Have you ever got the chance to go on a hike and spend a day/night or more on the mountain’s peak and enjoying the splendid sceneries and fresh air from nature?
Especially in today’s world where work is getting more hectic, and people hardly get some time for themselves and families, recreational activities like this must boost their work capacity and break from worldly noise and technologies.
Spending a few days in the nature through hiking and camping are a few of the highly used tactics. Especially in mountainous places, hiking is the most enjoyable and loved leisure activity.
But if you want to gain more from experience, you must spend at least a day or night there. However, it is impossible without high quality, comfortable, and safe tents because accommodation is hard to find in those peak places.
This article will educate you and enhance your decision-making by providing you a list of some best backpacking tents. The list contains some of the most liked and exceptionally well-featured backpacking tents ranked by consumers. So, let’s know more about those amazing backpacking tents.
How We Chose the Best Backpacking Tents for Hiking Washington
There are so many amazing backpacking tents available in the market, each product having excellent design and features of their own. But you cannot just go and randomly purchase a tent based on how beautifully it is designed. The best backpacking tents must offer more than that. For example, a best backpacking tent will have water-resistance quality because there are high chances of rain on the mountains, and if your tent does not have this quality, you will most likely end up ruining your trip.
Moreover, the best backpacking tents also have strong fibers, which will protect you during a bad storm. Along with the quality mentioned above, a backpacking tent must also have lightweight. Heavy tents can be troublesome during hiking as it consumes more energy, and carrying it will be difficult for the hikers. The best backpacking tents will also be spacious. Having ample space will make sleeping in a tent comfortable and, ultimately, your trip enjoyable.
And last but not least, you should pay high consideration to the price of a tent. A high quality, lightweight, and comfortable tent will most likely cost much. You might have to reconsider your budget if you do not have much to offer.
Looking for additional gear guides? Please check out our buyer’s guide to the Best Hiking Boots and Best Hiking Backpacks .
Our Picks for The Best Backpacking Tents for Hiking Washington
Check out our picks for the top 10 Best Backpacking Tents. Scroll down to read our review of each.
- ZPacks Duplex (and Triplex)
- Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 (and UL3)
- REI Passage 2
- MSR Hubba Hubba
- SlingFin Portal
- REI Half Dome 2 Plus
- REI Quarter Dome
- Marmot Tungsten 2P UL Tent
- Nemo Hornet 2P
- Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL2
ZPacks Duplex (and Triplex)
The exceptional ZPacks Duplex and Triplex backpacking tent are the most amazing, ultralight tents, best for hiking, camping, and other adventurous spots. This tent contains excellent space and weather protection, which makes it survivable in all kinds of weather. Moreover, it is made through expensive DCF fabric, which has caused a huge increase in its price. However, DCF fabric has amazingly increased its quality, made it light, durable, and fully waterproof.
The only undesirable thing about this tent is that it has a slight learning curve due to its single wall and non-freestanding design. It might require much time to set it up until you get enough practice.
Features of the ZPacks Duplex and Triplex
- Contains vestibules/2 doors
- Incredible space, two or three people can easily fit in
- Contains excellent DCF material, which makes it water-resistant
- Highly waterproof
- Does not snag when wet
- Contains trekking poles which can be twofold as tent poles
- Tent Weight: 1 lb and 13.9 oz
- Tent Dimensions (L x W x H): 90 x 45 x 48 inches
Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 (and UL3)
The amazing Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 and UL3 are top-performing backpacking tents with lightweight, weather protection, and interior space. Moreover, this tent is extremely easy to use. However, the Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 and UL3 might not be suitable for those with a tight budget as it is a bit pricy. But its high price is justifiable due to its excellent features and the lightweight it offers.
For solo hikers, the UL2 with a tighter interior can be the best pick. For couples who often backpack in pairs, UL3 would be the perfect choice because it has more space and weighs just 13 ounces over UL2.
