Winter tents and shelters for mountaineering, winter backpacking, and backcountry snowboarding excursions have to be stronger and hotter for tenting in uncovered windy terrain which may be topic to snow masses. We choose light-weight tents and tarp shelters as a result of nobody needs to lug a heavy tent all day when climbing a peak, snowshoeing, or backcountry snowboarding if it’s avoidable. What follows are our suggestions for winter tents and shelters that may deal with average snow masses and wind whereas being light-weight sufficient to hold comfortably in a backpack.
1. Hyperlite Mountain Gear UltaMid 2
The Hyperlite Mountain Gear (HMG) UltaMid 2 is an ultralight floorless single-wall pyramid made with Dyneema Composite Materials that has twin peak vents to assist mitigate inner condensation. Weighing simply 1 lb 3.1 oz, it requires two ski/trekking poles (lashed collectively) to arrange and has an oblong footprint that’s 83″ huge x 107″ lengthy with a peak top of 64″. In case your purpose is to reduce your gear weight for winter backpacking, mountaineering, or backcountry touring, you’ll be able to rapidly dig out a sleeping space below the UltaMid for a comfy evening below the celebs.
2. Mountain Laurel Designs SuperMid
The Mountain Laurel Designs (MLD) SuperMid is a single wall, floorless pyramid tarp with a sq. 9’2″ x 9’2″ footprint with a peak top of 69″. Pyramid tarps are bombproof in wind so long as they’re securely anchored with deadmen in winter. Weighing 1 lb 12 ozoz, the SuperMid can sleep as much as 4 folks or it may be arrange as a protected group kitchen. It has one outsized peak vent for air flow, a middle door zip, and 16 guylines together with 8 perimeter guylines outfitted with linelocs. It can be pitched with two ski/trekking poles, lashed collectively.
3. SlingFin Cinder Cone 4P
The SlingFin Cinder Cone 4P is a four-person pyramid tarp that can be utilized for ultralight backpacking and winter tenting. It has a singular venting system that features two drawstring ceiling vents and base venting so you’ll be able to cut back inner condensation or prepare dinner beneath it with out concern of carbon monoxide poisoning (very useful in winter). It additionally comes with pitching guides that just about assure an ideal pyramid form every time you set it up. Weighing 1 lb 11 oz, the Cinder Cone is made with sturdy ripstop Nylon 66 coated with silicone on either side.
4. Durston X-Dome 1+
The Durston X-Dome 1+ is a spacious double-wall freestanding tent. At simply 35 oz (985 g), the X-Dome 1+ units up fly first and has a diagonal ground plan, offering extra coated vestibule house and an extended inside than comparable dome-style tents. Its crossed carbon fiber poles present a really sturdy construction able to holding heavy snow masses. The tent is made with 15d excessive tenacity polyester so the fly doesn’t stretch when moist. The fly can be pitched by itself for winter use, dropping the carry weight to 24 oz.
5. KUIU Mountain Star 2
The KUIU Mountain Star is a 2-person freestanding double wall tent 3+ season tent with a really strong-sleeved exterior pole design. It has two doorways and two vestibules in addition to kickstand vents on the ends to cut back any inner condensation. The tent has three poles, which can be found in carbon fiber or aluminum. You may as well increase the energy of the vestibule cross pole utilizing trekking poles which is beneficial in excessive winds or heavy snow masses. With a built-in rainfly and bathtub model ground, the inside stays protected, even throughout arrange and take down though you may as well set it up with out the interior tent to cut back weight.
6. Black Diamond FirstLight 2P Tent
The Black Diamond FirstLight is a light-weight 2-person single-wall tent. Weighing simply 3 lbs 1 oz (seam-sealed), it’s made with NanoShield single-wall cloth and has a 70-denier polyester ground. It has a entrance door and a small rear window, with zippered mesh panels at each ends to supply air flow and spindrift safety. Crossed inner poles make setup quick and straightforward and supply a robust construction able to withstanding excessive winds and snow masses. Seam sealing is advisable. A separate entrance vestibule can also be accessible.
Learn our FirstLight Evaluation.
7. Tarptent ArcDome 2 Extremely
The Tarptent ArcDome 2 Extremely is a 3 lb 5.2 ozdouble-wall freestanding dome tent made with UltraTNT, an ultralight waterproof laminate materials in the identical class of supplies as Dyneema DCF. The ArcDome 2 has two doorways and two overhanging vestibules and is a real four-season tent, with the choice of getting a strong interior or a mesh interior tent for higher air flow in hotter climate. The tent has two carbon fiber crossing poles inserted into sleeves, making setup simple. As well as, the inside house is offset at a diagonal to supply occupants with extra residing house.
8. MSR Entry 2
The MSR Entry 2 is a two-person, double-wall tent that weighs 3 lbs 10 oz. It has two doorways and two vestibules that present wonderful livability and kit storage, with a freestanding pole structure so you’ll be able to set it up rapidly, even on snow. A central help body and carbon fiber tent poles present a robust construction for snow loading whereas remaining light-weight. The strong interior tent is breathable however supplies enhanced wind safety to maintain you heat on chilly winter nights.
