About Murphy Ultralight

Born in the Mountains. Built from Experience.

Murphy Ultralight is a small cottage manufacturer based in the mountain town of Wrightwood, California. We specialize in designing and handcrafting ultralight backpacking shelters, combining innovative materials with simple, functional designs.

My name is Brett Murphy, and this is the story of how a lifelong passion for the outdoors eventually led me to build my own backpacking tents.

Where It All Began

Growing up in the mountains of Southern California, I developed a love for the outdoors at an early age. My family regularly visited the Sierra Nevada, exploring places like Yosemite National Park and Mammoth Lakes. Skiing, snowboarding, hiking, and camping quickly became some of my favorite activities.

At 18, I joined my local Search and Rescue team, where my fascination with outdoor equipment really took off. I became a self-proclaimed gear junkie, collecting just about every piece of hiking and rescue equipment I could get my hands on.

Naturally, I decided it was time for my first real backpacking trip.

A 60-Pound Lesson in Ultralight Backpacking

For my first backpacking adventure, I decided to tackle the entire John Muir Trail, starting at Happy Isles in Yosemite Valley and heading south through the Sierra Nevada.

Having never attempted anything like it before, I wasn't sure what to expect, so I packed for just about every possible scenario. My 80-liter backpack was loaded with extra clothing, cameras, a massive first aid kit, GPS equipment, waterproof electronics cases, carabiners, webbing, multiple water bottles, and enough food to feed a small army.

My pack weighed over 60 pounds.

By the time I reached Little Yosemite Valley, only a few miles into the trip, I was completely exhausted. My body ached, I was dehydrated, and I barely had enough energy to set up camp.

The following day wasn't much better. After making a side trip up Half Dome, I found myself struggling to hike even short distances with my heavy pack. At one point, I could barely walk 50 feet before dropping my pack and resting for another ten minutes. Eventually, I ran out of water and barely made it to a small stream, where I stopped for the night.

It was becoming painfully obvious that I'd brought far too much equipment, most of which I wasn't even using.

On the third day, I reached the post office at Tuolumne Meadows. Desperate to lighten my load, I grabbed a large cardboard box and started throwing gear into it.

By the time I finished, I'd mailed home approximately 25 pounds of equipment.

Unfortunately, in my desperation, I also mailed home my sleeping bag.

That turned out to be a terrible decision.

Over the next two nights, including one at Thousand Island Lake, I struggled to stay warm using an emergency blanket and bottles filled with hot water. Waking up to frost on the ground made me realize that leaving essential equipment behind wasn't the answer.

After five exhausting days on the trail, I finally reached Red's Meadow near Mammoth Lakes, where my family happened to be camping that week.

My original plan was to spend a few days with them before continuing south to complete the John Muir Trail. But by the time I arrived, I'd had enough.

Between the weight of my pack, the physical exhaustion, and the cold nights without a sleeping bag, I knew my equipment setup was completely wrong. I didn't think I could finish the trail under those conditions, and honestly, I didn't want to try.

So I ended my trip at Red's Meadow.

But rather than losing interest in backpacking, I came away with an entirely different perspective. I still loved the mountains and wanted to explore them. I just needed to find a better way to carry everything I needed.

That experience started an obsession with reducing pack weight, researching better equipment, and eventually learning to make my own gear.

There had to be a better way to carry less weight without sacrificing the equipment I actually needed.

Discovering Dyneema

That first backpacking trip completely changed the way I thought about outdoor equipment. 

Living in Wrightwood, right along the Pacific Crest Trail, I frequently encountered thru-hikers and would occasionally give them rides into town. I was always curious about their gear and started asking questions about their incredibly lightweight backpacks and shelters.

That's when I first learned about a material called Cuben Fiber, now known as Dyneema® Composite Fabric (DCF).

I was fascinated by its combination of extremely low weight, waterproof construction, and resistance to stretching. Before long, I purchased my first DCF backpack and tent.

The difference was remarkable.

I began looking at every piece of equipment I carried, searching for ways to reduce weight without giving up the functionality and reliability I needed in the backcountry.

From the Sierra Nevada to Denali

As my experience grew, so did my ambitions. I began climbing California's 14,000-foot peaks and eventually traveled to Africa to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.

But I wanted to challenge myself on something bigger.

That led me to Denali, the highest mountain in North America.

