Lightweight Backpacking Tents for 2 or 4 Person Hiking and Camping

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1. gary edwards Verified Buyer – 10 September 2024

   Ok, so aside from the incredibly goofy and mercifully short video the company made, this is actually an outstanding product. Some backstory. I am 6′, 180# and have a fake knee that doesn’t always cooperate so when looking at solo tents, REAL WORLD dimensions were a lot more important vs the manufacturers promo. So, I ordered a number of tents which included the REI Trailmade 1, Bessport solo, Clostnature, Safacus 1 person (an interesting and good option for folks up to 5’6″) and of course, the Outdoor Products (OP) tent under review here. As I know several OCD hikers who do 20 miles a day and are gram counters, I decided not use their gear formula of “less weight = a LOT more money” because my knee says, “Uh, 3-4 miles a few times a year is just fine.” And while I’m willing to carry an extra pound or 2 to save some serious bucks, I really didn’t want to settle on quality, function or, durability (which the ultralight gear sometimes appears to have little of. Think women’s fragile nylon stockings.) So, I decided to see what these “bargain basement” tents were like while expecting nothing but junk. My logic being because I make a lot of my own gear, I could always just strip them down as materials. Pricewise, they averaged @ $60 except for the REI which was $180. (Note: you could buy 3 of these other tents for one REI. And two of them are virtually identical but also have 2 doors and vestibules…at 1/3 the price. Just saying… But – REI does give members a year’s trial use after which they can still return.) Of the 7 tents I got, set up, measured (with an actual tape in hand) and played around in endlessly under identical circumstances, I was astounded at the quality of all of them especially at this price point. I mean, truly astonished. (My most serious hiking addict bud guessed one of them was at LEAST $250 after he set it up and critiqued it. He was speechless when I said it was $60. And for what he paid for his tent I said the company should have someone carry it for you.) Anyway, the workmanship details in all these tents is just more than I’d ever expect. I mean reinforcing in spots most don’t, little extras here and there and some really good and clever design features. For instance, with the OP here, I found it to have the most usable room with, ironically, the smallest exterior footprint. Go figure. I could even turn around inside 180d which is saying something with a knee that doesn’t bend all that much and something I didn’t even bother trying in the others which all averaged 32-36″ in width. The OP measures 8′ long, 4′ at the widest tapering to 3′ at the head and 2′ at the foot, 42″ high and there is more than enough room for your pack, shoes and even a dog. And yes, you can fit 2 folks in there closely side by side with tapered pads but little gear. And for one person? Comparatively this thing is a mansion. It does, however, have 2 really good-sized gear nets on the front walls. And while there’s no loft, (there is a hook for a light) one can take a clothespin and hang socks etc. from the 4 tie-off lines inside the tent and have them out of the way. The 2 external poles even have a connecting nylon strap that goes UNDER the tent to keep the tension off the high denier floor fabric and the poles from spreading out too wide. Like I said, details. Understand this tent is NOT freestanding and requires at least 4 stakes. (In a pinch you might could do it with 2 stakes using a V line from the front and rear 2 corner tie-offs.) But when erected, it is very stable and rigid – just try to point the small end into the wind if a storm/wind is coming up. Ventilation appears quite adequate along with 2 closable vents over your head, and the tent actually holds a bit of heat when closed up. Some of the other tents such as the Bessport (also very nicely made) had slightly longer doors on both sides along with 2 vestibules which made getting in/out easy for my knee especially given the “duck under” height (with fly on) of 35″. So, door shape, size and tent height were important to me. The OP here also has 2 long doors and given the front pole arrangement, has a duck under of 38″ which is great for me. Also, as you go in, you’re naturally moving towards the much larger and taller front part of the tent which makes great sense. It should be noted the OP does not have the vestibules all the others seem to these days. For me, that was no great loss as the extra 12″ in width and length over the others is plenty of additional room to bring everything inside and also keep the walls and netting off your face. So, no vestibule was a small compromise but one which also has the benefit of allowing the use of smaller more compact set-up site footprint. This smaller footprint is actually a big deal as many of the new “ultralight tarp-tents” require numerous guy lines and may need 12-15′ on a side to set up whereas the OP fits easily in a 9×5′ spot which opens up a much larger choice of places. There is one nice feature of many tarp-tents though: they can be put up “fly-first” in the rain thus keeping the inner tent dry. With a little creativity, I was able to drape the OP fly over my head and attach the tent underneath, so it can sorta be done but it ain’t pretty to watch. However, barring strong winds, you only really need 4 stakes because you can lengthen the tent tie-downs to match the fly loops with a simple zip tie extension and then put one stake through both. I lengthened the foot area tent loops @ 3″ and the front loops 1″ and it works great. So, unless you’re really old, getting it up is quick. About the vestibules: here’s the extremely simple fix: Just put one grommet in the door flap bottom zipper corner as shown in the pictures. Tie a length of reflective line to the grommet and loop the other end around a stake and you’re done. (If you really wanted to be lazy or it was raining too hard to get out and undo the flap stake, you could use a longer line and loop it around the outer stake and bring the other end towards the tent to an inner stake. If you wanted to close the vestibule, just unhook the inner stake and the door will come to you.) In any case, this opens up a great amount of covered room or additional ventilation if it is raining and you need the fly on. Regarding the doors, I used them in a moderate rain and actually stayed pretty dry going in/out given the almost vertical sidewalls. Back to the “new” vestibule grommet, one can also put the tip of an upside-down hiking pole in it with a tie-off and turn the vestibule into a “porch” set-up. With a short line with a cord-lock in the grommet hole, you can also cross the fly over the top of the tent and tie it off in a fraction of the time of rolling it up. Both of these can be seen in the picture. So, two little grommets just open up a bunch of options and makes the tent way more versatile. For me another nicety is these tents use of polyester fabrics as opposed to nylon. While poly is a bit heavier than nylon, it’s also cheaper, more durable and sags much less when wet as it absorbs less water which is nice in a rainstorm and more so when you pack up a wet tent. (No sense paying a zillion bucks for tent that weighs just as much wet as a cheap one, right?) BTW, the poles are anodized aluminum and appear adequate along with the reflectorized tie down ropes around the fly. In addition, the longest section is about 12″ so they’ll fit inside your pack. Negatives? Hard to find any except for a tiny loose thread end here or there. (Do not pull but carefully cauterize with a Bic lighter!) You might also want to upgrade the included aluminum round hook style stakes for the Y type (12 for @ $6.) On another note, the dang thing is weirdly attractive in the dark when your light hits all the little reflective tabs etc. Looks like some critter from Dune staring at you. (Mine is dark blue with orange zippers and trim which are very ez to find in the dark. Another nice detail.) Other small niceties from the manufacturer are: 3 reflective line fly tie-offs to stabilize tent in wind if needed, fully taped seams, ability to close/open the fly vents without going outside, and poles that go through fabric sleeves which I believe is much stronger than the typical clips (it has a few of those but in lower stressed areas.) Finally, there’s the weight and yes, this is not an “ultralight” as the tent, fly, poles and stakes are a bit over 4# depending on how many stakes you carry. (IMO, take at least 4 and 7 is more than enough.) And while that weight is almost double the ultralights, they are also more than 4 times the price. However, if you are not a “thru” or long-distance hiker and only going a few miles over a weekend, the extra weight is no big deal as you are also carrying less food etc. So, to a degree, it kind of evens the weight equation out. As for me, I’ll take the luxury of the extra room and durability of the heavier fabric. YMMV. Of course, if the weather cooperates, you can always go without the fly at a lot lower weight. In terms of manufactures, some tents were made in China while others were Vietnamese, and the OP is from Bangladesh. The takeaway though is all were of much higher-than-expected quality and while I now own 4 different types, the OP remains one of the favorites in terms of room, function and versatility. Anyway, I hope this review addresses some of the questions I had but didn’t get answered and thus, had to actually order items to see for myself. For $60 I simply do not see how this could be anything other than a great deal and it’s a keeper on this end. And all of this with a 3-year guarantee? I mean, c’mon. OK, that’s it. I did my part. You’re on your own now. Enjoy and be safe out there.

