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We purchased and tested 15 of the best ultralight tents from Durston, Zpacks, Tarptent, Hyperlite, Big Agnes, and more to help you find the right one for your next big adventure
Some of the best ultralight tents on the market, from top brands like Durston, Zpacks, Hyperlite Mountain Gear, Big Agnes, Slingfin, Nemo, and 3F UL Gear.
Credit: Justin Simoni
By Justin Simoni ⋅ Review Editor ⋅ Updated June 5, 2026
Eventually, we hit a limit for how much weight we can carry on a backpacking trip. If you want to maximize your time on the trail, you need to minimize the “base weight” of your gear, so you can carry more food, water, and fuel. One of the best ways to do that is to switch to an ultralight tent.
The best of the best is the Durston X-Mid Pro 1. This Dyneema tent is surprisingly spacious and amazingly lightweight, but if the price tag is shocking, the Durston X-Mid 1 is a sil-poly version that's much more affordable.
The Zpacks Duplex Classic is, by far, the lightest 2-person tent on the market. Featuring a spacious interior and the exceptional weather resistance of Dyneema, this tent is truly a classic.
Since 2012, we've reviewed more than 60 ultralight tents. From thru-hiking long trails like the Colorado Trail, bikepacking from Canada to Mexico along the Tour Divide route, and fast-packing traverses of Colorado's famous 14ers, our team has covered thousands of miles and slept hundreds of nights in these tents.
For this review, we purchased and tested 15 of the best ultralight tents on the market, comparing them side by side and rating them based on their overall performance and value.
Editor's Note: We updated our ultralight tent review on June 5, 2026, to add new tents from Durston and Big Agnes, and to retest and update reviews of tents from Zpacks and Hyperlite Mountain Gear.
Ultralight tent design is a balance between building the lightest-weight tent possible and being honest about how minimalist a tent can be while still being comfortable and livable. The full-Dyneema Durston X-Mid Pro 1 makes good on its claim of the “pinnacle of superlight tent design.” An incredible attention to detail that matters keeps weight low without sacrificing comfort, useful features, or weather resistance. “The X-Mid Pro 1 is one of the most refined trekking pole tents I've ever used”, swears our tester. By offsetting the trekking poles, a high ceiling drapes across the entire living space, and two doors and vestibules give you options for cooking and storing gear away from the elements. The Dyneema fly is fully waterproof (and so is the bathtub floor, if you pony up for that option), and the integrated mesh body keeps bugs at bay.
If we can fault the X-Mid Pro 1 for anything, it's only for a lack of versatility. As a single-walled tent with an integrated bug mesh, you can't pitch it with just the fly to expand the interior space or cut even more weight. While ultralight tarps like the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Flat Tarp adapt well to less-than-ideal campsites, you really need a flat space large enough to stake out the trekking-pole-supported X-Mid Pro 1. There's also no way around the fact that this top-notch tent is expensive – the Durston X-Mid 1 is a much more affordable version. The regular X-Mid 1 features sil-poly instead of costly Dyneema for its rainfly, but as a double-wall tent, you can pitch it with just the fly. However, if you want the best of the best, there's no better 1-person ultralight tent on the market than the X-Mid Pro 1.
Zipperless closure system is great for sandy environments
Excellent weather protection
Livable space is large and comfortable
CONS
Small vestibule
Clear color lacks privacy
Upgrade is hard to figure out without instructions
SPECIFICATIONS
Measured Trail Weight
1.19 lbs
Measured Packed Size
7 x 13 in
Size
2 person
Type
Single wall tent w/ sewn in bug mesh and floor
Trekking Poles Needed for Set-up?
Yes w/o Freestanding Flex Kit
No w/ Freestanding Flex Kit
The Zpacks Duplex Classic easily outperforms the competition with the lavish comforts of a full tent construction at a ridiculously lightweight. It's tall enough to sit up straight and be comfortable, and we love the two vestibules for cooking in blustery conditions and for storing gear. This tent holds its shape in windy or stormy conditions, even on an exposed ridge or open field. With a built-in bug net and full floor, summer nights will have you safe from flying pests, while the Dyneema fabrics wick and shed water without any absorption, even after hours in a downpour. We also tested the Duplex with the optional Freestanding Flex Kit Upgrade while fast-packing in Canada, climbing in the desert, and hiking to high lakes in the mountains. “The Zpacks Duplex Classic is still going strong after five years. While the investment was a big one, it's worth it.”
While there are many positives, this tent is not perfect. If you buy the base model, you will need two poles to pitch the Duplex — or spend more money on the freestanding upgrade. Second, the setup is unfortunately not very intuitive and requires a tutorial. The light material is see-through at night, so you'll have to decide if you're okay with that, and condensation can become a problem in humid places. “This isn't a cheap tent, and while I think the performance is worth the cost, not everyone may feel that way,” admits our tester. But if you want the best and are willing to throw down the cash, the ZPacks Duplex has everything you could want in an ultralight construction. It packs down small, is durable, and offers incredible protection in all kinds of weather. The Tarptent Aeon Li is another great option if you're flying solo and have trekking poles for pitching. For something even more minimal, consider the Zpacks Hexamid.
Double wall tent w/removable floor and bug netting
Trekking Poles Needed for Set-up?
Yes
With this latest generation of the Durston X-Mid 1, we can confidently say that this is one of the best one-person trekking pole-style tents made in the Galaxy. We love the improved, thinner, and lighter polyester rain fly with its inherent lack of stretch, even when it gets drenched from an all-night shower. The dual doors and peak vent windows mean air can move as freely as one would like while we snooze in comfort and condensation doesn't build up, leaving the tent interior dry in the morning. The inner mesh sets up after the rain fly, meaning our gear and ourselves stay drier when we're pitching it up in a brewing storm. “You can even leave the inner at home if you feel like it. That saves weight and expands the livable interior space.” Clever design details abound to make your tent life more enjoyable, even when you're keeping an eye on the overall weight of your pack.
