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• Flysheet: Ripstop Nylon 20D, silicone coated, 3,000mm water column, 7kg tearing strength
• Inner Tent: Ripstop Nylon 20D, water resistant, breathable
• Floor: Ripstop Nylon 30D, PU coated, 5,000mm water column, taped seams
• Poles: Aluminium DAC Featherlite NFL

Pitch your tent at home before your first trip to check that everything's there and to get to know the set-up. On site, choose level ground clear of stones and branches, avoid dips that could collect rainwater, and peg the tent down before adding the poles in strong wind. Push poles through their channels rather than pulling them, as pulling can separate the segments. Keep the tent ventilated to reduce condensation, and never cook or use an open flame inside. Nylon flysheets stretch when wet, so tighten the guy lines in rain and loosen them in sunshine. For long spells in strong sun, pitch in the shade where you can or use a UV-protection spray. Always dry your tent before packing it away. If you have to pack it wet, hang it up or re-pitch it within 3–4 days to prevent mildew. Clean by hand with a damp cloth only, with no washing machine, detergents or bleach. Treat sticky zips with silicone spray rather than oil. Between trips, store the tent out of its pack sack in a dry place away from sunlight.

Epic road trips have a way of inspiring big ideas. In 1987, Jörg Schulze set off from the North Cape for Cape Town in a VW Beetle, covering 37,000km in seven months. Famously, the Beetle’s air-cooled engine is in the back, which put luggage space at a premium – especially when it came to his tent and camping gear.

Frustrated by constantly playing packing Tetris, when he got back home Jörg decided it was time for change. His experience as an outdoor retailer and industry tent tester helped him come up with several prototypes for better, less bulky tents. An early success was the Pathfinder, a freestanding solo backpacking tent, followed by the innovative Outpost tunnel tent. Then came the Forum 42, developed with input from one of Germany’s biggest online outdoor communities. Most recently, Wechsel unveiled the Bella, the result of a co-creative design process with female adventurers. That tent won gold at the #sheisoutdoors awards, just one of several industry gongs the brand has claimed down the decades.

If there’s a secret to Wechsel’s success, it’s evolution: a focus on iterative, progressive design informed by constant input and feedback from genuine outdoor enthusiasts. The name Wechsel is German for ‘change’, which sums this ethos up perfectly: this is a brand with a restless thirst for innovation.