Looking to buy the right backpacking tent for you? Let’s discuss all the different factors to be considered to make the best pick for your next adventure.
Table of Contents
Capacity of Backpacking Tent
The capacity of your backpacking tent primarily depends on your backpacking style. Backpacking tents usually come with capacities ranging from 1-4 person tents. If you are a solo backpacker, a 1-person tent should be enough for you.
However, there is no standardized size guide for tents of different sizes; tent dimensions can vary from brand to brand within the same category of capacity. So, you will have to consider your body size and dimensions to make the appropriate choice for a backpacking tent.
2-person tents are the most popular ones on the market. This is because a 2-person tent adds the versatility of extra space for a solo traveler and the ability to add a partner to your outdoor adventure. On top of that, the use of modern lightweight materials means the difference between the weight of a 1-person and 2-person tent is not necessarily a deal breaker anymore.
If you are a couple traveling together, a 2-person shelter will be the perfect pick. Although, it is a very common practice for couples to opt for a 3-person tent to add the luxury of some extra space. Considering the minimal increase in weight, most people are willing to ignore that for additional living space to rest well, organize, or even accommodate pets.
For a mid-sized family, a backpacking tent of a 4-person capacity would be ideal. While picking the right capacity for your needs, do not forget to test out if the length, width, and height of the setup are appropriate for you.
Seasonality of Tent
You will have to choose between a 3-season or 4-season tent. To make that backpacking tent decision, you will have to ask yourself when and where you travel more frequently. A 3-season tent would generally be good enough for most people who like to travel during the warmer periods of the year. However, highly experienced backpacking enthusiasts are more likely to need a 4-season tent to deal with colder and harsher weather conditions.
3-Season Backpacking Tent
3-season backpacking tents are the most popular ones on the market. These tents are appropriate for people who travel mostly in warmer months, stick to the established trails and weather conditions are not a big concern for them.
3-season tents are mostly lightweight and come with mesh panels for proper ventilation; good enough to serve you through spring, summer, and fall. The majority of backpackers will do just fine with an outdoor shelter of this kind.
4-Season Backpacking Tent
4-season tents are usually required for winter explorers who camp in the snow. This variation is usually heavier than 3-season tents and made up of more robust materials. 4-season models come with a stronger structure to withstand snow, heavy storms, and violent wind. These tents tend to have additional and burlier poles and rounded domes to deal with wind and snow.
Livability
Livability refers to the features of a tent that make living inside a backpacking tent comfortable. While livability can be a subjective issue, you will need to find out what you need to consider a tent liveable. A basic way to determine livability is to get a feel for how roomy, comfortable, and convenient it is to use the tent.
Tent Dimension and Space
Tent dimension refers to the length, width, and height of the tent. The interior living space you get in a tent determines how roomy or cramped it feels. You will need to examine if you and your partners comfortably fit inside the tent. Adequate height will let you sit straight inside the tent without your head touching the roof of the tent.
Doors
Multiple doors come in handy unless you are traveling alone. If you backpacking with a partner, multiple doors on the opposite walls of the tent will be really helpful for accessibility and ease of use. Surely, you would love being able to get in and out of the tent without disturbing what your partner is doing.
Walls
Do not just look at the stats to decide if a tent is the right fit for you. You will need to test out the tent by getting inside it, lying down, and moving around. That is because if you look at two tents with similar dimensions with different wall types, you will notice a significant difference in livability. A tent with angled walls will feel cramped, while one with more vertical walls will feel much more roomy and spacious.
Ventilation
Ventilation is an important feature to consider unless you are camping in harsh snowy weather. Go for a backpacking tent that comes with a mesh panel at the top to let air flow even with the rainfly on. Lack of ventilation features can make the inside of a tent uncomfortable and humid.
Vestibules
Vestibules are a part of rainflies that extend to the front of tent doors. A tent with multiple doors and vestibules will allow you to keep a lot of your gear outside of the tent and make more space inside the tent. Vestibules are also convenient for enjoying the weather by keeping the doors open even if it is raining.
Ease of Use
You go backpacking to connect with nature, not necessarily to set up all your camping gear. Sure thing, you will have to set up your equipment first to relax and enjoy your time; but setting up should be as easy and quick as you can possibly make it. A backpacking tent is probably the largest piece of equipment to set up on a backpacking trip. So, choose a tent that is easy and fast to set up.
