We’re stoked to announce that our Ultralight Bug Net Tent has been named a 2024 Australian Good Design Award Winner for Excellence in Design and Innovation.
From conception to launch, the Ultralight Bug Net Tent took us well over a year of development. We spent countless hours designing, testing and refining every single aspect of the product. To have all that hard work recognised by one of the most prestigious design awards in the world is truly such an honour.
In celebration of receiving this Good Design Award, we’re going to give you a behind-the-scenes look at what went into making the Ultralight Bug Net Tent and dive into the specific features that set it apart from the competition.
What makes our Ultralight Bug Net Tent award-worthy?
Ultralight & Compact
One of our biggest concerns when creating the Ultralight Bug Net Tent was making it ultralight (bet you never saw that one coming!).
We meticulously compared the performance benefits, durability and weight per square metre of over 20 fabrics before settling on our final choices for the mesh, floor and panelling.
From there, we painstakingly refined the design of the shelter to cut back on any unnecessary features or inefficiencies that added additional weight.
As a result, we were able to create an ultralight mesh tent with a total weight of only 590g and packs down smaller than a 1L drink bottle – but still delivers the durability and reliability our customers have come to expect from us.
Reliable Insect Protection
Mosquitos. Ants. Midges. Spiders. Wasps. Leeches. They can all turn a peaceful night under the stars into a nightmare.
That’s where our Ultralight Bug Net Tent comes in.
The primary goal was to create a bug-free zone for you to sleep in, without adding unnecessary bulk to your pack or cutting you off from the natural environment around you.
To accomplish this, we utilised a tightly woven, tear-resistant noseeum micromesh. This specialised fabric blocks even the smallest pests, like midges and sandflies, while still allowing airflow.
The end result is an ultralight mesh tent that offers superior insect protection and optimal ventilation – perfect for hot, humid conditions when insects are at their worst.
Quick & Easy Setup
Our team put a lot of thought into ensuring our Ultralight Bug Net Tent was quick and easy to set up.
But that wasn’t enough.
We wanted more – we wanted versatility.
To accomplish this, we designed Ultralight Bug Net Tent to have multiple setup variations using hiking poles, sticks or only guylines. This gives users the flexibility to adapt their shelter setup to suit their needs and preferences.
And by using trekking poles or sticks rather than traditional tent poles, we were able to make the Ultralight Bug Net Tent lighter and more compact than similar mesh tents and mosquito nets for camping on the market.
Space-Maximising Design
We spent a lot of time debating what size and shape to make the Ultralight Bug Net Tent.
In the early stages of development, we trialled a prototype that tapered up into a single point, as is standard for most camping mosquito nets.
However, we found that this significantly reduced the amount of usable space inside the shelter. Because of the way the walls slope, you are forced to stay right in the centre of the shelter – or else end up with your face pressed against the mesh.
To overcome this issue, we designed our Ultralight Bug Net Tent to have two points of support at the apex of the shelter.
This keeps the mesh tent walls vertical so they never sag in on you and makes it feel significantly more spacious, without actually adding any additional bulk to the shelter itself. It’s a win-win situation.
Strategically Reinforced Structure
A big problem with almost all mosquito net tents on the market is that they lack structural integrity. This makes them prone to sagging and collapsing, and they are pretty much useless in bad weather.
We knew from the outset that our Ultralight Bug Net Tent would have to be different. So we set about making a mesh tent that could actually handle real-world wilderness conditions.
After a whole lot of testing, we finally made a breaththrough – adding ripstop nylon framing around the mesh panels.
By adding these reinforcements around the mesh, we were able to stabilise the whole structure and make it far more robust than other mosquito tents on the market.
Guaranteed Durability
Durability is one of our core values here at Alton. We create outdoor equipment that is built to last. No excuses. No short-cuts.
That’s why we only source the highest quality materials for all our products. It’s also why everything we make comes with a Lifetime Warranty*.
When creating our Ultralight Bug Net Tent, we carefully selected high-quality materials and components with proven durability and performance benefits.
Along with the micromesh and lightweight ripstop nylon upper, we opted for a higher-denier ripstop nylon for the bathtub-style base and added a waterproof silicone-PU dual-coating with a 3000mm hydrostatic head rating.
This prevents moisture seeping up from the ground and gives users the flexibility to use Ultralight Bug Net Tent with a camping tarp for added wind and rain protection.
Go further, sleep wild – without the bugs!
As an independently owned Australian outdoor brand, receiving this award is a huge moment for us. It’s a reminder of just how far we’ve come since we first started out in 2015, back when Sam was running the business out of his garage in suburban Brisbane.
We may have slightly nicer company HQ now, but our mindset remains the same: go further. We’re constantly pushing ourselves to develop the best quality outdoor equipment on the market. Gear that’s tough, reliable and long-lasting.
And that ethos is what drove us to create a lightweight mesh shelter, our Ultralight Bug Net Tent, that provides top-notch insect protection while still meeting our industry-leading durability and performance standards.
Taking home this prestigious award for design excellence and innovation feels like a recognition of all the time and effort that went into creating this ultralight mesh tent. But more than that, it feels like an acknowledgement of all the hard work our team puts into everything we do. The passion, effort and dedication they bring to the table, every single day.
We’re truly grateful to the Good Design Awards, our customers, and to everyone who’s supported us along the way.
We couldn’t have done it without you.
