Tent Reviews

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 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 …

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 …

The Exped Mira HL 1 is a surprisingly lightweight and comfortable one-person tent weighing just 35 oz. It has two vestibules, one for gear storage, and a second for easy access and exit. A long arched ridge-pole provides lots of headroom, making it easy to change clothes and move around …

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 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 Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL 2 is an ultralight double-wall tent that only weighs 2 lbs 4 oz. It has two doors, making it ultra-convenient for couples, or as a palace for one, with dual vestibules for gear storage. But the star of the show on this tent is …