For those who are seeking the ultimate lowest weight in a tent, the X-Mid 1 is not that. “There are several other products I reach for if absolute weight is my goal, but livability while camping does suffer in those lighter options”, admits our lead tester. Look into the Zpacks Hexamid for a simpler one-person trekking pole super tarp, or the Tarptent Aeon Li for a little more overall protection, with its built-in floor. The Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo is a nice compromise for something just a little lighter in the same price range as the X-Mid 1.
We've tested a lot of trekking pole tents, and our skepticism when receiving the 3F UL Gear Lanshan 2 Pro ran deep. Anyone can produce an inexpensive tent, but can it also be of good quality and deliver value — can it be a product that we would confidently recommend to a friend? We're happy and a little relieved to say, yes, we would (and do) recommend the Lanshan. “The Lanshan 2 Pro punches well above its class when it comes to high-quality features we've grown accustomed to having at the end of a long, hard hike”, notes our tester. The rain fly is an excellent, waterproof, and strong 20D sil-nylon, and the solid inner doors keep all but the burliest of storms at bay. We love the roomy interior and vestibules, and the setup is as easy as it gets for a two-person, single-wall trekking pole design.
So what's not to love? Well, what you don't get from the Lanshan 2 Pro is the absolute lightest tent out there. Tipping the scales at over two pounds for everything that's included makes this tent stand out as one of the heaviest in our lineup, and the one-piece design of the tent means it's not possible to divide it up so that two people can share in carrying the weight. “The tent will also need to be seam-sealed before you take it out into the wilderness, an oftentimes messy step”, notes our tester. Lastly, we'd suggest investing in some better stakes, as the ones that come with your purchase are small and not as tough as we'd prefer. If you can spend a bit more, the Gossamer Gear The Two is another well-priced option that's a bit lighter. For the same weight, the much more “batteries-included” Nemo Hornet Osmo 2P is also an option.
With both of the twin, double-doors open, the 3F UL Gear Lanshan 2 Pro offers excellent ventilation – perfect for two slumbering people. Credit: Justin Simoni
Not as lightweight as comparable trekking pole tents
Expensive
SPECIFICATIONS
Measured Trail Weight
1.93 lbs
Measured Packed Size
17 x 3.5 in
Size
1.5 person
Type
Semi-freestanding double wall
Trekking Poles Needed for Set-up?
No
The Big Agnes Pitchpine VST 1.5 bridges the gap between semi-freestanding and trekking-pole tent designs, borrowing the best parts from both to create something that's all its own. As a “semi-freestanding” tent with a pole structure, you don't need trekking poles to set up the Pitchpine, but you still need to stake it out to use the full interior space. But instead of the single tent pole running straight down the middle, as you'd find on most semi-freestanding tents, the pole on the Pitchpine runs diagonally. This creates a more spacious interior with ample headroom, similar to a trekking pole tent. As a “1.5-person” tent, the Pitchpine even offers enough space to share it with your favorite four-legged friend. The extra space should also attract taller hikers. “Even sleeping on a long, wide pad [76 in x 25 in], I still had extra space by my feet and on the side opposite the door,” explains our lead tester. This unique design shaves weight, making it much lighter than comparable options, and should put it on any bikepacker's shortlist.
However, for practically the same price, there are Dyneema tents that are both lighter and more durable. The Zpacks Duplex Classic is a larger, 2-person tent for the same weight, and you can purchase a reasonably priced accessory kit that effectively transforms it into a semi-freestanding tent. If you want to stick with a trekking-pole tent, the Durston X-Mid Pro 1 is just as spacious and significantly lighter than the Pitchpine VST 1.5. For some more affordable alternatives, the Big Agnes Fly Creek UL1 is another long-popular, semi-freestanding tent. The Nemo Hornet Osmo 2P is an even more conventional semi-freestanding design with an ultralight makeover. “But if you're specifically looking for a semi-freestanding tent, it's very hard to beat the Pitchpine,” our tester continues. “It weighs more than half a pound less than any other semi-freestanding tent I tested.”
Variety of set-up options for ventilation and warmth
CONS
Requires a single center pole longer than the average trekking pole
Expensive
SPECIFICATIONS
Measured Trail Weight
1.49 lbs
Measured Packed Size
8.5 x 6 x 5.5 in
Size
2 person
Type
Floorless pyramid
Trekking Poles Needed for Set-up?
Yes
No w/ accessory tent pole, or suspended from the peak
The Hyperlite Mountain Gear UltaMid 2 is easily the most spacious ultralight option we've tested. Top-quality DCF material surrounds you on all four sides of this pyramid, ranking it among the best for weather protection. Its tall, steep sidewalls and huge footprint mean there is enough space for two people to sleep, along with their favorite four-legged friend, and even space left over for gear, a kitchen, or simply spreading out. This Mid is a killer option for setting up as a base camp when staying a while deep in a wilderness area like the Wind River Range, to then explore glaciers or test yourself on some of the classic rock climbs. “It's been hard to switch back to lower-ceiling tents once you get used to the UltaMid 2,” admits our lead tester. In snowy areas, the lack of a built-in floor means you can dig down, making the bottom a garden level of sorts, giving you even more space underneath the shelter.
But all of this space comes at a cost, and the UltaMid 2 is expensive. This tent is also so tall that it needs a center pole longer than a single trekking pole, so you'll need something to lash two poles together, or buy HMG's own long pole solution. The Ultamid 2 does not come with a mesh enclosure or bathtub floor – these are sold separately and are not inexpensive accessories. But if you want an adaptable, super weather-resistant shelter that will never have you lamenting the tradeoff in space or comfort, the UltaMid 2 is the ultralight tent for you. Perhaps one of the only tents that comes close to offering interior space is the Tarptent StratoSpire Ultra, which comfortably accommodates two.
For true ultralight aficionados and die-hard thru-hikers, no form of shelter burdens you less than a tarp. Of the stand-alone tarps in our lineup, the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Flat Tarp is by far the most protective. The design allows for endless adaptability when it comes to pitching options and locations. At only 11 ounces, including copious amounts of tie-out cordage, this tarp is one of the lightest shelters in our entire review. If you don't like carrying a lot of weight and you're willing to skimp on the comforts of a traditional fully covered shelter, this ultra-bomber and durable tarp is our best recommendation.
