10 Ultra-Lite Tents to Take On Your Next Backpacking Trip

by Brad Lane + · Published August 4, 2015 · Updated August 3, 2015

lite tent

Potentially some of your biggest weight in your ultra-lite backpacking system could be your tent. And yes, it does have its value, the seemingly safe aspect of a shelter while you’re deep in the backcountry can help you sleep easy at night, and for many a simple tarp might just cut it. But there are a lot of amazing companies out there making amazingly light tents, and to help you keep up with the new technologies and old favorites. Here’s 10 ultra-lite tents to help you shave weight on your next backpacking trip:

MSR Flylight 2-Person Trekking Pole TentComing hot out of the MSR tent line is the Flylight 2-Person Trekking Pole tent. Just introduced to the market this year, this amazingly large and even more amazingly light tent is every thru-hikers dream come true. Not only does this provide plenty of room for you and your gear to sleep comfortably at night, but at 1 lb. 9 oz. you won’t even notice it in your pack. And with an easy to set up trekking pole design, you can go from exposed to enclosed in minutes without worrying about leaving any of your gear in the elements.

Nemo Equipment 1P Trekking Pole TentAll you need to set up this lightweight Nemo tent is two trekking poles and a reasonably flat spot and you’re ready to go. Featuring plenty of vestibule options to match the weather, the Nemo Equipment 1P Trekking Pole Tent is as versatile as it is light (2lbs. 7 oz.) and can give you a comfortable home away from home for you next ultra-lite backpacking trip.

Sea to Summit Specialist DuoThe Specialist Duo from Sea to Summit takes up the space of a bivy sack and adds the four sided walls of a tent. With a space saving design you would have a hard time finding a lighter 2-person backpacking tent that comes under the Specialist Duo’s 29 ounces and incredible packability. Aimed for the ultra-lite hiker, this tent also accommodates those first time hikers looking for comfort and reliability in their tent.

Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2 mtnGLO TentBig Agnes is all about innovations in gear design, and their Mountain Glo series of ultra-lite and overnight camping tents shines brightly with those ideals. That’s because integrated into the tent seams of all their Mountain Glo tents, including the Copper Spur Ultra-Lite series, are durable and rugged LED lights perfect for reading your map at days end. And for those ounce counters worried about the weight of extra lights, the Copper Spur comes in at an impressive 2 lbs. 4 oz., which is up to snuff for most ultra-lite hikers looking for a four walled shelter.

Marmot Starlight 1P TentSleek and smart, those are two words that could describe the Starlight 1 person tent from Marmot. Featuring a bivy-like design, this ultra-tent barely weighs more than two pounds and is as easy to assemble as it is to find room in your pack for. On the outside it may not look like the best shelter for those claustrophobic-esque campers, but once inside the spacious domicile, you won’t know what to do with so much room.

Mountain Hardware SuperMegaUL 1An ultra-lite and compact tent perfect for all those fast paced overnight activities, the SuperMega Ultra-Lite tent from Mountain Hardware features a two-pole design, an open vestibule with the rainfly in use, and enough head room to at least squat comfortably in this lightweight tent. Coming in at just over 2 pounds, this is also one of the lightest four sided tents on the market.

Kelty Trail BivySometimes you just want to go bivy mode instead of a traditional tent, and thankfully for those moments Kelty offers a very affordable, high-quality Trail Bivy perfect for you next adventure. It’s easy to feel a little exposed while sleeping in a bivy, but with the Trail Bivy you’ll sleep like a baby and wake up ready and refreshed to carry the strenuous 1 lb. 3 oz. bag you just slept in. Perfect for ultra-ultra-light weight campers, go for the Bivy if you don’t mind being tucked in close.

Alps Mountaineering Mystique 1Perhaps one of the most spacious lightweight, one-person tents on the market, the Mystique 1 from Alps Mountaineering might be mistaken for a hotel room once inside. That’s because with a great ventilation system, and front door and vestibule that combine to make a porch, and the roomy headspace design, you’ll be impressed with this thru-hiking tent. And at 3 lbs. 15 oz., it’s not the lightest tent on the market, but at $159 it may be the most affordable.

Sierra Designs Tensegrity 1 EliteSierra Designs believes there is a better way to get things done, and they are designing the ways to do it. Introducing the Tensegrity Elite 1 Person tent, a lightweight tent that gives you maximum living space and versatility for any adventure. Coming in at just over two pounds and with an innovative design that kept the user in mind, you can expect this tent from Sierra Designs to set the bar on all future lightweight tent designs.

Terra Nova Equipment Superlite Quasar TentThe perfect tent for ultra-protection at an ultra-lite weight, the Terra Nova Equipment Superlite Quasar Tent is a reproduction of one of their classic lines and features a dome-shape that can withstand any environment thrown at it. Ideal to be split up between two people, the Superlite Quasar can be used for either serious long-distance expeditions or simple overnight forays, and either way, the design and ultimate performance of this tent will have you sleeping easy as the weather blows on.