My youngest is in scouts, and many camping trips will just be her and me or her, her sister, and my wife. Since our schedules are tight, it’s rare for all of us to go together.
I’m searching for a lightweight tent that’s spacious enough for us but light enough to carry on a pack. For our first trip, I bought a 6-person pop-up tent last minute. It was okay but heavy and wouldn’t fit on a pack. I do have a lightweight 2-person tent for the kids when we all go (kids in one, adults in the other).
Any suggestions? I’d also like to store our packs inside the tent to avoid leaving them outside. Even though the cars are close to the camp, I want to minimize the hassle of carrying everything back and forth, especially if we end up camping alone and have a longer hike to the site.
I just got a Big Agnes Copper Spur UL HV 2 at about half off. Returned the 3-person size because it was too big for me. They’re lightweight, sturdy, and have some great design features. They’re updating models, so current stock is discounted. Great tent!
If budget matters, check out the Naturehike Mongar 2 on Amazon. It’s similar to the MSR Hubba Hubba and weighs about 4 lbs. If you split the tent and poles with someone, it’s manageable to carry. Get the 20D model for a lighter option.
@Micah
The Mongar 2 is the best choice for value. I have two of them for my boys in scouts. Paid around $100-120 each. If your budget is higher, I have more suggestions.
I’ve been looking at tents like this. Robens offers a 4-person Pioneer and a Voyager Versa 3. Both are under £200 and weigh less than 4kg. You can split the weight between bags if needed.
It’s tough to find a big, lightweight tent for backpacking. A 3-person tent is a minimum if you want to fit 3 people and gear. Consider either a larger tent that you can carry by hand or a lighter 3-person tent and accept that gear will go in vestibules.
I’ve seen great reviews for the Featherstone Granite 2p tent. It’s about $105 on Amazon. My son is in scouts too and might get it if he tires of his hammock.
A 4-person tent that’s lightweight enough to fit in a pack is tough to find. You might consider splitting poles and fly into one pack and the tent into another. Remember, 4 people in a 4-person tent can be tight, especially if it rains and you spend more time inside.
Is she in Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, or Scouting America? My sons are in Scouting America, and we’ve done many campouts. Each of my boys has their own 2-person tent, which I recommend for independence as they get older.
@Kim
Cub Scouts. The pack seems a bit disorganized, with the whole troop sometimes meeting together but splitting into groups. The leaders seem new and don’t offer much gear advice.
Jensen said: @Kim
Cub Scouts. The pack seems a bit disorganized, with the whole troop sometimes meeting together but splitting into groups. The leaders seem new and don’t offer much gear advice.
If you want a packable tent, look at backpacking tents. REI or Kelty are good starter options. Plan for more tent space than people. My husband and I fit in a 3-person tent, but adding our youngest made it cramped.
Consider the Mountain Hardware Aspect 2 or 3 tent. I’ve spent about 200 nights in my Aspect 2, and it’s held up well. It’s lightweight, waterproof, and durable.