David M. and Jack C. are avid climbers who were hiking Mount Rainier early one June.
If you’re not familiar with it, Mount Rainier is a large active volcano in the state of Washington, located about 60 miles southwest of Seattle.
The mountain has a summit elevation of nearly 14,410 feet and is the highest mountain in Washington.
During the hike, the group stopped at Camp Schurman, planning to stay at the 9,500-foot camp to acclimatize.
While at camp, the weather took a turn for the worse as a sudden, unexpected blizzard hit the area.
The group of climbers wasn’t prepared for the weather to turn so quickly.
They set up their tents at Camp Schurman, but conditions deteriorated.
Snow continued to pile up and winds gusted to 80 mph and visibility near zero.
Many of the other climbers didn’t have gear for the harsh weather, having planned for lighter weather.
Thankfully, David and Jack were prepared with quality tents which gave them shelter from the wind, snow, and cold and kept them alive.
Through the severe storm, the men stayed in their tent until they were rescued.
And thankfully, despite both men being stuck in their tent for more than 36 hours, they lived through the ordeal.
As this survival story highlights, a tent is not something to go cheap on.
A quality tent can literally be a lifesaver, like it was for David and Jack.
Now, when it comes to tents there are a lot of different styles and options.
But one type of tent that’s gaining popularity is an instant tent.
What is an instant tent?:
An instant tent is a camping tent designed for extremely fast setup.
They’re designed to unfold, extend, and lock into place.
The tents are made with fabric that is pre-attached to the frame, and you don’t have to assemble poles or thread anything.
Usually, they can be set up in less than 60 seconds.
Benefits of an instant tent:
Of course, the main reason you would even consider an instant tent is because it’s designed for extremely fast setup.
In a survival situation, you could set up the tent quickly in the onset of a sudden storm, injury, or nightfall.
There is no complex pole system, or tools required, you simply unfold the tent and lock it in place.
You can set one up even if you are injured or weak because it requires minimal physical effort.
So, if you are tired, cold, or hurt, you should still be able to set the tent up.
In a survival situation, conserving energy by having an instant tent can make the situation more manageable.
Lastly, in low-light or no-light conditions setting up a tent can be a challenge, but an instant tent will be a lot easier in the dark.
You don’t have to worry about reading the directions or threading poles through tiny holes.
Drawbacks to an instant tent:
The key when buying an instant tent is to make sure you are getting a quality one.
Some instant tents are too weak for harsh weather.
They can have a flimsy structure and aren’t reinforced like traditional tents so they might not withstand heavy winds, snow, or rain.
Also, frames on instant tents are usually pre-attached, which limits their strength.
Another concern is that instant tents are usually bigger and heavier than ultralight tents.
So, they can be harder to pack in your bug-out bag compared to ultralight options.
Plus, with instant tents, you can’t customize how they are set up or adjust them for ventilation.
If you are trying to travel without being detected an instant tent can draw unwanted attention as it’s pretty noticeable when setting it up.
Most instant tents are pre-attached to frames and can be hard to repair, so if one part breaks it can lead to the failure of other parts.
An instant tent can be beneficial for camping, but I would test one out before you commit to trusting it during a bug-out situation.
One instant tent to consider is the Gazelle T4 Hub Tent, which sells for about $400.
Another tent worth looking at is the Decathlon Quechua, which sells for about $150.
A third option is the Toogh Camping Tents, which comes in a range of prices.
Finally, an instant tent can save time and energy, but I don’t think I would trust them at the top of a mountain in a killer storm.
