CATEGORIES
CATEGORIESLooking for the best backpacking, ultralight backpacking, camping, or stargazing tent for your next adventure? You’ve come to the right place. The Active Junky team has put countless backpacking and car camping tents through the wringer in Utah, California, Colorado, Washington, Wyoming, and beyond over the last few years.
Below, you’ll find our favorite backpacking tents for 2020 from established brands like MSR and Big Agnes, as well as top car-camping tents from The North Face and Slumberjack. Tents range from cheap to steep and include both new and time-tested models. All of these tents have one thing in common: they’ve been tried, tested, and approved by our Active Junky team. Use this Buyer's Guide to find the best backpacking and camping tents for your adventures and activities, as well as your budget. And don’t forget to sign up for Active Junky for exclusive deals and cashback on your gear purchases.
Tent Brands Reviewed
Selecting a tent can be tricky. With options ranging from cheap car-camping castles that fit a family of eight to ultralight, one-person tents that cost more than some used cars, getting lost in the gear vortex is easy to do. Here are a few key questions to ask yourself to narrow down your search by brand, model, and size:
Your whole family? A scouting group? You plus one trusty partner? Or are you rolling solo? Maybe a dog is coming along? A quick way to narrow your tent options is to know how many people you need to use it. Keep in mind, backpacking tents set out to minimize weight, so expect models to be less roomy than their car-camping equivalents.
Pro tip: Always compare the square footage and floor plans of tents. As our 6’5” gear tester noted, some tents are more tuned to the needs of the big, tall, and broad than others.
Do you want a lightweight backpacking tent that will cut weight from your pack? Or will you always be car-camping, where weight isn’t as important as comfort and livability? Maybe some blend of the two?
This might be the most important question. Gear that lasts requires an investment. But what’s the point in having a premium setup if you can’t afford to hit the road and actually use it? Generally speaking, car-camping tents tend to be cheaper while backpacking tents are pricier, although there’s a range of price points in both categories.
If you don’t feel like reading through the full reviews, check out a few of our test team’s favorite tents below.
Obviously, we couldn’t bring every tent on the market along for a two-week testing trip. Our tester vehicles were stuffed to the brim, almost dangerously so, with gear threatening to explode windows and suffocate unfortunate souls stuck in the back seat. That said, we worked hard to include a sampling of tents from the best brands in the business at a range of price points.
We focused primarily on 2-person backpacking tents and 4-person car camping tents, as these are among the most frequently purchased categories, though we included one 6-person and one 3-person if those sizes better fit your needs. That said, if you’re looking for a slight variation to what’s shown here (e.g., a 1-person backpacking tent or a 3-person car camping tent), this guide helps as brands often sell several configurations of the same tent model.
Each tent was evaluated in several categories. These crucial attributes are as follows:
Performance: How well does the tent accomplish its intended mission? This encompasses everything from livability to waterproofness.
Intuitive: How easy is this tent to set up? Tents shouldn’t require 30-page user manuals but be easy to pitch the first time and easier every subsequent time.
Weight: How light is this tent? Weight compared to the other tents in the category?
Durability: Does the fabric tear? Do the poles bend? Durability is a key factor as the tent you purchase should last for years even in rough weather.
Versatility: Can this tent handle multiple scenarios? Does it have fast pitch options? Is it a backpacking tent that’s comfortable when car camping? A versatile tent gets points for eliminating the need to buy an additional tent.
Innovation: Does the tent push the boundaries of design? Are the construction and tech unique?
Last time the Active Junky team did a full-blown comparative backpacking tent review, Big Agnes’ Copper Spur UL2 was our top pick based on its perfect balance between liveability and packability. The Tiger Wall UL2 boasts significant weight-savings over the previous winner, although this does come at a tiny cost to liveability. Unlike the Copper Spur UL2, the Tiger Wall UL2 has a more directional single-pole design—rather than having the pole have six attachment points, there are only five. By architecting the Tiger Wall to have a more angular and defined foot of the tent, Big Agnes shaved weight while still maintaining comfortable liveability in the more open head of the tent. It’s also lighter than the MSR Free Lite 2, our previous favorite tent in the ultralight category. The lightweight Tiger Wall 2 is almost negligible when packed—it has a packed weight of 2 lb 8 oz, a trail weight of 2lb 3 oz, and a 1lb 11 oz fast fly weight—but its still comfortable for two backpackers, and as such earned our team’s vote as the “Best 2-person Backpacking Tent” for 2018.
