Learn about Tents for Backpacking

Sweet Spot Recommendations

For most beginner budget backpackers, I recommend a 3-season, double-wall, free-standing or semi-freestanding tent.

If you feel you must use a lighter tent, I recommend a single-wall trekking-pole tent with side mesh panels or equivalent means of removing condensation. Most of these tents are expensive, but a few affordable options exist.

Double-wall Tents

Double-wall tents manage condensation to keep you dry and prevent hypothermia. They consist of an outer waterproof rainfly and an inner mesh wall.

The rainfly’s outer surface keeps out rain. Its inner surface collects condensation from your breath and allows it to run down to the outside of your tent.

The inner mesh wall protects you from insects and allows moisture from your breath to pass through to the outside. It also prevents you and your gear from contacting condensation on the rainfly.

The gap between the inner mesh wall and the rainfly allows ventilation to reduce condensation further. It also keeps you cool on hot nights.

Some double-wall tents have fast-fly setup, allowing you to pitch the rainfly first so rain doesn’t enter the inner tent while you pitch it. Fast-fly setup usually requires the manufacturer’s proprietary footprint, which is typically expensive.

Single-wall Tents

Single-wall tents consist of a single waterproof wall. Their purpose is to reduce weight. They are also called tarp tents, but this term is ambiguous because it’s also used to describe simple tarps.

Some single-wall tents have mesh panels on their walls. Condensation rolls down the walls and exits through the mesh panels. This keeps you dry if you don’t touch the walls above the mesh. Some backpackers periodically wipe condensation off the walls with a cloth. An example of a single-wall tent with mesh panels is the Zpacks Duplex.

Single-wall tents without mesh panels collect condensation, soaking you and your sleeping bag and increasing the risk of hyperthermia. They are cheap, but I don’t recommend them.

Pros & Cons of Double-wall vs Single-wall Tents

Type	Pros	Cons	Other considerations
Double wall	Prevents condensation Easy for beginners to pitch effectively Rainfly can be used separately as a tarp Tent can be used without the rainfly for staying cool or stargazing Some double-wall tents allow fast-fly setup	Heavy Bulky	Good for humid environments Most double-wall tents are freestanding or semi-freestanding, making it necessary to consider the pros and cons of these types of tents
Single wall without mesh panels	Light Compact	No protection from condensation	Not recommended Most single-wall tents are non-freestanding, making it necessary to consider the pros and cons of these types of tents
Single wall with mesh panels	Light Compact Some protection from condensation	Mesh panels let in cold drafts	Good for dry environments where condensation is low

Freestanding Tents

Freestanding tents stand up by themselves without stakes because their structure is provided entirely by poles. However, you’ll normally want to use stakes to make the tent taut and prevent it from blowing away in the wind. An example of a freestanding tent is the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2.

Semi-freestanding Tents

In semi-freestanding tents, the structure is provided mostly by poles, but stakes are necessary to provide full structure, volume, rigidity, and weather resistance.

Semi-freestanding tents typically have a tripod pole structure with two poles at the head end and one pole at the foot end. The foot end is staked out to increase interior volume and extend the rainfly so rain doesn’t enter the tent mesh.

At first, it might seem like semi-freestanding tents are the least desirable because they lack the advantages of freestanding and non-freestanding tents. However, semi-freestanding tents are lighter than free-standing tents and more versatile than non-freestanding tents. If you are camping on terrain such as sand or solid rock that doesn’t allow staking, you can use a semi-freestanding tent like a free-standing tent. However, your feet and the bottom of your sleeping bag might get wet in heavy rain and wind.

I bought a semi-freestanding Big Fly Creek UL2 for $180 in an Ebay auction. I’ve slept in it without staking it out, but I wouldn’t try this in the rain.

Non-freestanding tents

Non-freestanding tents must be staked out. They typically are held up by one or two trekking poles in the center. An example is the Zpacks Duplex.

Pros & Cons of Freestanding, Semi-freestanding, and Non-freestanding tents

Type	Pros	Cons	Other considerations
Freestanding	Can be pitched on a wide variety of terrain Can be moved after being set up Sturdy Usually shaped for optimal interior dimensions	Heavy	Most are double-walled, making it necessary to consider the pros and cons of double-wall tents
Semi-freestanding	Lighter than freestanding tents Can be used without stakes under certain conditions Can be set up on a wider variety of terrains than non-freestanding tents (solid rock, sand)	Stakes are necessary for full structure, volume, rigidity, and weather resistance	Most are double-walled, making it necessary to consider the pros and cons of double-wall tents.
Non-freestanding	Lightest	Requires stakes	Most are single-walled, making it necessary to consider the pros and cons of single-wall tents.

