How To Choose A Backpacking Tent
It's important to have a good backpacking tent if you're going to do a lot of backpacking. It has to be light enough, big enough and keeps out the weather well enough.
Three-Season or Four-Season?
Most people don't need four-season tents, even in winter. In most cases, they're too heavy for what they're worth. Three-season tents are lighter, cheaper and much more convenient. They also have good ventilation thanks to mesh panels in the wall and ceilings.
The advantage four-season tents have over three-season tents is that they're much more stable when exposed to high winds and heavy snowfall. Some even have ultraviolet protection.
The stability of four-season tents owes to the fact that it has more poles that makes the tent structure much stable. Ventilation is not as good as in three-season tents because they lack mesh panels. This makes it warmer instead because it reduces cold drafts.
Size and Weight
The bigger the tent, the heavier it is so you don't want to carry a tent that is unnecessarily big. If you're sharing the tent, make sure it can fit everyone with a little bit of extra space for comfort but try to get a tent that is 2 pounds or less per person.
Most family tents are not suitable for backpacking because they're heavy or bulky or both. One good exception is the XT-4 tent from Sierra Designs which is a 4 person tent that weighs less than 8 pounds.
Ease of Set-up
More poles almost always mean more support for the tent and more strength and stability but it also means that it takes more time to set up. A tent with too many poles may be complicated to set up and may require color coding to make it easier. You want a tent that is strong yet reasonably easy to set up.
Three-Season or Four-Season?
Most people don't need four-season tents, even in winter. In most cases, they're too heavy for what they're worth. Three-season tents are lighter, cheaper and much more convenient. They also have good ventilation thanks to mesh panels in the wall and ceilings.
The advantage four-season tents have over three-season tents is that they're much more stable when exposed to high winds and heavy snowfall. Some even have ultraviolet protection.
The stability of four-season tents owes to the fact that it has more poles that makes the tent structure much stable. Ventilation is not as good as in three-season tents because they lack mesh panels. This makes it warmer instead because it reduces cold drafts.
Size and Weight
The bigger the tent, the heavier it is so you don't want to carry a tent that is unnecessarily big. If you're sharing the tent, make sure it can fit everyone with a little bit of extra space for comfort but try to get a tent that is 2 pounds or less per person.
Most family tents are not suitable for backpacking because they're heavy or bulky or both. One good exception is the XT-4 tent from Sierra Designs which is a 4 person tent that weighs less than 8 pounds.
Ease of Set-up
More poles almost always mean more support for the tent and more strength and stability but it also means that it takes more time to set up. A tent with too many poles may be complicated to set up and may require color coding to make it easier. You want a tent that is strong yet reasonably easy to set up.
