This Modular New Tent Packs Down Crazy Small by Leaning on a Clever Space-Saving Measure

Think you’ve seen it all when it comes to tent design? This Kickstarter special asks you to think again.

Hand holding a white fabric corner with a black label reading "APEX 1 BIKEPACKING SHELTER SYSTEM" and a small buckle.

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By Hayley Helms

Published October 9, 2025

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Updated October 9, 2025

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The most charming aspect of bikepacking is the feeling of being totally immersed in the world around you, while moving at greater speeds than your own two feet could while backpacking.

The least charming aspect of bikepacking is shoving the wide variety of essential gear you need to bring into frame packs, handlebar bags and seat packs, all of which are tight on space.

White triangular tent pitched on grassy ground near a mountain lake with snow patches and clouds overhead. — The secret to the Apex1’s novel design is hiding in plain sight.

Lucky for you, a new tent should help ease your bikepacking woes. The Apex1 is a modular, ultra-lightweight tent on a mission to rethink tent design — thanks in part to a game-changing feature.

More space, less weight

The tent is traditionally the bulkiest item that needs to be packed on any camping trip, and bikepacking is no exception.

The Apex1 is a one-person, non-freestanding, single-pole tent system designed to take the hassle out of packing your tent by minimizing its footprint.

Clear plastic water bottle, black stuff sack, and folded black trekking poles with orange cord, set against a mountainous background. — Packed down, the Apex1 and its poles take up about as much space as a 32-ounce plastic water bottle.

Constructed using lightweight 20-denier ripstop nylon with a double silicone coating for the tent fly and the same material in a 40-denier composition for the floor, the Apex1 employs some of the most compressible materials around, which contribute to its minor footprint.

Two gray tents pitched on grassy hillside with two mountain bikes and a person in a red jacket, snowy rocky peaks in background. — The Apex1 is minimal at less than two pounds, but it still provides plenty of interior room.

Designed with modularity in mind, the Apex1 can be set up in three versatile options: the rainfly and interior tent combo, which is 1.6 pounds; the fly and floor, which is 1.3 pounds; and the fly only, which weighs 1.08 pounds. The total weight for each option includes a compression bag, pole and 7 pegs.

Modularity aside, we haven’t even touched on the most intriguing aspect of this tent.

Reinventing the wheel tent

The spacious interior of the Apex1 is achieved through a novel approach to shelter design: incorporating the bike itself into the structural configuration of the tent.

White triangular tent pitched on grassy ground with a person securing gear on a mountain bike in a mountainous landscape. — Your bike supports the tent and adds stability to the setup (as well as inadvertently securing … itself.)

How is this achieved, you ask? A clever TPU-strap connects the tent to the bike’s handlebar, while simultaneously locking the brake. This keeps the bike upright and secure, and provides a generous 30 percent increase in the interior of the tent. That’s a lot more headroom, folks.

Close-up of a hand adjusting a black strap with red cord attached to a bicycle handlebar. — A nifty strap locks everything in place.

Thanks to its innovative material, this tent can withstand tons of compression, as well as stand up to being squished down into your bikepacking bags repeatedly, without its waterproofing or protection being negatively affected.

Thanks to integrating the bike directly into the tent design, Aper didn’t just increase the stability of your tent setup; the brand also ensured the security of your bike. (No one is rolling away with a bike that’s literally part of your tent.)

Availability and pricing

The Aper Apex1 is available now via Kickstarter for $525. Estimated delivery is May 2026.

You can learn more about the tent on Aper’s official website.

Light gray triangular tent pitched on grassy ground near a lake with a loaded mountain bike beside it.

Aper Apex1 Tent

$525 at Kickstarter

About the Author: Hayley Helms is an associate editor at Gear Patrol specializing in outdoor gear. Once upon a time, she wrote for Men’s Journal, Gearjunkie and Shape. Whether it’s testing a new rain shell or putting a pair of hiking boots through its paces, she leaves no stone unturned (however, she always Leaves No Trace).

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