Freestanding tents are the holy grail of backpacking tents because they can be set up quickly just about anywhere, on wooden tent platforms, rock, sand, snow, and even climber’s portaledges, without having to be staked to the ground first. This is particularly useful in poor weather when you need to get out of the weather and can’t search for a protected tent site or dig one out in the snow.
Here are the 10 best freestanding tents for backpacking that we recommend across a range of price points and weights:
Most freestanding tents are wedge or dome-shaped, making them highly weather and wind-resistant. However, freestanding tents tend to be slightly heavier than non-freestanding ones because they have to be self-supporting, with long tent poles that add additional weight. Some two-person models can be cramped, particularly ones designed for mountaineering where comfort is often sacrificed in the name of reduced gear weight. Still, the experience of setting up a freestanding tent is liberating because you can pitch one anywhere there’s flat ground. That kind of flexibility is highly valuable when you need to get out of the weather and into a secure and stable shelter.
1. Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL 1
The Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL 1 is a popular one-person backpack tent and with good reason. This freestanding tent is easy to set up and has a spacious interior with lots of headroom and vertical sidewalls so you can change clothes and sit up inside without touching the sides. Off-the-floor storage in the form of an oversized ceiling pocket and media pockets provide plenty of space for personal items you want close at hand. Weighing just 2 lbs 2 oz, the Copper Spur is an exceptionally lightweight but fully featured backpacking palace. The freestanding two-person Copper Spur HV UL 2 is also a hiker favorite.
2. NEMO Dagger OSMO 2 Tent
The NEMO Dagger OSMO 2P Tent is a spacious freestanding double-wall tent for two people with two doors and two vestibules. Weighing 3 lbs 6 oz, the tent is made with NEMO’s new OSMO polyester/nylon ripstop fabric, reducing rain fly sag when wet and improving waterproofing. The spacious interior and numerous livability accents make the Dagger OSMO 2P a great tent for tall people or couples who want more room to spread out. Read the SectionHiker Dagger OSMO 2 Review.
3. REI Trailmade 2 Tent
The REI Trailmade 2 is a budget-friendly two-person freestanding tent that’s lightweight enough for backpacking and camping. With a minimum trail weight of 4 lbs 4 oz, its X-pole configuration makes it an easy tent to set up and increases the vertical space at the ends. Its two stake-out vestibules provide separate entrances for each occupant and large covered areas for gear storage with rainfly doors roll up over the roof for a clear view of the sky while also improving venting and reducing condensation. Inside, the symmetrical, rectangular floor provides an efficient, comfortable layout with internal pockets and gear loops to help organize your essentials. An optional footprint is included along with stakes and stuff sacks, providing tremendous value.
4. Big Sky Soul 1 UL Tent
The Big Sky Soul UL 1 is a one-person freestanding double-wall tent with a front door and vestibule. Weighing 2 lbs 3.7 oz, the tent’s canopy is made of nylon coated on both sides with silicone, while the floor is made of PU-coated nylon. The tent is factory seam-sealed and taped. The inner tent is all mesh. It is pitched first and can be used standalone without the fly, which clips to the tent’s DAC Featherlite NFL aluminum poles. A slightly heavier version is also available with tent poles that fold down to 12″ for bikepacking.
5. NEMO Dragonfly OSMO 1 Tent
The NEMO DragonFly OSMO 1 is a lightweight double-wall freestanding one-person tent with a generously sized door and asymmetrical vestibule for easy entry and access to bulkier gear. Weighing 2 lbs 1 oz, the tent is made with NEMO’s OSMO polyester/nylon ripstop fabric which reduces rain fly sag when wet. Inside, a gear loft and gear pockets keep belongings neatly stored and out of the way. Hubbed, prebent DAC Featherlite NSL poles with high-arching main pole significantly increase volume at the head, peak, and foot ends. White no-see-um mesh at the side increases privacy, while black mesh at the top turns virtually transparent at night for clear stargazing
6. SlingFin Portal 2
The Slingfin Portal is a lightweight two-person tent that can be used year-round in more extreme weather (Slingfin was founded by Martin Zematis, the guy who started Mountain Hardware). Weighing just 2 lbs 13 oz, it has a unique internal guyline system that adds superb wind resistance without additional weight. Two large vestibules and numerous internal pockets provide best-in-class livability, while its freestanding, dome-shaped exoskeleton makes it easy to set up. Kickstand door vents provide unrestricted cross-tent airflow for excellent condensation management without sacrificing weather protection. Read the SectionHiker SlingFin Portal Review.
