Backpacking Tents

Lightweight tents for backpacking

An A-frame tent with a door in one end is the classic backpacking tent. These differ from family tents in that they trade features and size for light weight so you can carry your tent in or on your backpack. Some backpackers still use and praise the A-frame Eureka Timberline series of tents. For example, the Eureka Timberline 2 (*Est. $110) is a simple free-standing A-frame tent with 37.6 square feet of floor space plus a 12.5-square-foot vestibule. It's sturdy but at 6 pounds, it's on the heavy side for backpacking, and the slant of the walls decreases the interior space compared with newer tent styles that use curved poles.

In recent years, the trend in backpacking tents is toward models with a large door on each side. This makes bigger vestibules possible, too, so there's room for a dog or wet gear. This also means that two people can share the tent without one person having to crawl over the other to get in or out. Newer backpacking tents are also lighter and better ventilated -- with lots of mesh on top, vents in the rain flies and variable-diameter poles that put strength where it's most needed.

The Big Sky Evolution 2P (*Est. $350), for example, weighs almost 3 pounds less than the Eureka Timberline 2 mentioned above, yet provides two doors and two vestibules. Comparison tests at BackpackingLight.com give this backpacking tent the top ranking based on its excellent space and very good ventilation, wind protection and durability. Weighing just 3.25 pounds, this tent measures a whopping 42 square feet, plus 16.6 square feet of total vestibule space. Backpacker magazine gave this tent its 2007 Editors' Choice award, and it was also the 2007 budget pick at Outside magazine, where tests show it performed well even in a surprise snowstorm.

The lightest version of the Big Sky Evolution 2P (2.9 pounds) uses carbon-fiber poles, which are sturdier than aluminum poles but weigh less. The pole deflection can let the rain fly hit the mesh tent, letting some condensation form. Owners reviewing this tent at BackpackGearTest.org note that it's sturdy in gusts up to 80 mph, but the zippers can snag.

The top ultralight tent based on 2009 tests at Backpacker magazine is the Sierra Designs Vapor Light 2 (*Est. $330). It's also a top pick this year at Outdoor magazine. This freestanding double-wall tent earns kudos for easy setup, excellent durability and wind resistance, despite weighing just 3.25 pounds. It can accommodate two sleepers (barely) -- provided they're less than 6 feet tall -- and has enough headroom that they can sit up. The main drawback is that it has only one door and one 8-square-foot vestibule. Also, its 25.5-square-foot of main floor is on the small side.

The MSR Hubba Hubba (*Est. $300), which weighs a bit more than 4 pounds, has two doors and two vestibules and is slightly bigger at 29 square feet -- plus the two vestibules totaling 17.5 square feet. It's one of the three top-rated tents among 18 double-wall tents compared at BackpackingLight.com. The Hubba Hubba also earns recommendations in the detailed test reports at BackpackGearTest.org. At REI.com, owners say it's spacious and easy to set up. We found a few complaints, however, about poor wind resistance and flimsy construction.

The newer and more expensive MSR Hubba Hubba HP (*Est. $450), on the other hand, is one of the top-rated backpacking tents at REI.com. It's slightly lighter, at 3 pounds 11 ounces. It also provides more privacy than most backpacking tents even without the fly -- but still has mesh for stargazing on clear nights. One owner reports that it did fine in 40 to 50 mph winds.

Not surprisingly, most two-person backpacking tents are a lot more comfortable for one person than for two. A classic for solo backpackers (and very friendly twosomes), the Sierra Clip Flashlight 2 (*Est. $200) costs a lot less than the tents discussed above. Yet the Clip Flashlight 2 weighs only 3 pounds 6 ounces, and provides 32 square feet of floor space -- plus a 7-square-foot vestibule. It's a longtime favorite tent for hikers on the Appalachian Trail and gets good reviews at BackpackGearTest.org.

Most backpacking partners prefer to share the weight of a three-person tent. The top-rated Nemo Losi 3P (*Est. $400) weighs nearly 6 pounds, almost twice as much as the two ultralight tents discussed above. However, when the weight is divided among two hikers, it's still quite reasonable.

The Nemo Losi 3P has the unusual distinction of earning the Gear of the Year award at Outside magazine and also being named as the best three-person tent at Backpacker. Editors at Outside magazine note that the design makes the sidewalls nearly vertical, for extra interior space. (The 48-inch headroom is also unusual.) They also say the design of the two vestibules makes it easy to get in and out of the tent without getting wet -- the Achilles heel of most tents.

Editors at Backpacker magazine say this 5 pound 14 ounce tent provides "the ideal blend of space, weight, and weatherproofing." Two big 13-square-foot vestibules supplement the main 50-square-foot floor space (71 inches by 91 inches) The only drawback noted is that while it's very easy to set up, it can be hard to release the corner poles to take it down.

The older MSR Mutha Hubba (*Est. $400) weighs 4 ounces more than the Nemo Losi 3P, but the vestibules are only 7 square feet each, and the floor space is also smaller at 40 square feet. One owner reviewing it at REI.com notes, however, that because the vestibules are at the head and foot, the Mutha Hubba is ideal for extra-tall campers. You can push against the tent inside the vestibule without worrying about condensation leaks. This tent is also a favorite in owner-written reviews at retail site Moosejaw.com, and in a single-product review by Steve Mann at GearReview.com.

Last year's top Editors' Choice tent at Backpacker, the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL3 (*Est. $500), is expensive but worth considering if every ounce matters. This ultralight three-person tent weighs just 4 pounds 3 ounces, but sleeps two comfortably in 44 square feet -- with two doors plus two 9-square-foot vestibules. Field tests and owner-written reviews agree that the Copper Spur 3 combines excellent wind and rain resistance with ample ventilation. For solo trips, the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2 (*Est. $400) also gets good reviews -- but the Big Sky Evolution 2P (*Est. $350) discussed earlier weighs a bit less. Our Useful Links page includes brief descriptions of some even lighter shelter options.