Tents, Hammocks, and Tarps

The NEMO Firefly is a lightweight 2-person tent with a robust floor and ultralight mesh and fly. It’s easy to set up, and has great headroom, excellent ventilation even with the doors closed, and lots of smart design features that enhance its livability. While it is similar to the NEMO …

The Sierra Designs High Route FL 1 is a 28 oz double-wall trekking pole tent designed for people who want the full coverage and headroom of a two-peak pyramid, the ability to pitch fly-first in a storm, and the flexibility of a modular shelter system. It’s ready to use straight …

The REI Flash 1 Air Tent is a one-person ultralight trekking pole tent that weighs 20 oz and costs $249. It’s a single wall tent with a side entrance and a large vestibule for gear storage. Myriad venting options increase airflow to help reduce internal condensation and the interior has …

The Big Agnes Scout Platinum 1 is a single-wall trekking pole tent that’s made with conventional tent fabrics but still only weighs 13 oz. Admittedly, that is a very attractive weight and price point for any ultralight tent, although it comes at a cost in terms of reduced livability, weather …

The Exped Outer Space II is a large two-person double-wall freestanding tent with a front vestibule that’s large enough to seat two people. You can set up the rain fly first in order to keep the inner tent dry if it’s raining, or you can keep them together when you …

The Zpacks Duplex Tent is a single-wall 2 person tent made with Dyneema Composite Fabrics (formerly called cuben fiber) that weighs 19.4 oz. It has two doors, two vestibules, and requires two trekking poles to erect. Despite its high-tech construction, the Duplex is a remarkably simple tent to set up …

The REI Passage 2 is a comfortable two-person camping tent that’s ideal for car camping, base camping, and short backpacking trips. It has two doors and two giant vestibules with plenty of external gear storage. But what sets this tent apart from others is its internal livability. The tent interior …

The X-Mid 1P is a single-person double-wall trekking pole tent that weighs 27.9 oz. It requires two trekking poles to erect and can be set up in rain without getting the inner tent wet. The inner and outer tents both have two doors and can be rolled up for enhanced …

The Kammok Hammock Winter Barrier, an accessory for Kammok’s Mantis and Mantis UL modular hammock systems, is a solid fabric replacement for the zip-off bugnet to be used for increased warmth and weather resistance in cold-weather hammocking. A winter barrier or cover can add a noticeable amount of warmth to …

The NEMO Hornet 2P Tent is a two-person ultralight tent with two doors that weighs just 1 pound 14.3 ounces (on the SectionHiker scale), not including stuff sacks or tent stakes. Let that sink in for a moment. The NEMO Hornet 2P is lighter weight than many two-person ultralight silnylon …

Kammok’s Mantis Ultralight All-in-One Hammock Tent (“Mantis UL”) is a  complete hammock shelter system that includes a hammock with an optional full-length zippered bugnet, integrated ridgeline, tarp, hammock suspension, and stakes that pack up together into a roll-top stuff sack for a total weight of 2 pounds, 3 ounces. The …

The MSR Hubba Hubba NX 2 is a great tent for two people. It’s incredibly easy to set up, lightweight and has two doors so you can come and go at night without disturbing your partner. Nearly freestanding, the pole configuration creates an interior space that has near-vertical walls, providing …

The Black Diamond FirstLight Tent (updated for 2019) is a two-person, freestanding, single-wall tent for winter backpacking, backcountry skiing, and mountaineering. Weighing 3 lbs 1.3 oz (after seam sealing), it has a wind-resistant wedge shape that sheds snow well and packs up small. Since it’s freestanding, you can pitch it …

The Black Diamond Beta Light is a single wall, ultralight tarp shelter that weighs 19 oz. It’s also a very affordable ultralight shelter, with an MSRP of just $200, making it an excellent value if you’re trying to save money. The Beta Light has a single front zippered door and …