When backpacking every ounce of weight counts because you literally are carrying all of your belongings on your back. While you want to carry as little as possible, you also will want to make sure you have everything you need to keep yourself safe, warm, dry, and comfortable during your trip. Of course, a backpacking tent is a must if you wish to stay protected from the elements. Backpacking tents are lightweight, durable, and compact to allow for easy use on the trail. The following tips will help you select a lightweight backpacking tent that fits your needs.
First, how large of a tent do you need? If you usually backpack alone or with only one other person, a one or two person tent will fit your needs. You can measure the sleeping pad you take with you on trips and use those dimensions as a guide for how large a tent you will need. If you usually travel alone, but like to keep most of your equipment in your tent, you likely will want to purchase a two person tent in order to gain extra space. If you need to get a larger tent because you sometimes travel with a few people, remember that the larger the tent, the cooler it can seem when you are the only one sleeping inside.
Speaking of cold, it is important to consider the types of conditions in which you often backpack. If you enjoy backpacking in regions where rain is likely, this will impact your selection as you will want a tent with a rainfly that if large enough to give you room to store your belongings underneath it and stay dry. Storing your gear under the rainfly keeps your gear dry and makes you a happier camper in the mornings. If you only backpack in warm areas where the temperature rarely dips beneath 50-degrees at night, you will want a tent that has more mesh thereby allowing more air to circulate.
You will want to purchase a tent that will suit your needs in the most severe conditions you will face. Tents come in three-season and four-season varieties. Three-season tents are strong enough to handle wind, rain, and light snow, but are not durable enough for large snowfalls (more than a couple inches) or severely cold conditions. Four-season tents, on the other hand, are designed to handle harsh conditions. Four-season tents usually are dome-shaped (so that snow will not accumulate on a flat surface of the tent) and have an additional pole or two that allows the tent to withstand heavy winds and large snowfalls. While you would not wish to use a three-season tent in extreme winter weather, oftentimes four-season tents can be converted (usually through not using one of the poles and/or eliminating a snow-fly layer or having more areas that can be open to allow additional ventilation) to be used in all conditions. As a general rule, three-season tents usually are a bit more lightweight than those designed to withstand colder, harsher conditions.
The design of your tent will determine how flexible you can be when you put it up for a night. Freestanding tents do not need to be staked out in order to remain upright. This has a couple of advantages. 1) You can set up freestanding tents easier than ones that need to be staked out. 2) You can set up freestanding tents on surfaces that may be too rocky or sloped for proper staking of a tent. 3) Stakes can add a bit of weight to already heavy backpacking loads and can easily be lost. 4) Freestanding tents can be staked, if desired, in windy conditions or simply because you want to have a more secure tent set up. Overall, free-standing tents are simpler to set up and slightly more lightweight.
Optional components to consider:
If you often camp in rainy or snowy areas, consider a tent that has a gear loft. A gear loft is a piece of netting that is stretched across the top of the tent and allows you to hang items. This simple addition allows you to hang wet clothing overnight or while you are away on a day hike. It can mean the difference between a wet or dry pair of socks when you wake up in the morning.
A footprint or tarp to lay underneath the tent is another option you may wish to consider. Many manufacturers now make footprints that match up to the dimensions of tents. These groundcovers can prolong the life of your tent because it will add an additional layer of protection from sharp stones or sticks. Also, they help to keep the base of the tent dry when you are forced to set up camp in a wet area.
Investing in a lightweight backpacking tent can seem daunting. Before you head off to the store, make a list that includes where you most likely will be doing your camping, how many people you expect to have sleeping in the tent, time of year you most often camp, dimensions of your sleeping pad(s), and general budget for the purchase. While you are shopping, be sure to ask the sales person for recommendations that fit your requirements. Also, remember that a quality tent may cost more at the on-set, but will last longer and be less likely to need repairs even in the harshest conditions.
