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Modern backpacking tents have achieved an exquisite pinnacle of engineering and usability perfection. I am a UX baby (constant whining about almost every tool/s

Modern backpacking tents have achieved an exquisite pinnacle of engineering and usability perfection. I am a UX baby (constant whining about almost every tool/service/product I interact with, sorry to everyone who has to be around me) and I love my tent. It is magical the degree to which it has been thoughtfully optimized in so many little ways. DIY tents like this one are interesting and fun if you are into geeking on that sort of thing but honestly seem like a pain to set up and likely to have severe condensation issues (as others have mentioned) but, seriously, I appreciate the geekery here, just not my focus. I prefer to invest my camping DIY geekery on bushwhacking and cooking.

tucosan 5y ago
Now you need to tell us which tent you own.
- kstrauser 5y ago
  Seconded. I'm working up to a 50 mile trip and I'd love some recommendations.
  - qbasic_forever 5y ago
    I'm guessing it's a Zpacks Duplex, it's basically the favorite tent of any through-hiker for the last couple years: https://zpacks.com/products/duplex-tent https://zpacks.com/products/duplex-tent They are very well designed and built--100% DCF so they're strong and light, yet great resistance to weather. Unlike most other UL shelters it makes almost no sacrifices and has all the niceties of heavier shelters, like a full floor and interior mesh, big vestibules, etc. And it packs up into an impossibly small size and weight in your pack.
    - newsbinator 5y ago
      > Weight 19.0 oz / 539 g Wow!!
      - qbasic_forever 5y ago
        DCF fabric, it's a real game-changer for shelters. It isn't cheap unfortunately and you do have to treat it with some care.
    - setgree 5y ago
      Love my duplex. Hiking the AT now, it is indeed hiker standard. The gossamer gear One also gets rave reviews.
    - tshaddox 5y ago
      I love my Duplex as well, and that was also my guess. I would note that the biggest downside (other than cost) is that the Duplex is not a free-standing tent (although they do offer a couple of free-standing versions which are significantly heavier). It will sometimes require patience and creativity to set up the tent in areas that are very short on usable ground space (like dense forests or steep terrain) or hostile to tent stakes (like rocks). It's also not the easiest tent to setup extremely quickly, like during a rain or hail shower in the Sierras (but I've encountered that and managed well enough).
      - chadd 5y ago
        It's definitely harder to setup with 8 stakes, and you must carry poles, or borrow a friend's poles, but it's incredible how much lighter it is over almost any other option.
    - kstrauser 5y ago
      That’s unreal. Wow. I may need to figure out how to convince my wife this is reasonable and necessary.
  - wetmore 5y ago
    Big Agnes Copper Spur UL is great, I've had one for 5 years and love it.
  - rusteh1 5y ago
    Not OP, but I have an MSR Hubba Hubba NX that is pretty amazing. I've had several backpacking tents over the years and its my favourite.
    - bergie 5y ago
      Seconding this one. Great lightweight tent without major compromises, but still at a reasonable price and mainstream availability (unlike most of the ultralight tents made of exotic materials)
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
- radus 5y ago
  Yes, please! Also curious about preferences for other related equipment - backpacks etc.
  - ghaff 5y ago
    It really depends on your requirements. Mostly don't get a bigger/heavier one than you (actually) need and get one that feels comfortable/fits you. I have an Osprey Atmos if I need more space and I have an older and smaller Gregory something if I'm looking to do short lightweight summer backpacks and maybe use the same thing for dayhikes.
  - pacman2 5y ago
    There is no best car, hence there is no best backpack. As a rule of thumb: It is easy to buy a backpack that is too big. It is nearly impossible to buy one that is too small. The experience of a traveler is in an anti-proportional relationship with the size of his or her backpack. This being said, the best back pack I ever had was from Burton. I and I am still heart-broken that it got stolen. It is not produced anymore.
    - strken 5y ago
      Out of curiosity, do you mean too big as in capacity, or too big as in fit? I'm very tall and I've struggled with packs that don't rest properly on my hips, but I don't know if this was inexperience, or if there's some secret hack to adjust them.
      - pacman2 5y ago
        Too big in capacity. My favorite backpack hat around 24l. I guess I could travel with this pack for 10 years. This gives you an Idea. (no tent of cause) There was a EU based, tiny equipment manufacturer that actually produced backpacks for very tall people. I had some contacts in travel related business that could have brought it back on track. I asked if the owner is willing to let me buy into the business (I was interested in other niche products in his business) but he preferred to close it down.
