Buying a tent can be confusing. There are a ton of options out there—double-wall and single-wall, 3-season or 4-season, packaged weight vs. trail weight. Tents are an investment, so it pays to get to know the subject a bit before making a decision. This guide simplifies the process by explaining the essential concepts you need to know before buying a tent.
First, we’ll define some tent jargon you need to know. Second, we’ll break tents down into 4 main categories. Third, we talk about capacity, weight, and pack size. Fourth, we look into some smaller details, accessories, and features you might want to consider when buying a tent. Last, we provide our top-picks for each category.
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Tent Jargon
Here’s a short glossary of tent jargon—getting to know these terms will make buying a tent easy.
Single wall vs. double wall
A vast majority of tents are double walled. The inner wall is a breathable mixture of mesh and fabric, and this is covered by a waterproof outer shell called the “rainfly”. This configuration allows for easy ventilation, preventing condensation buildup inside the tent. Single wall tents are almost exclusively used in cold, high altitude environments where condensation isn’t a concern. Every tent we recommend in this guide is a double wall tent.
Freestanding tent vs. trekking pole shelter
Most tents are freestanding tents, which means the tent comes with poles that hold up the tent. Trekking pole shelters require that you use trekking poles as part of the structure (usually in a circus tent style with the pole in the middle). Trekking pole shelters are lighter because they don’t have as many poles, but aren’t as strong in inclement weather.
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Rainfly
The outer, waterproof layer of a double wall tent. If it’s hot or you want to stargaze, you can leave it off the tent.
Vestibule
The area outside the body of the tent that’s covered by the rainfly. A great place for storing gear to save space inside the tent.
Footprint
A tarp that goes under your tent to prevent wear and tear to the tent floor. Some tents come with a footprint, while others are sold separately. Pro Tip: brand name footprints designed for a specific tent can easily be $40+, while a regular blue tarp from a hardware store will do the same job for cheaper.
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Stakes
Used to secure your tent and/or your rainfly to the ground. Severe weather (primarily wind) can make a tent go flying. The more stakes, the more secure.
Guylines
Thin cords attached to the tent that you secure to the ground using stakes. Most tents come with at least a few guylines pre-attached, and many have more attachment points for extra guylines. Pro Tip: If you’re expecting poor weather, buy more guylines (and stakes) and attach them to your tent to make it extra secure.
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Tent Categories
Tents come in 5 broad use categories: Car Camping, Backpacking, Mountaineering, Ultralight, and Alternative Shelters.
Car Camping Tents
Car camping tents are comfortable, spacious, and full of convenient features. They’re also heavy, more cumbersome to put up, and don’t pack down small. Car camping tents are ideal for fair weather camping where comfort and convenience are priority. Because of the surprisingly easy setup, small pack size, and spacious interior, our favorite car camping tents are the REI Kingdom 4 (4-person tent) or Kingdom 6 (6-person tent).
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Backpacking tents
These tents are small, lightweight, and functional. Often called “3-season tents” (or 3+ if it’s slightly sturdier), these shelters can withstand most spring, summer, and fall weather. Backpacking tents effectively balance weight and size with durability and functionality. They’re ideal for when weight matters and you could experience wind or rain. Because of their low weight but surprising roominess, our favorite backpacking tents are the MSR Hubba Hubba NX (2-person) or the MSR Papa Hubba NX (4-person).
Ultralight tents
Ultralights are super lightweight, pack down small, and are quick to set up. Intended for trips when every ounce counts, ultralight tents sacrifice some durability and weather resistance in favor of portability. Note that many ultralight tents don’t come with poles and require trekking poles and stakes to set up. The Nemo Hornet 2P (2-person tent) is our favorite ultralight tent because it has the weight of an ultralight tent with the ease of setup, spaciousness, and security of a regular backpacking tent.
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Mountaineering tents
Mountaineering tents are durable and extremely weather-resistant. Often referred to as 4-season tents, they’re perfect for high-altitude expeditions with snowy and stormy conditions. Mountaineering tents can be heavy, bulky, and expensive, but when the shit hits the fan, they’re worth their weight in gold. Our favorite mountaineering tent is the Black Diamond Fitzroy (2-person tent) because it provides plenty of interior space and while it’s durable design can stand up to the worst weather.
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Alternative Shelters
Alternative shelters include hammocks, bivy sacks, and tarp shelters. Sometimes referred to as minimalist shelters, each of these have pros and cons. While not as popular as a standard tent, these alternative shelters can be great for certain uses. Hammocks and bivy sacks are lightweight and ideal for solo sleeping situations, but they lack weather resistance, space, and comfort. Tarps can be a great lightweight solution for a small or large group, but usually require trekking poles or trees to setup and offer limited weather protection. Our favorite hammock is the ENO Sublink Shelter System because it provides a complete sleep system with ultimate adjustability. Our favorite bivy sack is the Outdoor Research Alpine Bivy because it has the security of a complete tent in a much smaller package. Tarp shelters come in a variety of styles, and our favorite is the Black Diamond Beta Light shelter because it’s unbelievably secure given how light and simple it is to set up.