The super low weight comes with a minor caveat in that you will likely want to bring along a ground cloth to sleep on, and depending on the season and weather, you may also need a bivy sack for added weather and bug protection. You'll also need extra stakes and cordage. This ups the overall shelter system weight and costs a bit. Also, remember that both the price and the weight are for the tarp without the trekking poles needed to set it up or the stakes required to keep it affixed to the ground, so you will have to figure in the money and weight attributed to both. Regardless, if you are in the market for a tarp, the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Flat Tarp is the best one we have ever used. “One of the beauties of tarps is that you don't always need to set it up if the weather seems calm, giving you ultimate freedom of a cowboy camp”, notes our tester. The Zpacks Hexamid is also worth a gander if you want to cut even more weight; it's only 13.55 ounces in total, but we found it a bit less adaptable and not quite as easy to set up.
If you're coming from conventional backpacking, entering the ultralight world may feel like setting off on a trip without a map: you know generally where you need to head, but the details are a little hazy. The Nemo Hornet Osmo 2P is the tent that will hold your hand and ease your transition. Featuring a more conventional dome-style design with its own tent pole, you'll most likely feel right at home with how to set this tent up. The upside is that the Hornet Osmo 2P probably weighs many ounces less than the non-UL tent it's replacing. Unlike the trekking pole tents and tarps that dominate our lineup, this tent can be set up without committing to an exact placement. This gives you the freedom to move it around to catch the sunrise in the morning through one of its twin doors, or to properly face an incoming storm head-on for maximum storm-worthiness. “I often hike late into the night, and setting up a tent once I get to camp can feel like a chore,” admits our lead tester. “But the Hornet Osmo makes putting up a shelter as easy as it possibly can be.”
“Familiarity without all the weight” may be all you need to justify the purchase of the Hornet Osmo 2P, and we think it's a wise choice. But weight can't be dropped without compromises, and that's as true for this tent as it is for all the tents in our lineup. For the Hornet Osmo 2P, you're going to find the interior is pretty tight for two people, with barely enough room to have two 20" sleeping pads side by side. “Using this tent alone is pretty luxurious, but if I'm sharing it with my partner, she makes me promise I won't squish her into the side!” laughs our tester. If you're best friends or in a very committed relationship, this may not be a deal breaker. However, if you need a little more space to stretch out, consider a different tent. The 3F UL Gear Lanshan 2 Pro is another affordable, entry-level option, with a much roomier interior. However, as a trekking pole tent, setup is a bit more complicated. If you want to go all-in, the Zpacks Duplex Classic is pretty much as good as it gets for a two-person ultralight design, but it's a solid investment.
The Nemo Hornet Osmo 2P packs a big punch in a tiny package. Credit: Justin Simoni
We love our 2+ person backcountry palaces for more casual trips, but when we get the itch to test ourselves on just how far or fast we can go in a short weather or long weekend window, we often pack the SlingFin SplitWing. “The SplitWing is the shelter someone pulled right out of my dreams. Weighs very little, packs down to nothing, sets up fast, and provides just enough weather protection for when I just need a few hours sleep in between marathon days”, gushes our lead tester, a mountain athlete. You don't have to be so extreme to want to set FKTs across mountain ranges to find the value of the SplitWing. Being so light and small packed up, it's perfect to have for simple, no-nonsense overnight trips where you just need to get away without bringing half a camper van with you. “On solo day hikes, I'll bring it along just in case something happens and I get benighted”, offers up our tester. And all this at a price that is sometimes half of other tarp options made of DCF.
What makes the SlingFin SplitWing so impressive is that it knows its own limitations and isn't trying to be everything to everyone. This may not be the best shelter to bring along for long trail trips where you're chancing being confined in your tent all day waiting for a particularly stubborn weather system to pass. Look instead for one of the double-wall tents like the Durston X-Mid 1 or a semi-freestanding one-person tent like the Big Agnes Fly Creek UL1. All these being fully enclosed means wet weather is less likely to ruin a long-distance trip. SlingFin also offers up modular accessories for the SplitWing, like a ground cloth, bug net, and vestibule cover, which allows you to tune the tarp exactly to the demands of your trip. “I love the idea of the SplitWing accessories, as they extend the usefulness of such a simple shelter”, says our lead tester.
With just a little practice, it takes just a few minutes to put up the SlingFin SplitWing, perfect for when you just want to get into your sleeping bag after a long day of crushing trails. Credit: Justin Simoni
Product Comparison Table
A whole squad of ultralight tents, pitched and ready to be scrutinized. Credit: Nolan Anderson
How We Tested
We purchase all the tents that you see in this lineup at retail, to test them outside in deep glacier-cut valleys and on top of high mountain passes. These ultralight tents have been used for backcountry overnight ski missions in the Northwest, bike tours in the desert, and backpacking adventures throughout the USA and beyond. Our testing is objective and based on well-founded, unbiased, hands-on experience. After spending weeks and months in these tents, we've identified key differences and the best uses for each one.
We test and rate ultralight shelters based on five performance metrics:
The ultralight tents are ready to take you wherever you want to explore. Credit: Justin Simoni
Why Trust GearLab
This review is headed up by Justin Simoni. Justin is an outdoor adventurer: his “big projects” include biking the Tour Divide from Canada to Mexico, bikepacking to, and climbing, Colorado's 58 14ers, and self-supported traverses of the Sangre de Cristo, Sawatch, Mosquito, and Tenmile ranges. Whether by bike or foot, he likes to test his mettle against the Colorado mountains, and keeps a detailed account of his inspiring adventures on his blog: Justin Simoni as: The Long Ranger.
Our team of Gearheads has taken our ultralight tents to the ends of the world over many years of testing.
