“Required Gear” is critical to adventure racing. This is gear an Adventure Race Director has deemed necessary to up the odds for racer safety, and gear that is necessary to complete the various race disciplines. However, required gear sometimes flies in the face of many racers, as most of us want to be as light as possible and the thought of carrying things like…a tent…makes our weight-weenie hinnies pinch tightly! But, we also want to be safe…for the most part! That said, we’re always looking for the best of both worlds.

Well, we think we’ve found that with NEMO’s Nano Elite tent. This is an adventure racing specific tent made by NEMO Equipment, a New Hampshire based tent and gear maker. We were introduced to NEMO at a recent Outdoor Retailer trade-show. We were not only impressed with their gear, their attention to detail, and awareness of what consumers value (whether they be adventure racers or backpackers), but also the enthusiasm and knowledge of the NEMO team.

We eventually were able to try their Nano Elite tent during a few races this summer, namely Untamed New England. On top of that, we were able to visit their shop in New Hampshire. THAT was very cool! The vibe and everything else that bubbled from this shop was very cool and something we’ll remember. We also met more of NEMO’s staff. They’re not some corporate giant all caught up in their underpants. They’re very cool, innovative, and super committed gear junkies! Note, they have some very brainy engineers designing their gear—some are Ivy League schooled!

Many racers will attempt to skirt required “shelter” requirements by trying to check things like tarps, space blankets, and other “shelter-like” contraptions. We’ve tried this and while the concept sounds great, the execution can be spotty and sometimes simply unsafe. Example: Try warming a hypothermic teammate under a floppy Wal-Mart tarp while sitting in a foot of snow on an exposed slope as a downpour of sleet and wind drive misery into your soul! We’ve tried this and—while it sounds sexy—it sucks! More importantly, it boarders on simply being unsafe and stupid.

So, why deal with the above when for close to same space and weight you can have an actual tent that will withstand most anything. This is where NEMO’s Nano Elite tent comes in. It comes in at a scant 2.8 pounds! I’ve used the “shelter-like” contraptions described above and other ultra-light tents, and the Nano Elite packs better than most and is definitely more functional and safe that most. The tent body packs down small via a compression sack and the DAC Featherlite poles are stored separately in another bag. This allows flexibility when packing. The tent itself is built as a single wall, with 2D non breathable, fully taped waterproof silicon-nylon material. This makes for a very light, while durable and water-proof body. There are vents up top that allow adequate airflow. Admittedly, there will be condensation due to the body material (single wall and waterproof). However, I’ve never met a system like this that didn’t have some condensation. (NEMO is actually working on adding more vents to a future release of the Nano Elite.)

There are other options that not only make the Nano Elite effective, but also flexible. There’s a screen door, which aids in ventilation. But that can also be removed all together to save weight. The Velcro straps that line the inside and hold the poles in place are nice, but can actually be cut off if you’re really trying to save weight. The tent will stand and stay fine without them. The Nano Elite also comes with stakes; a luxury you can also leave at home to save weight. With just these adjustments, the total weight can actually lessened!

In terms of space, Nano Elite works perfectly for an adventure racing team of 4. It’s certainly not spacious—but that’s not what we’re looking for. Sleeping in a puppy-pile or head-to-toe works best. Plus being this close keeps everyone warm! Durability is also tops with the Nano Elite. We’ve shuttled this tent in and out of our packs both wet and dry; nicely packed and quickly stuffed. Each time we saw no wear, no tear, and no problems.

Oh, and here’s a cool idea NEMO has as their own: inflatable poles. Yea—you read that right. Poles that are essentially made of air! Did I already say these guys are smart!?

Check out our Untamed New England pics, which include our visit to NEMO’s shop and some glam shots of the Nano Elite at Balsams Resort (the site of Untamed New England’s start and finish): http://www.flickr.com/photos/dirtyavocados/sets/72157621426436076/

And click here for a look at NEMO’s website and more on the Nano Elite: http://www.NEMOequipment.com/NEMO09-nanoelite-tent

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