    - 5y ago
- jupp0r 5y ago
  I've been sleeping in Hilleberg tents for probably close to a year of my life. They are very robust at a great (though not ultra-light) weight. I own a Jannu and a Keron 3 GT.
  - Mediterraneo10 5y ago
    Hilleberg tents do seem nice in terms of the fabrics they use and the design. However, as the long-haul cyclist community has found, the zippers give out appallingly early for such an expensive, artisanal product. (By the end of the Carretera Austral there seemed to be more Hilleberg owners with broken zippers than with working zippers.) I owned a Hilleberg Nallo GT-class tent that did seem like the five-star hotel of tents, but when the zipper gave out after less than five months of use, I decided in future to simply go with an MSR Hubba-class tent that doesn’t feel much of a step down in comfort, and is less than half the price, so I can replace it if need be and still have spent less than I would for one Hilleberg.
    - cratermoon 5y ago
      The zipper is a great invention, but it has yet to be perfected.
    - jupp0r 5y ago
      I wonder how much of the zipper failures are due to lack of maintenance. I use a tooth brush to clean them after each long trip and lubricate them with a little silicone grease. I bought my Jannu in 2007 and haven't had a problem with any of its zippers, ever. I've only had my Keron for 5 years so I can't attest to its longevity yet :)
      - SamBam 5y ago
        I think very few people know to lubricate their zippers, however. Honestly, it's something I've never heard of.
        jupp0r 5y ago
- eagsalazar2 5y ago
  Seems like everyone assumed I was talking about very fancy expensive, niche tents in my comment. I mean most decent tents today are amazing compared to most products I interact with and light years away from where tents were 30 years ago (when I was a young cub/boy scout). I personally have used a BA UL2 which I loved although it was a bit too flimsy for my taste. Later I got the REI Half Dome SL 2+. "Ideal" is very personal with tents because you are always making tradeoffs but for me, my REI tent is perfect. Not so expensive that I worry too much about it, not too flimsy, decently light, very nice usability, backed by great warranty.
ghaff 5y ago
Fabrics are a really underappreciated aspect of a lot of modern outdoor gear, especially with respect to weight. My main objection, as I mentioned in another comment, is that durability is one of the tradeoffs. A few years ago I had one of the super light and compact sleeping pads develop a leak after literally about three days. It was replaced for free but that didn't help at the time. I have a new very lightweight tent I bought shortly before pandemic. Looking to try it out this fall.
- Mediterraneo10 5y ago
  > I had one of the super light and compact sleeping pads develop a leak after literally about three days. Therm-a-Rests are a dependable brand in this regard, as while a leak may happen from time to time (I have had two punctures in about one year of sleeping outdoors), it is usually very easy to find the hole and patch it yourself, just like you do with a bicycle inner tube. I think Therm-a-Rest even includes the patch kit with some of its models now.
  - ghaff 5y ago
    This was Synmat. Should probably have had a repair kit with me but as I recall there were multiple leaks. And have several older Thermarest products. But there are definitely tradeoffs between weight and durability.
    - jandrese 5y ago
      In my experience the repair kits are of marginal utility because the leaks always develop along the seams. Making a successful patch on a seam is near impossible.
      - xtiansimon 5y ago
        lol. I used a Thermarest patch on my North Face down sleeping bag during a two-day backpacking trip—-very handy.
    - deleted 5y ago
jimbob21 5y ago
What tent do you use
- pacman2 5y ago
  The one that suites your needs. There is no best tent. There are only your requirements and how much you want to spent. I have done well with throw away tents. Be on a festival during my trip, trash the tent, keep traveling without unnecessary equipment.
pacman2 5y ago
Interesting. But I often travel, only have the need for a tent for a few days and buy a "throw-away"-tent. And trust me, drunken vikings (speak Iceland) are pretty good in breaking your tent.
- yownie 5y ago
  during Verslunarmannahelgi ?
  - pacman2 5y ago
    ROTFL. Yes. And I went there TWICE. And a f... drunken Viking broke my tent each time. Second time, there was a guy leaving, left his tent behind. I run after him and asked him if I can have his tent, since mine was broken. He said sure. But even better he told me. There is a second, unused tent in the tent. This is what I call a professional. A guy with a backup plan.
omilu 5y ago
What kind of tent is it?
dbtc 5y ago
The arch linux of tents?
bryanrasmussen 5y ago
>I am a UX baby me too, but I think that has been caused by my increasing familiarity with the subject. The more you know the more upset you get when someone does something stupid.
agumonkey 5y ago
Tell me you also know a lot about tools :D

tucosan 5y ago

Now you need to tell us which tent you own.

