I admit we still use an Academy tent. It is just over 8 pounds for a 4 person tent and works great for the four of us. It does limit us to milder temps, but until we upgrade we backpack to our equipment's limits. I think that is the key. If you can't afford some of the more expensive gear fine, just know the limits of what you have. Our first trip was with heavy packs so we kept the trip to 3 nights and from almost any spot, we could bail out in a day. When we upgraded our sleeping bags, it opened up higher elevations and a few more months.

Tinker