Tents, Hammocks, and Tarps

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 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 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 …

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 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 …

The Hammock Gear Bottom Entry Bug Net is a simple, inexpensive, durable and lightweight solution to protect yourself from bugs while hammock camping. It eliminates zippers which can snag or fail, and, per its name, uses elasticized shockcord on the bottom for the entry point. The Bottom Entry Bug Net …

TheTentLab MoonLight ML2 is luxurious as backpacking tents come, and a great example of when its worth trading weight for comfort. The attention to detail in its design is apparent in every thoughtful feature from its materials to its spacious interior and flexibility of setup. The tent has extraordinary strength …

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 …

The NEMO GoGo Elite Inflatable Bivy Tent is a 1-person minimalist shelter that’s more spacious and comfortable than a bivy sack, but far more compact than most 1-person tents making it ideal for trips that require carrying a low volume load like adventure racing, fast and light backpacking, or bikepacking. …

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 Big Agnes Scout 2 Platinum is a 17 ounce, single wall trekking pole tent designed for three-season use. It has a pup-style, A-frame shape, with side struts that create vertical internal sidewalls for improved livability and ceiling height. While the tent does not have a front vestibule for gear …

The Sierra Designs High Route 1 FL Tent (MSRP $299) is a 2 pound 5 ounce, one-person trekking pole tent that's easy to set up and has a lot of interior space. A double-walled tent, it has an inner tent that is set up after the rainfly so it will never get wet in the pouring rain. While not unique to the High Route tent, it's a feature that you'll appreciate immensely if you've ever had to put up or take down a backpacking tent in the rain.

Gossamer Gear’s “The One” ultralight 1-person tent ($299) is an ultralight, single-walled trekking-pole tent that weighs 20.6 oz. It has a spacious interior that’s a palace for one, with excellent ventilation to help prevent internal condensation. Factory seam-taped, there’s no need to seam seal The One which is made with …