The FreeLite 1 is MSR's ultralight answer to its own Elixir 1: a semi-freestanding, double-wall, 1-person tent at 890 g packed and 740 g at minimum trail weight — roughly a third less than the Elixir 1's 2330 g for a similar 1.85 m² floor and single 0.74 m² vestibule. That drop comes from thinner materials: 15D ripstop nylon fly and floor instead of 75D, and a fully mesh inner body using 10D polyester instead of the Elixir's partial-mesh paneling, built on slimmer 8.7 mm DAC NFL aluminum poles.
The trade-off shows up in the numbers that matter in bad weather: fly and floor waterproofing sit at 1200 mm, well below the Elixir's 1500/3000 mm, and full mesh means less warmth retention on cold nights than partial-mesh designs. It isn't trekking-pole compatible, so it still carries dedicated poles. Semi-freestanding, it needs staking at the foot end — seven stakes are included. This is a tent for thru-hikers and ultralight backpackers in 3-season conditions who accept a lower weather margin in exchange for carrying roughly a kilogram less.