10 Best Ultralight Backpacking Tents of 2023

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10 Best Ultralight Backpacking Tents of 2023


10 Best Ultralight Backpacking Tents

Ultralight backpacking tents are a great choice if you’re attempting to scale back the burden of your backpacking gear however you’re unwilling to surrender the consolation of a tent and sleep below a tarp with out insect safety. The lightest weight ultralight backpacking tents are sometimes made with Dyneema Composite Fabrics (DCF) and use trekking poles as an alternative of tent poles to save lots of weight. While many are single-wall tents and extra vulnerable to inside condensation, some are double-wall tents or a hybrid mixture of the 2. But don’t low cost tents made with extra standard materials which can be freestanding, extra wind worthy, longer for tall folks, or extra spacious, particularly for {couples}. There has by no means been a greater time than now to purchase a light-weight tent.

Here are the ten finest ultralight backpacking tents that we advocate.

See our recommendation on the backside of the web page for recommendation about how to decide on between these totally different choices.

1. Zpacks Duplex Tent (2P)

Zpacks Duplex
The Zpacks Duplex is a single-wall trekking pole tent made with Dyneema Composite Fabric that solely weighs 18.5 ounces. It has ample area for one individual plus gear to unfold out however may also match two folks comfortably. It has two doorways, so that you get good air flow and vestibule area on either side of the tent, plus you don’t need to climb over your associate at night time to go for a nighttime stroll. The Duplex has a full bathtub flooring, seam-taped seams, and mesh sidewalls for insect safety. Pitching the tent requires two trekking poles, however the twin apex construction is wind resistant offered it’s staked out securely. The Duplex might be fairly drafty nevertheless in chilly climate and is finest used for hotter and drier climate. It can also be translucent, which may compromise your privateness when tenting close to others. Read the SectionHiker Review.

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Zpacks

2. Gossamer Gear “The One” (1P)

GG The 2021 One tent
Gossamer Gear’s “The One” is an ultralight, single-walled trekking-pole tent that weighs 17.7 oz. It has a spacious inside that’s a palace for one, with wonderful air flow to assist forestall inside condensation. Made with 10d Sil/PU ripstop nylon, The One is manufacturing unit seam-taped so you need to use it with out seam-sealing. The entrance vestibule is sort of massive with a zippered middle opening which might be closed shut in inclement climate, or rolled again for views and air flow. Read the SectionHiker “The One” evaluation.

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Gossamer Gear

3. Durston X-Mid 1 (1P)

X-Mid-1 UL Tent
The Durston X-Mid 1P is a 28-ounce double-wall trekking pole tent that’s exceptionally simple to arrange. This 2-door tent is fabricated from 20D polyester with a 2500mm sil/PEU coating and requires trekking poles to pitch. All of the seams are taped and the inside tent is elective so you may simply use the rainfly if desired. The X-mid might be arrange fly first within the rain to maintain the inside tent dry and has loads of inside gear cupboard space. This mid-style tent is sort of stormworthy and consists of further man out factors for excessive circumstances. Read the SectionHiker X-Mid 1P evaluation.  An even lighter-weight single-wall DCF model of the X-Mid is out there known as the X-Mid Pro 1 which weighs 16 oz465, however we actually just like the sil/PEU X-Mid 1P listed right here as a result of it’s such an incredible worth and is normally in inventory.

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Kasovo Outdoors

4. NEMO Hornet Elite OSMO 2 (2P)

Nemo Hornet Elite OSMO 2
The NEMO Hornet Elite OSMO 2 is a 27 oz, two-person double-wall tent made with ultralight materials with two doorways and two extra-large vestibules for ease of entry and equipment storage. The OSMO material has 4x higher water repellency and 3x much less stretch when moist than NEMO’s earlier PU-coated rain flies. Clever design options improve inside headroom and flooring area for added livability. A single hubbed tent pole makes setup very quick and simple, whereas black mesh doorways flip just about clear at night time for clear stargazing.