On my first unguided expedition, our three-person team encountered a series of severe storms that kept us confined to our tents for days at a time. We spent much of our time digging out camp, melting snow, and waiting for the weather to improve.

With so much time inside the tent, my mind kept returning to equipment design. I pulled out a pencil and notepad and began sketching ideas for shelters I thought could be lighter, more functional, and better suited to the conditions we were experiencing.

Unfortunately, persistent storms, illness, and concerns about frostbite eventually forced us to abandon our summit attempt.

But I came home with something else: a growing determination to design and build my own gear.

Learning to Build My Own Equipment

After returning from Denali, I became obsessed with improving my equipment before another expedition.

I ordered heavier grades of Dyneema Composite Fabric, purchased an industrial sewing machine, and taught myself how to sew.

What started as small projects quickly turned into more ambitious designs. I made snow anchors, a pyramid-shaped cook tent, and a custom DCF vestibule for my four-season mountaineering tent.

Once again, we encountered high winds and blizzards. This time, however, we had a spacious, lightweight cook tent where our team could escape the weather, prepare meals, and spend time together. The custom vestibule on my personal tent also made life on the mountain considerably more comfortable.

Seeing equipment I had designed and built perform in those conditions was incredibly rewarding.

Other climbers began asking about my gear, and some even wanted to know if I could make equipment for them.

Although that expedition also ended without a summit, I returned home with even more ideas and a new goal.

The Birth of the Carbon Dome

I wanted to build something different: a truly freestanding backpacking tent that combined the familiar simplicity of a traditional dome with the extraordinary weight savings of Dyneema Composite Fabric and carbon fiber.

No trekking poles required. No complicated setup. No unnecessary features.

Just a lightweight, functional shelter built around a proven design.

I spent countless hours sketching, measuring, cutting, bonding, and sewing. Working with DCF presented its own challenges, particularly because the material has very little stretch and requires precise construction to achieve the proper shape and tension.

After considerable trial and error, those early designs eventually became the first prototype of the Carbon Dome 2.

(Original attempt at a double-wall tent. Poor construction and way too much going on.)

What began as a personal obsession with reducing backpack weight had grown into something much bigger.

The Evolution of the Carbon Dome

The first Carbon Dome prototype came together in 2017. Over the following years, I continued experimenting with different designs, materials, ventilation systems, and construction techniques.

(Tried vented single-wall design. Added vents to lower sidewalls. Permanent vent covers up top.)

(Sleeker design, permanent awning. Too many pole sleeves and extra weight from top pole.)

Progress wasn't always consistent. After selling my house in 2018, I moved several times, often without a dedicated space to work on my projects. I continued building prototypes whenever I had the opportunity, along with smaller custom projects for friends. Some ideas worked well, while others... turned into important learning opportunities.

(Sleek design, less weight, less pole sleeves, not enough ventilation. Issues with curved door zippers.)

By 2022, I had settled on the design that would become the Murphy Ultralight Carbon Dome 2. After years of experimentation, I finally had a shelter that closely matched what I'd envisioned from the beginning.

(Sleek design, improved door, more ventilation, removable rain fly.)

Around that same time, life became considerably busier. I started a family, moved into a new home, and took on a demanding assignment at work. Between family responsibilities and long hours on the job, finding time to manufacture tents became increasingly difficult.

Although I managed to produce and sell a small number of tents, I eventually had to step away from production for a while.

But I never lost interest in the project.

When I finally found the time to return to my workshop, I picked up where I'd left off, continuing to refine the design and explore new ideas.

Looking back at the different prototypes, it's remarkable how much the Carbon Dome has evolved since 2017. Each version represents another lesson learned, another problem solved, and another step toward building the kind of shelter I always wanted to carry.

Designed with Intent. Built by Hand.

Today, every Carbon Dome 2 is handcrafted in Wrightwood, California, using the same philosophy that started this journey: eliminate unnecessary weight while preserving the features that matter most.

From the custom carbon fiber pole system to the bonded and reinforced DCF construction, every component serves a purpose.

Murphy Ultralight may be a small operation, but that's something I'm proud of. Each tent represents years of experience, experimentation, and a genuine passion for creating better outdoor equipment.

And while our designs will continue to evolve, the goal remains the same:

Build exceptional ultralight gear that makes the journey more enjoyable, without losing sight of what matters in the backcountry.

— Brett Murphy
Founder, Murphy Ultralight