From our own experience, it can be tricky to pick a good backpacking tent to take on a hike. Many lightweight tents that are advertised as being good for backpacking are way too heavy to be carried around. In this review, we’ll not only review some of the best backpacking tents, but we’ll also give you a comprehensive guide to help you pick the right one for your next camping trip!
Backpacking Tents Buyer’s Guide
Nothing beats camping. Spending time in the great outdoors, with a few close friends, loved ones, or just by yourself. Warm nights by cozy campfires, with nothing but nature’s serenade and a blanket of stars above. However, bad camping gear can bring an abrupt end and sour what would otherwise be a great experience. Our buyer’s guide for backpacking tents will help you pick out the perfect tent for your adventure.
Size First
Your tent will serve as your home away from home. Because of its importance, you need to take a headcount of who will accompany you on your trip and get a tent that’s just right. You’ll also need to account for other considerations of size and shape. The height and weight of your companions are a good starting point for narrowing down your choice of tent size.
Apart from this, there are some other questions you should ask. Are your companions claustrophobic? Are they restless sleepers? Do they need more space, or are they alright in a tiny tent? These are the kinds of questions you’ll need to ask yourself and your party before you buy a tent.
On the other hand, you’ll be wasting money if you get a tent that’s much too big for your party. The best advice we can give you is that the best tent is snug, but not constructing. In other words, it’ll be just right. As the saying goes: measure twice, cut once.
While we’re on the topic of size, you should also measure a tent’s weight. In general, bigger backpacking tents tend to weigh more. Look for tents that have built-in storage systems, such as stash bags.
A Tent for Every Season
Not all backpacking tents are made alike. The kind of environment and season you plan to go camping in will determine what kind of tent you should get. Single-season backpacking tents, for example, are usually lightweight and easy to setup. These tents are also quite flimsy and won’t protect you from wind, rain or snow.
If you’re looking for more durable tents, it’s wise to invest in a 3-season tent. These tents are made tough and are intended for prolonged usage. They’re equipped to deal with anything that spring, summer, or fall can throw at you. Their fabrics are thick to protect you from the rain, but airy enough to provide ample ventilation. For those looking for even sturdier backpacking tents, or are planning to go mountaineering, there’s the 4-season tent. 4-season tents have more poles and rounded surfaces to provide ample protection and insulation against cold and snow.
Your Tent’s Shape Matters
A tent’s shape affects both its living area and peak height. Once you’ve measured your party up and determined how tough of a tent you want, it’s time to look at the tent’s shape. In general, there are cabin-shaped and dome-shaped tents.
Cabin-shaped tents have almost vertical walls, which causes them to have both greater peak height and more living space.
Dome-shaped tent, on the other hand, has less space and high peak height only in the middle. This leads to better insulation and protection from harsh weather.
A tent’s shape also includes its built-in features, like doors, ventilation, and interior stashes. If you’re going alone, one door may suffice. But for families or large groups, multiple entry and exit points may be required.
Ease of Setup
Once you’ve got your eyes on a tent, be sure you know how to set it up. Few things are more embarrassing than buying a tent, then realizing you have no idea how it works. Each tent has different components that combine together to pitch the tent. Familiarize yourself with a tent’s sheets, poles, and porches, and take the time to practice putting it up. For those who would rather skip the task of manually pitching a tent, there are inflatable models for easy setup.
It’s highly recommended that you buy a tent that has its groundsheet sewn in. This essential part of the tent will keep the bottom nice and dry. Rainflies are another important component that you should look for. These are separate, waterproof components that protect your tent from rain.
Whether you’re roughing it out with stake tents or taking the shortcut with inflatable ones, always have emergency parts on hand. Accidents can happen any time, and knowing how to repair damage to your tent can make or break a vacation.
Materials and Durability
Like any other product, you should inspect the make and material of each of a tent’s parts.
Most tent fabrics are made of either nylon or polyester. These materials are cheap and offer reasonable protection for their weight. Backpacking tents made of these tend to be cheaper. Cotton and canvas are also used for tent fabric. These backpacking tents insulate much better than their synthetic counterparts but are very heavy and bulky. They also demand more maintenance, so they’re not a good fit for a quick vacation.
Regardless of the fabric of the tent you want, be sure to inspect its waterproof rating, or hydrostatic head (HH).
Waterproof ratings are measured in millimeters, and range from 1,000 to 10,000mm. For the curious, this number indicates how much water pressure the fabric can withstand before breaking. A higher HH fabric will keep out more water, but they’re also coarser and rougher. Factor in the local weather, climate, and season before determining how much HH you really need.
A tent’s poles will dictate how strong it is. Among the most common materials are aluminum and fiberglass. Aluminum is the most expensive tent pole material. It’s lightweight, durable, and resilient.
Aluminum corrodes though, so be sure that your tent is rustproofed. Fiberglass is cheap and commonplace. It’s less durable than aluminum, so manufacturers create thicker fiberglass poles to achieve the same strength. This also leads to fiberglass poles and tents being heavier. Fiberglass doesn’t corrode, but it doesn’t resist cold temperatures well. Once again, ask yourself what scenario you’re going to be using the tent in.
