The Finest Ultralight Tents of 2023

Narrowing in on that allusive five-pound baseweight? You’re most likely fastidiously scouring the net for the lightest ultralight tent, backpack, and sleeping bag, however beware — these flimsy, unassuming items of drugs have to be chosen with care. The lightest mannequin in the marketplace might not be one of the best, or the most secure, transfer. There’s rather a lot to contemplate when shopping for your core ultralight gear.

Getting ultralight goodies within the mail could be a disconcerting expertise. You simply spent $400 on this, and you’ll barely really feel it in your arms. With new tech and supplies hitting the scene, producers have been in a position to whittle their weights down with out sacrificing sturdiness and performance. We’ve been sampling new ultralight tents for years, and religiously following tendencies to remain up-to-date on what deserves consideration.

From full-blown thru-hikes to quick weekend missions, we’ve clocked some severe miles in a broad variety of ultralight tents. We all know the sinking feeling of mid-trip tent failures, and what to search for in a shelter that lasts for months of abuse. Writer and Senior Editor Chris Carter has vital expertise with varied ultralight tents, having put round 10 totally different fashions to the check previously yr alone. An alumnus of every of the Triple Crown trails in america (PCT, CDT, and AT), Chris arguably sleeps higher underneath a skinny Dyneema sheet than a stable roof.

Via-hikers going the space are maybe one of the best demographic to ballot about featherlight gear. To pinpoint one of the best ultralight backpacking tents, we gathered sage recommendation from thru-hikers who’ve tracked the hardest, longest miles with their gear. These devoted dirtbags haul their equipment for hundreds of miles via a spectrum of climate, terrain, wildlife, and obstacles. At a trek’s finish, gear is both a benediction or extraneous deadweight. Along with our staff’s private expertise, we rummaged via our rolodex of long-distance backpackers, and picked their brains to seek out one of the best ultralight tents in the marketplace.

Whether or not you’re establishing a light-weight backpacking setup or getting ready in your inaugural thru-hike, this information is for you. Our opinions beneath are a mix of interviews with die-hard thru-hikers, and our private expertise with quite a lot of totally different fashions.

If you happen to’re undecided the place to start out, hop all the way down to our comparability chart, purchaser’s information, and FAQ on the backside of the web page earlier than scrolling via our roundup.

The Finest Ultralight Tents of 2023

Ultralight Tents Comparability Chart

How We Examined Ultralight Tents

From devoted ultralight weekend warriors, to light-weight backcountry hunters and full-blown thru-hikers residing in tents for months on finish, the GearJunkie squad has spent numerous nights cuddled up in ultralight shelters. They’ve trekked to among the most far-flung, distant corners of the globe, and weathered galeforce winds, snowy whiteouts, and ideal star-speckled nights in all kinds of featherlight tent designs. They know the significance of a shelter for consolation and security on any backcountry mission, and gained’t accept something however one of the best.

Writer and Senior Editor Chris Carter has paid his dues on tons of of backpacking journeys over simply as many miles via all method of circumstances. Chris has thru-hiked the Triple Crown of lengthy trails in america: the Pacific Crest Path, the Continental Divide Path, and the Appalachian Path, and continues to backpack with an ultralight loadout everywhere in the world.

He’s frustratingly specific concerning the shelter he hunkers down in every evening on a protracted journey, and closely scrutinized every candidate for this information. Relaxation assured — solely probably the most deserving, sturdy, useful tents earned any actual property on this roundup. He scoured on-line ultralight boards, bugged his broad swath of thru-hiking connections, and attended varied gear exhibits to slender in on the streamlined number of 12 tents you see right this moment.

We acknowledge that the ultralight tent market is natural and continually evolving. Now we have subsequently slotted this information into an iterative replace schedule, and are continually on the prowl, scoping out new fashions the second they hit the market, and testing them to see in the event that they deserve recognition.

Purchaser’s Information: Easy methods to Select an Ultralight Tent

Ultralight tents let you actually slender in on absurdly minuscule base weights, however nonetheless should maintain as much as the pains of life on path. Your shelter is your first line of protection in opposition to life-threatening components, and also you shouldn’t fudge on security for the sake of weight financial savings. Above we lined a broad vary of ultralight tent designs, and it’s essential to noticeably take into account your wants and private consolation threshold earlier than leaping to a choice.

