Camping in the wilderness doesn’t necessarily mean sleeping on the ground, using leaves for bedding, or finding shelter in a dark cave. While these stir a certain level of excitement among some outdoor enthusiasts, the best way to truly enjoy camping is to sleep in a tent. Don’t settle for just any tent. If you want a home away from home, go for any of the best tents on the market right now.
The task of choosing the right tent may be daunting for newbies but that is no reason to just buy the first thing you see. To have an idea of what camping essentials to invest in, here are some of the best tents of 2018 so far.
Sierra Designs High Side 1
Backpackers and bikepackers exploring the wilderness on their own will appreciate the High Side from Sierra Designs. It provides the camper 18.5 square feet of floor space and a 32-inch peak height, which is just right for a person up to 5’9” to sit comfortably.
The $279.95 High Side Sierra comes with one door and one large vestibule. It’s easy to get in and out thanks to the side entry. The vestibule can be rolled to provide partial awning or opened up completely to get maximum ventilation. You can also have a large awning by spreading the vestibule and using trekking poles or tying the guylines to trees.
The High Side keeps water out, promotes breathability, and is easy to set up. The pack size is pretty small with the poles folding to a length of 12 inches.
Kelty Grand Mesa 2
The Kelty Grand Mesa 2 is one of the more popular tents right now simply because it is money well spent. It normally retails for $139.95, which is cheap compared to the other tents on this list. However, if you go to Amazon right now, you can get your hands on the Kelty Grand Mesa 2 for as low as $97, an impressive 30% discount.
The Grand Mesa 2 is one of the best tents for couples. It also works for solo campers who want a little more space. It’s nothing compared to the vast ocean, but if you feel a bit claustrophobic, Kelty also offers a 4-person Grand Mesa Tent for $159 on Amazon at this very moment.
Aside from their affordability, these Kelty tents are easy to set up and move around. It’s also a favorite among backpackers because of its compact folding poles and roll-top carry cube bag. Plus, the Grand Mesa 2 weighs only 4 pounds.
MSR Hubba Hubba
The MSR Hubba Hubba NX 2-Person Lightweight Backpacking Tent rivals the Kelty as one of the best tents for backpacking this year. It costs a lot more at $399.95 but it’s worth every penny considering it’s made of 20-denier ripstop nylon and mesh. It also comes with a coated nylon rainfly and aluminum poles.
Speaking of poles, the Hubba Hubba utilizes a unified hub-and-pole system, which makes setting up a whole lot easier. It has up to 29 square feet of floor area, an interior peak height of 39 inches, and 17.5 square feet of vestibule area. All those features for only a weight of 3.8 pounds definitely make the Hubba Hubba one of the best tents for backpackers.
Mountain Hardwear Vision 3
The Mountain Hardwear Vision tent is not named after one of the Avengers. It is called such because it allows you to see more, especially when lying down. You can do some stargazing without worrying about insects and mosquitoes by simply rolling back the fly.
The Vision utilizes a 70-denier nylon taffeta floor while the mesh allows great ventilation. It also boasts of the DAC Pressfit poles, one of the best in the industry. One drawback with the Vision is its 37.5 square feet of floor space.
Mountainsmith Vasquez Peak 3
If you’re camping with two other people and you’re sharing a 3-person tent, it may be quite challenging to get out. Thankfully, the Mountainsmith Vasquez Peak 3 solves this problem by putting two doors or vestibules making it one of the most affordable, most versatile, and best tents of 2018.
The Vasquez Peak is made of 40d x 185t Poly Ripstop material, which basically means it’s extremely breathable and sturdy. It has a fast fly set-up, footprint, a brow pole, and steep sidewalls for wider space.
Nemo Losi 4P
A camping tent is actually different from a backpacking tent. The difference concerns mainly portability and durability. Nemo, however, bridged that gap and created the Losi 4P. It combines the best features of its backpacking tents and added superior floor space and height seen in the interior of camping tents. The weight did increase to 10 pounds but the Nemo Losi 4P is still light enough for some backpacking exploits.
What makes the Nemo Losi 4P among the best tents this year is its quality and durability. Plus, it looks fancier than other tents listed here.
Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL 4
The Copper Spur 4-person from Big Agnes is one of the best tents of 2018 mainly because of the comfort its wide floor space provides, which includes 57 square feet of interior floor space. This shouldn’t surprise anyone since the company is named Big Agnes and its tagline is “Mother of Comfort.”
The HV in its name means “high value” while UL stands for “ultralight.” Basically, the Big Agnes Copper Spur maximizes interior space while still being portable with a pack weight of 5 pounds and 10 ounces.
It’s made of ripstop nylon while the poles are DAC aluminum. The hub at the center makes the tent stronger and more stable. Since the Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL4 is high quality, its price is understandably higher than most. It sells for $649.95 on Amazon.
Coleman Sundome 6-Person Dome Tent
If you’re looking for a bargain, look no further than Coleman’s Sundome Tents. Its 6-Person Dome Tent is available for only $90 yet provides a floor area of 100 square feet, floor vents, large windows, and storage pockets.
The Coleman Sundome also boasts of its patented WeatherTec System, which prevents water from seeping in while the Dark Room Technology blocks 90% of sunlight. Furthermore, Coleman’s Insta-Clip pole attachments keep the tent sturdy against strong winds.
Eureka Copper Canyon 6 Tent
If you’re camping with a large group, the Eureka Copper Canyon 6 is one of the best tents you can bring. The Copper Canyon 6 has 100 square feet of floor area, a 7-foot ceiling, and nearly vertical walls making it easy for tall people to stand and walk inside.
This $239.95 tent is also extremely breathable because of the mesh roof and large windows, which you can zip up and down any way you want for a little privacy.
The downside with the Copper Canyon is that it’s heavy at 26 pounds and 8 ounces. Backpackers will not want to lug around such a heavy load. Car campers, glampers, and festival goers, however, will have a field day using one of the best tents of 2018.
The choice of which of these best tents you should use depends mainly on your needs and preference. The factors you may look into include the price, floor space, number of users, and the kind of outdoor adventure you’re planning.
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