Camping Panda
There are days that the outdoors is just calling you. Pack your gears and head out to spend the night away feeling the breeze, watching the stars, and head back to the city recharged.
On days like this, your backpacking tent is your best buddy. It is one daunting task to choose the right backpacking tent for you because it has an impact on both your pack weight and of course, your budget.
In this article, we presented our recommendations for the best budget backpacking tents. We believe that backpacking tents need not be expensive to be the best for your outdoor needs. The recommendations were based on thorough research considering the needs of the users – with price as major criteria. In the buying guide section, we will discuss factors that you should consider when choosing your backpacking tent.
Waterproof
Is it well protected?
Ventilation
Is it breathable?
Lifespan
Is it long-lasting?
Price
Is it the best value for your $?
Set Up
Is it easy to set-up?
Durability
Is it strong enough?
Portability
Is it easy to carry?
Sleeping Capacity
Is it spacious?
14
Hours Researched
16
Products Evaluated
5k
Reviews Considered
3
Sources Researched
Coleman’s one of the trusted brands for outdoor gears. The weatherproof system of the Coleman tents guarantees protection from all-weather. The tent body uses inverted seams to keep the needle holes inside the tent to prevent water from seeping. The floor is welding-designed to eliminate needle holes to keep the tent base dry. It comes with a free rainfly as additional protection from the rain or sun.
What we love is the generous use of mesh and the partial rainfly. This makes for a tent that is well ventilated even during hot weather. Another good thing about this tent is the shock-corded fiberglass poles are made to last against stormy conditions and are also very easy to set-up and take-down which takes about 10 minutes.
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Aside from the color, the Naturehike Mongar 2 is popular among backpackers because it is rare for a tent with two doors to be this lightweight! The two-door access provides more livability, extra space to move around, and extra vestibules for gear storage. Two-door access and two windows guarantee perfect air-flow for ventilation.
The two Y-frame is a simple structure that provides an easy one-man set-up. It is lightweight but sturdy enough to withstand strong winds because of its aluminum alloy material.
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Like the Naturehike, the Alps Lynx has two-door access and two vestibules for that easy access and extra gear storage. It has enough room for two people to sleep comfortably. Internal storage is also a plus with the mesh pockets inside and the detachable gear loft.
It guarantees great air-flow with its large mese windows and door. It can withstand three seasons with a coated floor for wet weather protection and UV-resistant fly. The extra-large zippers on the doors and the vestibules ensure that no water will enter the tent.
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Like the Coleman tent in the list, the Bessport Backpacking Tent has a welded floor design to ensure that the tent base is protected from the water when the weather turns sour during your trip. The seam-taped construction can withstand extreme weather conditions. The Bessport is a mix of comfort and ease. It comes with a clip-pole attachment for easy set-up and its freestanding design allows a one-man set-up.
It is a two-person tent but what we like about it is, it has more height than other two-person tents, this improves the livability of the tent. Aside from the two D-shaped doors and vestibules, the interior tent space is spacious. It has two pockets on each side for storage and privacy from your tent-mate.
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One good thing about the Hyke and Byke Tent is that it has an included footprint! Though footprints are optional, including them in the package adds to maintain the durability of the tent as footprints protect the tent base from being punctured.
The tent is extremely compact and packs down perfectly with the included storage bag. It’s an easy set-up tent with the only one-pole setup as compared to others in the list that usually has two-poles.
It is made of ultralight materials – polyester for the fabric and aluminum for the poles. The windows and a big part of the walls are mesh for better air circulation.
The Hyke and Byke tent have a two-door and two-vestibule design for extra storage and ease of access regardless if you’re camping alone or with friends.
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The Bisinna two-person tent is one great alternative for your budget backpacking needs. It has a two-door, two-vestibule design for backpackers that are traveling in groups. You and your tent mate will have your side of the tent. Or you can use one side as access while the other vestibule as a storage area.
The set-up is easy thanks to the freestanding design and lightweight aluminum poles. Take-down is just as easy and the carry bag has built-in compression straps so storage is easy.
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The Moon Lence Camping tent promises easy set-up with its two shock cord connecting poles that can be attached by clips.
The Moon Lence tent differentiates itself by keeping a properly well-ventilated due to its large back vent apart from the two-door popularly in this list. It makes up with its two large mesh windows and a large floor vent at the back.
The partial rainfly gives a mixed feeling. It’s a good one because with the partial rainfly, no need to struggle with a vestibule, extra room to move around freely. The bad side is, it does not have a vestibule for that extra space for storage.