Structure
There are a few different structure options to choose from when you are shopping for a backpacking tent. Different structures define how different tents are pitched and how many walls they have. We will discuss multiple variations and help you pick the right one for your preferences.
Freestanding Tent
Freestanding tents can stand upright without the support of ground stakes as poles from one end to another support the structure. This variation is the most popular one in the market for being easy to set up and move from one place to another. However, freestanding tents are heavier; because of the use of robust poles.
Freestanding ones are usually double-walled tents as the pole structure helps the rainfly setup to be in place. Despite being able to hold the structure without stakes, it is recommended to use a few guy lines for a tight setup to create more room inside and stop the tent from being blown away by strong wind.
Non-Freestanding Tent
While freestanding tents can be convenient for beginners, experienced and ultralight backpackers tend to prefer non-freestanding ones; as those are much lighter. Non-freestanding tents need to be pegged down to the ground by stakes and require some experience to set up. These setups usually come as single-walled tents.
Semi-Freestanding Tent
Semi-freestanding tents come with minimal pole structure to hold the upper section of the tent and need guy lines to be pegged down to the ground. This type of tent takes advantage of the double-walled setup from the pole structure and also benefits from reduced weight due to less sturdy pole support. This can be a proper option if you are looking for a double-walled tent that weighs less.
Materials and Durability
The quality of materials used in a backpacking tent has a significant impact on durability. Weather can be unpredictable even on clear summer days. So, the importance of high-quality and durable material can not be ignored. You will have to scrutinize how robust the poles and pegs are and the quality and thickness of the fabrics of your backpacking tent.
Materials
Tents are mainly made up of fabrics, poles, and pegs. The most common types of tent fabrics are nylon and polyester. On top of the quality of the fabrics, coating plays an important role in durability. For instance, relatively cheaper coating option like polyurethane coating tends to wear off easily after extended use compared to more expensive coating like silicone elastomer coating.
Another crucial factor to consider is the denier (D) rating of the fabric, the higher the rating the thicker and denser the fabric. A higher D rating means more durability and weight. Most of the tent floors come with 40-70 D ratings.
When it comes to tent poles and pegs, you would like to choose high-quality and low-weight aluminum variations. Most beginners tend to underestimate the importance of quality pegs and poles, but those are really important to properly pitch a tent.
Durability
While the quality of materials mostly dictates the durability of a backpacking tent, the weather conditions of your excursions and how you take care of the tent have significant implications as well. The body and rainfly of your tend come with a D rating, which implies the density of thread count. A higher D rating means thicker materials that weigh more. So, durability almost always increases the weight of your tent.
What kind of durability you will choose will depend on your backpacking style. If you are a casual backpacker, carrying a little more weight for enhanced durability and protection will probably be worth it. For ultralight hikers, compromising durability for weight should not be a deal breaker. A 4-season tent will always be more durable and heavy compared to a 3-season backpacking tent.
Packed Size and Weight
A backpacking tent is part of the “big three” you will be carrying in a backpacking trip; the other two are a backpack and a sleeping bag. For some people, the size and weight of a backpacking tent are the most important factors. The packed size determines how much space a tent will take up in your pack and packed weight is what you will carry on your back.
The packed weight of a backpacking tent is not necessarily the marketed weight of the tent, it includes the additional weight of stakes, guy lines, and ground cloth. So, be aware of how much space you will have to free up and the total weight of a packed tent before you make the purchase.
Budget tents that use thicker fabric are usually heavier compared to the ones with advanced materials. Logically, ultralight backpacking tents with advanced materials cost more, weigh less, and compromise additional features. The market is flooded with so many different options for different needs. You will have to make your choice based on your budget and backpacking style.
If you are a casual backpacker, you might not even notice if your tent weighs a little more than what would be ideal for you. On the other hand, an ultralight backpacker who likes to explore long-distance hikes will put weight reduction before anything else. These days, you will find a lot of 2-person tents that weigh less than 2 pounds. Dividing up tent components among partners is a common way to ease the load.
Conclusion
Even for a seasoned backpacker, choosing the right backpacking tent can be an overwhelming experience; given all the different options available on the market. The market for outdoor gear is always expanding with the help of new innovations. To make your buying journey smoother, you need to focus on what you need rather than what options are out there on the market. Take your time, do your research, and choose the best backpacking tent for your needs. Happy backpacking!