Catenary-cut panels and 7 stakes provide great stability. Meticulously designed with 0.51-oz Bio Based DCF, the Whisper sets up with 2 trekking poles for sufficient headroom and toe box clearance. The generous mesh skirt keeps bugs at bay and offers ventilation, while the waterproof zipper and taped seams keep you dry. The vestibule supplies space to stow gear and is raised to maintain visual contact with your surroundings. And the floor-less design gives you the freedom to pack your ground cloth separately for those extra muddy days.
**Stakes and poles not included
***The Whisper is not eligible for discounts and is excluded from promotions
Features
More spacious than you think
Taped seams throughout
Ridgeline sewn & taped for strength
Vestibule for gear storage
Full mesh skirt for bug protection
Reflective guy lines
Door tie back
Specs
Weight
Shelter9.8 oz / 277.8 g
Shelter Stuff Sack.2 oz / 6 g
Whisper Poles Set (Sold Separately)5 oz / 142 g
Dimensions
Length102"
Head End Width49"
Foot End Width25"
Interior Height at Pole 1130.5 cm
Interior Height at Pole 259 cm
Packaged5" x 13"
Materials
Shelter body: 0.51 Bio based DCF
Side Walls: 15D nylon no-see-um mesh (without FR treatment)
Guylines: 1.5 mm dyneema reflective string
FAQ
How do I set it up?
If using trekking poles, set one to 130 cm, and fully collapse the other Lightrek 5 (length of 23”). If using a stick for the rear, you’re looking for a 60 cm stick, set your trekking poles to 120 and find a stick half their length. Be careful to use a smooth stick, to avoid damaging the tent. If using segmented poles, extend them. Get 7 stakes available. I typically have beefier stakes to use for the main guylines, #3 and #4. Zip the vestibule closed.
As always, select an appropriate location for the shelter, well-drained, not in a hole. Because the DCF fabric used is delicate, be wary of setting up under trees or cliffs where debris may fall onto the tent from above. Lay out the shelter in your preferred orientation. The rear of the shelter is designed to be set towards the prevailing winds, as there’s more ground clearance on the front. At the toe of the shelter, stake the two corners #1 and #2, inserting the pole on the outside of the shelter (handle up if using trekking poles) up into the peak of the hood, and stake out the guyline #3 (use beefier stake). The cordloc and loop can be fastened around center of the rear pole if it makes it easier to set up in windy conditions, but it is not needed for stability. Keep slight tension on the ridgeline as you move to the head of the shelter. Put the long pole inside the shelter (tip up if using trekking poles, unless you have baskets on, then put the handle up), vertical and in line with the ridgeline (MAKE SURE THE TIP OF THE POLE GOES INTO THE GROMMET SO IT DOESN’T PUNCTURE THE TENT), and set stake #4 (use beefier stake). It should pretty much stay up in this configuration.
Move toward the front and get ready to set stake #5. First move the bottom of long pole about 6” toward the front of the shelter (toward stake #5), and about 6” toward the head of the shelter (in the direction of stake #4). This gives you more interior space. NOTE: if the ground is smooth and hard, it may be helpful to use a rock to scrape a small ‘divot’ for the pole handle, to keep it from slipping out of position. After adjusting the bottom of the pole, set stake #5.
Pull out corner and set stake #6.
Pull out corner and set stake #7.
Go around the shelter, tightening lines in tensioners at corners #3, #4 and #5, and adjust any other corners necessary for a taut pitch.
Open zipper, and use small stones or sticks to pin the netting to the ground (when going to bed, you can also use shoes, water bottles, etc. for this).
If sleeping with a minimal pad, create your ‘GVP Divot’ for sleeping.
Install ground cloth, keeping it on top of the mesh, so that any water sliding down the mesh doesn’t end up on top of your ground cloth.
Special Case Setup - Wind
While airflow ventilation is important to minimize condensation in a single-wall shelter, there may be cases where you want more of a windbreak. It would be easiest to find a protected location to pitch the shelter, behind a large rock, or a downed tree, but if unable to find a protected location, you may try setting the main pole to 120 cm, and staking corners #6 and #7 directly to the ground, using the loop in the line rather than the tie out loop itself, to give a little distance from the delicate tent fabric. In addition, using a shorter stick for the rear pole, about 19” (you can separate your LT5 poles and use the top section, just be sure not to get any grit inside the pole), will allow you to adjust the shelter and stake corner #1 directly to the ground. This setup will have less interior space, and will not be as taut as the standard setup, but in some conditions that may be a fair tradeoff.
Reviews
Customer Reviews
Overall rating: 4.9 / 5 from 18 reviews.
So after using the Whisper for the first 200 of the PCT desert section last year. I decided to do a few revisions so it could handle a bit more wind while backpacking this year’s Sobo PCT section between Lassen national park to Kennedy Meadows north. I added three additional tie out lines (with elastic loops) I also added a way to secure the peak to the mail trekking pole support as I experienced wind pulling the grommet off the pole and had to patch the DCF. These few changes have really helped to better secure the whisper in wind. I still look for sheltered spots but sometimes wind can still be present. I sleep better and this is the go to Ultra Light shelter for me now.
I've been using the whisper for two years now, and as I've become more and more comfortable with it, taking it on the Colorado Trail this season, it has become my favorite shelter. I bought it for the weight and it is incredibly light and helps me go places that my arthritic knees would not let me go otherwise. However, now, I equally love its spaciousness and simplicity. So quick to pitch! Thank you Gossamer Gear!
