With your tent arguably the most important (and possibly the most expensive) piece of gear you’ll have, choosing the right one is a big decision. It could make the difference between a comfortable backcountry night under the stars and one you’d rather not repeat – or worse! It’s your home away from home, your shelter from the elements, and a place where you can rest and recover. It’s even a piece of emergency kit in some cases.
1. What is a backpacking tent?
A backpacking tent is a tent that is designed to be carried in a backpack – unsurprisingly – and tends to be used for longer hiking journeys with overnight stays in campsites or out in the backcountry. It’s a very different set of circumstances to car camping, for instance, which places fewer constraints on the weight or bulkiness of your gear.
2. What to consider when choosing the right backpacking tent
Backpacking tents are often used on a self-supported journey, where you will be carrying it, and everything else you need, on your back. So it’s worth taking time to carefully consider which is the right tent for you. Backpacking tents tend to be much lighter and smaller than campsite tents but will be able to withstand harsher weather conditions.
Size/ capacity
How many people will it need to accommodate? The larger the tent the heavier it will be. Consider how much gear you’ll have with you as this can easily add up to the equivalent of another ‘person’s’ worth of space inside the tent. For example, a 4-person tent might be the right choice for two people and two large backpacks. If you’re taller than average, or you want more interior space or gear storage, make sure you look at and compare the exact tent dimensions.
Quality
The durability of a tent will depend on the materials and craftsmanship used to make it. This in turn will have an influence on the weight and price of a tent.
The strongest tent will be the one with the sturdiest poles and most durable fabric. However, seeing as saving weight is a determining factor, when backpacking, you might consider opting for high quality materials in a lightweight package. This will be compact and light enough to carry over long distances, yet stable and storm-proof to stand up to stormy weather. A tent that’s built to handle the worst conditions you expect to encounter is definitely the right idea.
Comfort/ features
How comfortable you feel in your tent, whether you’re spending a weekend away in the Dolomites, or several weeks completing one of the sections of the Pacific Crest Trail, makes a big difference overall. Modern tents tend to be much more comfort-focused, with greater headroom, more features and advances in materials that make them feel much more open and inviting. If your trip could involve having to shelter from storms for days at a time inside your tent, this is a very important consideration.
Try sitting in a tent before buying it, imagining various scenarios:
- Do you want a vestibule to store gear or for cooking?
- How many pockets does it have to stash your head torch, etc.?
- What about ventilation? Is a mesh inner tent best?
- Or a solid inner tent with vents that can be sealed if needed?
- How many doors do you want?
- How many sleeping bags will it really fit?
- What about the hydrostatic head rating?
The hydrostatic head rating is an indication of the tent fabric’s waterproof performance. The higher the figure, the more waterproof the fabric. The industry standard for tent fabrics to be categorised as ‘waterproof’ is anything above 1,000 mm. This is enough for most moderate conditions and typical for 3-season camping tents. However, it probably won’t cope with heavy wind-driven rain. It’s also light enough for hiking but try to aim higher if you can.
