A-Frame or Ridge Tents

Many people have fond childhood memories of spending the night in the backyard or perhaps out on a Boy Scout camping trip. Chances are that you've spent the night in an A-frame style tent. Improvements have definitely been made since your childhood. You no longer have to fight your way around a pole in the middle of the doorway!

Big Agnes SarvisOne of the main limitations of this style is the lack of headroom towards the sides of the tent. In the past, poles could not bend; hence the straight poles on each side. With the advent of bend-able aluminum and alloy metal poles, the poles could bend and allow more space than the straight poles.

The tent shown here, the award winning Big Agnes Savis SL1+, is meant for one person, so it makes little difference that there isn't more headroom. Hovering at about 3 pounds, this tent is extremely lightweight for the solo hiker who wants to have their gear and dog inside with them.