure: I am a WildEarth ambassador, and this tent was gifted to me by WildEarth at my request. I wasn’t paid to write this review, nor were there any conditions or restrictions on what I could say about the Hyperlite Mid 1P Pyramid Tent. Where WildEarth products are linked, an affiliate code has been used. Everything written here is based on my own experience using this gear in the outdoors. Outdoor adventures carry risk, and Path & Pedal accepts no liability for injury, loss, or damage.
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