THE NIAK expands on our concept of very lightweight yet remarkably strong three-season tents that we introduced with our one-person Enan. Ideal for two people who want to go as light as possible, the Niak is also a veritable lightweight palace for one person. Its dimensions accommodate two people, but its single door and lengthwise vestibule make it somewhat less comfortable than our other two person models, so the Niak is especially good for a parent and a child, or for one person and a dog. It is also the perfect three-season solo tent when you want to be as comfortable as possible at a low weight.

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 \nAs with our other Yellow Label models, the Niak’s outer tent is made from our lightest weight Kerlon 1000, and it is supported by the same DAC NSL 9 mm poles used in our Red and other Yellow Label models. Its simple, two pole design – inspired by our Red Label Unna solo tent – is quick to pitch and very stable, and the single vestibule can be completely rolled away to maximize air flow through the full mesh inner tent door. In addition, catenary curves along the bottom edges of the outer tent create space that both allows for constant air flow and also ensures that the outer tent is stretched properly for optimal performance.

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 \nPrior to its introduction, the Niak went through well over 250 backcountry nights of use, in all types of weather, in Scandinavia and the US, as well as in the Alps and in Scotland. Two person users appreciated its light weight, and solo users loved that it offered such roomy luxury at such a surprisingly low weight. All proclaimed it as an outstanding choice for any summer or warm weather trip. This is a yellow label tent.

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 \n"Niak" is a peak in Sarek National Park in northern Sweden.

 \n<p style="text-align: center;">USD $800</p>

 \n<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Features</strong></p>

 \n<p style="text-align: center;">Kerlon 1000 outer tent fabric and 9 mm poles make for a very lightweight yet strong tent.

 \n3 season design: ventilation is built into the construction, and the inner tent mesh areas have no backing fabric panels.

 \nSelf-supporting dome design requires only the vestibule to be pegged, and the simple full sleeve and tensioner pole system make for quick, easy set up.

 \nThe Niak has room enough for two plus gear, and is also a spacious mansion for one.

 \nLinked but seperable inner and outer tent for simultaneous pitching.

 \nThe single entrance/single vestibule configuration affords easy access as well as storage space.

 \nAn optional footprint covers only the inner tent area and not the vestibule. It connects directly to the tent, and can be left attached during pitching.

 \nThe inner tent can be replaced with a Mesh Inner tent (sold separately; see accessories).

 \nThe outer and inner tents can be used separately. Pitching the inner tent alone requires optional pole holderes (see accessories).</p>

 \nhttps://youtu.be/zhG-fuP6_Fo

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 \n<strong>The story of Niak</strong>

 \n<p class="copy"><span class="leadtext">WHEN WE BEGAN DEVELOPING</span> what became the Niak, two things guided the process: our Red Label, one-person tent Unna, which provided the Niak's general shape; and our Yellow Label Enan solo tent, whose success indicated that there was a good opportunity for a very light, self-supporting three-season tent as a kind of complement to it.</p>

 \n<p class="copy indent">"The Unna has been popular for many years," says Bo Hilleberg. "Since it does not have a vestibule, its inner tent is bigger. It is often used by two people, who, of course, would like a vestibule." For the Niak, we thought the simplicity and roominess of the Unna would be an excellent template, but with the addition of a vestibule.</p>

 \n<p class="copy indent">At the same time, our experience with the Enan strengthened our convictions about our organizing principle of "the right kind of light weight" in a tent. We know that people are very weight conscious, but we are not willing to compromise a tent model's necessary strength for its intended purpose by making it lighter just to make it more popular. We knew that a self-supporting tent that was strong enough for full three-season use, but was still quite light, would be appealing to many adventurers.</p>

 \n<p class="copy indent">As with the Enan, we could have made the Niak lighter, but it would not have satisfied our goals. And at 1.7 kg (3 lbs 12 oz), it is remarkably light. We used the same Kerlon 1000 outer tent fabric and 9 mm poles found in all of our Yellow Label tents, and incorporated catenary patterning into the bottom of the outer tent walls for full-time air flow (something we have also included in our 2017 redesign of the Anjan, Anjan GT and Rogen models). We tested the Niak extensively in the year and a half prior to its introduction, with testers spending over 250 nights in the tent, in the US, Scandinavia and other parts of Europe.</p>

 \n<p class="copy indent">We originally envisioned the Niak as a "1.5" tent: ideal for a solo traveler who wants maximum room, but big enough to use, if necessary, for two people. "Many years ago, Petra and I were out on a ski tour soon after we introduced the Unna," says Bo. "We met a couple of big guys who were raving about our new two-person tent that they had just stayed in. We were confused, since we didn't have a new two-person tent out. They were talking about the Unna, and they were very happy with it! This story stayed with me, and the idea of a roomy, light tent that could be used by either one or two people contributed to the first prototypes of the Niak." But after more testing, we realized that we could very easily make the Niak wider - truly wide enough for two people - and still keep the weight down. So the Niak, originally conceived as a lightweight solo tent for those who prize comfort as well as low weight, became the two-person Niak.</p>