   

2. Mom on the move Verified Buyer – 9 October 2024

   Good tent for two with gear or four with outgear. the vestabiles are great to keep shoes and backpacks in overnight without having to lug them into the tent. Easy and quick set up, no condensation on the inside overnight with the mesh inner tent and full fly. Haven’t tested it in the rain but it’s a good tent. Too heavy for backpacking, perfect for car camping. Great for young teens to set up on their own.
   

3. Shannon Verified Buyer – 8 February 2025

   Bought this tent to let my son use and thought it would only hold a few people but it fit with a little space remaining two queen mattresses. So 3 of us ended up using it one night due to the wind and not wanting to set us the larger tent. It held up well. I didn’t much moisture. Set up wasn’t long, material seems good. I think this will be a great tent to use for our needs!
   

4. Richard Sharp Verified Buyer – 9 February 2025

   Pros- Like all outdoor gear they make, this is also an exceptional tent. Sturdy construction so far, awesome cross ventilation ! A must in hot humid conditions, it looks good too! Sporty and roomy,
   Con- the tent stakes are worthless in hard substrates , make sure to invest in good quality stakes .
   

5. Patrick Mc Chesney Verified Buyer – 12 February 2025

   Great budget backpacking tent. It’s a 2 person tent if you don’t mind snuggling close. Perfect size for my black lab, my pack and me. It is lightweight and I only used it twice so far so I couldn’t comment on longterm durability. Definitely only a 3 season tent unless you have a good cold weather sleeping bag. Easy to set up and take down even with the rain fly.
   

6. Adam Verified Buyer – 14 February 2025

   I think this tent is amazing! The design is great. I am a 5.6” stocky man and I got comfortably in the tent with my two year old and a little extra room also. I got this two man tent intended only for myself anyways. I had my large bag at the small end and for great. For a tall person this would work with your bag next to you. Two people can fit in here as it has an opening on each side. Made with great quality and didn’t have any issues with condensation in the morning. Breathes good without a rain fly. Easy to setup and take down. I think it easily compares to a more expensive one but at a better price!
   

7. ashley Verified Buyer – 18 March 2025

   This isn’t as light as I thought it would be, but it is lighter to an a regular tent. We fit 3 people in it with an air mat and blankets. We were cozy but two would be perfect lol. Easy to assemble. Durable, airflow was great and it rained on us and didn’t leak. Warmth I’m not sure yet