Analysis and Test Results
This review highlights ultralight tents, tarps, and shelters that weigh two pounds or less. Even under this somewhat extreme weight limit, we've found a zoo of compelling products, from Dyneema wonder shelters to simpler polyester trekking-pole tents to Spartan sil-nylon tarps. We've distilled what we believe are the five most important metrics to consider when ultralight camping. Some shelters don't score high holistically, but they can certainly fulfill a specific niche well, one that an ultralight enthusiast like yourself may be seeking. When perusing, first determine what features are most important to you, then search for those metrics to find answers about what you should buy.
Little features can make all the difference, like the Zpacks Hexamid Pocket Tarp's system to hook the doors to the side guyline to the side stake. Credit: Justin Simoni
The average outdoor recreationist doesn't really need an ultralight tent. However, if you plan to spend weeks on end in the backcountry, your happiness will roughly be proportional to the amount of weight you'll need to carry on your back while hiking. Prices for ultralight gear can certainly be high when compared to more conventional options, but they don't necessarily have to be. Be sure to check out the more affordable options in our lineup that might fully satisfy what you're looking for if you're on a budget.
Worse Value
Better Value
What's the Best Value?
In the world of ultralight gear, we often joke that when you spend ever-increasing amounts on gear, you will actually physically receive products that are constructed of ever-decreasing amounts of material! And there is some truth to this. Newer materials that exhibit amazing strength-to-weight performance – such as Dyneema – can also be some of the most expensive. To go ultralight, it seems simply inevitable that you'll have to pay a high price. We can't deny this entirely, but more affordable options do exist, which masterfully utilize excellent materials to craft a lightweight shelter at a price point that doesn't require you to put a second mortgage on your house.
The Durston X-Mid 1 is a very affordable double-wall pyramid shelter with a removable bug net. If you want, you can convert it into a floorless pyramid for weight savings and less bulk. It eschews more expensive materials and opts for a rainfly made of a much more price-conscious polyester.
The Durston X-Mid 1P is an excellent value for such a well-designed tent. Credit: Justin Simoni
The 3F UL Gear Lanshan 2 Pro is an exceedingly cost-conscious two-person tent. It scores high in many of our metrics, but stumbles due to its overall weight, which is a result of its large and spacious design. (You'll need to seam seal this tent as well to make it truly waterproof for anything more than a foggy night.)
Although not a flyweight, the Lanshan 2 Pro packs a lot of features and value in its two-person profile. Credit: Justin Simoni
Look at the SlingFin SplitWing UL Tarp for a very simple, shaped tarp that'll get you started at an incredible low weight at a fair price. You have the option to purchase some additional accessories, such as a bug net and an add-on vestibule, which you can choose to bring with you only if and when needed. This shelter is made of very thin, yet highly performant, silicone-impregnated nylon, which is both lightweight and durable.
The SplitWing isn't really much more than a bivy tarp, but for the price and packed size, it may be exactly what you need. Credit: Justin Simoni
Livability
Your shelter's livability is the main attribute that accounts for your happiness, especially when you've finally stopped hiking for the day. We define livability as how comfortable it is to live in each ultralight tent: sleeping, sorting, and storing gear, as well as waiting out storms. A few other attributes we consider to be important include insect protection, condensation management, privacy, and whether a tent has a floor or not. We consider livability to be one of the most important considerations because if your tent isn't comfortable, it's not a worthwhile purchase. Livability does battle with Weight, as creature comforts do start to add some appreciable ounces to our scales. However, the most clever tents will find ways to maintain a very livable space without resorting to hefty solutions.
The tents that scored the highest are those with large storage vestibules, good ventilation, and additional storage. We also took to models that allow you to sit up while inside with enough lateral room that you're not pressed up against the fabric wall. Having enough breathing room is important not only for comfort but for keeping your sleeping bag and the rest of your gear as dry as possible, too. A certain amount of wetness and discomfort is expected on the trail, but the more you can mitigate it, the better.
What's incredible about the UltaMid 2 is the sheer amount of interior space. There was plenty of space for this solo adventure and his ski touring gear. Credit: Andy Wellman
Generous interior space makes a huge difference in livability. One of the most enjoyable and comfortable tents to take on the trail is the Tarptent StratoSpire Ultra. A single occupant will feel absolutely spoiled within the completely meshed-in, almost 33-square-foot interior. Two people can occupy it snugly and still be at a loss for what to do with all the external vestibule space other than bring along a golden retriever or two. Excellent ventilation keeps condensation at arm's length — doubly important when the inside space is shared.
The StratoSpire Ultra's interior easily fits two sleeping bags side by side. Credit: Justin Simoni
The Gossamer Gear The Two and Zpacks Duplex Classic are other solid 2-person shelters for maximum interior space in a very lightweight package. Just remember that when choosing a larger-volume tent, you will have to find a place to pitch it, whereas a smaller tent will have an equally small footprint and will fit tighter in camp spots.
A good night's sleep is important for a successful day on the trail. Credit: Justin Simoni
There's more shoulder room in the Zpacks Duplex than one person may know what to do with. Two people can fit using 20" sleeping pads. Credit: Justin Simoni
The Big Agnes Pitchpine VST 1.5 bills itself as a “1.5 Person” tent, which highlights the ample living space inside the protective mesh inner tent. We certainly agree with this marketing claim, and the extra length and width are a welcome design to the traditionally cramped ultralight tent, especially for taller folks.
The Pitchpine features an impressive amount of usable tent space to stretch out in. Credit: Justin Simoni
Our 5'11" tester had more than enough space to lay down without hitting the head or foot walls in the Big Agnes Pitchpine VST 1.5. Credit: Justin Simoni
For 1-person tents, the Durston X-Mid 1 easily ticks most of the livability boxes we look for. The dual doors and accompanying dual vestibules mean there's no shortage of storage space once you've set up camp. The fully enclosed inner mesh keeps bugs out, and the generously high bathtub floor ensures rain doesn't splash inside. Maybe its best attribute for livability is its dual trekking-pole setup, allowing you to sit upright in the tent along its entire length, rather than at just a single high point. The design itself is exceptionally storm-worthy, which we've had the pleasure to confirm ourselves out in the field on our high treks in Colorado. The Durston X-Mid Pro 1 shares many of its positive attributes, but comes in a much lighter weight, while only marginally compromising on interior space.