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REI | Backcountry | NEMO

5. Tarptent Double Rainbow (2P)

Tarptent Double Rainbow Li
The Tarptent Double Rainbow Li is a spacious Dyneema DCF tent that isn’t a trekking pole tent however features a carbon fiber tent pole and strut. Weighing 26.3 oz, it’s a single-wall ultralight backpacking tent favored by {couples} that need extra room to inside unfold out. It has two doorways and two vestibules for gear storage and might be arrange on picket tent platforms by attaching trekking poles to the corners of the tent. The inside tent partitions have partial material sidewalls for enhanced wind and splash safety an elective ceiling liner is out there for extra privateness, separation from inside condensation, and winter temperature regulation. If you want much less room, take a look at the spacious 1 individual Rainbow Li or the inexpensive Rainbow.

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Tarptent

6. Zpacks Plex Solo (1P)

Zpacks Plex Solo

The 13.9 oz Zpacks Plex Solo is a single wall trekking pole tent made with Dyneema DCF which doesn’t stretch or sag at night time and is extraordinarily waterproof. It has a deep bathtub flooring to maintain you dry, steep partitions to shed sturdy wind and snow, and a rainbow zipper that makes it simple to get out and in from both aspect of the entrance vestibule. Setup requires one trekking pole. If you’re a taller hiker otherwise you need much more headroom, we advocate sizing as much as the Zpacks AltaPlex Tent, which is just about similar however has an extended bathtub flooring.

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Zpacks

7. Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo (1P)

Six Moon Design Lunar Solo
The Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo is an ultralight fashion, single-wall tent that’s pitched with a single trekking pole. Weighing 26 ounces, the Lunar Solo has a tub fashion flooring to forestall flooding within the rain and a aspect door, making entry simple. The inside is sort of roomy, with a hexagon-shaped flooring, offering room to retailer your gear within the tent, and loads of headroom to sit down up inside. A big vestibule additionally gives gear storage and room to prepare dinner in dangerous climate. The Lunar Solo higher is made with a 20d silicone-coated polyester, decreasing material stretch and packed quantity, whereas the ground makes use of a sturdy 40D material. Read the SectionHiker Review.

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Six Moon Designs

8. Tarptent Notch Li (1P)

The Tarptent Notch Li is a one-person, double-wall tent with two vestibules and two doorways that weighs 21.5 oz. It’s a powerful wind and weather-worthy shelter that’s made with Dyneema Composite Fabric. Internal livability is superb with loads of headroom, area to accommodate a large 25″ sleeping pad, and enormous vestibule areas for gear storage, cooking within the rain, or a canine companion. Peak and finish vents assist preserve air flow even in crappy climate. The inside tent might be arrange by itself with trekking poles in dry climate and a stable inside tent can also be out there to increase the tent’s vary in colder winter climate. Read the SectionHiker Notch Review.

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Tarptent

9. Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 2 (2P)

Unbound 2 Tent
The Hyperlight Moutain Gear Unbound 2 is an ultralight Dyneema DCF tent that weighs 24 ozand requires two trekking poles to arrange. Sized for 1 or 2 very pleasant folks, it has two doorways and two vestibules offering separate entrances and equipment storage areas. It could be very ruggedly constructed like all of Hyperlight’s merchandise with further reinforcements at the entire man out factors. Volumizing ties-out on the aspect panels present further inside room whereas the oblong flooring and line loc tensioners make setup easy and easy.

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Hyperlite Mountain Gear

10. Tarptent Dipole (2P)

Tarptent Dipole Li 2P
The Tarptent Dipole 2P is a spacious two-person, single-wall trekking pole appropriate for taller hikers or backpackers who need a whole lot of further inside area to make use of extensive sleeping or retailer gear below cowl. Weighing 24.65 oz, the Dipole 2 has an oblong form that requires two trekking poles to arrange and 6 to eight stakes relying on the diploma of stability you favor. The tent consists of two carbon fiber struts which can be used to extend the headroom on the ends and kind lined awnings that may be sealed closed in excessive wind. The struts are collapsible in order that all the tent might be rolled up and packed horizontally in any backpack that’s no less than 13″ extensive (which is most backpacks). A one-person Dipole Li 1 can also be out there.

Check out the most recent value at:
Tarptent

Ultralight Backpacking Tent Selection Guide

The backpacking tent producers who make trekking poles tents use a variety of various supplies and designs. When searching for a tent, it’s vital to grasp the tradeoffs of the fashions you’re contemplating and the way they’ll complement your adventures.