7. KUIU Mountain Star 2
The KUIU Mountain Star is a 2-person freestanding double wall tent with two doors and two vestibules. The tent has three poles, which are available in carbon fiber or aluminum. You can also augment the strength of the vestibule cross pole using trekking poles, which is useful in high winds or heavy snow loads. With a built-in rainfly and bathtub-style floor, the interior stays protected, even during setup and takedown, although you can also set it up without the inner tent to reduce weight.
8. Durston X-Dome 1+
The Durston X-Dome 1+ is a spacious double-wall freestanding tent. At just 35 oz (985 g), the X-Dome 1+ sets up fly first and has a diagonal floor plan, providing more covered vestibule space and a longer interior than comparable dome-style tents. Its crossed carbon fiber poles provide a very strong structure capable of holding heavy snow loads. The tent is made with 15d high tenacity polyester so the fly does not stretch when wet. The fly can also be pitched by itself for winter use, dropping the carry weight to 24 oz.
9. Tarptent Rainbow
The Tarptent Rainbow is available in multiple models: as a one or two-person tent, as a single or double-wall tent, and made with silnylon or Dyneema Composite fabrics. Most of the time, the people stake out the corners and vestibules of the Rainbow when they pitch it on ground that is soft enough to hold tent stakes. But it can also be set up as a completely freestanding tent by connecting the corners to the tops and bottoms of a pair of trekking poles. There’s no add-on kit required. You could set it up that way all the time if you wanted.
10. MSR Hubba Hubba LT 1 Tent
The MSR Hubba Hubba LT 1 is easy to set up and well-ventilated. Freestanding, the pole configuration creates an interior space with near-vertical walls and a rectangular floor plan, enabling the use of a wide 25″ sleeping pad. In addition to the front vestibule, there is an interior gear loft and clothes line for drying your wet socks. With a trail weight of 2 pounds and 6 ounces, the Hubba Hubba LT 1 is a bombproof shelter that’s still lightweight enough for one person.
Freestanding Tent Selection Criteria
When evaluating freestanding tents, it helps to research the climate conditions you expect to use the tent in, as this will inform the degree of tent pole strength and breathability required.
Tent Ventilation
Tents windows, doors, and vents are Important to minimize and reduce internal condensation. This is achieved by keeping the door(s) open when feasible, through peak and side vents, and in some cases through the use of breathable wall fabrics. You can never have too much ventilation in a tent, although the addition of doors and zippers can result in increased weight.
Tent Pole Architecture
Most freestanding tents have two or three crossed poles, anchored inside or outside the tent walls. Exterior poles that are anchored in sleeves are much stronger than poles that connect to an inner tent using clips or velcro tabs. They’re much more wind-resistant and capable of withstanding heavier snow loads.
Interior Tent Space
Freestanding tents designed for high alpine mountaineering use are often smaller and more cramped than those designed for four-season use because weight savings are so critical when you have to climb many thousands of feet to reach your destination. When selecting a tent be realistic about your length and width requirements, particularly when choosing a two-person wedge-style tent.
Number of Doors
Tents designed to hold two occupants are more comfortable and convenient to use if they have two doors and vestibules because you can come and go without waking your tent partner. Dome-style tents often provide greater covered vestibule storage, which can make a significant difference in livability.
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