You can forget pretty much any bit of gear on a short, backcountry adventure, and still muddle through, but unless you plan on hammocking, your tent is vital. Exposure is one of nature’s biggest dangers. In the wrong conditions, a lack of adequate shelter can mean the end in just a few hours, whereas you can survive days with no water, and even weeks with no food. This isn’t intended to be morbid, it’s to stress just how important it is to choose the right tent.
