Tents Explained

Intro

It doesn't get more essential than this. A Wild Camping Tent is always a trade off between protection from the elements and weight. Wild Camping tents come in all shapes and sizes, from bivvy bags and ultra lightweight trekking pole single skin options to bombproof double wall freestanding geodesic domes.

Tent Types

To say there is a tent for every occasion would be an understatement. We’ll order these by weight, lightest to heaviest, obviously there are always exceptions but generally the following designs will run in this order of weight.

Bivvy Bag - The lightest and most Spartan of all shelters. Normally only slightly bigger than your sleeping bag, some come with a small pole to keep the head of the bag away from your face. Bivvy bags close with either a drawstring or a zip to keep the elements out, options are available with an extra mesh door allowing greater ventilation and visibility on clear nights. They are usually made of some form of breathable coated nylon or gore-tex. The lightweight nature of the Bivvy Bag obviously comes with its drawbacks, if you get caught out in heavy rain it certainly takes a bit of skill and flexibility to get out of your wet gear, into your Bivvy Bag, into your dry gear, all while keeping your Bivvy Bag dry. Combining your Bivvy Bag with a tarp of some kind creates an extremely versatile and still lightweight shelter system, the tarp creating a kind of vestibule area around your Bivvy allowing quick changes of clothing in inclement weather or a cooking area. Below are some examples of Bivvy Bags we like with a few features listed and links to where they are available to buy.

Pro’s and Con’s

Pro’s

About as lightweight as you are going to find

Easiest pitch, just roll it out and your done

Once inside the bag you have complete weather protection

Pitch literally anywhere, if theres space for you to lie down then you can sleep there

Con’s

Getting in and out can be a bit tricky

No ‘vestibule’ area for cooking or changing out of wet clothes

Some people find them to be a bit claustrophobic

Summary

The absolute versatility and flexibility of the humble Bivvy Bag cannot be understated, there are also few things that compare to Bivvy Bagging on a clear night looking up at the stars as you drift off to sleep, and if the weather takes a turn the absolute protection on offer for such little weight is hard to beat.

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Alpkit Hunka XL - We are big fans of Alpkit we have had plenty of gear from them over the years and never had any real issues, coated nylon construction with fully taped seams, 20,000mm Hydrostatic Head, Weight 490g, packs down reasonably small and has a drawstring hood. This is a good, solid, no frills bivvy bag at a very reasonable price.

Outdoor Research Helium Bivy - Another good company with an excellent track record for good products. This feature packed bivvy comes in at a super light 450g, a single hoop pole at the head makes this Bivvy more of a mini tent, paired with the double skin door one of which is a no-see-um mesh makes for excellent versatility. It's certainly more pricey than the Alpkit option but it's a brilliant bit of kit that we like.

Single skin trekking pole supported tents - The next step up from a Bivvy Bag, the trekking pole tent, although usually a bit heavier than the latter, if you already use trekking poles while hiking then some of the weight is negated by the fact you would have been carrying it anyway.They come in a variety of materials such as coated nylon at the lower price point all the way to Cuben Fiber right at the top end of the market. These Cuben Fiber iterations can be ridiculously lightweight but expect to pay a very hefty premium. Alot of the really lightweight options in this category are pretty low on features, with no insect netting or bathtub groundsheet they are little more than shaped tarps. The absence of a rainfly/inner tent combo can create condensation problems, especially in very cold or humid weather. Better ventilation would go some way towards solving the condensation issue but alot are either seriously lacking or have way too much which brings us to our next point. Although many of these tents are rated as 3 or 4 season, the actual weather resistance on offer can often leave a lot to be desired. As most are not completely enclosed spaces, combinations of driving wind/rain or wind/snow can cause issues unless pitches are very carefully chosen.

