There are numerous tents on the market designed with winter tenting in thoughts. They arrive outfitted with particular defenses in opposition to chilly, wind, and moisture, and so they make tenting attainable in any season!
Nonetheless, not all of those tents are perfect for winter backpacking journeys. They are often heavy-duty and hulking, making them tough to slot in your backpack or carry for lengthy distances.
Fortunately, there are some tents on the market which might be well-suited to each! Listed below are our high picks for one of the best winter backpacking tents!
Our High Picks
Finest Total
GEERTOP 4-Season Tent
Finest for Teams
Mountain {Hardware} Trango 4 Tent
Finest Light-weight Possibility
Hillman Backpacking Tent
Finest Total
GEERTOP 4-Season Tent
On the very high of our record is the GEERTOP 4-Season Tent!The GEERTOP checks probably the most packing containers required for a really perfect winter backpacking tent.
Firstly, its dimension and weight make it straightforward to pack up and carry with you in your backpacking adventures. Because the title suggests, backpacking is often performed by packing all of your provides into one backpack…together with your tent. Due to this, smaller tents are extra very best.
Damaged down, the GEERTOP is barely 17 inches lengthy and 7 inches broad, so it gained’t take up a lot of the dear area in your backpack.
It’s additionally light-weight for a winter tent–at six and a half kilos, it gained’t weigh you down as you’re trekking on the paths to your vacation spot.
It additionally comes with winter-specific equipment. It comes with a snowskirt to maintain your tent from being crammed with snow once you open the “door,” and the tent itself is waterproof. If you happen to select the GEERTOP, you may relaxation peacefully, realizing you’ll keep heat and dry all evening lengthy!
One minor con to this tent: its storage bag has been identified to put on down a lot sooner than the tent itself. However in case you can substitute the bag with one thing sturdier, you shouldn’t have to fret.
Execs
- 4-season tent
- Contains snow skirt
- Waterproof
- Compact dimension
- Light-weight
Cons
- Storage bag wears out shortly
Finest for Teams
Mountain {Hardware} Trango 4 Tent
If you happen to and your mates wish to minimize down in your mixed gear burden, sharing a tent will be extraordinarily handy. Nonetheless, many backpacking tents are solely made for one or two individuals, which may turn out to be a good squeeze…
Fortunately, the Mountain {Hardware} Trango 4 tent can clear up that situation! The Trango tent sleeps 4 individuals, with loads of room for you, your mates, and all of your winter gear.
This winter backpacking tent is designed for ease of setup, stopping the intrusion of snow and different moisture, and providing you with as a lot cupboard space as attainable.
The poles and different items have been assigned completely different colours, making it straightforward to match the items of the tent with the directions for setup. There are pockets put in within the facet of the tent to allow you to get a few of your gear off the ground, offering extra sleeping area.
The tent additionally contains vestibules at the back and front of the tent. Each vestibules are included to offer extra cupboard space. Nonetheless, the entrance vestibule additionally features as a snow-blocking characteristic, maintaining snow from coming into the tent with you.
The draw back to this tent—its weight—is a pure consequence of its dimension. It will probably match loads of individuals and kit, however that benefit comes with a (actually) hefty drawback.
It weights virtually 12 kilos, which is almost twice the load of the GEERTOP. Nonetheless, if this permits you and your mates to disperse extra gear, seeing as just one particular person might want to carry the tent, this may even out the load.
There’s yet one more fairly sizable con to this tent: its price ticket. It’s significantly costlier than the opposite tents on our record. Nonetheless, its high quality, performance, and cupboard space are value the additional expense!
Execs
- Sleeps 4 individuals
- Two vestibules and interior pockets present further cupboard space
- Designed to maintain snow out
- Simple to arrange
Cons
- Heavy for a winter backpacking tent
- Costly
Finest Light-weight Possibility
Hillman Backpacking Tent
The Hillman Backpacking Tent is a extra conventional backpacking tent. It sleeps two individuals, breaks right down to solely 19 inches in size when saved, and weighs merely 5 kilos!
It’s additionally a four-season tent, outfitted with all of the equipment you should make winter tenting comfy.
This winter backpacking tent comes with a snowskirt connected to a water-proof rainfly, so that you don’t have to fret about snow sneaking inside your tent…or melted snow leaking by means of the highest!
This tent additionally is available in a number of colours, which is a pleasant plus. You possibly can select no matter shade scheme most accurately fits your private style!
The draw back to this tent is its materials. It’s light-weight, however due to that design, it’s made from very skinny materials. This may end up in smaller bits of the tent, such because the loops for the stakes or poles, tearing off simply.
Execs
- Light-weight
- Compact dimension
- A number of colours
- 4-season tent
- Contains snowskirt
- Waterproof
The North Face Mountain 25 Tent
The North Face Mountain tent contains most of the similar options as the opposite tents on this record; nonetheless, it does embody a pair further bonuses that make it an thrilling possibility on your winter backpacking tent!
