Pros
- Very lightweight
- Versatile pitching options
- Fairly low wind profile
- Good wind protection
Cons
- Sags when wet
- No bathtub floor or midge net
- Requires a hiking pole
Cost
Introduction
Earlier this year I decided to walk the La Senda Pirenaica(GR11), a 800+km route across the Pyrenees, and decided to buy the DD Superlight Pyramid Tent for the expedition. I already had the Lanshan 2P Pro tent, but I wanted something a bit lighter and with a lower wind profile. The DD fitted the bill perfectly, and so I decided to give it a go.
I chose to go with the outer-only option, as I felt I wouldn’t really need full bug protection, nor would I need a bathtub floor if I pitched my tent carefully. The DD superlight, when used without the optional inner, isn’t really a tent – It’s more of a tarp with a zipper for full wind protection.
Pitching the tent
Once you get the hang of pitching the DD superlight Pyramid you can pitch it easily within 5 minutes. My usual tactic is to zip up the door, peg out the 4 corners, and then unzip the door and push my trekking pole in to ensure the tent is erect. Once this is done I simply need to peg out the extra tie down downs and guys and it’s done.
Pitching flexibility
One of the things I love most about this tent is the flexibility it gives when pitching it. The tent can be erected using either a trekking pole or suspended from a tree using the tie out at the top of the tent.
Also you can use an extra long pole(or lash two poles together) in order to pitch the tent high above the ground like a marquee. This is great if you want more room to cook and you’re not worried about wind.
Rain protection
During my thru hike there were 3 or 4 major thunderstorms and the DD handled them superbly. The steep angle of the tent meant that rain ran off quickly. That being said, with the tent being made from silnylon it suffered from the same sagging as all other silnylon tents. Upgrading to a Dyneema tent like the Zpacks Duplex would be the only solution to that!
Also, like other silnylon tents, once the tent gets wet its weight increases to around 1kg, so I often found myself unpacking the tent mid-morning to give it chance to dry out.
It’s also worth noting that since the tent doesn’t have a bathtub floor in its fly-only setup then there is a risk of getting flooded. I didn’t find this to be a problem on the GR11 as most of the time I pitched the tent in locations with excellent drainage.
Wind resistance
I was also greatly impressed by the way the tent stood up to the wind. We had an especially windy night camped out by the Refugio de Respuosa and the tent stood up well. It obviously wouldn’t stand up to a gale on the mountains but I never planned to camp on the tops, preferring to drop down into the valleys each afternoon to avoid the worst of the thunderstorms.
Final thoughts – Rating 8/10
The DD Superlight Pyramid is a great minimalist tent that worked perfectly for hiking the GR11, a trail where there was limited rain(after Basque Country!) and where there are smoke opportunities to camp away from high exposed ridges. You would struggle to find a sub 500g tent for anywhere near the 125 euros I paid without opting for a tarp tent.
Is it perfect? No? Would I use it in the Scottish Highlands with midges and rain aplenty? Absolutely not!
Would I take it on another Pyrenees hiking trip where I know most of the time it isn’t going to be raining and midge infested? Definitely!