Pro’s and Con’s

Pro’s

Lightweight option

Trekking Poles become a double use item

Easy pitch - not quite as easy as a Bivvy Bag but still pretty straight forward

Great for late spring, summer and early autumn

Could be used in winter with the right consideration for location of pitch

Con’s

Some models don't come with a groundsheet as standard

Some models have no insect netting

Condensation issues

Lack of completely enclosed space

Summary

There is definitely a place in our pack for a trekking pole tent, when you want to go light and fast in the right climate they are probably the best option for a good night's sleep. We also love that your poles become a double use item, when we want to go light we begrudge every gram so a gram that gets used twice is always a bonus.

OneTigris Hillridge Backpacking Tent - At the budget end of the scale is this 2 person 2 pole tent from OneTigris, 1370g for a 2 person tent is very lightweight. Also comes packed with features like a sewn in bathtub groundsheet and mesh doors, a few storage pockets and lantern hooks, it also has two entrances both with a small vestibule for storing gear or cooking in.

3F UL Gear Lanshan Ultralight Tent - Another good budget example, 2 person, 3-4 season, a little bit heavier than the OneTigris at 1720g but still lightweight for a 2 person set up, this one has the advantage of having an inner and outer tent meaning alot of the usual condensation issue will be absent. All in all a nice piece of kit for a little bit more money than the OneTigris you get a double wall trekking pole tent with a minimal weight penalty.

Six Moon Designs Lunar Duo Explorer 2P Tent - An excellent mid range option, 2 person that comes in at a ridiculously light weight of 1191g. Single skin but with a sewn in insect mesh and groundsheet make this a very versatile lightweight 2 person tent.

Tunnel Tent - Tunnel tents come in a variety of designs, anywhere from 1 to 4 arched poles along the length of the tunnel shape. They tend to have quite vertical walls which means a lot of usable space inside relative to the weight of the tent. Setup can be a little bit tricky as one of the keys to the weather resistance of the structure is a nice taut pitch, when oriented with the narrow end into the prevailing wind these tents provide excellent wind resistance. With good head height to footprint ratio and the linear shape tunnel tents provide excellent liveability, they also usually have good sized vestibules for gear storage too. As long as a good pitch is available, the tent can be pitched taut and securely anchored tunnel tents perform well even on exposed pitches on high ground. Something to note about tunnel tents in certain materials is the sagging of materials after they are wet,to prevent sagging guy lines and pegging points can often require tightening a second time after the material gets wet and stretches. All things being said, tunnel tents offer an excellent Wild Camping shelter solution with a good amount of usable space coupled with good weather resistance and a medium weight.

Pro’s and Con’s

Pro’s

Good weight to space ratio

Nice headroom compared to trekking pole tents

Good weather resistance

Normally have good sized vestibules

Vertical walls create good usable space

Excellent wind resistance to the narrow end

Con’s

Getting the right pitch is essential

Needs good ground with solid anchors

Potential for sagging if pitch/anchors aren't perfect

Dont cope as good with side winds

Summary

Tunnel tents will take you pretty much anywhere you want to go, a little bit more care need be taken when choosing a pitch but once taut and anchored properly they offer excellent wind resistance. Minimal weight penalty for and ease of setup make these tents perfect for a Wild Camping trip to ust about anywhere.

Vango Banshee 300 - A nice budget option from a company with a long track record of producing decent tents at a good price point. This 2 pole tunnel tent comes in at 2800g, Vango says it could sleep 3 but we think it would be just a little bit too cosy so more or 2+ person tent. Good useability with two side entrances with big doors and a nice sized vestibule.

Terra Nova Laser Compact 2 - An excellent tent from Terra Nova who have a long history of producing high spec lightweight backpacking tents. This 2 person tent comes in at an unbelievable 1250g, ridiculously lightweight for the space on offer. Only one door and a small vestibule make this a little more spartan than the Vango above but for the difference in weight you cant really argue can you?

Hilleberg Nallo GT - This offering from the king of the tunnel tents is hands down one of the best on the market. 2900 grams of the finest materials with a vestibule that's nearly the same size as the sleeping area in this GT version. Ready to handle anything Mother Nature is ready to throw at it, this is the Rolls Royce of Tunnel Tents.