Firstly, the tassels on its zippers are glow-in-the-dark, permitting for simple entrance and exit even at the hours of darkness. This turns out to be useful in the course of the winter, because it will get darkish a lot earlier.
It additionally contains snow stakes, which can assist safe your tent even in deeper snow.
You’ll additionally discover a “footprint” included with this tent! A footprint is a tarp meant to forestall moisture within the floor from leaking by means of the underside layer of the tent. It additionally helps preserve it from getting crusted in mud or torn by stray sticks and different particles.
It’ll additionally assist preserve you hotter by including an additional layer between the ground of your tent and the frozen or snowy floor!
Nonetheless, as unbelievable as this tent is, it does include one massive con: its price ticket. Whereas not as costly because the Trango winter backpacking tent, it nonetheless prices a reasonably penny in comparison with most different backpacking tents.
Execs
- Glow-in-the-dark zipper tassels
- Snow stakes and footprint included
- 4-season tent
Amflip Ultralight Tent
Although described as “ultralight,” the Amflip is definitely heavier than most different tents on our lists—it’s about 9 kilos. Nonetheless, that is nonetheless completely affordable for a backpacking tent, and its different options make up for the load!
This tent’s weight is partially as a result of gear required to make its most fun operate attainable: it’s a “pop-up” tent.
This implies you don’t want to fret about spending hours fumbling with poles and straps. All it’s important to do is press down on the pop-up equipment, and the tent opens up all by itself. It’s a bit like an umbrella!
It’s a four-season tent. It’s thought of to be waterproof, and it does embody a footprint. Nonetheless, it doesn’t embody a snow skirt.
Execs
- Features a footprint
- Pop-up makes set-up straightforward
- Waterproof
- 4-season tent
Cons
- Heavier than some backpacking tents
- Doesn’t embody a snow skirt
Winter Backpacking Tent Purchaser’s Information
The very first thing you should take a look at when looking for a winter backpacking tent is what number of “seasons” it will probably stand up to.
Most tents are designed for 3 seasons, at greatest. When looking for a tent that may preserve you protected and sheltered by means of icy wind and fierce snowstorms, you should search for a “four-season” tent.
As that is going to be a winter backpacking tent, you’ll additionally wish to take note of what you may slot in your chosen backpack. Some backpacks can maintain greater than others, and every has completely different dimension specs.
You wish to select a tent you may match simply into your backpack with out having to take away different backpacking requirements.
You additionally wish to take the whole weight of your backpack into consideration. At all times check your totally packed backpack on shorter trails earlier than heading out in your journey. You don’t wish to uncover that you could’t carry your backpack lengthy distances proper in the beginning of your backpacking enterprise!
Winter Backpacking Tent FAQ
Can I convert my present backpacking tent to a four-season tent?
You’ll be able to buy add-ons to make use of together with your present tent, corresponding to footprints, snow skirts, and waterproofing spray.
You too can use a tent heater. Nonetheless, these will be tough to lug round in your backpack, as most require propane to run. There are electrical ones out there, however you’d want an electrical hookup at your campsite.
In any case, the quick reply is sure: you’ll be able to convert your present backpacking tent. Nonetheless, backpacking tents are typically a bit flimsier than four-season tents, which may put you in danger for snow tearing or collapsing your tent.
Additionally, after contemplating the expense so as to add on winter requirements that almost all four-season tents already include, it will probably find yourself being less expensive to easily purchase a winter backpacking tent.
Is there a temperature threshold that’s thought of unsafe even for four-season tents?
This is dependent upon a number of components, together with whether or not you may have a tent heater, the temperature threshold in your winter sleeping bag, and what sort of winter clothes you may have readily available.
In case you have an insulated sleeping pad to maintain your self off the frozen floor, a winter sleeping bag that may stand up to extreme chilly, and might keep out of the wind, you’re in a great spot.
Nonetheless, if the temperature drops under 5 levels and you don’t have any heater, that’s when it’s time to retreat to higher shelter.
Can I exploit my winter tent in the summertime?
You should utilize your winter tent in the summertime! It’s simpler to “de-winterize” a tent than to winterize one. The truth is, you don’t actually need to do something to it.
If you happen to like, you may take away the included footprint or snow skirt. Nonetheless, these items gained’t harm something in case you depart them on throughout hotter climate.
The truth is, they could even turn out to be useful throughout torrential summer season rainstorms out on the paths.
Bundle up Inside Your Winter Backpacking Tent!
When you determine on one of the best winter backpacking tent for you, you may pack up your backpack and prepare to courageous the frozen wilderness!
For extra winter tenting ideas, go to our winter tenting part now!
