Well-known for ingenious ranges of outdoor adventure accessories, Australian brand Sea to Summit, has extended its reach with technical backcountry tents. Following more than three years of research and design, two lightweight tent models are about be available, along with a wide range of accessories.
With a 30 year record of product innovation and engineering, Sea to Summit advises that the tents represent ‘genre-shifting technology’ with the release of its Alto and Telos tents. In partnership with Jake Lah, Founder and Head of Design at DAC, the world’s foremost tent pole manufacturer, the tents will feature revolutionary Tension Ridge™ pole construction, tackling two common challenges of modern lightweight tents – liveable space and ventilation.
Tension Ridge™ architecture enables an inverted pole design that angles up to achieve ‘unrivaled internal height, ceiling ventilation, high vertical walls to accommodate modern, thicker sleeping mats and pillows, and a more accessible dry entry/exit’. Sea to Summit claims the result is, ‘a roomy experience with a superior space-to-weight ratio that outperforms any other tent in its class.’
Lah explained, “While the solution was simple, engineering the Tension Ridge™ presented significant challenges. By inverting the angle of the brow pole, we achieve best-in-class interior space and ventilation, without adding weight or bulk to the tent.”
The Tension Ridge™ architecture also makes Sea to Summit tents highly versatile regarding temperature and humidity control. They have a unique, adjustable cross-ventilation system consisting of a Baseline Vent and an Apex Vent. The construction and position of the Apex Vent allows for significantly better airflow and more effective condensation mitigation.
These tents are packed with custom and proprietary hardware, and many thoughtful features. The modular FairShare Storage System allows for easy division of the tent amongst campers and a pole storage case doubles as a LightBar™ for interior illumination with a headlamp. Plus, the tent and fly stuff sack can be clipped into place as a storage pocket inside the tent.
Both Alto and Telos provide the flexibility to leave the rain fly in a star-friendly, partial, or fully-opened position. The rain fly remains ready to rapidly deploy should a rainstorm threaten. Probably, the most intriguing innovation is the Telos’ ability to transform into a roomy open-air shelter for cooking, shade, and weather protection known as Hangout Mode.
Roland Tyson, Founder and Head of Design at Sea to Summit, said, “We always set out to design the best gear — to do things differently and rethink every detail, starting from scratch. The core areas we looked to tackle are common pain-points — space, climate, and adaptability. We’re very happy with what we’ve accomplished here. And we’re thrilled to partner with Jake Lah of DAC, a pioneer in modern tent design and architecture. This is a true partnership, unlike anything either of us has taken on before.”
Both the Alto and Telos tents come with a range of model-specific footprints and accessories to fully customise climate and feature preferences and will be available to buy in Spring 2021.
