Latest news with #Tarptent
Yahoo
13-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Nevada City small business suffers under Trump's tariffs: ‘$41,271 stolen from us'
'How Trump tariffs impact California consumers and prices,' ( April 5) Tarptent, Inc. has been a Nevada City outdoor gear company specializing in lightweight tents since 2007. We manufacture in Seattle, Hong Kong and Vietnam. We just received new production from our Hong Kong production company and the Trump Tariff cost us $51,589. Under the prior tariff, the same shipment would have cost $10,318. The tariff went from 7.5% to 37.5%. Next, the tariff will jump another 25%. Over the next few months, we will be forced to charge our customers the $41,271 stolen from us. We are but one small business that will implode in this environment. There is nowhere near enough U.S. production skill, capacity and quality materials to service the outdoor industry. To claim that the U.S. can simply invent the capacity is beyond ludicrous. We have contacted Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Rocklin, with our concern, but have heard crickets. Henry Shires President, Tarptent, Inc. Opinion 'Stanford freezes hiring as DOGE proposes cut to NIH research,' ( Feb. 28) If America wants to stay on the cutting edge of science, it must stop cutting science funding. The Biden administration aimed to invest in innovation, but recent funding cuts from the Trump administration are a dangerous step backward. The National Institute of Health — the lifeblood of U.S. medical research — faces massive reductions in indirect cost funding. Harvard alone would see a drop from $135 million to just $31 million. These 'indirect costs' fund lab space, equipment, staff and maintenance — not luxuries, but essentials. Slashing them undermines research, halts innovation and drives talent away. Since WWII, 85% of U.S. economic growth has stemmed from scientific progress. Research drives new technologies, boosts the economy and saves lives. If we want a future of discovery and opportunity, we need to fund it. Robert Sherriff Rocklin 'How Trump infuriated a new group of Americans: quilters,' ( April 8) Many thanks to Mary Sue Bizzarri for her insightful op-ed about how President Donald Trump's tariff policies are not only affecting the big companies, but the 85 million 'active creatives' across the nation. As coordinator for Sacramento Blankets for Sacramento Kids, we have quilters and sewers (as well as knitters and crocheters) who are always making blankets for children in need. How are we to help and comfort the children in hospitals, foster homes, who are homeless or just going through a tough time when Trump's tariffs affect how we get our supplies? He is not only hurting the crafters, he is also hurting the children — the ones that need the most help from all of us. Claire Gliddon Fair Oaks 'How UC Davis capitulated to Donald Trump and harmed law school students | Opinion,' ( April 4) It should not be considered antisemitic to speak out against the killing of over 50,000 Palestinians in Gaza, where Human Rights Watch and other groups believe that Israel is committing genocide. UC Davis students should have the right to express their viewpoints and take action in support of the human rights of Palestinians. Harry Wang Sacramento
WIRED
08-02-2025
- WIRED
The Hilleberg Akto Is the Best Solo Tent You Can Buy
Hilleberg, a small, unassuming Swedish company, has been quietly churning out some of the sturdiest, toughest, most wind- and weather- resistant, best-made backcountry shelters you can buy for decades. The Akto was first released in 1995 and has seen only one design change in all those years. This is why Hilleberg has something of a cult following. Hilleberg tents are also very expensive, which has always left me wondering, 'Are they worth it?' To find out, I had Hilleberg send me its iconic four-season, one-person, hoop-style tent—the Akto. With a retail price of $740 (though you can find it for less on sale), it's not cheap, but after using it for nearly two weeks this fall and into winter, I think it's absolutely worth the money. The Akto is the best tent I've ever used by a very wide margin. It's not perfect, but it's the best solo tent you can buy, and I'm pretty sure it's the only thing made of nylon that might have a shot at making our Buy It For Life guide. Think Different Photograph: Scott Gilbertson The Akto was a groundbreaking tent when it arrived on the scene in 1995. (For reference, the name means 'alone' in the language of the Sami, the indigenous people of northern Scandinavia.) Back then, almost no one was making four-season one-person tents, no one was using silicone nylon—now the standard fabric for lightweight tents—and no one was making hoop tents. Fast-forward to today, and while a significant portion of the outdoor industry now makes such things (e.g., Tarptent's Scarpa 1), the Akto remains more or less the same tent. When something works, don't mess with it. (Although technically, Hilleberg did add the little vent hood over the fly door at some point, and I'm glad they did. It might be my favorite feature.) Enough history, let's get into the tent. Unless you've been using cottage industry ultralight tents, it's probably very different than most backpacking tents you've used. There are two things that set Hilleberg's Akto apart. The first is the hoop-style design. The other thing that makes this tent different is the fabric, which is tougher and lighter (albeit maybe not ultralight) than most other tents I've tested. More on that below. The Akto is not freestanding. The design consists of a single curved pole in the middle of the tent, like the hoop of a covered wagon. The ends are then staked out from that curved center pole, with two stakes at each end. There are some advantages to a freestanding design, like being able to easily move the tent after it's set up. But after spending time with the Akto and other non-freestanding designs, I have found that I'm fine with the trade-offs. Skipping the freestanding design gives you a lighter tent, with a great low-end wind profile, while remaining plenty strong enough should the wind shift in the night. It's also easier to pitch. Photograph: Scott Gilbertson