A good amount of space is found in the X-Mid 1's living space as well in the dual vestibules for all your gear. Credit: Justin Simoni
A tall peak height can make a big difference on just how easy it is to perform ordinary chores like adjusting layers. Our 5'11" tester had little problem changing layers inside the X-Mid Pro 1P. Credit: Justin Simoni
The Hyperlite Mountain Gear UltaMid 2 uses two trekking poles lashed to each other to provide the highest tent peak in our lineup at 64". While tarps offer great adaptability, living in one for an extended period can be cumbersome. Some tarps offer an optional “bathtub” that connects to the main tarp body, keeping things a little more livable by providing a bottom out of the dirt, protecting you from rain, and helping manage bug pressure. The Zpacks Hexamid can be purchased with an optional footprint to make it more livable for the long haul. The Hexamid is one of the most popular tarp tents for long trails, such as the PCT, as it delicately balances a very low weight with just enough livability.
Using the Hexamid with the optional ground sheet helps make this tarp tent a realistic option for long distance backpacking trips. Credit: Justin Simoni
Pure tarps can be luxurious if you have nice weather and no insects, since you can really let loose and set them up with an absolutely massive footprint to cook, sleep, play cards, write, read, or even play music. A tarp like the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Flat Tarp offers up an unfathomable 52 square feet at its maximum. Just note that if you need to weather a storm, setting it up in “dart” mode will cut that space aggressively. We're fans of using the Flat Tarp in wooded areas, where trees can be used in creative pitches or trekking poles can never touch.
There are many creative ways to use the Hyperlite Flat Tarp. Here, we've folded it over on itself to let less light through, and pitched it as a simple lean-to on a section of trail with no natural shade. Credit: Justin Simoni
Weight
Weight is a very special consideration in this category, and low weight is arguably the main reason why you're reading this review in the first place. Likewise, aggressive weight reduction is the trait shared by all of these shelters and the main reason they exist at all. However, there's always a trade-off between weight savings and other characteristics, like livability. We don't always go by the absolute weight when picking out a shelter – you may find yourself miserable with your decision, despite the numbers on the scale.
Measured weight with all components
Our goal is a tent that weighs less than 2.5 pounds (40 oz), with everything included. With a cursory look at the specifications of the tents in our lineup, you'll notice that many weigh half as much, or even less. Pay attention to the total weight of the entire kit. While some tents put up impressive marketing numbers, that weight is sometimes misleading, because it doesn't necessarily include everything you need to actually pitch the tent (like the weight of stakes). Most tents require one or two trekking poles, which the manufacturer assumes you're already bringing, so that weight isn't factored in, either. Along with weight, we do take packed size into consideration – the lightest shelters aren't always the smallest when packed, and this is especially true of Dyneema shelters.
Each tent packed down in its stuff sack. Credit: Justin Simoni
The absolute lightest shelters in our lineup are the tarps. Without bug netting or an integrated floor, they also tend to be the simplest, too. At 7.7 oz for the tarp alone, the SlingFin SplitWing UL Tarp is one of the lightest shelters we've ever tested. It's perfect for fast, light missions where you don't mind major hits to livability. Dimensions are tight, with enough room for one person to lie down with your gear off to the side – it's more comparable to a bivy sack than a tent. It's made of 10D silnylon and can be compressed to the size of a softball, making it one of the smallest shelters by packed volume.
The extremely lightweight SlingFin SplitWing UL Tarp provided just enough protection to allow us to weather out a surprise late spring snow storm on Black Powder Pass in Summit County at over 12,000'. Credit: Justin Simoni
At 9.2 oz for the tarp alone, the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Flat Tarp is not much heavier, but it's much larger than the SplitWing UL Tarp. This specialty Dyneema tarp can be pitched in countless ways – adaptability is off the charts, but setting up a tarp effectively takes time to learn and master.
The HMG Flat Tarp weighs astoundingly little, while still packing features that make it indispensable.
When traveling with a tarp, be sure to account for the weight of extra paracord and a few extra stakes — most tarps in our lineup need at least 6 if you're not lashing them to other objects. A few additional accessories make your shelter more adaptable to any terrain.
The thin, .55 oz/sqyd dyneema fly material used on the Zpacks Hexamid is extremely light and see-through up close. Credit: Justin Simoni
Tarptents bridge the gap between simple tarps and a complete shelter. For some ultralight travelers, these hit a sweet spot for extreme weight savings and livability – they are super popular with thru-hikers, who will walk thousands of miles in a single season. The Zpacks Hexamid weighs only 9.91 ounces and includes a protective bug mesh and a zippered door. The bathtub floor and its attachments add a little more than 3 ounces to the total, but go a long way towards much more complete weather protection. The Tarptent Aeon Li is a similar design, with an integrated mesh tent and a bathtub floor. Weighing only 16.9 oz, it's a bit roomier than the Hexamix, which makes it a great option for taller folks.
The Aeon Li is one of our favorite solo tents; one of the reasons being that you've got plenty of headroom with built-in bug protection. Credit: Matt Bento
The Zpacks Duplex Classic weighs 18.7 oz for the tent itself, but is extremely ultralight, considering it's designed to be shared between two people. Likewise, the Hyperlite Mountain Gear UltaMid 2 is a relatively massive pyramid, weighing 19.4 oz. Although these are available from the manufacturer as expensive accessories, the UltaMid2 doesn't come with any creature comforts, such as bug netting or a floor.
Modular add-ons are quite common to make a tent adaptable for different seasons. Many shelters allow you to add bug netting, floors, or other components. Keep in mind that when shopping, you need to consider the weight of any extras you might require and add them to your packed trail weight. Of course, you can also remove these parts to reduce weight.