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The Gonex camping tent uses SBS zippers rather than the more famous YKK zippers. The SBS zippers proved to be at par with the YKK zippers, smooth and sturdy for long time use.
The tent’s seams are strengthened and reinforced to withstand extreme weather.
The tent body is meshed up to the top provides proper ventilation during hot weather. The rainfly covers the whole tent up to the ground to protect from a sudden downpour. It has two-well covered vents at the peak to let moisture out.
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The Forceatt tent uses an innovative design for the tent poles and frames making the integrated aluminum rod easy to install. The buckle and straps attach easily to the tent body.
The triangle design of the upper vents provides better protection from rainwater to enter the tent. It has adjustable height like the Bisinna to easily reduce condensation.
The welded floor design ensures that no water will enter the tent base to keep you dry and warm inside. It is made from durable polyester to keep it windproof and waterproof.
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What’s great about the ALPS Zephyr is that you cannot feel the wind inside. The fly covers the tent very well and handled adequate rain. The fly can be easily tensioned using the reflective guy loops.
It packs down small for a tent that can fit two people. And still, have enough storage for a bit of gear inside. It has two doors and two vestibules like the Alps Lynx in the list. The difference is that it has ample headroom to move around. The ventilation inside the tent is good given that its wall is entirely meshed.
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Your tents are your “home away from home” shelters where you’ll be spending the night to rest and recharge. There are a lot of tent types ranging from car camping tents to ultralight tents. For ultralight tents every ounce matters. They are made from light materials but as a takeoff, they are usually not that durable.
Backpacking tents lie somewhere in between. They mix comfort, durability, and weight in one outdoor gear. Though it is a little bit of a tough mix, we did our research. Here are the things you should consider when buying your backpacking tents.
That is single-walled or double-walled? Most prefer double-walled tents for the long run. Double-walled tents have two “walls” – an interior that is either mesh or nylon and a waterproof exterior, the rainfly. The space between these two walls in double-walled tents prevents condensation and moisture to build up thus protecting your tent. The waterproof rainfly is optional; you can attach them on rainy days or keep them in the backpack on summer nights.
Backpackers prefer single-walled tents over double-walled tents due to the weight. Single-walled have less weight than double-walled tents. The tent body and the waterproof rainfly are combined into one fabric. Single-walled tents though lightweight, when punctured have the tendency to be unusable as the waterproofing barrier has already been compromised.
Your backpacking tent won’t provide you hotel level living space. But you wouldn’t want to spend the night cramped or suffocated after a hike as well. Comfort is the trade-off between your tent’s livable area that includes peak height, floor area and dimensions, and wall shape.
Peak height: You would not be jumping up and down inside your tent but pick a tent that you are comfortable at least sitting down. Imagine yourself inside the tent while the storm is raging outside. Check out Bessport Backpacking Tent, it has more height than most of the tents in the list which will allow you a comfortable sitting position with enough distance between your head and the tent peak.
Wall Shape: Backpacking tent with a more vertical wall, the more open the interior will feel. Converging walls like a pyramid-shaped tent wall will always feel more restricted than a tent-shaped vertical which gives a more “spacious” feel. The ALPS Mountaineering Zephyr boasts of ample headroom to move around. This is because of the more vertical design of the tent wall.
Floor area: These numbers will tell you the dimension of your tent in length by width factor. However, keep in mind that the larger floor area does not always mean a larger living space. Floor area must be considered in conjunction with the tent’s wall shape.
Other tents put much consideration into the living area that vestibules and doors are a consideration too. The vestibule is the rainfly extension outside of your tent where you can put your boots or your backpacking bag outside of the tent but still be protected. This helps you to maintain a dry and clean tent inside. The majority of the backpacking tents only have one door. An additional door will add to the weight of the tent. The deciding factor to some is whether the doors are zipper-locked, Velcro, or snaps.
Ventilation is also a consideration for livability. Mesh windows are a common feature to improve ventilation. Some have a removable rainfly to give you versatility in ventilation. We love the generous use of mesh in the tent body of the Coleman Sundome Tent and its partial rainfly which guarantees the tent is well ventilated even in hot weather.
Three-season tents tend to be double-walled. They are the best choice for any climate or weather conditions. Given this, they need to be protected from moisture build-up and condensation to extend the tent’s lifespan. They have mesh panels to protect them from insects and a separate rainfly.
