In this article, I am going to be focusing on helping you buy the best 2 person tent to take hiking with you.
Many 2 person tents are some of the smallest tents that you can buy. They are designed for ease and not usually comfort. They are great tents for backpacking and backwoods hiking. Engineers today have made some amazing advances in tents and have literally made many tents smaller and lighter than a lot of gear that a typical backpacker would carry. If you are a backpacker or backwoods hiker, we will discuss why these tents will save you time, money, and stress.
So, you have decided to go on that hiking trip you have been dreaming about, eh? Ok, then I guess you need to start gathering the necessary gear. Purchasing good hiking gear can be tough because you need to make sure you have the right things to stay alive. You also have to be able to carry everything with you (you don’t want to carry around a massive 6 person tent around with you).
This means you are looking for the lightest gear possible. You need to buy at least a camping sleeping bag, portable stove, survival knife, PVC raincoat, and a tent. And you need them all to be as lightweight as possible.
Of course, if you are not hiking alone, a two person tent probably won’t be a good choice (unless everyone carries their own individual tent). The title may say two person, but in reality, it will only fit one person plus their gear. There are a lot more things to consider when buying 2 man tents as opposed to other sizes. This is because you need it to be as light as possible, but still, be able to protect you from the elements.
Types of Two Person Tents
There are a variety of different types of two-person tents out there. One of them is the 2 person dome tent. This is pretty much the standard tent out there, and you will likely end up buying a dome tent.
However, these dome tents also come with some variations. You can have a floorless tent, a single-walled tent, and a double-walled tent.
Floorless tents are the best lightweight 2 person tent, but you don’t have very much protection from the weather. Basically, a floorless tent is a piece of fabric with 8 or so stakes. What you do is just stake the fabric to the ground, and sleep under it. It looks kind of like a tepee if you need a mental picture. Because it has no floor, water can leak in when it rains.
Another option that is available is the single-walled tent. I think this is the best 2 person hiking tent overall. You get the protection from the elements and it is light enough to carry around with you without an issue. Just make sure it has a vent on the top so that condensation doesn’t become a problem.
Lastly, if you don’t mind carrying the extra weight, you can look into buying a double-walled tent. This is the best tent in terms of protection. It comes with two layers of fabric that are designed to keep even the fiercest weather at bay. Lots of these tents also come with a little compartment near the opening where you can store your gear. This makes it possible to fit two people snugly, so if you absolutely need or want to share your tent with someone else, this is what you should look for.
I hope this has helped you make a decision on what type of two person hiking tent you want to buy. Just remember that the lighter the tent is, the less protection you will receive. You have to decide for yourself what you want more, protection or less weight.
While you are out tent shopping, you might as well pick up a beach tent or two. It could be a perfect gift for someone who enjoys the beach. Or, you could keep it and let your family enjoy it while you are off hiking.
How a 2 Person Tent Will Save you Time, Money and Stress–Backpackers
I recently backpacked down the Grand Canyon. On our way down we pick up a solo day hiker from China. He wanted some company on his hike and we were friendly so we invited him to hike with us. While getting to know him we found out that our new friend was planning to hike in and out of the Grand Canyon in 1 day. Many people think this is crazy but it really isn’t too hard if you are in decent shape. This doesn’t take into account that many people per month get stuck in the Grand Canyon without water and shelter because they had no idea what they were getting themselves into.
Here is where a 2 person tent will come into play. Our friend had been hiking downhill into the canyon for 2 hours, we were halfway down and it was only 2:00pm. He was at the canyon only for a day and really wanted to make it to the bottom but, by this time he was getting nervous that he would get stuck in the canyon without any shelter or lights. He asked the ranger and the ranger advised against it. Our friend decided against the ranger advice. If our friend would have prepared and bought a 2 man tent (they can make them as little as 2 lbs.) he would not have that much more weight and he would not have the problem of getting stuck in the canyon.
The good news is that our friend made it out of the canyon safe and sound. However, it was dark by the time he got back and he had no flashlights. Many times this situation can end up very bad and does for many hikers all the time. A little preparation for backcountry hiking can go a long way.
If you find high quality, lightweight 2 man tent it will save you time, money, and stress while backpacking. If you are ever in our Chinese friend’s position you will not stress that you will be stuck on your hike. This will also save you time by not having to find help when you are stranded in the backwoods and you can wait until morning to plan your next move. Lastly, a good quality tent will last years and maybe decades. A cheaper made tent will start to show stress within a few camping trips. In the long-run, a better quality tent will save you money.
The Best Two-person Tent
The best two-man tent for you depends primarily on what your needs are. As a general rule, these tents are cozy, very cozy. Their dimensions range from five to five and a half feet wide and from six to seven and a half feet long. Their heights are generally between 36” and 38”.
Two people will find that there is enough length for stretching out. The widths leave just enough room for two sleeping bags to lie side by side. When it is time to get dressed in the morning, there is enough room, but standing up is not an option. Most of these tents are made from 40D nylon, making them both durable and lightweight. They also come with floors to help keep the fauna outside where it belongs.
There are pup-tent styles with camouflage for those who want to blend in with their surroundings. These come with zippered front doors and back windows, both with nylon mesh to keep out mosquitoes and other flying and crawling would-be visitors. Even with aluminum tent poles, these tents weigh in at only 3.5 pounds, making them easily transported for hiking vacations.
The most popular style of tent is the dome pop-up tent. These little two-man tents are extremely quick and easy to set up. These come in weights ranging from a little less than eight pounds down to three and a half pounds. There are vestibules for storing odds and ends. They each have a zippered nylon mesh door and window with the nylon mesh fine enough to keep no-see-ums out.
If you are looking for a lightweight tent that will be easy to pack into the hills, a tent to travel with or an unobtrusive tent for observing nature when you don’t want nature observing you back, there is a two-man tent that will be the best one for you.