3-season vs 4-season Tents

The terms “3-season” and “4-season” don’t literally mean 3 and 4 seasons.

3-season tents prioritize light weight and ventilation. In double-walled 3-season tents, the inner tent typically has a lot of mesh for ventilation to prevent condensation.

4-season tents are designed for frigid temperatures, strong wind, and heavy snowfall. Instead of having mesh, the inner tent consists mainly of breathable fabric that stops cold drafts. The pole structure is sturdy, and the interior volume is large to accommodate winter gear. Their poor ventilation makes these tents feel miserable on hot nights. 4-season tents are too heavy for comfortable backpacking in most weather conditions. They also tend to be expensive.

For budget backpackers, I recommend buying one 3-season tent and avoiding below-freezing temperatures, strong winds and heavy snowfalls. Being a budget backpacker requires making some sacrifices.

Tent Capacity

Most backpacking tents are for 1 to 4 people.

Ultralight tents tend to be cramped, depending on the manufacturer. If you backpack solo, consider buying a 2-person instead of a 1-person ultralight tent. You will be more comfortable and have space to add a hiking partner or store your gear when it rains.

Front Entry vs Side Entry

Most modern backpacking tents have an entrance on each side, but some have a single entrance on the front.

Tents with two side entries are more convenient:

Easier to enter and exit
Usually more total vestibule space
You and your partner each have your own door and vestibule
If you need to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, you can exit and enter without climbing over your partner and waking them up
Better ventilation
Easier access to items in all areas of the tent
Sometimes more stable in wind because of the way the tent is staked and guyed

An example of a tent with two side entries is the Nemo Hornet 2. An example of a tent with one front entry is the Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL2

Vestibule

The vestibule is the portion of the rainfly that extends beyond the tent door like a porch. It’s for storing wet and muddy gear outside your tent. It also helps keep rain from entering the tent door as you enter or exit.

Some backpackers cook inside the vestibule when it’s raining. I don’t recommend this as it is easy to melt or damage the tent. The smell of food inside your tent may also attract bears and other animals.

Groundcloths and Footprints

Groundcloths and footprints keep the bottom of your tent clean and protect it from rocks and roots. Groundcloths are designed for general use, including tents. Footprints are designed for specific tent models and are often expensive.

You can save money by using one of the following materials for your groundcloth/footprint:

Polycro such as Frost King Window Film
Tyvek

Some manufacturer-designed footprints allow for fast-fly setup, described in the section about double-walled tents.

Tent Poles

Pros & Cons of Tent Pole Materials

Material	Pros	Cons
Steel	Strongest Affordable	Too heavy for backpacking Can corrode
Fiberglass	Affordable	Heavy Not strong Very brittle, especially when cold
Aluminum	Lightweight Strong Flexible Durable	Somewhat expensive Can corrode Can deform slightly
DAC Featherlite	Lighter than other aluminum Strong Flexible Durable	More expensive than other aluminum Can corrode
Carbon	Slightly lighter than aluminum and DAC Featherlite Stronger than aluminum, DAC Featherlite, and fiberglass	Very expensive Not very flexible Brittle Not very durable

For budget backpackers, I recommend tents with aluminum poles because of their strength, flexibility, durability, and light weight.

DAC Featherlight poles are even better but are more expensive.

There are also tent poles made of various kinds of composite materials.

Tent Stakes

Stake Shapes

Stake Shape (cross-section)	Substrate
V-stake	Soft to hard
Y-stake aka groundhog	Soft to hard
Shepherd’s-hook stake	Medium to hard
Nail stake aka needle stake	Firm to hard
Cyclone stake aka screw stake	Loose to soft
Snow stake aka sand stake	Loose to soft

Pros & Cons of Stake Materials

Stake Material	Pros	Cons
Aluminum	Light Inexpensive	Bend easily Not suitable for rocky substrates
Stainless steel	Strong Suitable for rocky substrates Inexpensive	Heavy
Titanium	Strong Light	Expensive
Plastic	Strong Inexpensive Bend without breaking	Hard to drive into extremely hard ground
Carbon	Light	Expensive Can shatter if pounded hard in rocky ground

Packaged Weight and Trail Weight

Tent manufacturers typically list two weights for their tents:

Packaged weight
Trail weight.

Packaged weight

tent body
rainfly
poles
stakes
guylines
stuff sacks
footprint if included

Trail weight

Tent body
Rainfly
poles

Aim for a packaged weight under 4 lbs, preferably under 3 lbs.