That $600 ultralight shelter was a total waste on the PCT

Last year I dropped $600 on a fancy cuben fiber tarp tent setup after reading all the hype on here about saving weight. By day 12 near Kennedy Meadows I was done with it. The thing flapped all night in any wind over 10 mph, condensation dripped on my face every morning, and I ended up sleeping under a tarp I rigged from my rain fly more than half the trip. A friend with a $120 two-wall tent from Big 5 had zero problems and slept better than me the whole trail. I get that gram counting matters for some folks, but this thing cost me real money and real sleep. Has anyone else ditched the expensive ultralight gear mid-trip and gone back to something heavier but actually functional?

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patking1mo ago

That $120 tent from Big 5 probably kept you warmer too, since single walls lose heat fast in the cold.