Pros: Setup is a breeze—even in windy weather. The single-piece pole connects in seconds, and it’s easy to figure out where the pole tips match up to the tent body since one side of the pole has two prongs and the other only has one. On clear, moonless nights in the Utah backcountry, testers loved setting up the Tiger Wall UL2 without a rainfly—the top mesh is see-through and you can scope the constellations from the comfort of your sleeping bag. Should weather roll in, the silicone-treated nylon rip-stop fly is easy to set up and the 1200mm waterproof polyurethane coating is reliable in downpours. Best of all, the fly provides two generous, well-protected vestibules for gear, pack, and boot storage.
Also, rather than relying on a single curved zipper to sweep (and snag) all the way around the door, Big Agnes equipped the Tiger Wall UL2 with dual zippers: one operates on the straight x-axis, the other on the curved y-axis, which makes for stress-free pitch-black trips to a pee tree. The mesh tent body is breathable, while the floor is made of the same durable material as the fly—even without a footprint, testers didn’t note wear and tear after weeks of use.
Cons: At 39-inches high, the headspace is decent at the top half of the tent, but the bottom is tighter as it juts down at a diagonal angle. Folks over 6’2” can expect to have brush-ins with the lower mesh—not a problem in good weather, but definitely a bummer if there’s condensation or moisture on the rain fly. Also, the gap between tent and rain fly could be larger. Lastly, Big Agnes added headphone-compatible pockets to the interior of the tent: we’re not usually bumping beats in the backcountry, so this seemed overkill, and we’d have rather seen larger pockets for storage, especially since when you use the tent with two full-grown adults, space can be cramped.
Favorite Feature: The dual-zip tent doors. They open smoothly and can be operated one-handed.
Tester Comments: “Big Agnes continues backpacking tent dominance with the Tiger Wall UL2. There are weight weenies who will prefer a piece of tinfoil tied to a tree with a string, but for your everyday backpacker who wants the best lightweight freestanding tent available, the Tiger Wall UL2’s weight, large vestibules, easy setup, and inclement weather performance make it an ideal option.”
Key Attribute: Weight
Bottom Line: A lightweight backpacking tent that balances an unbelievable weight with decent liveability.
Best for: 2-person backpacking across 3 seasons
Field Notes: Tested on an extensive splitboarding trip around the Rockies, the Access 2 earned a high score from our test team as well as the accolade “Best 2-Person Ski Touring Tent.” That said, camping solo in the Access 2 is definitely preferable for larger skiers and splitboarders; with two adults and winter gear, the Access 2 can be cramped.
If camping with a partner, however, and you divide the Access 2 up into your packs, each person is looking at approximately 2 lbs extra weight. That’s nothing on the skintrack, especially when compared to your average winter camping tent in this price range. The Access is also burly enough for stormy conditions, and spacious enough to sleep comfortably (so long as you stash gear in the vestibule and you’re both under 6’ tall), making it ideal for multi-day backcountry skiing missions.
Pros: The Access 2 is heavier than ultralight 3-season tents, but only by a pound or two; the fact that this 4-season, 2-wall tent comes in at 4 lbs and 1 oz is nothing short of mindblowing. Not only is the tent lightweight, but it’s also warm—an essential element when searching for a winter-ready tent. The design itself is minimalist: there are no extra vents, pockets, or zippers—every aspect of the Access is engineered to be small without sacrificing strength or function. A car camper might crave more internal pockets, but one tester found the two inner pockets sufficient for headlamp and a book when winter camping.
He also noted that the Access 2’s pole setup and overall architecture makes it strong and steadfast in storms. “It held up perfectly in a windstorm that rattled me all night and strew trees all over the road,” he said. The pole-to-tent attachment system is easy to setup with gloves on, and the attachment points are super secure. He also noted that the tent’s stuff sack is similarly simple to pack with gloves on, and there’s room to spare in order to include a footprint.
