Rec and Sports

Mountain Tents and Backpacking Tents – What Are They?

Backpacking Tent

There’s no other experience quite like hiking into the open spaces, and camping under the stars surrounded by nothing but nature. While venturing into the woods, a backpacking tent is an absolute necessity as they are specially made to be portable and lightweight as well, since the very last thing you’ll want is a ten or fifteen pound tent weighing down on your back as you’re trying to navigate through the terrain.

While the lighter the weight the better, a backpacking tent for two adults should weight no more than six pounds for the absolute comfort and portability. You will also want one that folds down as small as possible to leave room for the rest of your essential gear with a size of less than 12 x 20 when folded being ideal. Aluminum poles instead of fiberglass are best for backpacking tents as they are not only lighter, but also stronger and less prone to bending over time.

One feature to look for when choosing a backpacking tent is the amount of mesh it has, particularly if you’ll be camping during the spring, summer, or fall as smaller tents need plenty of ventilation. Also, the more mesh a tent has, the lighter it will be in weight, making it even easier to transport. A rain-fly with a vestibule area in front of the tent is another rather useful feature as it will not only keep the elements off the tent, but also give you an area to store gear if it’s muddy or wet, as well as a place to cook if it’s raining.

Mountain Tents

The rather large category of mountain tents are becoming quite popular thanks to both their versatility and abilities to withstand extreme weather conditions, making them ideal for both the serious and casual camper alike. Mountain tents can be used all year, as they are usually available in 3 or 4 varieties for different seasons.

Mountain tents should feature sturdy clips along with pole sleeves to ensure the tent stays attached to the frame as securely as possible, as well as a “bathtub” design that keeps the seams from resting on the ground. Lots of mountain tents have big rounded entrances, which make them easier to go in and out of wearing heavy winter clothing.

If your mountain tent is to be used for hiking, it is better to choose the single walled type, as the doubled wall model is heavier. For mountain tents that will be used while camping, opt for a lighter color to increase visibility and choose one with a canopy or rain-fly for adding extra space to the front of the tent either for storing gear or keeping things dry and out of the way.

Of course, there are many other types of tents other than mountain tents and hiking tents, and these will be introduced in further articles.