Ultralight Tent Materials and Price Points

Trekking poles tents can be found in a wide range of totally different supplies and at totally different value factors. Dyneema DCF is the lightest weight materials and the most costly, partly as a result of it requires specialised manufacturing processes. Tents made with Silpoly, Silnylon, and PU coated silnylon are a lot inexpensive than Dyneema as a result of they are often sewn utilizing standard strategies. They’re additionally roughly comparable in value. It’d be troublesome to say which is the very best material to make tents with as a result of material high quality varies extensively relying on the producer and specification to which it’s made. That mentioned, ultralight tentmakers are starting to change away from silnylon to silpoly as a result of it has much less stretch than silnylon and absorbs much less water.

  • Tents made with Dyneema DCF are very costly, but in addition very light-weight, waterproof, and powerful. They are extra inclined to break from daylight over the long run, however that’s seldom a difficulty for most individuals. Dyneema tents should be folded when packed not stuffed, however can nonetheless be surprisingly cumbersome regardless of their low weight.
  • Tents made with siliconized polyester (silpoly) are a horny different to Dyneema DCF as a result of they don’t stretch a lot in a single day or after they get moist from rain. They’re additionally far inexpensive and a few are seam-taped, so you need to use them out of the field with none seam sealing.
  • Tents made with PU-coated silnylon are usually extra waterproof than common silnylon, however it is advisable to examine their waterproofing specs to make sure. The chief good thing about the PU coating over common silnylon is improved UV resistance and the truth that the fabric might be manufacturing unit seam-taped.
  • Tents made with silnylon are nonetheless widespread as a result of it’s a straightforward materials for producers to work with. While silnylon does stretch at night time and when it will get moist, it’s not as massive a deal as folks make it out to be. Silnylon tents should be manually seam-sealed earlier than they can be utilized in wet climate. While you are able to do this your self, my recommendation can be to pay the producer to do it for you so that you get a tent that’s prepared for use when it arrives.

Single-wall vs Double-wall Tents

Ultralight backpacking tents can be found in single-wall and double-wall fashions, with separate inside tents. While each are vulnerable to inside condensation, the benefit of a double-wall tent is the moisture collects on the underside of the rainfly and never on a wall that has contact together with your sleeping bag, quilt, or different gear. The inside tent and rainfly on many double-wall tents can be used independently from each other, for instance as a standalone tarp or as a bug bivy, which may prolong their utility. The benefit of a single-wall tent over a double-wall one is normally lowered weight.

If tent condensation ever turns into a difficulty for you, we advocate carrying a small absorbent face towel to wipe it away. Tent condensation is a small value to pay for lowered gear weight and it received’t kill you except you’re a witch (wizard-0f-Oz reference).

Headroom

Many ultralight backpacking tents pole tents have a pyramid form which may restrict the quantity of headroom and foot room out there below the sloping ceiling. Lying in your again and watching a ceiling that’s three inches out of your face might be unpleasantly claustrophobic. Make certain you look at the size of the tents you’re contemplating, along with their peak heights.

Trekking pole tents that require two poles to arrange normally have two peaks, which may improve the quantity of livable area overhead, in comparison with a one-pole tent. Some tent producers additionally scale back the slope of the ceiling to create extra headroom. The finest instance of that is Tarptent’s use of carbon fiber finish struts to extend the quantity of room below the ceilings on the head and foot ends of their tents. The draw back of those finish struts is that it will probably make tents more durable to pack horizontally in a backpack.

Vestibules

Vestibules are good for gear storage, particularly moist gear storage, and for cooking below cowl in windy or wet climate. Most one-pole tents have a single vestibule, whereas two-pole tents usually have two. When shopping for a two-person tent, you’ll positively need two doorways and two vestibules so you may every have your individual entrance and equipment storage space. It can be fairly helpful to have two doorways and two vestibules on a one-person tent, particularly in the event you anticipate stormy climate circumstances the place you might need to hunker down in your tent for a day. For that matter, many individuals use two-person tents as solo tents, one thing that’s possible and not using a main weight penalty since most ultralight backpacking tents are fairly light-weight.

Pole Length

When you select a trekking pole tent, you need to guarantee that it’s appropriate with the make and mannequin of trekking pole you utilize when you’ve got a desire. Fixed-length poles that aren’t adjustable might be troublesome to make use of with trekking pole tents which have very particular top necessities. In addition, you need to guarantee that your trekking pole handles are appropriate if they’ve a non-standard grip.

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