The vestibules are the crown jewels of this tent: they are roomy enough for boots, pack, Jetboil, and french press, according to our splitboarding tester. The diagonal zippers passed his unofficial “one-handed-I-have-to-go-pee-and-it’s-dark-and-freezing-outside” test.
Cons: While the Access 2 has adjustable guy lines, they’re a little short for deadman snow anchors. Size of the Access 2 is the main concern, especially if you’re looking to use this tent with two large males. If you’re over 6’0”, the sharp angles at the head and foot of the tent are likely to see fabric come into contact with your sleeping bag—a potential deal breaker if there’s condensation, which can definitely happen with two campers sleeping in the Access.
Favorite Feature: The intended purpose of this tent. The lightweight Access isn’t necessarily our first choice for extended winter camping missions, but the weight makes it extremely attractive for human-powered trips.
Tester Comments: “Even in a howling windstorm, the structure resisted drafts. When I overdressed and woke up sweaty on a different night, the walls had breathed out the moisture, with no condensation dropping on my face.”
Key Attribute: Innovation
Bottom Line: For ski touring, you want a tent that won’t break your back on the approach, and will provide ample shelter when you hunker down at basecamp. The Access 2 meets both of these requirements.
Best For: Bringing a lightweight 4-season tent backpacking in cold weather; ski touring and splitboarding
Pros: The North Face’s Eco Trail 2 is simple to set up and ideal for campers who crave extra space. While many two-person tents are tight for the advertised number of campers, especially if both are tall, the Eco Trail has 32 square feet of floor space and a ceiling that’s nearly 43” high. If you’re looking for a two-person tent that can comfortably fit two adults and a dog, this roomy offering from TNF is a smart pick. Testers also loved the blue mesh upper walls—when it comes to stargazing, the Eco Trail is a backcountry observatory.
The standard two-door setup allows both campers easy entrance and exit, and the dual 8.5-square-foot vestibules offer ample gear storage. Also, upon getting a glimpse of the price tag, testers judged the Eco Trail 2 a sweet deal, too. Last but certainly not least, the Eco Trail is built with the environment in mind: The tent fly, canopy, and floor are all crafted from recycled polyester.
Cons: As is obvious by the name, The North Face considers this tent ready for the trail. With a packed weight of over 6 lbs., testers disagreed, judging this tent more of a car camping tent than a backpacking tent. If you care more about tent space than the weight of your backpack, the Eco Trail could be considered suitable for shorter backcountry jaunts. Additionally, car campers who rarely backpack may find that this is a perfect crossover tent.
Tester Comments: “It’s super spacious, and we loved the mesh walls (until it started blowing sand in the desert and we had to put up the rain fly). If you’re looking for a comfortable car camping tent, this is a solid choice, although I can’t say I’d recommend it to the backpacking crowd.”
Best for: Car camping—and the occasional backpacking emergency.
Pros: We’re quite familiar with Klymit’s killer line of sleeping pads and their more recent success in the sleeping bag sector, so we expected Klymit’s first foray into the tent world to be a smash hit, too. Surprise, surprise, the Maxfield delivered on all fronts.
Testers first assembled the tent without directions right as rainclouds began to let loose. Honestly, there’s no better testing scenario, as it allows testers to determine whether the tent is intuitive to set up in a hurry. If gear heads can’t figure out a tent without directions in 2020, that tent probably isn’t worth its weight in your pack. Luckily for Klymit, testers proved victorious and set up the tent before the storm could do any damage. They fumbled with the rainfly direction for a hot second (a mistake they’ll never make again since there’s only a single door), but other than that they found the Maxfield 2 rather idiot-proof.
Speaking of the rainfly, testers appreciated that they could yank the fly past the edge of the tent itself and stake the fly separately, essentially increasing the gap between fly and tent fabric and improving the Maxfield’s wind and rain protection. Additionally, they dug the airflow provided by the low-profile vents on the rainfly.
As far as livability, testers were impressed. One tester loved the zipper of the door, judging it well-designed. “It was smooth to open, and never got stuck,” she said. The single-door design might be off-putting for some, but it didn’t bother testers in the slightest. Plus, it cuts some unnecessary weight, and the tapered shape of the Maxfield performs well in high winds. Furthermore, the design supplies a ton of headroom at 44” peak height—which is nothing short of palatial for a backpacking tent.
The best part of the Klymit Maxfield 2, however, was the stuff sack, which is not really a stuff sack at all. Instead of trying to cram an uncooperative bundle of poles, tent, and fly into a tiny bag (why does it always seem to shrink?), Klymit changes the game with a brilliant “roll style” sack that lies flat, allowing you to get all of the components in place, and then wrap it up like a backcountry burrito. It’s quick, easy, and altogether a much more pleasant experience.
Cons: We enjoyed most aspects of the Klymit Maxfield 2-P, from liveability to durability. The one piece of the puzzle that we’re not crazy about is the weight. It comes in at 4.2 lbs., which isn’t super heavy by any means, but there are lighter backpacking tents in that $400 price range. If you’re mainly backpacking, or heading out on a thru-hike, skipping this tent to shave an extra pound (or more) out of your pack is worth considering.
However, there is a caveat to this con. Some two-person backpacking tents are much tighter than this one. If you always backpack with a dog or you tend to want more tent space, a little extra weight might be a small price to pay.
Tester Comments: “Overall, an easy tent to work with. We set this up in the rain and it came together quite quickly. The bag is awesome—if you always like to take the time to make sure your tent is packed as small as possible, you can do that, but if you prefer to just shove a wet tent in your bag, hike out, and dry gear out when you get home (like I do) you can do that, too!”
Best For: Car-camping, mellow backpacking trips.
Pros: The Salt Creek SL3 continues Big Agnes’ streak of making livable, lovable, lightweight shelters that get Active Junky testers stoked. A feature-rich, reasonably weighted tent, the Salt Creek sports three doors and a tester-favorite shelf-like pocket.
Hardcore backpackers might grumble at the weight of an extra zipper, but real estate agents would say that the Salt Creek’s third door allows you to make the most of “indoor, outdoor living.” The two side-entry doors can be opened like any run-of-the-mill two-door tent, but the third door at the head of the tent unzips into an awning that’s propped up by trekking poles or tied to trees. It can also be rolled up, too, if extra shade isn’t warranted. But the third door doesn’t simply allow campers to soak in the views or hide from the sun—it also gives the middle sleeper the chance to exit the tent without steamrolling one of their tent mates.
The pole design is straightforward, which testers determined after setting up the Salt Creek SL3 sans instructions at the onset of a rainstorm. A second pole snaps intuitively onto the main four-way DAC skeleton, giving the Salt Creek near-vertical walls that maximize roominess.
Testers’ favorite aspect of the Salt Creek, however, was hands-down the shelf-like mesh pocket that juts over the feet, taking up space that’s wasted or inefficiently used in other tent designs. Upon entering the tent for the first time, testers gleefully packed the shelf with puffies and headlamps and wondered, “Why isn’t every tent manufacturer doing exactly this?”
Cons: For car-camping, weight and packed size don’t matter, and the Salt Creek’s floorspace is perfect for two adults and a dog and/or child. For three adults, it’s an unnecessarily tight squeeze, and we’d recommend you step up to a four-person tent.
However, for backpacking, the SL3 works decently for two or three adults, although it is on the heavy side at 5 lbs. 2 oz. If one person is lugging the tent, it’s a bear. In a scenario where two people are carrying the weight, it isn’t bad. Split between three packs, though, it’s downright dreamy.
Tester Comments: “The Salt Creek SL3 felt a bit like a spaceship the first time we got into it, thanks to the unique door setup and the tapered design. But just like a capsule from Space X, the brainiacs at Big Agnes thought of everything. Also, this shelf design is downright amazing.”
Best For: Divvying the tent up in two or three packs in order to turn backpacking into a backcountry glamping trip. Car camping in style for two (plus a pup).
MSR has been one of our favorite tent manufacturers for years now, but they’ve mainly been a player in the backcountry space. From their Ascent 2P (our go-to tent for ski and splitboard missions) to their award-winning Hubba line of backpacking tents, MSR knows a thing or twenty about tents. But the 4-P Habitude is one of the newest additions to the line, and it’s MSR’s version of a frontcountry fortress.
Pros: Testers under 6-feet gleefully stood up in this tent without having to duck their heads, a feature that makes changing out of mountain bike chamois and sweaty hiking clothes a real treat. It’s worth noting that the tent walls are fairly vertical, so it’s not as if you can only stand straight up in the exact center of the tent. Furthermore, the tent has a spacious floorplan. At 95” x 95”, the Habitude can fit four sleeping pads side by side without feeling claustrophobic, and there’s still plenty of room for duffels (or dogs) at head or foot. (A standard sleeping pad is 72” long).
Testers loved the internal organization options provided by this MSR citadel. There’s enough pockets for every sleeper to have their own and plenty of loops for hanging lanterns and other gear as needed. In fact, storage capabilities were so fantastic that one tester commented, “If there were only two people and a dog living in this tent, you could honestly live in here for months on end and be totally content.” Lastly, there’s a nifty “porch light” integrated into the tent above the door, which is a small, built-in lantern that makes it easy to get in and out of the Habitude in the dark.
Cons: A single door and vestibule might not do the trick for some car camping crews. However, if you orient sleeping pads so that your feet are by the door, it’s preferable to double-door designs where two campers are stuck like sardines in the middle of the tent.
Tester Comments: “Many car-camping tents don’t factor in size or weight at all, but the Habitude actually isn’t that bulky when packed. If you’re hauling the tent a short distance, packing a sedan with minimal trunk space, or even going on a river trip, that compact volume and minimal weight (relative to other car-camping tents) is a big win. You can tell that MSR has a history of making lightweight, high-quality, backpacking tents.”
Best for: Car-camping with the family, extended stays in the wild, bringing the creature comforts of home with you into the great outdoors.
The North Face Fusion 2 was a close second behind the Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL2 in our test. It’s heavier (2 lb 13 oz trail weight compared to 2 lb 3 oz of the Tiger Wall UL2), $30 more expensive, has smaller vestibules, and an inch less headroom. On the other hand, the Fusion 2 has two pole attachment points at the base of the tent, making it easier to get more room at the base of the tent, though it’s not spacious at the base either (few tents in this weight class are—those looking for a spacious yet still lightweight tent, we recommend the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2).
An important distinction: the Fusion 2 includes a footprint and the Tiger Wall UL2 does not, and the Fusion 2 ends up being cheaper if you do end up buying a footprint for the Big Agnes model. All in all, the Fusion 2 is very comparable to our winner, and anyone who would be happy with the Big Agnes would be stoked on this TNF model as well—mainly it will come down to a matter of brand preference.
Pros: The tent packs down well (6” x 19”), and whether testers shoved it in their packs or strapped it to the bottom of their backpacks with compression straps, it wasn’t too bulky. It’s a lightweight and compact purpose-built, 3-season tent with 2-doors—essentially The North Face’s best rendition on a design that every tent manufacturer wants to nail but few do.
Testers agreed that the Fusion 2 is right on the money in terms of performance. Setup is quick and easy. The pole sections are two colors—orange and gray—to help identify which prongs go where. Also, our favorite aspect of this tent is that it includes a footprint, so while the price is steep, there are no hidden costs down the line.
Cons: Like many tents in this lightweight category, the Fusion 2 has a sharp angle at the feet which makes storing anything at the bottom of the tent somewhat inconvenient. This is made more pronounced in the Fusion 2 by the 10” taper from head to foot of the tent. Also, testers noted that the zippers were a bit dainty, as was the nylon floor, which necessitates the use of the footprint if the ground is sharp or uneven (i.e. if you are camping outside of your living room). Superlight tech only gets you so far if the durability is suspect, so more often than not, we’d use a footprint with this model.
Favorite Feature: The mesh tent body. Not only is it perfect for checking out the stars, but the faded gray to yellow looks awesome—it’s a unique take on tent design and makes the Fusion 2 both easy to spot from afar and extra photogenic!”
Key Attribute: Versatility
Bottom Line: Easy setup, classic TNF quality, and a sleek design—in our opinion, this is one of the best 2-person tents The North Face has ever released.
Tester Comments: “Adds virtually no weight to your trip. Well-designed and versatile. Compact, lightweight, easy set-up, what more can you ask for!?”
Best for: 2-person backpacking across 3-seasons, backpacking on rough, rocky terrain thanks to the included footprint.
The most affordable 4-person tent in this guide, the Slumberjack Daybreak 4-person tent is a smart choice for families camping on a budget. The single-door design, heavy materials, and lack of bells and whistles help keep the price down, but testers absolutely loved the full mesh body of the tent when set up without the rainfly, earning the Slumberjack Daybreak the playful accolade, “Best 4-Person Tent for Stargazing.”
Pros: Price is the most magnetic factor of the Slumberjack—the Daybreak won’t break the bank. Slumberjack specializes in bringing outdoor gear like sleeping bags, packs, and even camp furniture to the everyday outdoor enthusiasts—folks who can’t justify spending $400 for a featherweight tent—and in that sense, the Daybreak is a smart buy.
The multi-diameter fiberglass poles can take a bit of muscling to line up into place, but after that, setup is easy and the build itself is sturdy and secure. The Slumberjack’s rain fly is 66 D polyester 1200mm—waterproof and sure to keep you dry in the rain. Testers were stoked that the door is designed to be propped up into an awning with the use of trekking poles.
Cons: Single-door designs can be pretty annoying when you have four people sharing a tent. Also, a single vestibule, unless enormous, is insufficient. The tent is heavy—unsurprising given the price and the purpose. The poles are long and hefty; they could easily be considered jousting lances. Lastly, testers were concerned with floor durability, and recommended the use of a footprint.
Favorite Feature: Testers were fans of the full mesh body—it made for excellent stargazing while car camping in the Utah desert—and this would be an excellent choice for anyone who camps exclusively in warm weather when bugs are a bigger concern than the weather.
Tester Comments: “The full mesh design really helps take the focus away from the tent, and lets you focus on appreciating where you are. There is no better way to fall asleep; getting to fully take in the night sky without the worry of a mosquito in your ear or a spider in your sleeping bag.”
“Definitely versatile, straightforward, and well-designed. The interior space allows for easy movement and access to all corners of the tent. The rainfly offers a decent vestibule with access zippers on either side, convenient for keeping gear out of the elements.”
Key Attribute: Affordability
Bottom Line: A cheap and almost industrial design makes this Slumberjack a fine choice for casual car campers who want to fall asleep to the twinkling of constellations.
Best for: Car camping on a budget, especially in warm weather.
This beast of a 4-person tent is designed with car-camping, base-camping, beach-livin’, and festival season in mind. The most notable feature of the Titan 4 is that the “exoskeleton” poles are set up outside the rainfly. Essentially, once the exoskeleton poles are set up, the tent can be customized to your needs.
To set the tent up normally, you attach the rain fly and put the poles together. The tent body, which is secured to the bottom of the rainfly by rows of buckles, is automatically erected as well. This setup system has pros and cons: the tent can be setup with just the rainfly, and the interior tent can be easily removed, and suddenly you have a sweet open air shelter perfect for the beach and festivals. On the other hand, this means that the tent must be setup with a rainfly—in hotter weather or when skies are clear, this comes at a cost to ventilation and visibility.
Pros: The ability to use the tent fly on its own as a shelter makes the Titan 4 a great option for people who want it for shade from the sun or shelter from the rain during the day—it’s a spacious setting for a game of cards or a place to get out of the sun and vibe out at a music festival. The poles themselves are DAC DA17 poles—they’re thick, burly, and they’re not about to bend in a windstorm.
While you can’t stand up in the tent (it’s 60 inches high in the center), the interior is very spacious. Due to the design of the structure, the tent walls are near vertical, so there’s minimal space lost to angles. Our testers agreed that you can actually fit 4 adults comfortably in the tent—not always the case with 4-person tents.
Cons: Some testers were unsold on the removable tent design. “I’d rather be able to set up the tent without a rain fly and have better ventilation and a view of the stars,” said one. Velcro on the outside of the tent door made for catchy zipping. The tent is extremely heavy, though that’s not a dealbreaker, as you won’t be lugging this far from the car. Also, while tent setup is straightforward, that’s only the case if the inner tent is clipped into the rainfly. If the tent and rainfly are unclipped, it becomes a much longer and more frustrating task.
The biggest complaint testers had is that the tent doesn’t come with a vestibule—leaving no place for storing wet shoes and muddy boots, protecting gear from the rain, or cooking out of the wind and weather. We were unable to test the accessory vestibule, and while it does look pretty rad, it also tacks on an extra $130 to the price.
Favorite Feature: The mtnGlo system, which one tester called “party lights,” is a removable strand of LED lights is powered by three triple A batteries. An unobtrusive switch allows campers to flash through three settings: on, off, and dimmed. The lighting feature is ideal when hanging out in the tent, setting up sleeping bags in the dark, etc., though it’s not really bright enough to read with.
Tester Comments: “This tent is going to work wondrously for some people and be a bummer for others—most of that depends on whether or not you like an exoskeleton setup that must be used with a rainfly. The thing is, at least for me, the times when you’d want to have a shaded open structure—shade in hot weather, a place to hang during the day, etc.—you’d also want to have the ability to set up a tent without a rainfly at night (more ventilation, clear skies, etc).”
Key Attribute: Innovation
Bottom Line: The Titan 4 isn’t your average 4-person tent. The versatile, innovative style will be perfect for some families, and less so for others.
Best for: Festivals and beach camping on one side of the spectrum; group camping in wet and windy locales on the other
Field Notes: One night, we pitched this tent on the canyon rim and opted against the fly, choosing instead to watch the moon slowly trek across the sky. On another, we relied on this best-in-class tent in a classic Moab storm, a delightful blend of sleet and sand.
Pros: Even if you’re completely against the idea of having lights integrated into the body of your ultralight tent (we’re out to enjoy nature, after all), Big Agnes mtnGLO tech has saved many an eyeball from the scarring blaze of a headlamp. Dual lines of LED lights follow the ceiling of the tent, making reading a joy.
Beyond the lights some purists may downplay, Big Agnes Copper Spur offers up the most livable lightweight tent tested. A high ceiling, ample headroom and enormous vestibules made this tent the definitive tester favorite. Even when two of our male testers shared this tent, one our 6’5” photographer, the tent felt remarkably spacious.
The Copper Spur UL2 is also sturdy: in high winds, it performed well, perhaps only trumped in this category by the more angular MSR FreeLite 2 and the tapered Mountain Hardwear Ghost UL 2.
Big Agnes has their design dialed, and testers valued everything from the fundamental elements (easy-to-use snaps that lock the tent body to the featherweight poles) to the extra features (the internal organization pockets were perfectly designed).
Cons: While this tent is far from heavy or bulky, it is heavier than the Mountain Hardwear Ghost UL 2 and the MSR Free Lite 2 to pack bulkier than the Brooks Range Foray 2. A sliver of this weight accrues to the mtnGLO system, which consists of a small 3-battery pack and the integrated LEDs. However, if you’re in the dark about the mtnGLO system’s benefits, we recommend shaving ounces with the MSR FreeLite 2. The only other con our testers noted was the door threshold, which seemed excessively elevated and made it cumbersome to move in and out.
Favorite Feature: When erecting the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2 during momentary ceasefires between 45 mph gusts, the intuitive, quick-snapping setup earned major points from testers. Still, the overarching winner among team members team was the high ceiling. Backpackers over 6’2” will eagerly trade the extra weight for bonus height (when compared to the cozy confines of the Ghost).
Tester Quote: “Why was this our top pick? Namely because of the livable space. You don’t feel cramped—it’s more like a car camping tent that packs down to a size that pleases most backpackers. The vestibules were amazing, too. I would pick the MSR FreeLite or the Mountain Hardwear Ghost if I was really trying to cut weight for ultralight backpacking or wasn’t stoked on the mtnGLO lighting system. Otherwise, if I’m going to pick one tent to take anywhere, from cushy car camping road trips to mid-range backpacking trips, this is the one.”
Bottom Line: Loved by testers for a million reasons, this tent is a top pick. Its livability will surprise you.
Best For: Lightweight backpacking to car camping; trips from 1-7 nights.
Field Notes: We pitched this tent in a few different scenarios over the testing trip, ranging from canyon flats to riverbeds. Each time, testers were impressed by the sleek single-pole design, expansive vestibules and relatively spacious livability.
Pros: When Active Junky gear testers popped open the climbing rope bag-style stuff sack and unleashed this MSR tent, there was a murmur of delight. “It’s smaller than the Hubba Hubba,” noted two of our testers who work for the National Park Service. While working for Olympic National Park, these two female gear testers relied exclusively on MSR’s sturdy, lightweight and bombproof Hubba Hubba for weeks on end in relentless PNW rain. Obviously, they were stoked when a smaller, lighter version of their beloved backcountry shelter came to Lite.
MSR didn’t disappoint. While a few ounces heavier than the Mountain Hardwear Ghost and less livable than the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2 (four inches shorter ceiling height and more tapered at the ends of the tent), the FreeLite 2 was one tester’s favorite because of the vestibules, bomber construction and performance in inclement weather.
Cons: While scraping through a canyon with the FreeLite 2 strapped to the outside of her pack, one disappointed tester reported the stuff sack was shredded in several places by encroaching sandstone walls. Despite stuff sack trauma, we didn’t question the actual tent’s durability. Nervous backpackers should snag a footprint to dramatically reduce abrasion concerns.
Favorite Feature: The vestibules were almost as big as those of Big Agnes Copper UL2 (17.5 square feet versus 18), but sleeker and less noisy when properly staked. Basic internal organizer pockets, a smart and easy-to-synch stuff sack and one of the fastest single-pole setups tested made it tougher to pick a favorite feature.
Tester Quote: “This tent has the perfect ratio of livability to weight for me. At the weight level, I wouldn’t hesitate to bring this tent on a solo trip. That said, bunking with a partner is relatively painless vis a vis the Ghost UL 2. The low, angular design of this MSR tent helps it stand up to heavy rain and wind. Plus, for how light it is, the vestibules are unreal.”
Bottom Line: Striking the balance between weight and livability.
Best For: Ultralight backpacking, especially when it’s absolutely essential to get all gear under cover.
Field Notes: Given the tent’s weight, our testing team used the Limelight mainly when car camping in the high desert. Still, we pitched it in ruthless winds and it rapidly became our team’s favorite car camping tent.
Pros: When compared to its competitors, one of Limelight’s main draws is the price. The Limelight was the sturdiest of the sub-$300 tents, thanks to heavier but reliable DAC aluminum poles. Testers gave the Marmot tent fabric top marks in the durability category, too, as the fly repelled jagged rock and thorny brush as though they were gentle raindrops. Internal organizer pockets and floor space were rivaled only by the Kelty Trail Ridge 2, but the Marmot weighs less.
Cons: Setting up the Limelight was easy enough, although the oddly-bent, crisscrossing poles take practice. They also don’t pack tightly as they’re quite curved on the ends. In total, the main concern is the tent’s bulk.
Favorite Feature: The doors are beyond awesome. Almost 360-degrees around, the doors are enormous and easy to use—a great feature for those who pop in and out of the tent frequently.
Tester Quote: “My favorite car camping tent, by far. Plenty of space, quiet in the wind, and the door design is a thing of beauty.”
Bottom Line: Heavy for a backpacking tent, but if you’re mainly a car camper, this 2-person tent is spacious, strong, waterproof and user-friendly.
Best For: Car camping, first time backpackers, a couple looking for enough space to bring the dog along as well.
