The Best Backpacking Tents for Taking Shelter On Any Trail
Our all-time favorite three-season tents can handle anything you throw at ‘em
Author
Will McGough
Will McGough is a writer and author, a nomad-at-large and travel columnist, penning profiles, features, and dispatches from afar. His irreverent memoir, Swim Bike Bonk: Confessions of a Reluctant Triathlete, was published in late 2019 by Lyons Press.
My Stories
The Best Ultralight Tents for Long Distance Hikers and Gram-Counters
Our all-time favorite UL tents can handle a border-to-border thru-hike and weigh less than most sleeping bags.
The Best Winter Tents for Snow, Wind, and Everything In Between
Our all-time favorite four-season tents can handle anything you throw at 'em.
Durston’s X-Dome 1+ is a Smart Rethinking of the Freestanding Tent
Atypical design, material-choice, and geometry make this tent appealing to ultralighters and weekend warriors alike.
What We’re Testing Now: Argali’s Absaroka Is the First Backpacking-Friendly Hot Tent We’ve Ever Tested
This wood-heated mid could change the game for cold-weather overnights.
Looking for the Shortcut to Inner Peace? Try Backpacking.
Regular hiking trips are the key to contentment, as one outdoor journalist discovers on a trip in his backyard.
Deep-Dive Review: Marmot Limelight 3 Tent
For comfort and storage space, this shelter is hard to beat
Deep-Dive Review: MSR Freelite 3 Tent
A portable three-person tent for deep backcountry adventures
The Best Backpacking Tents of 2022
With the right tent you can protect yourself from the weather, spread out in luxury, and settle into a home away from home
We Put Walmart’s Low-Cost Backpacking Gear to the Test. Here’s How It Fared.
Think top-shelf gear is a must in the backcountry? We put some budget items to the test to find out.
Why Every Hiker Should Take a Wilderness First Responder Course
Yes, it's time-consuming and expensive. But you don't want to be unprepared when a wilderness emergency strikes.
What We’re Testing Now: Winter Tents to Keep You Out of the Cold
The lowdown on four-season shelters that might be your home on future winter trips.
What We’re Testing Now: Snooze Better in the Frontcountry With This Light-Blocking Tent
The Sierra Designs Alpenglow is made to help you get a good night’s sleep.
Weekly Obsession: This Stove Accessory Changed The Way I Cook Over a Campfire
This simple, packable accessory expanded my culinary horizons.
This $120 Backpacking Tent Is the Best-Value Shelter on the Market
If you’re looking for the most affordable tent that can still perform, the Kelty Wireless 2 is a steal.
These 6 Budget Tents Are Low-Cost, Not Low-Performance
The cost of your backpacking tent shouldn’t keep you awake at night. These double-wall, two-person shelters are all $300 or less, and will put your mind—and body—at ease with their dialed combinations of performance and price.
Planning Your Dream Trek Abroad is Easier Than You Think
Some destinations may still be closed to US travelers, but that just means you have more time to plot out the perfect trek. Start planning now for the hike of a lifetime.
Sierra Designs Tabernash 2
The best bargain tent of 2021.
Hilleberg Helags 3
The tent with best protection of 2021.
Marmot Torreya 4P
The tent with best features of 2021.
Eureka! Kohana
The best value tent of 2021.
Black Diamond Mega Light
The most versatile tent of 2021.
NEMO Dragonfly 3P
The best space-to-weight tent of 2021.
REI Co-op Half Dome SL 2+
The best all-around tent of 2021.
Six Moon Designs Owyhee
The lightest tent of 2021.
Living in the Present on a Hike Up Mauna Loa
The climb up this legendary peak's volcanically shifting landscape is never quite the same, no matter how many times you do it.
Pass/Fail: Dayhike a Marathon
Does “go big or go home” hold up on a dawn-to-dusk mission?
The 5 Types of Campfire and When to Use Them
There’s a perfect fire for every situation. Learn to pick the right one.