Such a light shelter! It’s easy to set up and break down. You must find a well protected spot, as wind can cause the main trekking pole to pop out of the grommet and pierce the tent material. I was in some extreme gusts of 50-60 mph up on a ridge near San Jacinto. i may add a few extra tie-outs on the back wall for added room and wind resistance. It’s an excellent minimalist shelter. I will certainly use it again as I like my pack as light as possible. The Whisper is very roomy for me and my gear. I made a custom shaped Tyvek floor for mine. I was in rain, wind, and snow, it kept me warm, dry and protected. It wouldn’t be for everyone but I enjoy using it.
Gus my hiking buddy seems to really like the Whisper as mush as I do. Can't wait to get more nights in this thing soon. Glad I was able to snag one of these on this last batch of 100. Super fun shelter and seems to fit with my style of hiking for the most part. Only used through the winter so far, but looking forward the the rest of spring and into summer this year.
(Please ignore the non ultralight and untrimmed Tyvek groundsheet I forgot to replace my polycro before the last trip.)
A super thanks for creating the Whisper! This past winter I used it on the rainiest, snowiest March and April the AZT has ever experienced, and never got a drop on me. One wind/hail/snow storm was so severe I spoke to 4 people who had their tents destroyed at 4 in the morning. They were all great UL tents, but guy lines tore out, stakes pulled out and several of the tents actually ripped. I did pitch in a more protected spot, but the Whisper held up beautifully, and I slept dry and warm all through the tempest. I only had time for half the trail, but will hopefully be back at it this winter, to finish, and I’ll be using the Whisper.
Over the summer, I’ve had it up in the High Sierra on a few trips, and still simply love it! I’ve collected a lot of UL tents over the years, and like all of them for different conditions. But the Whisper is absolutely my go to tent at this point. Thanks again!
Shroomer- PCT, CDT, AT, TA, INT, Kung Sleden, Lofoten Long Crossing, 3Caminos, etc.
I've only used it once, but the Whisper held up remarkably well in one of the strongest and longest windstorms that I've camped in. The soil was very sandy, so I put rocks on all the stakes & also lowered the main pole at 2am, which really helped it withstand a constant wind plus crazy-strong gusts. After lowering the main pole, it flapped less than my Durston Xmid Pro would have. And a surprising benefit of being floorless was how easy it was to pick up the pinecones & debris from the floor area before setting up my gear. :-)
It's an incredibly compact & lightweight shelter.
I was also able to set up the Whisper next to a Zpacks Plex Solo a friend owns, and the Whisper has much more internal space.
Hands down my favorite tent. There are acres of space inside and Tons of headroom to sit up. It would be totally comfortable to sit out a storm inside.
I love taking my tent down first thing in the morning and then having lots of room to stuff my quilt and roll my pad, etc.
If you have a dog, this is the perfect shelter. No more worrying about claws damaging tent floors and there is plenty of room for you both plus your pack. Finally, it's so light and compact when packed. This tent allowed me to go down to a 20 Liter pack for 1-3 night summer trips. This would be the perfect shelter for PCT/CDT.
This thing really is the best of all worlds. the simplicity of cowboy camping when you can/the weight of a flat tarp/ the bug protection and head room of a tent twice it's weight/ and you can set it up in a tiny alpine ivy site. Thank you for bringing the whisper to market.
Yet to take it backcountry, however that fact that I can lay down as a tall 6'3" wide dude without hitting walls gets me excited. Quality is great and the overall UL weight with groundcloth and stakes is under 1lb is the perfect target. This weird tent/tarp is perfect for those buggy and wet days where I can't cowboy camp! Well done Glen and the lads at Gossamer Gear!
First night with it had a 2 hour thunderstorm and a very small area to pitch. I have no complaints! I am 6’1” and had plenty of room for me and my gear. 2 water bottles and 3 sticks to secure the floor and everything was bone dry.
Best ultralight tent on the market
Spacious, comfortable, secure, simple to set up, beautiful, and LIGHT. Really a pleasure to set up and use. GVP is a genius. Get one before they’re gone!
Top Notch Shelter
I’ve taken it out for several nights now and am constantly impressed with how roomy it is for sub-10oz. I’m 6’3” and a lot of the ultralight shelters are much too small for me. This one is spacious and awesome. If you are worried about bugs with it being floorless, treating the bug netting with permethrin has worked like a charm. And, a trimmed down ultralight polycro groundsheet keeps the dirt off your gear. It hasn’t had any issues with the moderate rain and wind I’ve been out in thus far. Hands down, this is my favorite shelter. Bravo GVP and GG!
Full protection at 9.8 oz
I was able to try out a prototype of this shelter on a trip with GVP earlier this year. At 6’1” I’m a little shorter than Glen, so it was a very comfortable fit for me. It’s limited features and minimalist design will probably not suit everyone. The .51oz material is strong but not bulletproof. Like any ultralight gear you need to treat it with respect. But if you’re looking for a fully enclosed shelter while keeping weight at an absolute minimum, this one is hard to beat.
I loved the Sample that I tested
Glen was kind enough to mail me a sample version of this shelter a few months back and I was very impressed. Going floor-less is an easy compromise, Simple and efficient! There are very few bug and 3 szn weather protective shelters below the 10oz mark. So much lighter than tarp + bug net inner! Make no mistake!
Sold at first sight (of paper)
If it isn’t for you, it isn’t for you. You should know by looking at it. I was sold at the design on a piece of paper. From spm to gvp. Thanks
Bought the first Whisper at PCT Days
It’s a truly special shelter and 100% what I was thinking of. Usually I research extensively before pulling the trigger on a new shelter but I knew when I saw it that that was it.