Under we’ve outlined some essential concerns when selecting the right mannequin in your wants. The perfect ultralight tents assist gram-conscious adventurers trim again the load of their load. The tradeoff? These designs require extra consumer care and, for some fashions, extra time to arrange than beefier builds.

All issues thought of, these featherlight tents are an ideal possibility for long-distance trekkers, thru-hikers, and different seasoned out of doors vacationers desirous to slim down the burden of their provides.

It’s essential to notice, this information focuses on area of interest mega-light tents designed for terribly minimal base weights. For extra informal backpacking journeys that afford a bit extra consolation, try our complete information on common backpacking tents. And, if you happen to’re merely scoping out a tenting tent for automobile tenting adventures or base camp luxurious, make sure to scroll via our information on the greatest tenting tents in the marketplace.

Seasonality

Backpacking tents are usually constructed for three-season or four-season circumstances. A 3-season tent will suffice if you happen to plan on utilizing your tent throughout the spring, summer time, and fall.

The infrastructure of a three-season tent can deal with rain and light-weight snow. Sometimes, these builds are not excellent for heavy snow, super-high winds, or vicious storms — like the tough or blizzard circumstances you would possibly face whereas ski mountaineering. A four-season tent is a more sensible choice for full-on winter, the load of snow, and robust winds.

That mentioned, ultralight shelters are designed with the calls for of high-altitude stretches on long-distance journeys like thru-hikes in thoughts. Our authors have weathered some critically gnarly circumstances in these flimsy shelters, together with driving whiteouts in sub-zero temps.

Capability & Doorways

Of us aiming for ultralight tents normally spend money on a one- or two-person design. Three- and four-person ultralight tents exist too. As an illustration, the three-person Large Agnes Tiger Wall UL3 Resolution Dye ($500) is 2 kilos, 10 ounces.

Your excellent tent measurement relies on the variety of campers, their total measurement, and the way a lot tools must be saved. Manufacturers categorize their tents primarily based on the variety of individuals, however the dimensions — size, width, top, and vestibule measurement — range from tent to tent.

The tent’s peak top, which is the place the tent is the tallest, additionally differs between every mannequin. Get out your tape measure as you analysis. It’s additionally a good suggestion to go to an area retailer the place the tent could be arrange so that you can try in individual.

You’ll need to take into account whether or not one or two doorways are extra useful for you. Two doorways could be useful for every sleeper to have their very own exit and entry. However, eliminating a door can lower weight and value.

Ultralight tents that require solely a single trekking pole for development have the largest problem in relation to maximizing house. Producers have employed some severe geometric wizardry with these designs to extend house in each the vestibule and the enclosed sleeping space with out including vital weight. HMG’s Mid 1 options one among our favourite vestibule designs on a single trekking pole shelter, rising its house by inserting the stakeout level additional away from the mesh insert on the vestibule itself.

No matter ultralight tent you resolve to go together with, ensure there’s enough room inside in your backpacking sleeping pad and sleeping bag of option to comfortably deploy inside whereas leaving loads of house for different gear. Taller, bigger hikers must maintain this in thoughts if they have an inclination to rock longer or wider pads and luggage.

Single-Wall vs. Double-Wall

Tents are both a single-wall or double-wall design. Single-wall tents are lighter weight, nonbreathable, waterproof, and don’t embrace a rainfly. They usually don’t supply as a lot storage for gear however do usually have some type of a vestibule.

A double-wall tent really comprises two objects: a breathable tent that’s paired with a water-proof rainfly. The setup normally presents vestibule house to stash tools. The equipment weighs extra and requires extra time to arrange in comparison with a single-wall tent. Single-wall tents are much less breathable and produce extra condensation.

Ultralight, sturdy supplies — just like the Zpacks Duplex Tent’s Dyneema Composite Material (DCF) — price greater than heavier-set materials. As an illustration, the two-person Zpacks Duplex weighs 19.4 ounces and prices $669. DCF has an outstanding strength-to-weight ratio and is extremely waterproof.

In distinction, the single-person Large Agnes Fly Creek HV UL ($370) is constructed with ripstop nylon and weighs practically 33 ounces. Their quantity isn’t apples to apples, however the lighter materials definitely comes at a premium.

