7 best backpacking tents
A backpacking-worthy tent is pretty simple to define – you should be able to carry it with you in your pack on a hike without a struggle. No enormous multi-bedroom family tents here – backpacking tents are usually one, two, three or at most, four-man capacity, with a design focus on being lightweight, compact and easy to erect and dismantle.
Their modest size makes them ideal for cycle touring, multi-day hikes, adventure racing, travelling and unobtrusive wild camping, The compromise is that they are often pretty tiny and cramped, with limited head room. For that reason we recommend picking as big a tent as you can comfortably carry (anything up to 3kg for two people is good), especially if you’re planning to pitch in the same spot for days at a time, and looking for a model with a porch space as well as a sleeping area, for storing dirty hiking boots and other bits of gear.
All of our picks are easy to erect but it’s always worth having a go in your garden before you attempt to pitch your new purchase on a mountainside in a howling gale. Backpacking tents are all about good design and lightweight poles, and can be jaw-droppingly expensive. The plus side to their price is that you can expect your new tent to be reliably waterproof and wind resistant. Look out for the tent’s hydrostatic head rating (HH) – 0mm-1500mm means the fabric is water resistant, 1500mm-5000mm is waterproof and 5000-20000mm is highly waterproof. Anything above 2000 can usually cope with rainy weather, a 5000-plus tent is worth investing in for more hard-core adventures.
We’ve included some more affordable options in our top picks, but if you’re going to be relying on your new tent on a big, adventurous expedition we’d recommend sucking it up and spending at least $200 on something really lightweight and well-built – look after your new tent and it’ll last you for years.
So many good things to say, such little space. The Ghost is an ultra-light tent that weighs in at just under a kilo (about the same as a one liter soda) yet still packs in a porch, a generously-sized door and a spacious sleeping pod for two. The whole thing is a cinch to pitch in under 15 minutes. The poles are light as feathers yet sturdy and strong, and the zippers and outer fabric can withstand the harshest wet weather. Our pick of the pack.
The Nemesis may sound more like the latest Gladiator than a portable bedroom but perhaps that’s because this rather hefty tent (9.03lbs) packs a punch – there’s enough space to comfortably sleep three, plus two large porches for gear. We estimate a pitching time of 20 minutes. The double doors are very handy and the well-designed tent bag makes it easy to pack away fast. This is our favourite for group climbing and hiking trips and for a very palatable price.
MSR’s brilliant Hubbas are a common sight at adventure festivals and tucked away in the hills. These beautiful-quality tents ain’t cheap but you get what you pay for - in this case a touch under £500 buys you a seriously stable, wind and waterproof tent that will fit in a family of four, all for just 2.67 kg of weight and five to 10 minutes of pitching. Handsome, versatile and very comfortable.
Big Agnes tents are a big favorite despite being some of the priciest portable designs on the market. We reckon it’s because this mountain-based company’s tents are big on quality and smart design. The 3.81lbs Copper Hotel emerges, tardis-like, from a tiny bag and magically becomes a spacious two-man tent (one that you could actually share with a stranger without spooning). We loved the roomy vestibule – brilliant if you’re bringing your dog along on a hike. It was a tad fiddly to erect the first time – we reckon 15-20 minutes.
Our best buy on a budget, the cheap-as-chips Coleman Coastline Compact may be tricky to say but that’s it’s only obvious fault – it’s a neat, trim design, easy to erect in 10-15 minutes and weighing in at a passable 7.9lbs. We found it fully waterproof in rain but a little flimsy and flappable in high winds.
Good for solo wild camping or adventure racing, the teeny tiny Ionosphere sits very low to the ground, a little like a glorified bivvy bag. It may feel a bit like sleeping in a coffin but there’s plenty of bonuses to its low-lying design – it packs down tiny, pitches in 10 minutes flat and weighs a paltry 3.3lbs. We like the fact that you can sleep in the mesh inner tent on its own in hot climates and that it comes with a repair kit – definitely one for adventurers.
LL Bean, purveyor of hipster outdoor gear, also does a surprisingly great line in quality tents and sleeping bags. Its Microlight two-man only weighs about 3lbs but still doesn't’t compromise on space – there’s plenty of headroom and the cheerful yellow hue ensures lots of light inside (though you might want to pick a darker tent if you struggle to sleep when dawn breaks). This one is a 10-minute assembly job and is brilliant value for money.
If you’re looking to invest in a versatile two-man backpacking tent to last you for years, spend your pennies on the excellent Mountain Hardwear Ghost. If weight is a priority for a fast-paced backpacking adventure, then the teeny Snugpak Ionosphere will do you proud. Outdoor families and groups will love the quality MSR Papa Hubba provides.
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