If nature and the great outdoors appeals to you and you enjoy getting out on the many hiking trails or hiking long distances with overnight stays, then a “Hiking Tent” is a must have piece of camping equipment.
The main feature that differentiates a hiking tent from your normal camping tent is it’s light weight construction – as you will be toting it around all day long in your backpack, the last thing you want is a heavy tent. Here are some tips and guidelines to help you choose the hiking tent that is right for you.
The weight of a good hiking tent is determined by a number of factors;
Firstly, how many people will be sleeping in the tent and how much camping gear will need to be stored inside the tent, especially if it rains. Most tent manufacturers specify their tent sizes as 1 person, 2 person, 3 person and etc. However, from our experiences these sizes appear to be appropriate only if people are laid out like corpses with little or no room to move. We have generally found that you are far better off to go for one size larger, ie, a 2 man hiking tent is good for 1 man and some gear, a 3 man is okay for 2 etc.
The pole materials will also have an impact on the weight and indeed the strength of the hiking tent – the lightest poles available these days are made of carbon fibre. These are very strong and flexible, but do come at a cost being the most expensive. The most popular tent poles, and least expensive are the fibreglass poles which are generally thicker and heavier but still very flexible. Yet another option is the aluminium alloy tent poles which are strong and light but much less flexible – which could be a problem in severe weather conditions.
Tent poles can either run through a sleeve in the tent material or the tent can be hung on the rods by hooks. The sleeve method is much stronger in windy areas.
The tent fabric and construction will also have a bearing on the overall weight of the tent. These days most tents are double walled, with an inner breathable layer and an outer waterproof layer. This construction is the best at stopping condensation forming in the tent as well wind and water penetration but is heavier than the single walled tents constructed from the waterproof, laminated, breathable materials such as GoreTex, ToddTex, Klimate and MemBrain.
While being lighter, these single walled tents are also more expensive. Our preference is for the double walled tents even though they are somewhat heavier. Be sure to check the Denier number (US and UK) of the fabric which refers to the weight of the fabric in grams per 1,000 metres of thread. The lower the number, the lighter the fabric, with 50D or 60D being a top lightweight fabric. Canada and Europe tend to use Tex as their fabric density measurements.
A good hiking tent will also have a rating of 80 or more PSI (pounds per square inch water pressure), which indicates it’s level of water resistance. We also recommend double stitched seams, which are better than single stitched seams both in terms of water resistance and strength. To further increase the tents durability, it should be constructed of “Rip Stop” material so that small tears do not become large tears.
You also need to look at the level of seasonal protection you are likely to need. Most of the good quality hiking tents are 3-season tents and do well in all but the worst winter conditions. If you are only contemplating hiking from late spring through to early fall (autumn) then a 2-season hiking tent should do the trick, while a 4-season tent is a must if you are likely to encounter the worst possible winter conditions.
You should also factor in the weight of the “extras” that are needed for the tent. Ground sheets, tent pegs/stakes and guy ropes will all add weight to your tent and backpack. If you will only be hiking and camping in fair weather and low winds then have a look at tents that are free standing with a waterproof floor. This will eliminate the need for carrying other accessories and you can use sticks and rocks instead of carrying pegs/stakes.
Also ensure that your hiking tent is well ventilated if you need to cook in it – this could be required if you encounter extended steady rainfall.
As a general rule, the more expensive the hiking tent, the lighter, stronger, more durable and comfortable the tent will be. However, this is not always the case and you will need to judge the tents based on your own specific requirements and budget. Remember “The bitterness of low quality is remembered long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten”.