Try It Out Yourself
Tent sellers fully expect you to test their products. Don’t be afraid to lie in a tent or to pitch and disassemble it before you make your final decision. When it comes to tents, the customer is always right – so be sure you’ve experienced if a tent is a right fit for you before committing to it.
Now that you know the things you should consider when buying a backpacking tent, here are the best backpacking tents that are popular and have many good reviews. Each of these is ultralight and can be carried by most people over long distances.
Best One-Person Backpacking Tents on Amazon
First Gear Cliff Hanger 1 Person Tent
This polyurethane-coated 1 person backpacking tent measures 6 feet 7 inches x 2 feet 5 inches x 43 inches high. We love this one because it is very affordable and has all very positive reviews.
The First Gear Cliffhanger tent is not made for hanging off of cliffs, as the name might suggest. At 3.5 pounds, this tent is made to be carried around in a rucksack on long-distance walks.
One of the great things about the First Gear Cliff Hanger is that it has an all-around no-see-um mesh. No-see-ums are very tiny insects that have a tendency to fly through very small spaces and make camping an annoyance. This mesh will prevent all insects, large and small from getting through. Furthermore, the rainfly that we completely removed reveals just the mesh. This is a great thing for stargazers!
Customers have commented on the fact that it is completely waterproof. Some have slept in the rain for days and the tent has remained 100% dry. This is great considering that many backpacking tents have a tendency to leak. It is usually the more expensive backpacking tents that have the most water resistance, but there is no issue with leakage with this tent.
- Dimensions are 6 feet 7 Inch by 2 feet 5 Inch by 43 Inch high, Sleeps 1 person, Lightweight and easy to assemble, carry weight 3.5 pounds
Snugpak Ionosphere 1 Person Tent
The Snugpak Ionosphere is one of the best 1 person tents available for its price. As you can see from the image, it is a camouflaged tent that can be used on a military expedition, or just on any camping trip.
This tent has been reviewed by military leaders who use this for their platoon. They say that the tent holds up to extreme temperatures and heavy rains. It has a bit of a thicker material that will hold out the chilly winds. For their gear, there is extra room at the head or the feet for a person above 6 feet tall.
The Snugpak Ionosphere comes included with stakes that are surprisingly high quality compared to other backpacking tents on Amazon. The stakes are thoughtfully designed and have special cut-ins for the ropes.
The bottom of the tent is tub-shaped to prevent water from seeping into the tent. Also, like the above First Gear tent, it has an all-around mesh that protects against no-see-ums.
This is a 1 personal tent, so if you are camping with someone else with whom you’d like to sleep in the same tent, you would need to purchase a 2 person tent.
- Inner tent dimensions are 94 inches long, 35 inches wide, and 28 inches tall; built to accommodate 1 person and their gear, features tape sealed seams
Eureka Midori Solo 1 Person Tent
The Eureka Midori Solo is more expensive than the First Gear Cliff Hanger, but it has a better quality design overall. Moreover, although the Midori is less expensive than the Snugpak Ionosphere, is its design allows the occupant to have more space at the top. This is due to Eureka’s V3 Enhanced Tent System, which maximizes the top area using the frame.
The Midori Solo has a gear pouch built into it, thus allowing more room for the feet or head. However, if you are looking for a solo tent that has plenty of room to store your gear, we would suggest the Snugpak Ionosphere, as it has more area.
As with the other 2 above, the Midori has a mesh that prevents insects from flying in. However, it comes with a hooded rainfly that protects against heavy rain when mounted to the tent.
The Midori measures 7’6″ x 2’8″, and has a 3′ center height. This will definitely not fit 2 people but will accommodate for a very tall person.
- The lightweight Eureka! Midori 1 solo, three season, 1 person backpacking tent is spacious yet lightweight, making it an ideal choice for backpackers.
Best 2 Person Backpacking Tents
Coleman Sundome 2 Person Tent
Coleman has a line of Sundome tents that fit 2, 3,4, or 6 people. The one we are reviewing here is the 2 person Sundome tent. It measures 7 feet x 5 feet x 48 inches. You can’t stand up in this one, but there is plenty of room for a taller person to sit upright. There is plenty of room left over to store your gear.
This tent comes with a mesh at the top to allow for ventilation and sunlight to shine through. However, during periods of rain, you can put up the rainfly that comes with it and be fully protected. The rainfly also extends beyond the front door, which means that you will not experience those pesky after-rain droplets when going in and out of the tent.
The Sundome line is very affordable and gives excellent bang for the buck. Most customer reviews are very positive for the Sundome.
- Weatherproof: Welded corners and inverted seams keep water from getting in; Included rainfly offers extra weather protection
Mountainsmith Morrison 2 Person 3 Season Tent 
The Mountain Morrison 2 person tent has been rated as a ‘Killer Deal’ in the 2011 Backpacker Gear Guide. At an affordable price, this tent has many of the luxuries of a higher-priced tent.