Interior space of the UltaMid 2 is absolutely massive, but take into consideration that it doesn't come with a floor or bug mesh. Credit: Justin Simoni
We got around the problem of the center pole being so awkwardly in the way, by pitching the UltaMid 2 not with a pole but by hanging the peak from a line wrapped around a branch of a tree. Credit: Justin Simoni
Weighing a few ounces more, complete tent solutions come onto the scene. The Durston X-Mid Pro 1 at 15.8 ounces for the tent body is pretty close to a masterpiece of ultralight tentmaking. For its lightweight, it offers a good amount of living space, a high ceiling, great gear storage, and excellent weather protection. It's a more expensive option, but it may be worth it to many who don't want to fuss with more technical solutions just to shave grams.
Solutions to problems abound on the Durston X-Mid Pro 1, which seems to have a response to whatever worry you may have on the trail. Credit: Justin Simoni
Most people just starting out may find themselves happiest with a relatively “heavy” tent. The Tarptent StratoSpire Ultra is a good example of how a plethora of comfort-related features can quickly add weight to an otherwise ultralight tent. You'll need to decide if these extra niceties are worth it on the trail. The Nemo Hornet Osmo 2P is also a heavier tent. It concedes ounces to make an all-in-one solution that includes its own tent pole, while other tents require you to use trekking poles to set up.
The double-walled Nemo Hornet Osmo 2P is inherently heavier than other tents, partly because it uses its own heavier tent pole, rather than relying on the trekking poles you're most likely bringing with you to pitch the tent up. Credit: Justin Simoni
The Big Agnes Pitchpine VST 1.5 tries, and mostly succeeds, in bucking the notion that semi-freestanding tents with their own pole system must always be on the heavy side. The tent body and required pole add up to 26.8 ounces, a fairly impressive weight for the design constraints.
The Pitchpine's diagonal pole design is one of its most distinctive feature. The tent body + pole come in at 26.8 ounces; the whole kit is 30.8 ounces. Credit: Justin Simoni
Another heavyweight is the 3F UL Gear Lanshan 2 Pro, weighing 39.2 oz. Neither its single-wall design nor its Spartan features waste material, but the tent's spacious interior requires more material. However, if you carry it as a shelter for two people, with each hiker responsible for half of the total weight, it's still incredibly lightweight compared to other backpacking tents.
The 3F UL Gear Lanshan 2 Pro is one of the heaviest yet most expansive tents in our lineup and makes a perfect, affordable tent that can sleep two people comfortably. Credit: Justin Simoni
Weather Resistance
In the name of the lightest packout possible, why not just cowboy camp without even bringing a shelter at all? Weather (and bugs), of course! As a standard, your shelter needs to protect you from rain, wind, and the occasional light snowfall. Most of the shelters in our lineup are designed for three-season use and typically lack the structure necessary to withstand the weight of a severe snowstorm. With a few additional accessories (and some hard-won trail experience), many of these shelters can be used in more extreme conditions.
After years of testing, our experience has confirmed to us that tents made of composite fabrics like DCF and Ultra TNT, or tents made of polyester fabric, hold their pitch well without needing readjustment because they resist sagging when wet and thus don't require re-tensioning during a storm. In contrast, tents made of nylon have a greater tendency to sag, which may require you to leave your interior cocoon of warmth to get out and tweak your pitch.
Several non-freestanding tarp and tent designs have proven themselves trustworthy in sour conditions: true symmetrical center pole pyramids, two pole A-frames and “mids”, and their maybe cooler cousins: the “offset mid”.
Examples of three weather-resistant tarp/tent designs: true pyramids, A-frame, and offset mid.
All these tarp and tent designs have a few details in common: trekking poles are used to prop up the ceiling of the tent and provide an extremely sturdy connection between the ground and the ceiling; guylines attach to the ground via stakes to provide tension to the fabric, keeping the tent aloft. Any force applied to one face of the tent will be countered by force from the lines running to the ground. You'll see the fundamental principle in action on antenna towers, bridges, or just when you're trying to keep a sapling you recently planted upright to allow it to grow.
A look at the very weather-resistant Tarptent StratoSpire Li that is ultra liveable and does well in poor weather.
The Tarptent StratoSpire Ultra absolutely crushes in this category, as it integrates all these novel strategies together. The large vestibules create an area out of the rain for your wet shoes and jackets, keeping the waterproof Ultra tub-style tent interior totally dry. The vestibules feature storm flaps secured in place with tiny magnets.
DCF fabric, formerly known as Cuben Fiber, is entirely waterproof, tough, and durable. It also will not absorb water, meaning it won't stretch or sag when it gets wet and is lighter than sil-nylon. What's not to love? Credit: Andy Wellman
The Zpacks Duplex Classic is another protective design but has smaller vestibules, a hook and loop closure instead of zippers, and a single-wall design, which doesn't protect as well from the wind as a full zipper enclosure. The structure, though, is ultra-stable in high winds, and one you can easily ride a storm out in. The total weight of the tent is competitive compared to even some one-person designs.
The Zpacks Duplex is composed of DCF fabric, offering great weather protection and durability. Credit: Justin Simoni
The steep slopes of mid-style ultralight tents are also very effective at repelling the wind and rain, and the Hyperlite Mountain Gear UltaMid 2, with its DCF fabric, ranks up with the best. For a more modest price, the 3F UL Gear Lanshan 2 Pro has better than average storm-worthiness due to its inherent mid-style and extra tie-down points. Its sil-nylon fabric may need to be re-tensioned, but the silicone-treated fabric will hopefully keep this at a minimum.
Extra Stakes and Cord Often Not Included
For maximum weather protection, you may optionally utilize 10+ stakes to fully use all the guy point options. Most of these tents come without stakes, and some others only come with 6-8. You can buy more six-gram carbon stakes or simply use rocks. Ten or so feet of P-cord can also come in handy when securing your tent to natural anchors like trees or boulders, or to make additional guylines.
One-person tents also show a phenomenal amount of weather resistance. The single-pole Tarptent Aeon Li is engineered with an incredible eye for every small detail to stay solid during the worst weather. Its high-angle sides encourage any surprise snow to slide right off. The Durston X-Mid 1 also shares the attribute of steep sides but uses two trekking poles rather than one to give you two vestibules for cooking, changing, and storing wet gear. Not to be outdone, the Durston X-Mid Pro 1 shares the weather-stormworthiness of its brethren.