kstrauser 5y ago
Seconded. I'm working up to a 50 mile trip and I'd love some recommendations.
- qbasic_forever 5y ago
  I'm guessing it's a Zpacks Duplex, it's basically the favorite tent of any through-hiker for the last couple years: https://zpacks.com/products/duplex-tent https://zpacks.com/products/duplex-tent They are very well designed and built--100% DCF so they're strong and light, yet great resistance to weather. Unlike most other UL shelters it makes almost no sacrifices and has all the niceties of heavier shelters, like a full floor and interior mesh, big vestibules, etc. And it packs up into an impossibly small size and weight in your pack.
  - newsbinator 5y ago
    > Weight 19.0 oz / 539 g Wow!!
    - qbasic_forever 5y ago
      DCF fabric, it's a real game-changer for shelters. It isn't cheap unfortunately and you do have to treat it with some care.
  - setgree 5y ago
    Love my duplex. Hiking the AT now, it is indeed hiker standard. The gossamer gear One also gets rave reviews.
  - tshaddox 5y ago
    I love my Duplex as well, and that was also my guess. I would note that the biggest downside (other than cost) is that the Duplex is not a free-standing tent (although they do offer a couple of free-standing versions which are significantly heavier). It will sometimes require patience and creativity to set up the tent in areas that are very short on usable ground space (like dense forests or steep terrain) or hostile to tent stakes (like rocks). It's also not the easiest tent to setup extremely quickly, like during a rain or hail shower in the Sierras (but I've encountered that and managed well enough).
    - chadd 5y ago
      It's definitely harder to setup with 8 stakes, and you must carry poles, or borrow a friend's poles, but it's incredible how much lighter it is over almost any other option.
  - kstrauser 5y ago
    That’s unreal. Wow. I may need to figure out how to convince my wife this is reasonable and necessary.
- wetmore 5y ago
  Big Agnes Copper Spur UL is great, I've had one for 5 years and love it.
- rusteh1 5y ago
  Not OP, but I have an MSR Hubba Hubba NX that is pretty amazing. I've had several backpacking tents over the years and its my favourite.
  - bergie 5y ago
    Seconding this one. Great lightweight tent without major compromises, but still at a reasonable price and mainstream availability (unlike most of the ultralight tents made of exotic materials)
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
radus 5y ago
Yes, please! Also curious about preferences for other related equipment - backpacks etc.
- ghaff 5y ago
  It really depends on your requirements. Mostly don't get a bigger/heavier one than you (actually) need and get one that feels comfortable/fits you. I have an Osprey Atmos if I need more space and I have an older and smaller Gregory something if I'm looking to do short lightweight summer backpacks and maybe use the same thing for dayhikes.
- pacman2 5y ago
  There is no best car, hence there is no best backpack. As a rule of thumb: It is easy to buy a backpack that is too big. It is nearly impossible to buy one that is too small. The experience of a traveler is in an anti-proportional relationship with the size of his or her backpack. This being said, the best back pack I ever had was from Burton. I and I am still heart-broken that it got stolen. It is not produced anymore.
  - strken 5y ago
    Out of curiosity, do you mean too big as in capacity, or too big as in fit? I'm very tall and I've struggled with packs that don't rest properly on my hips, but I don't know if this was inexperience, or if there's some secret hack to adjust them.
    - pacman2 5y ago
      Too big in capacity. My favorite backpack hat around 24l. I guess I could travel with this pack for 10 years. This gives you an Idea. (no tent of cause) There was a EU based, tiny equipment manufacturer that actually produced backpacks for very tall people. I had some contacts in travel related business that could have brought it back on track. I asked if the owner is willing to let me buy into the business (I was interested in other niche products in his business) but he preferred to close it down.
  - 5y ago
jupp0r 5y ago
I've been sleeping in Hilleberg tents for probably close to a year of my life. They are very robust at a great (though not ultra-light) weight. I own a Jannu and a Keron 3 GT.
- Mediterraneo10 5y ago
  Hilleberg tents do seem nice in terms of the fabrics they use and the design. However, as the long-haul cyclist community has found, the zippers give out appallingly early for such an expensive, artisanal product. (By the end of the Carretera Austral there seemed to be more Hilleberg owners with broken zippers than with working zippers.) I owned a Hilleberg Nallo GT-class tent that did seem like the five-star hotel of tents, but when the zipper gave out after less than five months of use, I decided in future to simply go with an MSR Hubba-class tent that doesn’t feel much of a step down in comfort, and is less than half the price, so I can replace it if need be and still have spent less than I would for one Hilleberg.
  - cratermoon 5y ago
    The zipper is a great invention, but it has yet to be perfected.
  - jupp0r 5y ago
    I wonder how much of the zipper failures are due to lack of maintenance. I use a tooth brush to clean them after each long trip and lubricate them with a little silicone grease. I bought my Jannu in 2007 and haven't had a problem with any of its zippers, ever. I've only had my Keron for 5 years so I can't attest to its longevity yet :)
    - SamBam 5y ago
      I think very few people know to lubricate their zippers, however. Honestly, it's something I've never heard of.
      - jupp0r 5y ago
eagsalazar2 5y ago
Seems like everyone assumed I was talking about very fancy expensive, niche tents in my comment. I mean most decent tents today are amazing compared to most products I interact with and light years away from where tents were 30 years ago (when I was a young cub/boy scout). I personally have used a BA UL2 which I loved although it was a bit too flimsy for my taste. Later I got the REI Half Dome SL 2+. "Ideal" is very personal with tents because you are always making tradeoffs but for me, my REI tent is perfect. Not so expensive that I worry too much about it, not too flimsy, decently light, very nice usability, backed by great warranty.