Gossamer Gear’s The One options an fascinating nylon ripstop SIL/PU material that sheds water nicely and crams down tiny, however stretches out at evening after your preliminary setup — significantly within the rain. We’ll usually have to regulate the guyline’s stress in tents like these quickly after they’re pitched. This material just isn’t fairly as premium as DCF, however will get the job achieved and has an outstanding pack measurement.

The fabric utilized in tent development is both inherently waterproof or handled with a DWR (sturdy water-repellent) coating to dam precipitation. If the material is handled, it’ll ultimately want a refresh, relying on the circumstances confronted, consumer care, and quantity of use. A separate footprint, or groundsheet, isn’t required for an enclosed single-wall tent.

Ultralight supplies are fairly sturdy, however they have an inclination to interrupt down in the event that they’re roughly dealt with. Investing in an ultralightweight bundle means the hiker must be aware with gear care.

Minimalist Shelters

Minimalist shelters, just like the Hexamid Pocket Tarp, are primarily rainflys that defend you from pouring components — however not buzzing bugs. The groundsheet is offered individually. Some designs have a zipper-free doorway that rolls up and could be clipped again. Campers can pair their superlight shelter with a private bug internet if the area is buggy.

To trim grams, some campers choose to depart behind the first compartment of their double-wall tent equipment. As an alternative, they solely use the footprint, poles, and rainfly.

Another choice is a hammock tent: a hammock with a protecting mesh enclosure and an optionally available rainfly, which is essential if there are deadly bugs round like scorpions or ticks.

Weight and Packed Dimension

A dwelling’s ounces hinge on the supplies — like the material and zippers — measurement, and whether or not poles, a rainfly, and footprint are included.

One of many lightest double-person tents in the marketplace is the Zpacks Duplex, tapping in at 19.4 ounces. By comparability, the one-person ultralight Gossamer Gear The One is 20.6 ounces.

The Large Agnes Fly Creek HV UL 1 is 33 ounces. To actually slim down cargo, a minimalist possibility just like the Zpacks Hexamid Pocket Tarp with Doorways is 5.2 ounces.

There aren’t any exhausting guidelines about what defines an ultralightweight tent. Of us with a objective to lower haul weight want to contemplate the accumulative ounces of their whole equipment. Usually, light-weight tents vary from 48 to 72 ounces. Ultralight configurations are lower than 48 ounces.

You’ll want to pick a feathery tent that also delivers the options that you simply want — like built-in insect safety or not. Be forewarned, the lighter a tent is, the extra sophisticated the setup is and the much less headroom there’s.

The packed measurement of a tent doesn’t correlate with its weight as a lot because it does with the supplies used. Materials like nylon ripstop SIL/PU utilized in GG’s The One are inclined to squeeze all the way down to smaller packed weight than tents product of DCF (like HMG’s Mid 1) within the above picture — although the DCF fashions could boast a lighter weight.

Make it possible for the packed measurement of your UL tent suits comfortably with the remainder of your loadout in your ultralight backpack. Many packs that accompany these ultralight kits fall within the 35-45 L vary, and each aspect’s quantity must be thought of.

Pitching Ultralight Tents

The lightest tents and shelters are non-freestanding, which means they don’t embrace tent poles to be hoisted up. As an alternative, one or two trekking poles plus stakes are used to raise the tent. The tent is held upright by tensioning the tent material between the trekking poles and stakes firmly planted within the floor. Some mild designs, just like the Large Agnes Fly Creek UV UL 1, are freestanding and quick to choose up and modify location — they simply weigh a bit extra. Many of the designs we examined for this information use trekking poles because the spine of their construction.

In comparison with a freestanding tent, such a skeleton takes extra time to assemble, as a result of the bottom must offset the stake excellent — particularly if it’s windy or wet out. This may be tough, significantly within the alpine the place it might be too rocky to drive stakes in on the good places.

In a pinch, giant rocks can be utilized to get the corners and guylines of your tent the place they have to be. If you happen to can’t slide a big rock into the cords popping out on the stakeout factors, you possibly can insert a stake into the wire, and place it horizontally on the bottom with a big rock between the stake and the tent. While you stress the cords, the stake gained’t have the ability to slide underneath the rock. This was our writer’s methodology on many an evening on thru-hikes when pitching his tent above the treeline.