Features of the Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 (and UL3)
- UL2 contains two doors
- Extremely light
- Excellent solid design
- UL2 weighs just over three pounds while UL3 weighs 13 ounces over it
- Contains two spacious vestibules
- Highly functional
- Easy to set up
- Weather-resistant keeps its dwellers completely dry
- Item Dimensions (L x W x H): 88 x 52/42 x 40 inches
- Wider at head
- Narrower at foot
REI Passage 2
The REI Co-op Passage 2 is one of the most liked backpacking tents in the overall industry. This high-performing tent has a perfect combination of affordable price and excellent functionality. If your first hike and you are a new backpacker with a tight budget, then the amazing REI Co-op Passage 2 should be your ultimate choice because this tent is best for starters.
Moreover, it does not weigh much if two hikers split the passage. Even if carried by a single hiker, it can easily be carried. Furthermore, it is highly durable and can easily function well for many years, and easily withstand hikes and traveling hundreds of miles.
Features of the REI Passage 2
- Excellent quality, which makes it extremely durable
- Affordable price for those with a tight budget
- Excellent functionality
- A best and most affordable option for the starters
- Product Weight: 5 lbs and 7.5 oz
- Product Dimensions (L x W x H): 88 x 52 x 40 inches
- Designed to function well for many years
MSR HUBBA HUBBA NX 2
The amazing MSR Hubba Hubba NX2 backpacking tent is one of the most recognized brands in the industry. This tent has been perfectly designed to have ample space and be highly durable. Moreover, the high-quality fabric used in it makes it work well in all kinds of weather, including stormy and rainy weather.
Furthermore, it has near-vertical sidewalls and an asymmetrical layout, providing excellent space for one or two hikers. The MSP Hubba Hubba NX2 has a freestanding design, which makes its setting up incredibly easy. This efficient backpacking tent is one the best tents are known for its comfortable design and excellent protection depending upon how well the users use it.
Features of the MSR Hubba Hubba NX 2
- One of the most liked brands in the industry
- Provides ample space for two hikers due to its near-vertical sidewalls and symmetrical layout
- Made with excellent and high-quality fabrics
- Works amazing in all kinds of weathers like rainy and stormy
- Extremely easy to set up due to freestanding design
- Highly comfortable
- Excellent protection
- Tent Weight: 3 lbs and 14.1 oz
- Tent Dimension (L x W x H): 84 x 50 x 39 inches
Slingfin Portal
The SlingFin Portal is one of the most lightweight tents you can find. Its freestanding design has contributed much to its lightweight. It is extremely strong and can survive in all kinds of weather, even stormy. Moreover, you can also attach trekking poles with this tent’s frame to increase its protection and stability in harsh weather conditions.
Along with great protection and lightweight, the SlingFin Portal also contains a wide crossbar and high peak height making it more livable than other ordinary tents for two persons. It offers excellent convenient features, which include amazing pockets, lightweight, freestanding design, and more. These features make it the most loved and the best of its kind.
Features of the SlingFin Portal
- Contains extremely lightweight, best for solo traveling
- Freestanding design
- Extremely strong to survive in all weathers
- Trekking poles can be attached for making it more stable
- High protection
- Contains a high peak height and a wide crossbar, making it more livable
- Best for two persons
- Product Weight: 3 lbs and 4 oz
- Product Dimension (L x W x H): 85 x 51/42 x 44 inches
- Wider at head
- Narrower at foot
REI Half Dome 2 Plus
Despite so many backpacking tents in the market, the REI Co-op Half Dome 2 Plus has its importance. This tent has an excellent design with maximized durability and interior space. Despite offering amazing features, the manufacturer has minimized the price to the lowest possible amount making it affordable for all users.
It contains a generous overhead crossbar and dimensions that have increased the tent’s space while high-quality material has extended its life than most other backpacking tents. However, it weighs slightly over other average tents in the industry. But if split between two people, it can work well. This all in one backpacking tent is hard to beat with so many things to offer at a very reasonable price.
Features of the REI Half Dome 2 Plus
- Item Weight: 5 lbs and 4.5 oz
- Item Dimension (L x W x H): 92 x 56 x 44 inches
- Excellent and efficient design
- More durable than other tents
- Maximized interior space
- Highly budget-friendly pricing
- Huge overhead crossbar and dimensions
- High-quality material
REI Quarter Dome
The REI Co-op Quarter Dome SL 2 can be a great choice for all backpackers with a tight budget. This extremely efficient and light backpacking tent is one of the most budget-friendly options available in the industry.
