Choosing your first ultralight shelter usually comes down to a tent or a tarp, and the right answer depends on how much comfort, protection and simplicity you want on your first nights out.

A one-person ultralight tent typically weighs 700 grams to 1.4 kilograms and gives you a bathtub floor, a bug net and a rain fly in one package, which is why most beginners sleep better in one.

A tarp setup can weigh as little as 300 to 500 grams including cord and stakes, costs far less, and packs tiny, but it leaves you exposed to wind-driven rain, insects and curious ground creatures unless you add a bug net and groundsheet.

For your first season, a tent is the safer investment; try a tarp later on short, fair-weather trips once you can pitch it confidently in the dark and in wind.