 \n<p class="copy indent">However, its single door and lengthwise vestibule make it somewhat less comfortable than our other two person models. "Years ago, we had a two-person, all-season tent - also called the Niak - that had a design and floor plan much like the new one. But it was a bit too heavy for its size, so we took it out of the line," says Bo. "Today's Niak is quite popular because of its weight, and while it's designated as a two-person tent, I think more people buy the Niak as a solo tent, but with the idea that it could be used for two. Two full sized people going on a long trip…one of our other two-person tents would be a better choice, unless they are very, very close!"</p>

 \n<p class="copy indent">That said, for those pairs wanting a strong, very light three-season solution, the Niak works very well. One of our staff, who is 196 cm (6 ft 5 in) tall, and his wife, who is 176 cm (5 ft 9 in), have used the Niak often for some of their trips. And Emma Forsell and Linnéa Grahn of Mind for Adventure used the Niak quite happily on their fully self-supported run along the northwest coast of Scotland from Cape Wrath in the north to the Mull of Galloway in the south. They covered nearly 900 km (560 miles) in 24 (very wet) days, and loved their Niak.</p>

 \n<strong>The story of yellow label tents</strong>

 \n<p class="copy"><span class="leadtext">WHILE WE ORIGINALLY BUILT</span> our reputation on all-season tents, we have always known that there were many users who wanted a lighter weight tent, and who didn’t need all-season strength and comfort. But we have never subscribed to the traditional concept of “3 season tents,” which always seemed to equate to “summer tents.” In part, the problem is that those three seasons – spring, summer, and fall – are very different in, say, northern Sweden, than they are in Australia.</p>

 \n<p class="copy indent">In 2010, we began the project that would become our Yellow Label tents, which we introduced in 2012. Rather than creating the typical “3-season tents,” however, we set out to build lighter weight tents that would work well in more protected terrain but in all types of weather during the warmer, snow-free months of the year, regardless of geographic locale.</p>

 \n<p class="copy indent">With the goal of maximizing light weight without sacrificing too much strength, we experimented with a variety of solutions. Initially, we put the poles on the inner tent, but still with a linked outer tent. After a number of such test tents literally flattened during wind testing, we adopted our proven system of linked but separable inner and outer tents, with the poles on the outer. This solution performed so much better, that we knew it was the ideal choice for these tents.</p>

 \n<p class="copy indent">During this process, we also discovered that the weight savings from using smaller than 9 mm diameter poles – the same type of poles found in our Red Label, all-season tents – was slight, while the loss of strength was substantial. So, again, we stayed with the proven solution – 9 mm DAC NSL poles.</p>

 \n<p class="copy indent">We did use lighter weight fabrics, in both inner and outer tents. For the outer tent, we developed <a class="ui-link" href="<https://hilleberg.com/eng/about-our-tents/materials-uncompromising-quality/>">Kerlon 1000</a>. We knew that warmer weather, snow-free use does not place the same stress on a tent that true, all-season use does, but we still needed to maintain enough strength for heavy rains and windy conditions. Kerlon 1000 boasts a substantial 8 kg/17.6 lb tear strength.</p>

 \n<p class="copy indent">Another way we saved weight without compromising strength was to integrate the venting directly into the construction. Rather than adding vents, which would have added weight, we built in full time venting, either through a space between the outer tent and the ground in the <a class="ui-link" href="<https://hilleberg.com/eng/tent/yellow-label-tents/anjan-gt/>">Anjan</a>, <a class="ui-link" href="<https://hilleberg.com/eng/tent/yellow-label-tents/anjan/>">Anjan GT</a>, <a class="ui-link" href="<https://hilleberg.com/eng/tent/yellow-label-tents/rogen/>">Rogen</a> and <a class="ui-link" href="<https://hilleberg.com/eng/tent/yellow-label-tents/niak/>">Niak</a> models, or through incorporating protected mesh panels into the outer tent, as found in the <a class="ui-link" href="<https://hilleberg.com/eng/tent/yellow-label-tents/enan/>">Enan</a>.</p>

 \n<p class="copy indent">The result is a group of tents that are ideal for users who go out below tree line and in more protected terrain in the snow-free months of the year, and who demand light weight, but not at the expense of strength enough for the conditions they might encounter.</p>

IN 1971, BO HILLEBERG, a professional forester, founded his own company, Hilleberg AB. That same year, while on a ski vacation in the Austrian Tyrol, Bo met Renate Neuner. After a couple of years, the two had fallen in love, married, and she had moved with him to Stockholm, Sweden. Their marriage was the final, necessary ingredient in the mix that has become Hilleberg the Tentmaker.

Before Renate, Bo’s fledgling company was primarily a forestry equipment concern, with tent making as a hoped-for sideline. An avid, lifelong outdoorsman, Bo was terminally frustrated with tents that required pitching the inner tent first and then covering it with a loose rain fly that usually displayed the same properties as a kite in the wind. He envisioned a tent that had an outer and inner tent that pitched together, simultaneously – but he didn’t have the necessary sewing skills. With Bo and Renate’s marriage, conjugal and commercial became one: Renate took charge of the sewing while Bo handled design and sales, and with their combined efforts, the company flourished.

Today, family and business are still inextricably linked. Bo is Chairman, and is senior advisor to the product development team; daughter Petra is CEO of the Hilleberg Group, President of both Hilleberg AB in Sweden and Hilleberg Inc in the US; and Bo, Renate, Petra and her brother Rolf make up the governing board of directors – clearly, family synergy continues to beget success.