Four-season tents can be either single-wall or double-walled. The distinction between the two is almost all four-season tents have a rainfly extending up to the ground. This is because if you intend to camp even in cold conditions, the extended rainfly keeps the rain and snow away from the tent. They are meant to withstand more pressure from the weather hence built with more durability than three-season tents. The fly of the ALPS Mountaineering Zephyr tent keeps the tent well covered that you cannot even feel the wind inside, we recommend this for camping in the cold.
Weight is probably one of the most debated factors in backpacking. Majority swings to get the lightest gears. Keep in mind that the take off between the light materials is often durability. Heavier gears are made from more durable materials. For backpacking tents, there are two weights that you need to remember.
Package weight: This is the weight of the backpacking tent straight from the store or manufacturer. This includes the box, instruction manuals, the tent, stakes, poles, guy lines, stuff sacks, everything. In short, this is the heaviest weight of your backpacking tent.
Trail weight: This is the bare minimum weight which includes the tent, poles and rainfly. This is the weight that you will carry on your backpacking bag.
The packed weight of your backpacking tent will depend if you will be camping alone or in groups. If with groups, you can split the tent weight between you and your tentmate to lessen the weight.
A backpacking tent package includes the tent body, stakes, guy lines, and rainfly.
Tent Body
You should pay much attention to the material of your tent body. Aside from deciding if you’ll be getting a single-walled or a double-walled one, the tent body determines the weight and durability of your backpacking tent.
For a more technical specification, some manufacturers state the denier (D) value of the tent fabric. The denier is the measurement of the fabric yarn’s weight. A lower denier indicates a thinner and less durable fabric. There are a lot of factors that affect the denier, like fabric type, construction, and quality, so this is not much of a reliable criterion.
Do not compare deniers unless fabrics are identical following the rule that each fabric has its durability characteristic that affects the tent strength more than the denier number. Some tents made from polyester may have a denier value higher than a tent made from nylon. But this does not guarantee that the polyester tent is stronger than the nylon tent. Nylon material is known to be stronger the polyester because nylon is more stretchable than polyester thus more resistant to punctures.
Tent Poles and Stakes
Nearly all quality tents come with high-strength, low-weight aluminum poles that are designed to fit your tent perfectly. Relatively for tent stakes, these come with the stock package as well. However, some prefer to but after-market stakes for back-ups and to instill additional strength to your tent. Stakes are crucial as we all know that outdoor weather conditions can turn easily. Our recommended tent stakes are from BareFour. You might want to check out our best tent stakes list for our recommendation.
Footprint
Footprints are optional handy fabrics that provide more benefits that outweigh the additional ounces. They are thin tarps that are placed on the ground before you pitch your tent. They serve as extra protection for your tent base against rocks, twigs, or any sharp material that can puncture your tent base. They also are a great waterproofing tool to keep your tent dry in case of a sudden downpour.
You can get a footprint from your manufacturer specifically designed for your tent. Or you can also check out REDCAMP Waterproof Camping Tarp or MSR Universal Tent Footprint Tarp, both can be converted to a tarp when weather conditions are perfect in your campsite.
As a general rule, a backpacking tent should not weigh more than 3kg per person. Backpacking tents weigh between 1kg to 3kg. Depending on the material. Lightweight backpacking tents are made from light materials but do not usually guarantee durability. Heavier tents are made from more durable materials. When camping in groups, remember that you can split the tent weight by separating the tent body, groundsheet, and poles.
Consider the following factors when choosing a backpacking tent: capacity, seasonality, weight, and built. Capacity refers to how many are the likely number of sleepers. Seasonality will depend on your type of backpacker. Will you be backpacking throughout the year, or you’ll sit winter out? Do you prefer lightweight tents? Built refers to the overall structure of the tent. Does it have a door, how’s the livable space, ease of setup.
Camping tents are heavier and bigger in structure compared to backpacking tents. Weight is not a problem for camping as you don’t usually have to hike during camping trips to reach the campsite. Usually, a vehicle is nearby the campsite. While on backpacking trips, you need to hike to reach the campsite hence weight is essential. Backpacking tents are lightweight and minimalist while camping tents tend to be luxurious in terms of sleeping design.
Tent footprint refers to the ground cover or groundsheet. They are the thin material placed on the ground before you pitch your tent. They prevent damage to the base of your tent to keep its waterproofing integrity.
Place the tent somewhere in the middle of your backpack. This is to avoid taking them out every time you need some essentials. Do not put them at the very bottom you have to take out all the items in your backpack and place them on the ground if you do. Putting them in the middle allows you to set essentials once you arrive at the campsite. Once settled, you can pitch your tent without having to take out all your gears.