Extra guy lines are built into the peaks of the X-Mid 1 for additional storm-worthiness. Credit: Justin Simoni
The Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo also has plenty of additional stake-out points when things start to get real. It has a generous bathtub bottom to keep water splashes from getting in, as well as mesh ventilation on the top and bottom to help with condensation when your tent's rain fly is bundled up tight. The polyester material may also fare just a tad better than the silnylon found on other, cheaper ultralight tents. Just make sure to seam-seal the interior before testing it out.
The bathtub-style 40D sil-poly floor of the Lunar Solo keeps wetness from the rain out, while the mesh paneling aids in ventilation to keep condensation at bay. The reinforced panel on the tent face accepts an additional guy line to stake out, if wanted. Credit: Justin Simoni
The Big Agnes Fly Creek UL1 allows you to ride out foul weather, including wind. The tent poles and overall design are meant to respond to gusts of wind by being flexible rather than rigid, allowing the wind to spill off the tent sides. It's also much narrower than they are wide, so with careful setup, you can point the foot-end into the wind for a better experience when things get nautical.
In exposed campsites like this one well above treeline, the Big Agnes Fly Creek UL1 illustrates excellent protection from the wind, so long as you direct the foot end into the direction of the wind. The teardrop shape of the tent will take care of the rest. Any wind that hits the side of the tent will cause the tent itself to deflect and the wind will spill off. Credit: Justin Simoni
Likewise, the Big Agnes Pitchpine VST 1.5 uses an array of standard stakeout points to help keep the single pole that's diagonally run work well in stormy weather. Its ventilation system is next level, using a duct-like tunnel that runs transversely, accepting humid air coming from the ceiling of the tent and delivering it outside.
The impressive vent above the ceiling allows for excellent airflow, even in stormy conditions. Credit: Justin Simoni
Adaptability
Adaptability may be more or less important to you based on where you often camp. If you tend to find yourself off-trail, sleeping on uneven surfaces, or in rapidly changing weather conditions, adaptability will be paramount. Generally, the tarp-style shelters do well in this metric. Snowing? Make a steep-sided shelter or a lean-to with your tarp. Or, you could string up your tarp to be as wide as possible to hide from the desert sun. The ability to add or remove floors or bug nets also added points.
Thus, flat tarps earn high points in this category. The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Flat Tarp seems pretty simple, but it offers a ton of options to set up for changing weather conditions. Being flat, it can deploy easily in a low-to-the-ground storm mode and do a significantly better job of protecting against both rain and wind than in A-frame mode. The Hyperlite Flat Tarp also has 16 perimeter tie-outs, with four more found on the face of the tarp, giving you many, many options for tailoring this tarp to your specific environment. Finding the best pitch for every scenario may take some trial and error, but getting a good-enough solution for the night can usually be done improvisationally.
The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Flat Tarp pitched in super-low storm mode without stakes (extra long guylines are wrapped around rocks) in the North Cascades, Washington. Credit: Max Neale
The SlingFin SplitWing UL Tarp is already shaped specifically to work well in exposed areas like mountain ridges to brush off both wind and weather. The SplitWing's magic is in its ability to have its ceiling be raised and lowered to work with variable conditions, without having to re-stake it out. If you need to squeeze in two people underneath, you can lower the ceiling to accommodate. Or, if you're going solo, raise the ceiling to give a little more headroom.
The SlingFin SplitWing's “Split” back beak allows you to adjust its height by changing the length of your trekking pole without having to re-stake out the tarp itself. We decided to run it higher for a clear, windless night. Credit: Justin Simoni
Another very adaptable design is the various pyramids — the Hyperlite Mountain Gear UltaMid 2, Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo, and Durston X-Mid 1. All three can be set up high for added airflow or low to the ground for more bomber protection from the wind. They are incredibly weather-resistant, and even though this review is about three-season shelters, pyramids are almost ideally suited as either cook or sleeping tents in the snow or on expeditions, making them genuine four-season options for all but the most alpine of applications. The only time when trekking pole-style tents flounder is when you're trying to set them up in deep powdery snow: your poles may just sink right through the snowy ground!
We pitched all the tents we tested in different conditions and terrain to see how they handled different situations. Credit: Justin Simoni
We also appreciate the adaptability of the double-wall designs that allow you to sleep under only mesh netting on perfect nights. And since they are primarily freestanding models, they often don't need soft ground to be successfully set up. If the weather looks clear, the Nemo OSMO Hornet 2P, as well as the Big Agnes Fly Creek UL1, can all be set up like this for bug-free stargazing. With an additional inexpensive add-on, the Durston X-Mid 1 can also pull off this trick.
If the weather is cooperating, go fly-less with the Hornet Osmo 2P! Credit: Justin Simoni
Ease of Set-Up
No savvy backpacker will ever head out into the wilderness without first practicing setting up their shelter near home. With practice, almost all of these ultralight tents and shelters can be set up in just about five minutes. This isn't just for show: being able to set up a shelter quickly while alone, in gusting wind that often precedes inclement weather, may ultimately make a difference in your comfort level for the night, especially if this weather then lingers for a while. To decide these scores, we busted out a stopwatch and timed ourselves after a couple of practice rounds. We also took advantage of windy weather and practiced setup to see which ones were the easiest and which felt almost impossible.
Semi-freestanding tents score high for how easy they are to both set up, as well as making adjustments to exactly where you have placed them — the latter being a trick that trekking pole tents and tarps just can't pull off. The Nemo OSMO Hornet 2P is one of the easiest and fastest tents to set up, as the included pole gives enough rigidity to set up semi-freestanding, making staking only the necessary four corners a breeze. It also means that if a stake pops out in the middle of the night, you won't find your shelter fallen down, attempting to smother you.
We can set up the Nemo Hornet Osmo 2P without breaking a sweat. Credit: Justin Simoni
The Big Agnes Fly Creek UL1 is also semi-freestanding, but needs, at the very least, six stakes to properly set up its protective fly. Once up, this tent offered us excellent protection from the elements. We've taken it on Spring trips up over 12,000' on unplanned overnights, and woke up far more restful than when we stopped for the night.
