How to Choose a Backpacking Tent

Backpacking tents come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, styles and of course prices. I believe there are three key characteristics to reduce your tent selection down to a manageable number. These characteristics are size, season and weight. If you do not get these three things correct then you will be stuck with a tent that you will not like. You also have to remember that you will be compromising one of these features for another. If there were no compromises then we would all be carrying tents providing the space and comfort of a hotel room while only weighing one pound.

The first step in selecting a tent is to determine which of those three characteristics are most important. If you plan to backpack in the winter or to cold snowy mountaintops the season will be you driving choice. If you want to hike twenty-mile days then weight may be most important. Are you hiking with the wife and kids? Pay attention to the size.

Selecting the Proper Size

First, selecting a one, two or three person tent will significantly reduce the available choices to consider, but there is more to it than that. Since weight is very important to backpackers manufacturers try to make tents as light as possible. The only way to do this is by using lighter material and/or using less material. This results in tents of many shapes and sizes. Many two person backpacking tents are not suitable for two people unless you do not mind being cozy with your hiking partner. Same with solo tents, yes one person can fit in the tent but you may find it too cramped for your comfort. This is where size really comes into play.

I make sure a tent is big enough by first looking at the footprint of the tent. Lay the outline of the tent out on your floor, now imagine sleeping in that space in a sleeping bag. Also pay attention to the height and shape of the tent. Look at pictures of the tent to get an idea of how much headroom you will have. The listed height of the tent is it’s highest point. Many tents slope drastically from that point. The point I’m trying to make here is make sure you will feel comfortable and there is adequate room to move and store any gear you may want to keep inside the tent. Many backpackers store their gear in the tent’s vestibule or elsewhere outside the tent.

3 Season or 4 Season Backpacking Tent

Winter backpacking often results in high winds and snow loads on the tents. As a result they must be more durable resulting in the 4 season rating. On the other hand, 3 season backpacking tents often times have more ventilation to provide a higher degree of air circulation for the warmer temperatures experienced in the spring, summer and fall.

Can 3 season tents be used in the winter? Yes. Can 4 season tents be used in the summer? Yes. Just be aware why they are rated as such and use your best judgment when heading out on a winter trip with a 3 season backpacking tent

Backpacking Tent Weight

I found a two person Sierra Designs Sirius 2 tent that weighs just over 4 pounds. They achieve the lightweight by making half of the tent mesh. Additional weight is trimmed from the tent by designing the tarp to only cover the mesh portion of the tent. I found this tent to be the right balance of weight and size to suit my tastes for solo backpacking or including another family member. For only solo trips I would probably find an even lighter weight backpacking tent.