Backpacking Tents
Take great care in picking your tent. This will likely be your most expensive backpacking purchase and a great tent will go a long way towards making your outdoor adventures unforgettable. There is no perfect tent for everyone, but we like to think we have found the best of the best. When considering which tents to buy, consider the tradeoffs between price, weight, and functionality. All the tents listed below are three season tents and intended primarily for spring, summer, and fall use.
Recommended Tents
ZPacks Duplex ($599; 21 oz)
The zPacks Duplex is the creme de la creme of tents. It is ridiculously light, extremely roomy, and includes many of the features of a much heavier tent. Before laughing this tent off because of the price, let us first make our case.
Pros:
Cons:
While the price point may put this tent out of reach for all but the most serious backpacker, there is no better tent on the market
Pros:
- At 21 oz, this tent is light enough that you will never need to buy a 1-person tent
- This is a roomy 2-person tent. While other tents will claim to be 2-person tents, most tents in this similar weight range are considerably smaller. Note: the person in the picture above is 6 feet 2 inches tall.
- Full mosquito net and bathtub floor
- Large vestibule area
- Did we mention the weight? This tent is ridiculously light with minimal sacrifices in functionality
Cons:
- This tent is not free standing and will require hiking poles and proper staking to set up
- At least one vestibule door should remain open to prevent condensation inside the tent
- The tent fabric is so thin it will not block the sun
While the price point may put this tent out of reach for all but the most serious backpacker, there is no better tent on the market
Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL2 ($389; 37 oz)
The Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2 and its smaller UL1 cousin are the most popular tents on the PCT. While cheaper than the ZPacks Duplex, it is considerably smaller and heavier. Buy the Fly Creek only if the ZPacks Duplex is out of your price range. There are few if any circumstances where you would want to use the Fly Creek UL2 over the ZPacks Duplex. While some may opt for the lighter Fly Creek UL1 ($349; 33 oz) or the slightly lighter Fly Creek HV2 Platinum ($549; 32 oz), we like the extra space of the Fly Creek UL2 and would rather buy the ZPacks Duplex over the Fly Creek HV2 Platinum
REI Half Dome 2 Plus ($219; 87 oz)
We list the REI Half Dome 2 Plus as our budget pick. While the weight of this tent is considerable, this tent is extremely durable and comfortable. Call it the Toyota Sienna of tents. It may not be the sleekest but its got all the bells and whistles and plenty of space.