There's really nothing to setting up the Big Agnes Fly Creek UL1! Credit: Justin Simoni
The Big Agnes Pitchpine VST 1.5 is another semi-freestanding tent that comes with its own pole. We had no problem taking up stakes and changing its location multiple times while testing– something that would be far more annoying with a trekking pole tent.
Remove the stakes, pick up the Pitchpine, and fine another place to place the tent! Credit: Justin Simoni
Tents with a floorless pyramid construction are also quick to set up when stormy weather is upon you. The Gossamer Gear The Two is super simple. Just peg out the edges and insert one or two poles inside. This makes it very easy to set up during high winds or storms.
Find a tent with adjustable guy lines like the Gossamer Gear the Two. It'll make adjustments and adaptability far easier to deal with in odd camping sites. Credit: Amber King
The Durston X-Mid 1 also requires two poles, but its rectangular design and clever ventilation access points for the poles make it quick and easy. And once the rain fly is up, you can put up the inner tent body from within, away from any weather. We could set up both in under four minutes, with conditions degrading, and alone. The X-Mid Pro 1 version of this tent is single-walled, which simplifies pitching.
The X-Mid 1 can be pitched without its mesh interior, giving you the option of even more interior space to spread out or to share with a hiking buddy. Credit: Justin Simoni
Tarp tents such as the Aeon Li and the Zpacks Duplex Classic include adjustable guylines with time-saving cord locks, but they do take a little time to initially figure out. Once mastered, this feature makes it much easier to then make micro-adjustments in the middle of the night. If you wake up to snow or heavy rain and didn't correctly tension your tent before you went to sleep, easily tightening guylines is much faster than repositioning stakes.
So which ultralight tent are you leaning towards? Before making any big (or expensive) decisions, be sure to consider all the best options out there. Hopefully we've made that step a little easier. Credit: Matt Bento
Other Notable Ultralight Tents
Ultralight tents have come a long way. Tarps used to be the only game in town, and only then, the only thing you could buy were the plans to sew your own! Now, we're spoiled with incredible choices, from Dyneema wonder tents to inexpensive silnylon tarps, and everything in between. Below are a few ultralight tents we tested, which just didn't make the cut in light of the stiff competition:
Six Moon Designs Owyhee Backpacking Tarp — There are some really compelling features baked into the Owyhee. If you're traveling as a pair, this is one of the more competitively priced and lighter tarp tent options that's realistically designed for two people. And for taller hikers, the Owyhee has more room to lie down, without having to be on a diagonal. But the bathtub floor integration with the tarp's mesh doors is frustrating because the zipper door's slider can become lost underneath the footprint itself. Having to seam seal the tent — or pay extra for the warehouse to do this for you — also counts against this tent. The Gossamer Gear The Two hits a similar price point to the Owyhee and features mesh doors that are easier to crawl through. If you're flying solo, Six Moon's own Lunar Solo has a well-designed bathtub floor and a one-pole design.
The very generous length of the Six Moon Designs Owyhee could be just what campers taller than 6' have been looking for. Credit: Justin Simoni
Nemo OSMO Hornet 1P — This is a semi-freestanding workhorse for folks who shun trekking pole-style tents. Familiarity counts for a lot, and we think the Osmo Hornet 1P is a good choice for hikers who want to haul less weight, but are happy with a classically styled tent. However, when we compare this one-person version of the tent to the two-person version – the Nemo OSMO Hornet 2P – the latter appears to be the more practical option. For just a little more cost and slightly more weight, the two-person version boasts significantly more interior space, whether you decide to camp alone or with a hiking partner.
Just enough headroom, but plenty of space outside to stash a dirty pack in the Nemo OSMO Hornet 1P. Credit: Justin Simoni
NEMO Hornet Elite OSMO UL 2P — Like many more conventional, non-trekking pole tents, this tent is very intuitive to set up. It's also surprisingly light, being one of the lightest semi-freestanding tents available – it even stands on its own when compared to some of our favorite trekking pole tents. However, the weight-saving design compromises livability, which has less interior space in all directions than some other one-person tents we tested. For a better bang for your buck, consider NEMO's own Hornet Osmo 2P, which has a higher ceiling height, is slightly wider, and features larger vestibules.
The Nemo Hornet Elite OSMO UL 2P seems light enough to float up to join the rest of the clouds above. Credit: Justin Simoni
Mountain Hardwear Nimbus UL 1 — Front entry tents can make a lot of sense for some people, especially if you feel claustrophobic in often smaller, ultralight options. Having the tent door right by your head can relieve some of that anxiety. The design is also extremely storm-worthy overall, with additional guy-out points where side doors would normally be located. However, the front entry creates more problems than it solves, including providing less weatherproof storage space for your pack while you're sleeping, a smaller entryway to get in and out, and some extra challenges in getting air to circulate throughout the tent to keep you at just the right comfortable temperature. The Big Agnes Fly Creek UL1 is a slightly more affordable tent of a very similar design with a slightly higher ceiling.
The front entry door is the signature feature of the Mountain Hardwear Nimbus UL 1. Credit: Justin Simoni
Conclusion
Humans have been walking the earth for thousands of years without silnylon, Dyneema, Ultra TNT, or bug netting. But now, we might argue that we need to go further (and faster), and modern designs and materials help us to get there. Bonafide engineers are putting their time, effort, and intellect into designing the strongest and lightest shelters ever known. What a time to be a human-powered adventurer. Even with all the ounce-counting, hair-splitting, and nitpicking, we've had a fantastic time testing out ultralight tents. We hope our effort to compile these evaluations leads you to a shelter that satisfies your needs and helps facilitate many fast and light mountain adventures.
If you're looking to shave some weight and go ultralight, we can help. We've also put ultralight sleeping bags and ultralight backpacks to the test. If you don't need to go mega ultralight but are just hoping to drop a few pounds from your pack, we've also tested backpacking tents, which are lighter than their car camping counterparts. If you are building your gear collection from scratch, see our comprehensive backpacking checklist for some great advice to get started.