Learn our MSR Entry 1 Evaluation.
9. NEMO Kunai 2
The NEMO Kunai 2 is a double-walled four-season tent that weighs 3 lbs 14 oz. It has a strong, breathable interior tent for larger heat, with massive pass-through vents that present wonderful airflow. An aggressive forehead pole over the entrance door supplies further clearance contained in the entrance vestibule, which supplies a sheltered entrance and damp gear storage. The Kunai 2 is appropriate for year-round use, which is an added bonus.
10. SlingFin CrossBow 2 4 Season
The SlingFin CrossBow 2 4 Season is a light-weight two-person tent designed to be used in excessive winter climate. Weighing 4 lbs 6.2 oz, it has a breathable nylon cover that protects its occupants towards spindrift and wind whereas retaining condensation to a minimal. Poles sleeves, which SlingFin calls a WebTruss assist to distribute snow masses throughout a bigger floor space and are a lot stronger than clip-style tents. The pole construction could be additional strengthened with trekking poles or ski poles utilizing SlingFin’s outrigger pole system. Two massive vestibules and quite a few inner pockets present best-in-class livability, whereas door vents present unrestricted cross-tent airflow for wonderful condensation administration with out sacrificing climate safety.
Learn our CrossBow 2 Evaluation.
4-Season (Winter) Tent and Shelter Choice Information
When evaluating winter tents and tarp shelters, it helps to analysis the local weather situations, significantly snow masses and wind speeds, you count on to make use of the tent in, as this may inform the diploma of tent pole energy and air flow required.
Tent or Tarp?
Tents are nearly all the time heavier than tarps, however they provide much more consolation and safety as a result of they’ve flooring. They can be a lot simpler to arrange in the event that they’re freestanding so you will get out of the climate rapidly and alter into dry garments. Whereas tarps are considerably lighter, they’ll take some time to arrange since you must freeze your guy-out factors in place in snow, a course of referred to as sintering. This may take 20-Half-hour, throughout which era you’ll get a lot colder. You need to resolve which choice is best in your wants.
Pole Structure
Many winter tents have a number of crossed poles, anchored inside or outdoors the tent partitions. Exterior poles which might be anchored in sleeves are a lot stronger than poles that connect with an interior tent utilizing clips or velcro tabs. They’re far more wind-resistant and able to withstanding heavier snow masses. For tarps, most require one or two poles to arrange, though ones with excessive ceilings could require that you just lash two trekking poles collectively, often with a versatile ski strap, to achieve the right top.
Man Out Factors
It’s essential to safe your tent or tarp to the snow once you set it up so it doesn’t blow away and so the partitions don’t collapse below wind strain. Winter tents usually include gear loops as an alternative of guylines for this function so you should use gear to anchor your tent, like skis, poles, ice axes, and so on. Should you use snow stakes, it’s essential to freeze these in place by packing snow throughout them and letting it harden. If there’s no snow on the bottom, you’ll have a really laborious time pounding common tent stakes into the frozen floor. When this occurs, you’ll rapidly notice the benefit of utilizing a freestanding tent.
Air flow
You will need to reduce and cut back inner condensation. That is achieved by retaining tent door(s) open when possible, via peak and facet vents, and in some instances via the usage of breathable wall materials. You may by no means have an excessive amount of air flow in a winter tent or shelter since you’re sleeping on prime of water, frozen water. Search for tent doorways which have mesh screens backing them, as this allows you to maintain a door open at evening for air flow however blocks snow from blowing into the tent.
Inside Area
Winter tents designed for prime alpine mountaineering are sometimes cramped as a result of weight financial savings are so vital when you must climb many 1000’s of ft to achieve your vacation spot. When choosing a winter tent be lifelike about your size and width necessities, significantly when selecting a two-person wedge-style tent, as livability could be compromised. Think about buying an add-on vestibule if accessible as a result of they make a great “gear room” so that you can retailer moist or snow-covered gear or to prepare dinner and soften snow below (with correct air flow to forestall carbon monoxide poisoning) if you must wait out a storm.
Variety of Doorways
Tents designed to carry two occupants are extra snug and handy to make use of if they’ve two doorways and vestibules as a result of you’ll be able to come and go with out waking your tent associate. Dome-style tents typically present larger coated vestibule storage, which might make a major distinction in livability.
Floorless Shelters
Winter tarps should not have flooring in an effort to save weight. Most individuals dig into the snow with an avalanche shovel to create “furnishings” for sleeping or sitting and to extend the quantity of usable house below the tarp. Some folks, even reduce out the flooring of their freestanding tents, together with the Black Diamond FirstLight, for a similar function, as a result of it vastly improves livability.
DCF (Dyneema) Tents and Tarps
Whereas tarp shelters made with DCF (Dyneema Composite Materials) are lighter-weight than ones made with silnylon or polyester, snow slides higher down the edges of silnylon and polyester shelters as a result of they’re slicker, decreasing the burden of snow loading on the tent poles/ski poles holding up your tent or tarp. As well as, DCF tarps are a lot bulkier to pack making them much less fascinating in winter when backpack house is at such a premium.
Up to date Dec. 2024
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