Finest Ultralight Backpacking Tents Beneath $300

Whereas many ultralight backpacking tents have change into costly, there are nonetheless many budget-friendly fashions obtainable beneath $300 which might be light-weight and enjoyable to make use of. They’re made with extra typical materials like siliconized polyester, siliconized nylon, or ripstop nylon which all have a well-established historical past of sturdy use.

If spending an arm and a leg on an ultralight Dyneema DCF tent is out of your attain, listed below are the Finest AFFORDABLE Ultralight Backpacking Tents, each single-wall and double-wall tents, that we suggest. 

1. Gossamer Gear “The One”

2. Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo

3. Six Moon Designs Skyscape Trekker

The Skyscape Trekker (28 oz) is a big and ethereal tent good for tall hikers or individuals who like a number of air flow. It has two massive aspect doorways and vestibules for gear storage. It requires two trekking poles to arrange (accent poles obtainable individually) and features a third roof strut to hyperlink the 2 poles collectively and create a ceiling. The tent has a hybrid single-wall double-wall design the place 80% of the rain fly is separated from you by no-see-um mesh. The trekker is made with low-stretch siliconized polyester however should be seam-sealed earlier than use (obtainable for an additional charge).

4. Featherstone Spine 2P

5. Tarptent Protrail

6. 3FUL Lanshan Professional 1

7. Tarptent Rainbow

The Tarptent Rainbow is without doubt one of the few ultralight tents obtainable right now that doesn’t require trekking poles to pitch. As an alternative, it comes with two poles, a protracted central one and a brief forehead pole that create a big inside residing area that may match a 25″ sleeping pad with ease and create two full-size vestibules that present ample gear cupboard space. The Rainbow is simple to arrange as a result of the fly and flooring are totally built-in and the inside will keep dry even when you could pitch it within the rain. It’s made with 20D silicone coated polyester with a 30D sil-nylon 66 flooring for wonderful power and sturdiness, even in very heavy rain. The Rainbow can be obtainable in a two-person mannequin and one made with Dyneema DCF.

8. Durston X-Mid 1

9. Durston X-Mid 2

The Durston Gear X-Mid 2 is a spacious double-wall, two-person trekking pole tent that requires two trekking poles to arrange. Weighing 36 oz, the tent has two doorways and two vestibules with a form that makes it extraordinarily climate and storm-worthy. The all-mesh inside tent has offset peaks to maximise headroom and comes with 4 inside pockets for gear storage. Massive kickstand vents within the fly present wonderful air flow, however the twin doorways and vestibules are additionally designed to allow them to be left open within the rain with out splashback. The tent is made with no-sag polyester and totally seam-taped with Aquaguard door zippers enabling hassle-free use in all circumstances.

10. Sierra Designs Excessive Route 1P Tent

The Sierra Designs Excessive Route FL 1 is a double-wall trekking pole tent designed for individuals who need the complete protection and headroom of a two-peak pyramid, the flexibility to pitch fly-first in a storm, and the flexibleness of a modular shelter system. Designed by Andrew Skurka, it’s comparable in sure respects to the Durston Gear X-Mid 1, however has been overshadowed by it the market. Designed by Andrew Skurka, in been confirmed within the area and it’s fairly light-weight weighing simply 27 oz.

UL Backpacking Tent Choice Information

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

Ultralight Tent Supplies and Value Factors

Trekking poles tents can be found in a wide range of completely different supplies and at completely different value factors. Dyneema DCF is the lightest weight materials and the costliest, partly as a result of it requires specialised manufacturing processes. Tents made with siliconized polyester (silpoly), siliconized nylon (silylon), and Polyurethane (PU) coated silnylon are a lot inexpensive than Dyneema as a result of they are often sewn utilizing typical strategies. These three materials are additionally roughly comparable in value. It’d be troublesome to say which is the very best 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 when it will get moist 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’re extra susceptible 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 once they get moist from rain. They’re additionally far inexpensive and a few are seam-taped, so you should use them out of the field with none seam sealing.
• Tents made with PU-coated silnylon are typically extra waterproof than common silnylon, however you could evaluate 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 will be manufacturing facility seam-taped.
• Tents made with silnylon are nonetheless widespread as a result of it’s a straightforward materials for producers to work with. Whereas silnylon does stretch at night time and when it will get moist, it’s not as massive a deal as individuals make it out to be. Silnylon tents should be manually seam-sealed earlier than they can be utilized in wet climate. Whereas you are able to do this your self, my recommendation could 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 internal tents. Whereas each are prone 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 internal tent and rainfly on many double-wall tents may also be used independently from each other, for instance as a standalone tarp or as a bug bivy, which may lengthen their utility. The benefit of a single-wall tent over a double-wall one is often decreased weight.

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

Headroom

Many ultralight backpacking tents pole tents have a pyramid form which may restrict the quantity of headroom and foot room obtainable beneath the sloping ceiling. Mendacity in your again and gazing a ceiling that’s three inches out of your face will be unpleasantly claustrophobic. Ensure you study the size of the tents you’re contemplating, along with their peak heights.

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

Vestibules

Vestibules are good for gear storage, particularly moist gear storage, and for cooking beneath cowl in windy or wet climate. Most one-pole tents have a single vestibule, whereas two-pole tents typically have two. When shopping for a two-person tent, you’ll positively need two doorways and two vestibules so you may every have your personal entrance and equipment storage space. It may also be fairly helpful to have two doorways and two vestibules on a one-person tent, particularly when you anticipate stormy climate circumstances the place you may 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 Size

Whenever you select a trekking pole tent, you wish to guarantee that it’s suitable with the make and mannequin of trekking pole you utilize when you’ve got a choice. Fastened-length poles that aren’t adjustable will be troublesome to make use of with trekking pole tents which have very particular peak necessities. As well as, you wish to guarantee that your trekking pole handles are suitable if they’ve a non-standard grip.

SectionHiker by no means accepts cost for gear evaluations or editorial protection. Whenever you purchase by way of affiliate hyperlinks on our web site, we might earn a small fee at no additional value to you. Assist us proceed to check and write unsponsored and impartial gear evaluations, mountain climbing and backpacking FAQs, and free mountain climbing guides.