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For this year's TGO challenge, a demanding two-week coast-to-coast journey across Scotland, I sought to reduce the weight of my pack without sacrificing the headroom, living space, and large vestibules I have come to enjoy with my trusty Hilleberg Anaris. Having traversed the country with the Anaris on four previous occasions, I decided to try a different trekking pole tent, Gossamer Gear’s The Two.

Gossamer Gear’s The Two is an ultralight two-person tent designed to minimise weight without compromising performance. It is also available in a one-person variation called The One. Weighing just 684g, The Two is one of the lightest tents in its class, making it an excellent option for long-distance trekkers. Despite its feathery weight, it offers a reasonable amount of space and a peak height of 125cm. The Two comes with factory-taped seams, so you do not need to seam seal it yourself.

Like many solo long-distance backpackers, I favour two-person tents for multi-day trips. The Two comfortably accommodate my 6’0” frame and wide 25"/63.5 cm sleeping pad, with ample room for all my gear. While the tent can fit two tapered pads side by side, it sadly won't fit two wide pads. It is best suited for solo use, especially for prolonged trips. The limited space may cause discomfort for two people, but it would suffice for a night or two.

The shelter is constructed from lightweight 10D nylon ripstop SIL/PU fabric. It has a five-inch-high bathtub floor, two internal pockets, one on each side, and large vestibules on both sides. The vestibule doors can be unclipped from the ridgeline, so all four can be rolled away, creating a well-ventilated, airy, liveable space.

The simple all-in-one design means pitching the tent is very straightforward, especially if you are familiar with trekking pole tents. I am a big fan of the grommets that seat the end of each trekking pole; they add stability to the pitch and tension to the tent. Though the tent can be pitched with just six tent pegs, I always opt to pitch the tent with twelve, securing the bathtub floor as taut as possible and utilising the extra guy out points on both side walls. You must attach the guy ropes (1 mm Dyneema core) to the side walls yourself, but it is worth doing as they add stability and, more importantly, create more space inside the tent.

Creating extra internal space isn't just for the extra room; it also helps create more vertical space inside the tent, which you will appreciate on humid nights when the temperature drops. With all single-skin tents, condensation can be an issue; I suffered severe condensation twice in the fourteen days it took to cross Scotland. On both nights, I was at a campsite, and on both nights, the temperature dropped suddenly throughout the night. Throughout my trip, I slept with both doors open to manage the condensation, allowing fresh, dry air into the tent.

The large internal doors and mesh vents at each end of the tent aid with airflow; however, vents higher up, at the top of the trekking poles or the side guy-out points, would be welcome. If I could change the design, I would prefer a door on each side of the inner mesh. This feature would allow for the complete opening of both sides of the inner tent, creating exceptional accessibility.

The Two held up impressively well in windy and rainy conditions during my TGO challenge. Utilising the extra guy out points created a sturdy structure that handled gusty winds and three intense thunderstorms without issue. The ripstop nylon fabric proved highly water-resistant, effortlessly shedding rainfall. The large vestibules provided plenty of dry storage space for gear during storms. While not intended for extreme mountain conditions, the tent's simplicity and well-designed tension system allowed it to withstand typical three-season wind and precipitation with no problems.

Packing away the tent is straightforward. First, remove the trekking poles. Next, unpeg the outer tent. I leave two bathtub pegs at one end, so I can shake off excess moisture. This also makes it easier to fold the tent and stuff it into the provided stuff sack. The ripstop SIL/PU fabric compresses easily, allowing for the use of an even smaller compression sack if desired.

Overall, Gossamer Gear’s The Two is an excellent ultralight trekking pole tent for solo long-distance backpacking trips. Its minimal weight and reasonable interior space make it a fantastic option for anyone looking to reduce pack weight without compromising liveability. While not perfect, I'd like to see some minor tweaks to the ventilation. The tent's positives massively outweigh the slight negatives that all single-wall shelters are susceptible to. The Two allowed me to complete the TGO challenge with a lighter pack load while enjoying enough room to spread out at camp. For any ultralight enthusiast, it's worth considering as your go-to trekking pole tent.

Andy Neil
Andy has been a keen long-distance hiker and wild camping enthusiast since he completed the Cleveland Way in 2015. Since then, he has walked thousands of trail miles all over the UK and is an active member of the Wild Camping UK community, being an admin of the largest wild camping community on Facebook. He strongly advocates for responsible wild camping and believes it is important to leave no trace when camping in the wilderness. He joined the UOG team in 2021 and works as a website developer and content creator. Read more from Andy Neil