Sierra Designs Tabernash 2

Our take If you’ve ever been frustrated that “budget-friendly” tents cost around $200, Sierra Designs would like to have a word. Its new double-walled shelter is only $100, and for the price, there’s a lot to like: At 6.2 pounds, the Tabernash is relatively light for a frontcountry tent (it packs to 20 inches by 5 inches, and you could probably push it into easy backcountry duty), and a single large, D-shape mesh door aids in ventilation. The tent’s 48-inch peak height is generous for a shelter of its size, and our testers were able to change clothes and perform camp tasks inside.

The Details There are tradeoffs for the price: With less than 25 square feet of floor space, nobody will mistake the Tabernash for a mansion. There’s limited room for storage beyond the essentials, and you’ll most likely be shoulder-to-shoulder with your tentmate. Setup is straightforward, though, and the 68-denier poly/taffeta fly seals out weather. “The tent handled on-and-off showers all night, and no water leaked in,” one tester reported after a night in Gunnison National Forest, Colorado. Note: You’ll need to fully guy out the tent to help support the fiberglass poles in high winds.

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