Tents
This 11-page section of Backpacker’s annual toy catalog contains 33 reviews—compiled after six months of testing 65 solo, two-person, three-person, and mountaineering tents.
Excerpts:
ONE-PERSON
best all-around
Big Agnes Fly Creek UL 1
You don’t need to be an ounce-counter to appreciate this: a roomy double-wall tent that’s as light as a bivy sack. Our 5’10” tester could stretch out and even sit up in the three-season Fly Creek without feeling like a netted fish, thanks to a 38-inch peak height, 22-square-foot floor, and a pack-swallowing vestibule that minimizes interior clutter. The key is a single hubbed pole with a long section that lifts the spine of the tent, adding structure with minimal weight. There is a space tradeoff at the tapered foot end, but testers didn’t mind the smaller dimensions there. Guyed out, the Fly Creek proved unflappable in 15-mph winds, despite the ultralight materials. $300; 1 lb. 14 oz.
high and wide
Kelty Corrie 1
This spacious solo shelter actually accommodated two testers in a pinch; the couple (yes, spooning required) found the 36-inch width cozy but sufficient. The freestanding, double-wall Corrie is equally oversize in height, with a 39-inch peak that delivers airy headroom. And on a stormy trip to Colorado’s Indian Peaks Wilderness, a tester reported that the eight-square-foot vestibule proved “big enough for gear storage and foul-weather cooking.” Oddly, the king-size dimensions don’t extend to length, making the Corrie best for sub-six-footers who want plenty of living space. Extended tent time is also improved by superior airflow—thanks to large mesh patches on the canopy and three rainfly vents—that prevents condensation. Durable fabrics, like 30-denier siliconized ripstop nylon, looked new after a season of use. $240; 3 lbs. 3 oz.
stargazer
MontBell Crescent 1
Get the best of indoor/outdoor sleeping: Just roll back the rainfly to reveal the mesh canopy—and a 180-degree sky view. The Crescent achieves the feat—along with incredibly low weight—by employing single-wall construction at the foot and double-wall at the head. It’s not freestanding, but pitches fast with one pole and seven stakes, and proved “rock solid during a gusty storm that dropped four inches of snow,” said a tester who used it in Idaho’s Sawtooths. Sub-six-footers found its length adequate and headroom excellent when they were sitting up, since the peak’s high point is at the tent’s midsection. While prone, however, testers said the sloping walls felt close. Downsides: On calm nights, condensation collected at the head and foot, and the tiny “vestibule” over the door only shelters a pair of boots. $229; 2 lbs. 1 oz.
Killer deal
MSR Skinny One
Don’t be fooled by the name: This hoop-style tent could have been called the Sumo Special. “It’s the most livable solo tent I’ve ever used,” raved one tester after a trip in Utah’s Uinta Mountains. That’s because the floor is 28 inches wide and 86 inches long, with no odd-shaped corners to diminish real-world space. Also, the vestibule stores a pack and boots with space to spare. Only the peak height (30 inches) is below average, but headroom still feels adequate since the ceiling doesn’t have a steep taper. It isn’t freestanding, but it pitches in a flash with four stakes, and strong winds barely rocked the aerodynamic shape. Single-wall warning: Testers reported a minor amount of condensation on calm nights. $200; 3 lbs. 3 oz.
long and light
Nemo GoGo EX
The tallest hikers usually get squeezed by the lightest tents. Not so with the GoGo’s floor plan. With 124 inches from foot to door, an NBA center could unfurl completely—though he couldn’t sit up. In order to stay well under 3 pounds, the tent compensates for XXL lie-down space with XXS headroom (peak height is 26 inches). Nemo’s signature inflatable design—an air beam, not poles--provides structure. And though it’s not freestanding, the GoGo is simple to pitch: Just inflate the central arch and stake out the perimeter. Two doors—at the side and head—are convenient, but vestibule space is too small for a full-size pack. The rainfly’s perimeter hugs the ground for a tight seal against blowing rain and snow, but that also limits ventilation: Testers reported condensation at the foot in all conditions. $299; 2 lbs. 8 oz.
top ultralight
Tarptent Contrail
When the lightest tent is also the biggest, we know we have a winner. The Contrail’s 91-inch length and 45-inch peak height pleased our largest testers, and its pound-plus weight made our ultralighters giddy. What’s the catch? No poles. The non-freestanding shelter pitches with a trekking pole and four stakes, and achieving a taut setup initially requires some practice. Properly rigged, the Contrail held firm against moderate wind as long as the foot end was angled into the gusts. Broad mesh vents around the perimeter allow plenty of airflow. The 10-square-foot vestibule shelters a pack and boots, and the lightweight siliconized ripstop nylon fabrics withstood being pitched on Sierra Nevada granite. Bummer: The trekking-pole support blocks the middle of the entrance, making entry and exit awkward. $199; 1 lb. 6 oz.
TWO-PERSON
Editors’ Choice Green Award
Big Agnes Salt Creek Recycled
LEED construction comes to tents in this roomy double-wall made from recycled materials. See page 33 for a full review. $350; 6 lbs.
Killer deal
Eureka Zeus 2 Classic
“The Honda Civic of shelters” was how one tester described the value equation for this freestanding dome. The single-wall Zeus weighs less than four pounds and withstands brutal weather. Testers found it a dependable refuge during a week of torrential downpours in New York’s Catskills State Park. One reported, “Single-walls normally have excessive condensation in those conditions, but the mesh door and three hooded vents provided enough ventilation to minimize moisture build-up.” Setup is superfast: Clipping the two poles to the tent body achieved a drum-taut pitch that didn’t flap or rattle in high winds. The 33-square-foot floor is adequate—a pair of 200-pounders shared it but called it a tight squeeze—and the vestibule holds gear for two. Tradeoffs: It’s steamy in warm, humid weather, and has only one door. $160; 3 lbs. 14 oz.
tough and light
Exped Aries Mesh
If you value weight savings and bomber design, here’s your bunker. The hoop-style Aries Mesh is made to withstand rough use and the wettest conditions. Ultra-rugged fabrics, like 210-denier nylon in the pole sleeves, showed zero wear after a full summer of use. The interior is plenty roomy for waiting out a storm, as a pair of testers did in Idaho’s Sawtooth Mountains, and the single huge vestibule (16 square feet) easily absorbs a pile of gear without blocking the door. A full five inches of air space between the canopy and fly eliminates even the hint of condensation. Setup is lightning-fast, because the tent body stays clipped to the fly—a great feature if you do a lot of wet-weather camping, as it keeps the interior dry when you pitch it in a storm. More rain-friendly features: A smart mesh pocket stores wet clothing in the vestibule, and a clothesline runs along the ceiling inside. Downsides: It’s not freestanding, and has one door. $325; 4 lbs. 14 oz.
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