The best backpacking tents are not hard to find. They’re all online, but you usually have to scout high quality tent manufacturers. As a buyer, you have to ensure that you pick the top-rated backpacking tents, and sift through each based on a variety of critical factors (such as fabric material, ease of construction, internal features, weight, etc.).
If you need help doing all that, then no worries. We’ve picked the best 6 consumer tents for 2023. You can use them when hiking and camping in most seasons. Plus, we’ve ranked each based on their purpose, so you’ll always find a tent on our list for your specific needs!
#1: (Best Overall) – Nemo Dagger Osmo 2P Tent
Nemo offers some of the best camping tents in the world. This specific model is the best on our list, and for a few reasons! First, it’s extremely roomy. While the tent is made for two people, it’s light and compact enough to be carried by a single user.
At full height, this tent allows for a tall person to stand in it, so it’s easy to move around in! It’s also easy to put together. This isn’t the kind of tent that ruins your camping experience. All you need are a few minutes and a good peek in the instruction manual!
Finally, the Nemo Dagger Osmo works in all seasons. It works in cold rainy weather with its effective rainfly. It also does well in hot weather with its sun-reflective fabric!
Key Features :
Pros :
Cons :
- Light Fabric Material – May Tear With Heave Use
#2: (Most Durable) – Hilleberg Allak 2 Tent
Hilleberg’s Allak is another roomy rent on our list. Not only is it fit for two people. But it also comes with internal storage space on either side of the tent. That space is more than enough to store critical components to last you a good night.
With that, the feature that makes this one of the best camping tents is its durability. Being dome shaped, this tent’s surface is aerodynamic and can withstand intense winds easily. It deals well with snow-loading and rainy. Plus, the dome shape offers this tent fair share of stability that makes it less likely to tip over.
The Allak 2 is very simple in design, which means no hiccups setting it up! Thus, you’re less likely to tear fabric, being a pole, or ruin a zipper when putting up your tent!
Key Features :
Pros :
Cons :
#3: (Easiest Setup) – REI Co-op Half Dome SL 2+ Tent with Footprint
This 2 person backpacking tent is one of the easiest to setup. For starters it comes with a pre-bent pole architecture that’s easy to place! The pole increases space within the tent and provides more shoulder and headroom.
Another user-friendly feature of this tent are the extras which add ventilation and accessibility. The tent uses two large D-shape doors for ease of entry. The doors can be closed by rolling them up. Also, the rainfly comes with two ceiling vents that provide extra airflow while stopping the buildup of condensation.
Plus, mesh panels are available in the tent’s upper portion for ventilation and vision! Other than that, you can fit a lot into REI’s Half Dome tent. It has one of the largest tent floor spaces on our list, so you can bring in your gear with you while staying inside!
Key Features :
Pros :
Cons :
#4: (Best Budget) – REI Co-op Trailmade 2 Tent with Footprint
This is another of REI’s tents, and it’s made for budget for buyers. In fact, if you compare this tent to the earlier Half Dome, you’ll find that its floor size and maximum height are slightly reduced, with an increases in packaged and minimum trail weight.
A special feature of this tent is its pole. It uses an X configuration for a quick setup that pushes the vertical boundaries of the tent. So expect the tent to be a lot smaller with a different pole setup! With that, this is still a very sturdy tent.
It uses a polyester/nylon fabric combination that gives the tent a strong sense of durability. Like most REI models, gear loops and internal pockets are available inside the tent.
Key Features :
Pros :
Cons :
#5: (Best Ultralight) – Mountain Hardwear Nimbus UL 2 Tent
Light tents matter. They work best if you’re hiking or camping on foot. That is, an ultra-light backpacking tent matters if you lack a car to carry camping equipment with you! The Mountain Hardwear Nimbus offers just that. If you look at it package weight and minimum trail weights, you’ll find it half of what regular tents tend to be! This makes it super light to carry on your back.
You’ll almost never feel this tent’s presence, and being light, you now have the capacity to take more camping items with you! But what is it that makes this the best ultra-light tent? For starters, it’s a little smaller than the usual tents. You’ll notice a slight drop in floor area compared to other manufacturers.
With that, this tent has one of the largest maximum heights on our list! Another trait that makes this tent light is the pole material and numbers. Most tents use two poles made of heavy aluminium. This tent uses just 1 pole, made from a lighter form of aluminium alloy!
Key Features :
Pros :
Cons :
#6: (Best for Beginners) – MSR FreeLite 2-Person Ultralight
What makes an excellent beginner tent? The MSR FreeLite answers that. To start, this is an easy-to-install tent that only uses a single door. This means no complex seam or zipper structure to navigate through! Another trait is how lightweight the tent is.
In fact, this is one of the best lightweight backpacking tents by minimum trail weight and package weight! This means it’s easy to carry. This is a compact and portable tent that you can take on walking trips with ease! However, the oddest trait of this tent is its size.
It’s actually the smallest tent on our list by floor size. In fact, there isn’t too much fabric to handle with this model. You can set it up single handedly without a partner’s help, and you’ll still have space for two inside!
Key Features :
Pros :
Cons :
Pros:
- Small and Light – Easy to Setup
- Affordable: Excellent for First-Time Tent Buyers
- Portable: Can Be Carried Along With a Multitude of Items
- DuraShield Waterproof: Can Withstand Rainy Environments
Cons:
- Feels Slightly Flimsy
