30 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2017
Lightweight and portable, these space-saving tents are ideal
for on-the-go traveling.
I still hold onto my REI Half Dome even though I don't
backpack anymore. This little tent is easy to set up, fairly
lightweight, packs neatly, holds solidly in the wind, and
has survived through countless heavy rainy days with zero
leakage. But typical of most backpacking tents, interiors are
snug, offering limited space for personal items. With the fly
set up, though, two vestibules are created to keep packs and
boots protected from the weather. The REI Half Dome was
the same tent I used when I biked the Cowboy Trail from
Norfolk to Valentine two years ago (read about it in the
May 2015 issue).
Backpacking tents are also great for camping in areas that
allow dispersed camping – camping outside of designated
campsites. Public areas such as Indian Cave State Park, Fort
Robinson State Park, adjacent Soldier Creek Wilderness,
Nebraska National Forest at Halsey, Oglala National
Grassland, and Samuel R. McKelvie National Forest, with
their many miles of trails, offer campers a chance to really
get away from the crowd.
Also consider these other brands: Big Agnes, Marmot,
The North Face, Cabela's and Eureka, to name a few.
Whichever tent you choose, however, remember that
a trusty backpacking tent is an investment. Read many
Children of the Janzen and Epp families play in the Platte River at Two Rivers State Recreation Area in the spring.
An assortment of camping gear the author owns.