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Capacity, Weight, and Pack Size
After choosing your tent category, these three considerations are the next steps before buying a tent.
Capacity
Your tent needs to be large enough to fit people and gear. For car camping you might err toward having extra space, but for the other categories you’ll most likely want just enough space and no more. Tents usually tell you their capacity in the name (e.g. the Kingdom 4 is a 4-person tent) but no industry standard exists for cubic feet per-person, so assume a tight fit and upgrade by a size if you want more space (some tents offer a “plus size” version, usually adding length and width). Capacity includes head room—some car camping tents are tall enough to stand up in, while tents in the other categories are rarely that tall. Also, keep in mind that vestibule space outside where you can store gear saves room inside the tent.
Weight
When you’re carrying everything on your back, tent weight matters. For car camping, weight isn’t as important, but some campgrounds do have a short walk from the car to the site, so you don’t want something totally unbearable. Car camping tents can weigh 10-20 pounds. Backpacking and mountaineering tents are closer to 3-7 pounds. Ultralight tents usually weigh less than a pound per person. Alternative shelters can be even lighter than this. Before buying a tent keep in mind many will have two different weights: minimum weight and packaged weight. Minimum weight counts only the body, rainfly, and poles. The packaged weight is all of those things plus the stakes, footprint, guylines, instructions, and stuff sacks—every single thing included with the tent.
Other Details for Buying a Tent
After finding the right category, capacity, weight, and pack size, you’ve considered the main factors, but there are still many options, accessories, and features to consider before buying a tent.
Number of Doors
Single-door tents mean you might have to crawl over people, but they can save weight and cost by decreasing the number of zippers and the size of the rainfly. Dual doors make it easier to get in and out of the tent, and can also double your storage capacity (since each door usually has a vestibule).
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Number of Poles
More poles generally mean your tent will be sturdier in poor weather, but they add weight. Find the right balance between preparedness for adverse weather and what you’re willing to carry.
Ventilation
More mesh in the body of the tent and vents in the rainfly increases ventilation and decreases condensation inside the tent. In hot or humid weather, a tent that ventilates effectively makes for a much more pleasant night’s sleep.
Number of Stakes/Guylines
Many tents come with the bare minimum number of stakes and guylines. Extra stakes (to attach to extra guylines) are an inexpensive way to make your tent more secure.
Interior Storage Options
To help keep things organized inside, tents come with interior pockets and loops. Some tents come with a gear loft, a large mesh shelf that can store a lot of gear in the head space of the tent. Others have loops where you could attach a gear loft, but you have to buy the loft separately.
Fast Pitch Option
For an ultralight option, some tents can be pitched using only the rainfly, footprint, and poles. Intended primarily for fair weather use, the fast pitch option allows you to purchase one tent that could function both as a 3-season and an ultralight.
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Backpacking Accessories
For backpacking, consider bringing these accessories along to make your tent experience as positive as possible.
- Tent repair kit: A hole in your tent or a pole breaking can quickly ruin a trip. A small, lightweight tent repair kit can save the day. Read more on how to repair outdoor gear or find a gear repair shop near you.
- Seam sealer: A good backpacking tent comes with the seams already sealed and waterproof. But this can wear out over time, or maybe you got a sweet deal on a tent that didn’t have the seams sealed. Either way, its inexpensive and easy to seal your own seams.
Car Camping Accessories
If you are car camping, there are a few more accessories you might consider bringing to make things easier, cleaner, and more comfortable.
- Small broom and dustpan: Things can get surprisingly dusty and dirty. Keeping a small broom and dustpan handy helps maintain a clean and dirt-free(ish) environment.
- Welcome mat: To decrease how often you have to sweep, an outside mat to wipe off feet and to leave shoes on can be a huge help.
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Our Top Picks
| Category | Tent | Price | Buy Now |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car Camping | REI Kingdom 4 REI Kingdom 6 | $389 $489 | Kingdom 4: REI Kingdom 6: REI |
| Backpacking | MSR Hubba Hubba NX MSR Papa Hubba NX 4 | $399 $599 | NX 2: REI Backcountry Moosejaw NX 4: REI Backcountry Moosejaw |
| Mountaineering | Black Diamond Eldorado | $699 | Black Diamond Moosejaw Amazon |
| Ultralight | Nemo Hornet 2P | $369 | REI Backcountry Moosejaw |
| Hammock | ENO Sublink Hammock Shelter System | $249 | REI |
| Bivy Sack | Outdoor Research Alpine Bivy | $245 | REI Backcountry Moosejaw |
| Tarp Shelter | Black Diamond Beta Light | $199 | Black Diamond Backcountry Moosejaw |
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