We wish to deliver a few totally different lengths and strengths of stakes for the totally different stakeout factors round our tents. We usually use shorter, lighter stakes for the 4 corners of trekking-pole-style tents and the guylines, and convey two longer, thicker choices for staking out the perimeters of the tent, which bear extra stress and must have a extra stable buy within the floor.

Ensure that to observe establishing your ultralight tent earlier than setting off in your journey. It takes time to grasp how a lot stress it is best to put within the guylines, what to regulate your trekking poles to, and tips on how to keep away from an ungainly off-center pitch. Freestanding tents could be way more easy to arrange, and there are extra concerns when pitching a trekking-pole-style tent.

Trekking Poles in Ultralight Tents

As mentioned above, it may be a problem to grasp the artwork of pitching a trekking-pole-style shelter. An ideal pitch largely boils all the way down to applicable trekking poles. If you’ll be relying on some of these tents within the backcountry, your poles have to be sturdy sufficient to deal with brutal blasts of wind and rain, and lengthy sufficient to achieve the required size to correctly pitch the tent.

These tents require you to increase your trekking poles for much longer than you’d have them set for mountain climbing, and never each pole can lengthen to the lengths wanted to achieve the tent’s peak. Additionally, you almost certainly gained’t have the ability to use fixed-length poles if you happen to plan on bringing some of these tents alongside.

Choose poles which have broad grips that match solidly within the bolstered pouches on the peaks of your tent. Skinny grips shift round and will even slide out of the tent in sturdy wind. The clasps in your poles have to be sturdy, as heavy wind may pressure your poles to break down if they’re weak, making the tent tumble in round you at midnight. Not a pleasing alarm clock — we converse from expertise.

Bathtub Ground

Continuously, ultralight setups have a tub flooring, which prevents groundwater from seeping in throughout a climate occasion. A tub flooring signifies that the waterproof material comprising the ground extends a couple of inches off the bottom and up the tent partitions.

These are essential components of ultralight tents, and have to be product of sturdy, extraordinarily waterproof material. Some flooring in fashions like many Zpacks tents and HMG’s Mid 1 (photographed above) let you modify the peak of the ground to permit kind of airflow into the tent and assist regulate condensation buildup.

Vestibule & Inside Storage

Ultralight tents will usually have storm doorways that roll again or clip ahead to guard tools quite than a zipper-enclosed vestibule door. Evaluate your physique measurements to the tent’s width and size. If it’s stormy out and also you’re hunkered down for some time, it’s good to have a bit of additional room to deliver some or the entire gear inside.

In any other case, the vestibule could be a great place to depart the boots or pack in a single day. Stashing these within the vestibule helps maintain particles and pebbles that might poke via the tent flooring out of your residing house.

Some ultralight tents may need small, inside mesh pockets to retailer a couple of objects like a cellphone or headlamp. Usually, ultralight tents don’t have as many storage compartments as light-weight or heavier tent designs.

Guylines

Guylines are essential options on ultralight tents for quite a lot of causes. For trekking-pole-style tents, they function a fast and simple approach to pull the sidewalls out additional, instantly boosting the interior quantity. For freestanding and double-wall shelters, this doesn’t apply fairly as a lot, however they nonetheless can afford a bit extra inside house.

Maybe extra importantly, nonetheless, guyline factors let you additional safe your tent to the bottom within the case of tempestuous storms or sturdy wind. A correctly guyed-out tent can stand up to some critically gnarly climate. Many tents include a small spool of guyline wire within the field which you could stuff within the backside of the stake bag in case they’re wanted. Others, like HMG’s Mid 1, require you to offer your personal cordage in order for you the extra safety.

Tent Stakes and Pole Splints

Like every thing within the ultralight cult, the controversy on one of the best floor stakes for an ultralight loadout is fierce and continually evolving. Each iota of weight is scrutinized for every gear class — particularly if there’s any steel within the system. The dialog round which stakes are greatest for which objective is so nuanced and intense, that many ultralight tent producers have stopped transport stakes with their tents altogether. That is underneath the belief that almost all UL backpackers have already dialed in on their specialised stake equipment of selection — and within the case of our writer — they’re not incorrect.

We possess quite a lot of stake kits that we deliver for various ultralight backpacking eventualities, and every serves its objective in particular climates and environments. It might take too lengthy to dig into the minutia of every equipment’s fashions and functions, however the one we use probably the most is our MSR Floor Hog combo.