ghaff 5y ago

Fabrics are a really underappreciated aspect of a lot of modern outdoor gear, especially with respect to weight. My main objection, as I mentioned in another comment, is that durability is one of the tradeoffs. A few years ago I had one of the super light and compact sleeping pads develop a leak after literally about three days. It was replaced for free but that didn't help at the time. I have a new very lightweight tent I bought shortly before pandemic. Looking to try it out this fall.

Mediterraneo10 5y ago
> I had one of the super light and compact sleeping pads develop a leak after literally about three days. Therm-a-Rests are a dependable brand in this regard, as while a leak may happen from time to time (I have had two punctures in about one year of sleeping outdoors), it is usually very easy to find the hole and patch it yourself, just like you do with a bicycle inner tube. I think Therm-a-Rest even includes the patch kit with some of its models now.
- ghaff 5y ago
  This was Synmat. Should probably have had a repair kit with me but as I recall there were multiple leaks. And have several older Thermarest products. But there are definitely tradeoffs between weight and durability.
  - jandrese 5y ago
    In my experience the repair kits are of marginal utility because the leaks always develop along the seams. Making a successful patch on a seam is near impossible.
    - xtiansimon 5y ago
      lol. I used a Thermarest patch on my North Face down sleeping bag during a two-day backpacking trip—-very handy.
  - deleted 5y ago

jimbob21 5y ago

What tent do you use

pacman2 5y ago
The one that suites your needs. There is no best tent. There are only your requirements and how much you want to spent. I have done well with throw away tents. Be on a festival during my trip, trash the tent, keep traveling without unnecessary equipment.

pacman2 5y ago

Interesting. But I often travel, only have the need for a tent for a few days and buy a "throw-away"-tent. And trust me, drunken vikings (speak Iceland) are pretty good in breaking your tent.

yownie 5y ago
during Verslunarmannahelgi ?
- pacman2 5y ago
  ROTFL. Yes. And I went there TWICE. And a f... drunken Viking broke my tent each time. Second time, there was a guy leaving, left his tent behind. I run after him and asked him if I can have his tent, since mine was broken. He said sure. But even better he told me. There is a second, unused tent in the tent. This is what I call a professional. A guy with a backup plan.

omilu 5y ago

What kind of tent is it?

dbtc 5y ago

The arch linux of tents?

bryanrasmussen 5y ago

>I am a UX baby me too, but I think that has been caused by my increasing familiarity with the subject. The more you know the more upset you get when someone does something stupid.

agumonkey 5y ago

Tell me you also know a lot about tools :D