A solid, lightweight backpacking tent is a crucial piece of gear. We’ve learned the hard way… don’t skimp on tents; it’s important to be comfortable in camp without suffering on the trail. If you’re new to backpacking and don’t know where to start, you may want to check out more traditional backpacking tents (link). But, if you have a slightly more twisted sense of the words “fun” and “comfort” consider a trekking pole tent.
Why would anyone want to use a trekking pole tent when freestanding tents are “so much easier”? Well, to start, they really aren’t much more work than any other tent. Unless you are camping in ideal conditions, it is good practice to stake and guy out your freestanding tent anyway. Most can be pitched in under five minutes with practice. They are much lighter than most traditional tents, with many coming in at under 2 pounds thanks to ditching the tent poles. In some ways, trekking pole supported shelters are more reliable. For instance, if your conventional tent pole breaks you are SOL, whereas a broken trekking pole can be substituted by a tree limb or creative tie-outs.
However, there are disadvantages to these tent designs. A conventional freestanding tent is much easier to relocate when fine-tuning your pitch location. With a trekking pole tent, if you want to relocate a few yards you must set everything back up from nearly ground zero. It’s more difficult to clean the floor of your tent (if you have one) because it’s not as simple as lifting it and shaking out debris. There can be more skill and trailcraft involved to pitch a non-freestanding tent in some locations, like platforms or rocky areas. Bugs- many trekking pole tents require you to buy a separate inner-netting if you need the extra protection.
MSR Flylite Tent
The MSR Flylite is a wonderful option for fair-weather hiking. Weighing only 25 ounces (without stakes), it is able to comfortably hold two people and the awning has plenty of room to cover up gear. There is mesh netting on the sides, foot, and entire front door for ventilation and to keep the no-see-ums out. The design of this tent is best suited to the hiker that plans on traveling in drier climates without severe winds. The flat roof and awning wings are apt to catch the wind, covering the mesh vents and creating sags for condensation and rain to pool up. It will not handle much snowfall. Because of the poor aerodynamics, the shelter is also prone to pulling up the MSR mini-groundhog stakes it comes with. However, this tent is worth considering for the casual hiker who wants to cut some weight, have ample room, and will be traveling in mild, dry weather.
TarpTent ProTrail
If you’re looking for a lighter weight option to your conventional double-wall pole tent, but aren’t ready to go full minimalist with a standard tarp, check this shelter out. It weighs only 26 ounces and includes a mesh inner-liner and bathtub floor to keep the bugs and rain out. It pitches all at once to ensure the inside stays dry if it’s raining and only requires a few guy lines and your trekking poles at the front and rear. When pitched, the ProTrail looks very similar to a tarp, but without many of the drawbacks. The shelter has well designed features to encourage ventilation and packs down almost to the size of a nalgene bottle. The only disadvantages are that it’s prone to flapping in strong winds and the 30d silnylon can stretch when wet or stressed. Even so, the ProTrail is an excellent ultralight, three-season option.
Black Diamond Beta Light
It’s hard to find a 4 season, ultralight tent for one or two hikers that beats the Beta Light. The tent only weighs about 24 ounces ready-to-go and is erected with your trekking or ski poles. It has plenty of room for two people to sleep or one person with gear. The tent is a favorite for backcountry skiers who live in the snow for days at a time. The steep, slick walls shed snow, rain, and wind easily. It is single-walled and only has one door, so condensation can be an issue because of poor ventilation. A bug netting is also available for the tent if you want to use it in the spring and summer months!