First, the Morrison is very waterproof. Its high-quality 185T polyester rainfly will protect it nicely against heavy rains. The floor comes in a bathtub shape, which means that if water accumulated on the ground, it will not seep into the tent.
Due to the careful design of this tent, you can store your gear on its detachable ceiling loft, or its mesh storage pockets.
Although it is a 2 person tent, it only weighs about 5 pounds. You can carry this on your backpacking trips with the family.
This tent measures 56 by 43 by 92 inches (W x H x D).
Kelty Salida 2 Person Tent
The Salida tent is an excellent choice if you are looking for a 2 person tent with a standard design with no major flaws at an affordable price. It has very good reviews, so we thought this would be a no-brainer.
This tent measures 16” wide and 5” high. Although you cannot stand in it, the tent is lightweight enough that you can carry it with your rucksack, at less than 4.5 pounds. It comes with a roll-top cube carry case that is compact.
The Salida is a standalone tent, so even when not staked to the ground, it will still hold up nicely as the frame is designed that way.
Although it is not as big as some other 2 person tents, you can use this one as a 1 person backpacking tent if you need more space for your gear.
- Backpack-friendly compact folding poles, Gearloft loops, Color coded clip and fly attachment.Wall material: 68D Polyester, 40D No-See-Um Mesh,Floor material: 68D Nylon, 1800 mm
Best 3 Person Backpacking Tents on Amazon
Coleman Sundome 3 Person Tent
As mentioned above, Coleman’s Sundome tents are a line of affordable tents that comes at a higher quality than others for their price. Coleman is best known for its camping gear and has been around for the past 100 years. Every year, they iterate on newer models that have value-added design features.
The Sundome 3 person tent is an all-around good quality affordable tent. Like its 2 personal counterparts, it has a standalone design. It comes with a rainfly that extends beyond the front door, thus preventing rain droplets from hitting your head when entering or leaving the tent.
The main difference between this tent and the 2 person version is, of course, the size. While the 2 person Sundome tent measures 7 feet x 5 feet x 48 inches, the 3 person Sundome tent measures 7 feet x 7 feet x 4 feet 4 inches (in height). This means that 3 tall people can sleep in this tent with some room left over for gear at their feet.
This tent has a mesh at the top that allows for ventilation and airflow, thus preventing condensation. When the included rainfly is added to the tent, it provides 33% more rain protection than most standard Coleman tents.
As you will see, the customer reviews are mostly very positive.
- The three-person dome design is quick and easy to set up
Coleman Hooligan 3 Person Tent
Coleman’s Hooligan line of tents has models for 2, 3, or 4 people. The 3 person Hooligan tent is the most popular of the Hooligan line. With 3 person tents, you can set up the tent for 2 people to sleep in, and have plenty of space left over for storing your gear.
Since this is a backpacking tent, it is smaller than Coleman’s standard 3 person tents. It weighs around 8 pounds, so it can be carried in a rucksack. However, most 3 person tents are heavier than their 1 or 2 person counterparts, you must be fit enough to carry these long distances. However, it is ideal for car camping, as you can easily carry it from your car and set it up by yourself in under 10 minutes.
As with most backpacking tents, you will want to spray it with Rainguard before first use in order to create a protective, water-resistant shield.
The Hooligan’s rainfly can be completed removed to reveal the all-around mesh. This mesh will protect against bugs and provide a slight barrier against the wind.
- Lightweight outdoor tent designed for backpacking
Wenzel Ridgeline 3 Person Tent
Wenzel is another popular camping gear company that has very positive customer reviews. The Wenzel Ridgeline is a lightweight 3 person tent that is considered a backpacking tent. Keep in mind that most 3 person backpacking tents can get pretty heavy to carry around for long distances. However, at least the ridgeline weighs a bit less than the others at 7 pounds 4 ounces.
One of the great things about Wenzel is its excellent customer service. Customers have reported that Wenzel’s customer service was very helpful in getting them replacements parts once they broke or went missing.
The Ridgeline has a nice tub-like floor that prevents water from seeping in at the bottom after a rainy day.
As an added benefit, the Ridgeline only weighs 6.25 pounds, which makes it the lightest 3-person backpacking tent we have reviewed.
FAQs about Backpacking Tents
How much Should a Tent Weigh for Backpacking?
A good backpacking tent should weigh around 2.5 lbs. If you are traveling with a group, this can go much lower as you can split the total weight. Each person can carry different parts of the tent, like the poles, tent, and rain fly.
What are the Best Backpacking Tents for 3 people?
The best backpacking tents for 3 people are the Coleman Sundome, Coleman Hooligan, and Wenzel Ridgeline 3 person tent. Weighing around, 7lbs, these tents are not only lightweight but spacious enough as well.
What Brands are the Best Backpacking Tents?
There are lots of great brands of backpacking tents like Hilleberg, Big Agnes and MSR. But if you’re a beginner camper, Coleman offers some of the most affordable backpacking tents that are lightweight enough and considerably durable. That’s why most of the backpacking tents included in this list mostly are from Coleman.
