wanderlustav What’s the best backpacking tent? Backpacking tents come in different style and technologies. Having the right one is a necessity but not all are created equal nor a perfect one size fit all. As many experienced adventurers know, having the right equipment is essential to any outdoor activities like backcountry backpacking or multiple-day hikes.Finding the right backpacking tent is never an easy job. There are so many options out there that you can get lost in the sea of brands and products. If you often find yourself in this kind of situations, then today is your lucky day. That’s because we’ve done all the possible research for you and have compared dozens of products from all of the top brands.We at Always Wanderlust have combined decades of backcountry and long-term backpacking experience. We’ve braved the elements. We’ve climbed mountains and we’re here to take the guesswork out of choosing the best tent for you.We’ve handpicked a few tents worth mentioning to make this top 10 list. You won’t have to worry about picking or searching for the right tent because we’ve already done the research for you.How to Choose the Best Backpacking Tents Despite what you may have heard, buying a tent can be quite challenging if you have no prior experience. Even seasoned and veteran backpackers often have to debate over the kind of tent they will need to fulfill their requirements. Getting the right specifications, you need to have a balancing act and one that needs careful consideration. With that in mind, we’ve listed below some of the aspects that you need to keep in mind when shopping for a tent. This will also help you narrow down your choices from the above-mentioned candidates.Weight The last thing you need on a backpacking trip is to have more weight tugging on your shoulders. While most tents are light enough to not add a significant impact, that’s not always the case. There are many tents out there that are quite heavy and do not fare well for hiking and backpacking. Less weight also means that you have more room for other things like supplies, gear, utilities, food and extra pairs of clothes. Generally, you’ll find that backpacking tents are anywhere from normal weight to lightweight and even ultralight weight. The best thing to do here is to choose according to your total carrying capacity.Capacity The next aspect that’s crucial is the capacity of the tent. You don’t want to end up going through your trip enjoying yourself only to be cramped in a tent with 5 other people at night. At the same time, you don’t want to bring a big heavy tent if you’re going solo. Make sure to buy a tent according to your requirements. Buying multiple tents is also an option if you’re going with a big group. It is better to be safe than sorry.Price Obviously, you’re not going to buy something you can’t afford. Cheap backpacking tents don’t have to be bad. This is why you have to carefully consider the price of the tent that is on offer. It’s important to remember here that price doesn’t directly correlate to quality. You can find good-quality backpacking tents for cheap and similarly find average-quality tents with a not-so-average price tag. Make sure you’re getting the best value for money when making your purchase.Protection What good is a tent if it can’t shield you from the outside elements? That is why it’s crucial that you find out what kind of protection your tent can provide. Whether it’s water-proofing or netting to reduce inner humidity, make sure your tent is up to the task. Some cheap beginner backpacking tents out there offer little to no protection so choose carefully.Assembly No one wants to stand out in the cold for hours trying to find out how to assemble the tent. It’s an important factor to consider when buying a tent. Make sure that you know what kind of tent you want, whether it’s a freestanding tent, a semi-freestanding tent or a non-freestanding tent. These ranges vary in terms of difficulty of setup. A tent that needs minimal poles and pegging points will always be easier to set up. Similarly, a freestanding tent has the absolute minimum amount of setup needed.Durability If you regularly go on backpacking and camping trips, you need something that’s rugged and can survive at least a couple of trips. While no tent lasts for an eternity, anything that wears out in a few trips is less than ideal. Make sure that your tent is made from durable materials. Try to read up on the manufacturer’s return and warranty policy, just in case you get a defective product.Vestibules and Doors Having more than one person in the tent means that they will need to enter and exit at different times. If you have more than one door and vestibule, you can be sure that they can go about their business without disturbing you and vice versa.Getting a tent with two vestibules is also beneficial when dealing with more than two people. The last thing you want is being huddled in the tent with another person only to have their equipment hit you while you’re asleep. By getting a tent with two vestibules, you can solve this problem. This way you can each have your belongings safely put away without having them in the tent taking up valuable space.Design It’s easy to spot a well-designed tent as opposed to a poorly designed one. When considering different designs, make sure that you pick something that will stay functional and practical. These days, a lot of tent manufacturers go for crazy-looking designs that don’t offer a lot of practicality. Try to get past how well designed it is on the outside and try to find out what it’s like on the inside.It’s also important to make sure that everything functions well and doesn’t break or stop working when you least expect it to. When you’re in a camping ground miles away from civilization in the middle of the night, it can really come back to haunt you.Season Rating Despite what some people will have you believe, not all backpacking tents can brave the four seasons. Usually, you’re going to find tents built for 3 seasons or less, which are summer, spring and fall. Light winter can still be tolerated by a few tents but if you’re planning on going camping near the Rocky Mountains, you’ll need something more specialized. If rain is a concern, make sure you have waterproofing available on your preferred tent.Floor Aside from the tent’s exterior, you also need to pay attention to the way the floor is designed. A lot of times you may have a wide tent with a narrow floor that really limits your space and capacity. While you’re at it, you might also want to consider getting a tent that has a footprint which can help protect your floor from tearing through pointy rocks and uneven terrain. Getting a tent with a more layered floor will also help you keep warm against the cold ground.Walls Another overlooked aspect of buying a tent is the walls of the tent. Traditional tents come with single walls that may be thin fabric or padded with foam. But you can also get double-walled tents that provide a bit more protection. These tents come with two layers, an outer layer often called the tarp and an inner layer made of mesh lining. Double-walled backpacking tents are especially handy in situations where you have to deal with wet and damp conditions. Any condensation that forms on the inside of the tent is kept at bay with the inner mesh layer. These tents are also great at keeping your body heated, resulting in more warmth for colder climates.Conclusion By now you should have all the tools you need to pick out the tent that will work perfectly for your needs. At the end of the day, you can think of it as an investment. The more time and effort you put into it, the more output you get. It’s not all about getting something that’s the most expensive or the most feature-rich. Rather, you should get something that fits your needs perfectly and makes your trip feel memorable.Continue reading for the best backpacking tents tents tent backpacking camping adventure hiking backcountry