These stakes have confirmed themselves worthy over hundreds of miles, and strike a wholesome stability between energy and weight. There are extra featherlight choices on the market — like Vargo’s Titanium Shepherds Hooks (0.3 oz.) or Suluk 46’s absurd Atani Titanium Tent Stakes (0.17 oz.) — however except we try to go as mild as attainable, the Floor Hogs are good for many UL backpacking journeys we set out on. If we plan to rock a freestanding tent (which we normally do when mountain climbing with a associate and sharing the tent’s weight), we merely deliver the requisite variety of ultralight MSR Mini Floor Hogs (0.35 oz.). If we predict we must pitch the tent in mild snow or insane climate, we swap these out for his or her longer, sturdier older sibling: MSR’s common Floor Hogs (0.5 oz.). For deep snow on winter aims, you’d should improve to beefier snow stakes like MSR’s Blizzard Stakes, or REI’s Snow Stakes.

When mountain climbing with a trekking-pole-style tent — which is 90% of the time for us — we deliver a combo of 4-6 Mini Floor Hogs, and two common Floor Hogs for the aspect stakes. The stakes on the base of those tent’s doorways and sides bear probably the most weight and are tensioned tight in opposition to the trekking poles. They have to be pushed deep into exhausting floor in order that they don’t pull out once you cinch your tent tight, or when it’s hit with a robust gust of wind.

If we’re backpacking with a freestanding tent, we are going to virtually at all times throw in a light-weight pole splint in case one among our poles snaps or cracks mid-trip. Merely slide these splints over the damaged space, and you’ll nonetheless pitch your tent till you get to a spot the place you possibly can substitute the poles. Splints have saved us on quite a lot of journeys, and we don’t like to depart dwelling with out them.

Air flow and Coping with Condensation

Ultralight tents usually characteristic partitions constructed of mesh, storm doorways that furl again, or no partitions in any respect for airflow. Partitions which can be constructed of mesh lower the general temperature contained in the tent and assist combat condensation. As talked about, single-wall tents with a stable artificial development expertise extra condensation and really feel clammy beneath precipitation.

Ultralight tent designers have achieved every thing they’ll to restrict condensation buildup, however the actuality of the matter is — these partitions are going to sweat. Vents on the partitions (like within the picture above), broad mesh panels, and variable bathtub flooring heights can reduce the distress, however in our expertise, some condensation is inevitable.

There are a variety of the way to mitigate moisture buildup in ultralight tents, and you’ll combat the condensation calamities if you happen to work with the wind and pitch your tent in an applicable location. Here’s a little bit of knowledge we’ve accrued via trial and error throughout our numerous nights within the backcountry:

• Ventilate your tent as a lot as attainable by sleeping with all of the doorways rolled again or with the rainfly off if it’s not raining. This helps humid air and moist vapor out of your breath to simply escape.
• Keep away from tenting underneath the open sky as a lot as attainable. If you happen to can, pitch your tent underneath a tree’s cover.
• Orient your tent in order that the vents are going through the course of the wind. This permits the wind to flow into via your tent simpler and boosts air flow.
• Attempt to not dangle moist garments or footwear as much as dry inside your tent each time attainable. Drying them inside your tent boosts humidity. If you have to maintain them inside, retailer them in a dry sack so the moisture is contained. Ensure you have loads of lashing factors in your backpacking backpack so you possibly can tie moist gear as much as dry within the solar as you hike the subsequent day. Below the identical token, cook dinner and boil water exterior your tent as a lot as attainable.
• Keep away from tenting proper subsequent to streams, rivers, lakes, or marshy areas with increased humidity when you possibly can assist it. We all know — It’s enjoyable to camp subsequent to a babbling brook, although, so don’t sacrifice the fantastic thing about a possible campsite simply so your tent is a bit dryer. For us, the condensation price is normally price it for the expertise.
• If attainable, don’t pitch your tent in low valleys or depressions of a panorama the place chilly air lingers at evening.
• As one among our previous thru-hiking mentors would say, “Merely maintain your breath all evening. It’s the one approach to maintain ultralight tents dry.”

In all honesty, there’s no golden rule for eliminating drippy condensation. Our greatest recommendation is to embrace it as a part of the brutal however stunning pleasure of backpacking — and pull your tent out to dry within the solar once you plop down for lunch the next day.

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