Moreover, the Quarter Dome SL also offers a perfect space for living inside for a single person. The addition of large vestibules outside the tent for storage has made it even more desirable. However, this amazing tent has a semi-freestanding design that requires more time and efficiency while setting up, but its lightweight has compensated for its semi-freestanding interior. The REI Co-op Quarter Dome SL 2 can be your choice to search for a product with exceptional features and on point ventilation.
Features of the REI Quarter Dome
- Has an extremely lightweight as compared to its competitors
- Highly affordable and budget-friendly
- A great option for starters
- Offers ample space for single hiker
- Contains large vestibules outside the tent
- Offers on-point ventilation
- Product Weight: 2 lbs and 15.9 oz
- Product Dimension (L x W x H): 88 x 52/42 x 38 inches
- Contains wider head and narrower foot size
Marmot Tungsten 2P UL Tent
The Marmot Tungsten 2P UL is a great example of a full packaged product that offers lightweight, great livability, and comparable cost. However, it has been highly underrated as compared to the features it offers. This backpacking tent’s floor plan is highly similar to that of MSR Hubba Hubba NX and Copper Spur HV UL2, but the best thing about Marmot Tungsten 2P UL is that it has a lower price and higher space than those mentioned tents. The material used in this tent is polyester, due to which the rainfly used in it doesn’t snag in cold and wet weather. Moreover, you can open its door zippers even with a single hand.
However, the biggest flaw about this product is that the two side vestibules are not symmetrical; one is larger than the other. But this con can easily be neglected due to the amazing features offered by the manufacturer of this versatile tent.
Features of the Marmot Tungsten 2P UL Tent
- Weight: 3 lbs and 10.8 oz
- Dimension (L x W x H): 88 x 54/46 x 42 inches
- Its head is wider while the foot is narrower
- Ultralight and easy to transport even at long distance hikes
- Excellent livability due to larger space
- Reasonable price, best for lower budget
- Polyester material makes it hard to snag in rainy and cold weathers
- Easy to use door zippers
Nemo Hornet 2
The NEMO Hornet 2 is one of the incredible backpacking tents which offers a semi-freestanding and light double-wall design. This tent contains two doors and vestibules of large size. It is an additional benefit among tents of the same weight.
The manufacturers claim it to be a 2-person tent, but its interior space has been highly limited due to the slanted walls. This makes it uncomfortable for two people as the space gets tight. However, it can be a perfect option for solo backpackers because it has excellent space for a single backpacker. We can depict a comfortable backpacking tent with larger vestibules and satisfactory interior pockets for single hikers from the overall analysis of this tent.
Features of the Nemo Hornet 2
- Item Weight: 2 lbs and 4.9 oz
- Item Dimension (L x W x H): 85 x 51/43 x 40 inches
- Designed well with a wider head and narrower foot
- Double-wall and semi-freestanding design
- Large doors and vestibules
- Contains ultralight weight
- The best option for solo travelers and hikers
Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL2
The ultralight Big Agnes’ Tiger Wall UL2 is known for its excellent delivery of interior space. The Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL2 contains two famous BA tents, a shape similar to Copper Spur with a lighter weight. Moreover, this tent’s pole structure resembles the Fly Creek, but it has a larger interior space.
The material used in this tent’s production is as thin as a trail, which makes it a hard option for the hikers who are uneven on gear. The Tiger Wall can be like a shelter if you take proper care of it.
Features of the Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL2
- Excellent and roomy interior space
- Weight: 2 lbs and 8.1 oz
- Dimension (L x W x H): 86 x 52/42 x 39 inches
- Resembles two well-known BA tents
- Very lightweight
- Semi-freestanding design
Our Final Thoughts
Recreational activities are a must thing to escape from the hectic life routine, and especially in the era where technologies are overloading, getting a small escape has become essential.
I know it is hard to get more days to leave from office/school to go on a long vacation, but hiking on weekends is easy and the most feasible option. So, this weekend treats yourself to a trip to nature. Pack your bag, take your tent, and go to the nearest mountain to enjoy the fresh breeze from nature.
