It is something every new backpacker needs, worries about, and spends a good chunk of money on. The backpacking tent is arguably one of the most important items in your backpacking setup. It (hopefully) keeps you and your gear dry in case of rain and protects you while you sleep.
Something every new backpacker probably wonders is what backpacking tent they should buy. There are hundreds if not thousands of options, ranging from your cheap off brand tent to your $600 ultralight backpacking tent. Choosing a tent with so many options can be difficult, and often the only think you see is the price tag. Besides cost however, you also have to consider what features you want your backpacking tent to have, how many people it can sleep, how much it weighs, what seasons you can use it in, and how easy it is to set up.
Backpacking tents come in a variety of styles, and today we want to cover a few different types of backpacking tents and hopefully help you find the tent that best fits your needs.
#1 – Shelter Tents
For the lightweight backpacker who still likes to have a roof over their head at night almost nothing can beat the small weight and footprint of a shelter tent.
Shelters come in a variety of styles, but generally consist of two tarps. One for sleeping on and the other to use as a rain fly/canopy. Backpacking shelters are great at reducing the amount of weight you carry, and generally have a small packed size leaving room in your pack for other items. Furthermore, setup is generally simple, many shelters can be set up using sticks or trekking poles, further reducing the weight you have to pack.
Examples of shelter tents include:
#2 – Dome Tents
Dome tents are most likely what you imagine when you hear the word tent. Dome tents range for massive goliaths meant only for car camping, to reasonably sized backpacking tents. Dome backpacking tents are generally heavier than the more extreme shelter tents, but are also a lot more live-able, providing increased protection from the elements.
Dome tents use tent poles, which go either on the inside or outside of the tent. Tent poles add a lot of weight to the tent and generally results in a larger packed size, meaning the tent will take up more space in your backpack. In our experience tent poles also tend to be fragile and break after a few uses, though there are higher quality tents available.
That said, dome tents are a great choice if you plan on backpacking in cold weather or want a free standing tent. Dome tents are often more stable than the other styles of backpacking tents and can be made with thicker stronger materials. All of this combined means that high quality dome backpacking tents are more suited for harsher conditions.
Examples of Dome Tents Include:
#3 – Trekking Pole Tents
Trekking Pole Tents are similar to shelter tents in that you can set them up using trekking poles (hence the name) or often sticks. They are lighter than dome tents, but a little heavier than shelter tents. They make up for this by providing better protection from rain and wind. Trekking pole tents are usually enclosed, and often have bug netting to keep mosquitoes and other insects out during the night.
Trekking pole tents can also have many of the features that a regular tent would have, but are easier to set up and weigh less because they lack the standard tent poles. Which we consider a definite plus. Vestibules, vents, and pockets are all common features of trekking pole tents.
Backpacking trekking pole tents are some of our favorites, do to the protection they provide and their low weight.
Examples of Trekking Pole Tents include:
#4 – Bivy Sack/Bug Shelter
For the extreme ultralight backpacker bivy sacks/bags and bug shelters are the cream of the crop. They are exceptionally light but provide limited protection from the elements.
Bivy Sacks which, is actually short for bivouac sack, is more or less just a waterproof barrier between your sleeping bag and the great outdoors. They suffer from problems with condensation, but they are ultralight weight, take up minimal space in your pack, and are usually quick to set up. Some designs also have vents to reduce condensation and increase breath-ability. However, if you want room for more than just sleeping, and don’t like condensation, than bivy sacks probably aren’t for you.
If you aren’t planning on rain and want an even more lightweight option than a bug shelter could do the trick. Backpacking bug shelters are perfect for keeping out pesky nighttime critters, and give you a great view of the night sky.
Bug shelters usually consist of bug netting and poles, providing a similar sleeping space to a bivy sack. There are other options though that provide a larger canopy with sitting room and space for two.
Examples of bivy sacks/bug shelters include:
#5 – Hammock Tents
Backpacking hammocks, while not technically tents, are a reasonable alternative to the traditional backpacking tents. Hammocks are generally lightweight and are easy to set up, provided you have a few trees around. They also provide a great place to sit during the day. While they don’t work well in cold climates if paired with a rain fly they do offer protection from the rain. Most backpacking hammocks are also comfortable enough that you don’t need a pad/mattress to go with them letting you cut down further on pack weight. A pad can however help provide some extra protection from cold air.
We recommend hammocks to people who go backpacking primarily in the summer, or who live in warmer environments and want to cut some weight from their pack.
Examples of hammock tents include:
