Whether you’re trekking miles into the backcountry or sleeping close to your car, a quality tent is critical for getting a good night’s sleep and staying protected against the elements. Below you’ll find all of our detailed tent reviews, from lightweight backpacking tents to roomy, fully featured camping designs and formidable 4-season models built to withstand serious snow and high elevations. From Patagonia and Mongolia to the Pacific Northwest, we’ve put all of these tents through the wringer in order to provide the best possible coverage for our readers. And at the bottom, we’ve included a number of helpful tent information articles. 

Best Backpacking Tents of 2024

In choosing the right backpacking tent, you have a wide range of options from minimalist ultralight shelters to inexpensive and heavier entry-level models. But uses and budgets vary, and the ideal...

Best Ultralight Tents of 2024

In the ultralight backpacking world, The Big Three refers to the most important (and heaviest) pieces in your kit: your backpack, sleeping bag, and shelter. Shaving a pound (or two) off of each of these items can go a long way...

Best Budget Backpacking Tents of 2024

A premium two-person backpacking tent can cost upwards of $500, but not everyone needs best-in-class performance. Casual weekenders and those just dipping their toes into backpacking can save a lot...

Zpacks Duplex Zip Tent Review

Zpacks’ Duplex has long been one of the most popular trekking-pole tents on the market, with a design that deftly balances durability, spaciousness, and weather protection at a competitively low weight. Recently, Zpacks released the...

Nemo Aurora 3P Tent Review

New Hampshire-based Nemo is a strong player in the premium backpacking tent space, but their Aurora takes aim at those looking to maximize livability without breaking the bank. Recently updated with more sustainable materials and a stronger...

Sea to Summit Telos TR2 Tent Review

Sea to Summit is best known for their quality sleeping pads and backpacking accessories, but their recent foray into the tent market has put them in the crosshairs of long-time players like Nemo and MSR. They introduced two models for this year: the...

NEMO Hornet OSMO 3P Tent Review

NEMO is a leader in the lightweight backpacking tent market, and their Hornet stands out for its two-door-and-vestibule layout in an ultralight package. My wife and I recently took the three-person version to...

REI Co-op Half Dome SL 2+ Tent Review

Beloved by backpackers for years, REI Co-op’s Half Dome was updated a couple seasons ago with a significant drop in weight. But despite using thinner fabrics (they’re still tough by modern standards)...

Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 2P Tent Review

Dyneema-specialist Hyperlite Mountain Gear has tried their hand at trekking-pole tents in the past (notably with the discontinued Dirigo 2), but the Unbound is their best effort yet. Closely following the time-tested design...

Nemo Mayfly Osmo 2P Tent Review

New Hampshire-based Nemo makes some of our favorite backpacking tents, from the ultralight Hornet Elite to the spacious and feature-rich Dagger. The Mayfly Osmo fills a nice gap between the two, with a hard-to-beat balance of weight and durability for...

Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL3 mtnGLO Review

Big Agnes is a leader in the ultralight tent market, and we recently took their popular Tiger Wall to Peru for testing. At 3 pounds all in for the two-person model, the tent was light enough to carry for 10 days...

REI Co-op Trailmade 2 Tent Review

In an era of rampant inflation, REI’s in-house gear is just getting more affordable with the recent introduction of their new Trailmade collection. The Trailmade replaces the Passage as the Co-op’s entry-level, three-season backpacking tent, targeted...

Tarptent StratoSpire 2 Tent Review

In a rapidly growing segment of ultralight tents, the Tarptent StratoSpire 2 stands out for its spacious and thoughtfully built design at an approachable price point. A longstanding option in their lineup, the StratoSpire proved to be very livable and...

Sea to Summit Alto TR2 Tent Review

Well-known in the backpacking realm for their sleeping mats, Australia-based Sea to Summit jumped into the tent market this year with the introduction of their freestanding Telos TR and semi-freestanding...

MSR FreeLite 2 Tent Review

MSR’s updated-for-2022 FreeLite tent shares many design similarities with one of our favorite backpacking models, the Hubba Hubba, but with significant weight savings. At 2 pounds 5 ounces...

REI Co-op Trail Hut 2 Tent Review

One step up from their true budget model (the Passage), REI Co-op’s Trail Hut offers a spacious interior, durable fabrics, and excellent weather protection for just $199. We put the two-person model to the test in Southern Patagonia ...

Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 Tent Review

First introduced in 2008, the Copper Spur series by Big Agnes has been a consistent frontrunner in the ultralight tent category. We tested the latest two-person model (which was lightly updated a few seasons back) on a series of backpacking trips in...

REI Co-op Flash Air 2 Tent Review

Last year, REI made a serious push into the ultralight market with the Flash Air tent. This design checks the right boxes for a UL shelter with thin fabrics, a non-freestanding construction, and a hybrid single-wall build. But from our experiences with...

MSR Hubba Hubba Tent Review

Discerning backpackers look for a high-quality, lightweight, and durable tent, and MSR’s Hubba Hubba checks all of those boxes emphatically. Despite dropping a considerable 10 ounces from the past version, the latest model (updated in 2022) held up...

REI Co-op Passage 2 Tent Review

REI Co-op’s Passage 2 is proof that you don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars to get a high-quality backpacking tent. For just $159, you get a durable build, two doors and vestibules, a full-coverage...

Nemo Dagger Osmo 2P Tent Review

Nemo’s Dagger has long been considered one of the most livable lightweight backpacking tents on the market, and the new OSMO version offers a similarly competitive mix of weight and roominess. We brought the 2-persion version to Patagonia for testing...

Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL2 Solution Dye Review

In many ways, Big Agnes’ Fly Creek helped bring the ultralight movement to the mainstream. At under 2.5 pounds, it’s comparable to a bivy sack or hammock and stuffs down impressively small in a pack...

REI Co-op Quarter Dome 2 Tent Review

In years past, REI’s Quarter Dome was on the cusp of breaking through in the lightweight tent market. It was a fantastic value for the weight, but the build quality was a step down from the competition...

Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL2 Tent Review

Big Agnes’ Tiger Wall blends two of their best backpacking designs—the popular Copper Spur and Fly Creek—into one intriguing ultralight package. We took the UL2 model backpacking in Utah’s Canyon Country and found that the mixture worked: the two-door...

Big Agnes Copper Spur 3 Platinum Tent Review

The Copper Spur line has been revered for years, and for those who want to cut even more weight, Big Agnes launched high-end Platinum versions. We took the three-person model on a bikepacking adventure...

Zpacks Duplex Tent Review

Purpose-built for thru-hikers and other ounce-counting backpackers, the Zpacks Duplex is one of the lightest and most well-built tents on the market. To test its limits, we took the Duplex Flex—a fully freestanding upgrade to the base model—backpacking...

Hyperlite Mountain Gear Dirigo 2 Tent Review

Maine-based Hyperlite Mountain Gear helped bring Dyneema to the backpacking mainstream —or at least the fringes of it. And new for 2019, the trekking pole-supported Dirigo 2 tent now carries the torch...

Tarptent Double Rainbow Tent Review

The backpacking tent cottage industry is alive and well, and California-based Tarptent is one of the top brands among dedicated ULers. Their leading two-person model is the Double Rainbow, which hits a competitive balance of usability, weight, and...

Hilleberg Niak Tent Review

Until this year, the Anjan was Hilleberg's lightest 2-person tent model at 4 pounds (1.8 kilograms) packed weight. Enter the Niak, a new 2-person tent that weighs 3 pounds 12 ounces (1.5 kilograms), yet still offers impressive weather...

Best Camping Tents of 2024

Spacious, user-friendly, and feature-rich, camping tents are made for a relatively luxurious experience in the outdoors. Many of these behemoths offer enough room to set up cots or even chairs and a table for card games on a rainy day. For car campers...

Nemo Aurora Highrise 6P Tent Review

Nemo makes some of our favorite backpacking tents but has been a relatively small player in the car camping market for some time. That’s changed with the Aurora Highrise, which lands in the heart of the very competitive premium tent space. We tested...

REI Co-op Wonderland Tent Review

In a surprising move, REI replaced their popular Kingdom series with the Wonderland line last year. We’ve had a chance to test both the four- and six-person versions (note: The photos below are of the Wonderland 4), and we have to admit that the new...

REI Co-op Skyward 4 Tent Review

REI gave their camping tent collection a shakeup for 2022, including replacing their mid-range Grand Hut series with the all-new Skyward. Offered in four- and six-person capacities, we brought the smaller version to Moab for testing this spring and...

Coleman Sundome 6 Tent Review

A popular choice among car campers and festival-goers for years, Coleman’s Sundome 6 (also known simply as “the Coleman Dome Tent”) is offered at a bargain-basement price that is tough to match. With enough floor area to fit two queen-sized mattresses...

REI Co-op Base Camp 6 Tent Review

Featuring high-quality materials and a traditional dome shape, REI Co-op’s Base Camp has been a long-time staple in their tent lineup. Offered in four- and six-person capacities, the car camping-focused model is a top choice among those looking to...

Best 4-Season Tents of 2024

From backcountry ski tours to mountaineering in some of the most inhospitable weather on Earth, a 4-season tent is the last line of defense between you and the elements. Accordingly, these tents are much stronger...

The North Face Mountain 25 Tent Review

Anyone who has spent a stormy winter night huddled in a tent has heard his or her inner voice asking: “is this thing going to hold?” In cold temperatures and inclement weather, we...

Black Diamond Mega Light Review

On first glance, it's easy to see that the Black Diamond Mega Light isn't a regular backpacking tent. With no floor and a remarkably light and minimalist design, the Mega Light can serve as a spacious common...

Hilleberg Allak Tent Review

Hilleberg has set the bar high, creating some of the most finely tuned and well-built tents on the market. Therefore we were extremely excited to test the Allak, a 2-person freestanding tent that falls into Hilleberg’s “Red Label” category. This means...

MSR Access 3 Tent Review

Tent manufacturers constantly are pushing the limits of weight and weather protection, and 4-season tents designed to withstand harsh conditions tend to fall on the heavy side of the spectrum. Yet MSR essentially created a new category with their...

MSR Remote 2 Tent Review

The ideal 4-season tent is a delicate balance of roominess and comfort, ventilation, and extremely durable stormproof construction, all in a package that doesn’t weigh you down too much. With a short weekend on...

How to Choose a Backpacking Tent

Tents are one of the most exciting pieces of your backpacking kit—it’s your home away from home in the backcountry—but selecting the right one requires a healthy amount of research and thought. Designs...

Freestanding vs. Non-Freestanding Backpacking Tents

If you’re in the market for a backpacking tent, you’ll probably notice that designs are categorized as “freestanding” or “non-freestanding.” But what do these designations mean, and how do you know which style is right for you? Below we break down the...

Does Your Backpacking Tent Need a Footprint?

This age-old question challenges newbie backpackers and veterans alike. You've already spent a substantial amount on a tent, but should you tack on the extra purchase of a footprint? Is it really necessary? Below we break down the key components of the...

Backpacking Tent Weight Comparison Chart

If you’re researching backpacking tent weight, you’ve come to the right place. Below we’ve put together detailed tent weight comparison tables covering most models available for summer of 2023. If we’ve missed anything important, feel free to comment...

One-Person Tent and Shelter Weight Comparison

One-person shelters are the definitive expression of going ultralight. Eschewing creature comforts, those that sleep solo reap the benefits of cutting precious ounces from their packs. To identify the absolute...