Freestanding vs Non-Freestanding Tents | Out of doors Life

One of many first selections you must make when deciding on a backpacking tent is freestanding vs non-freestanding. Freestanding, means you don’t have to stake out the tent so as so that you can shelter inside. Non-freestanding tents use trekking poles or static poles to boost the tent, however in addition they depend on the stress from staking to remain upright.

There are execs and cons to each varieties, and we took prime tents from every class into the sector this spring on our annual backpacking gear take a look at. Two of our favorites are the Zpacks FreeZip and Search Outdoors Daylight. This premium semi-freestanding shelter and USA-made trekking pole tent spotlight the very best qualities of every class.  

Staking

Alpine and desert environments the place uncovered rock and laborious floor abound are notoriously troublesome to stake into. It’s a reduction on the finish of an extended day to have the ability to arrange your shelter with out worrying about discovering a patch of stake-holding floor. If as a rule you’re organising camp on too-soft or too-hard surfaces, the peace of thoughts of a freestanding, and even semi-freestanding, tent can’t be overstated (semi-freestanding means you could erect the tent with out stakes, however you’ll lose actual property inside). 

In the event you’re utilizing a non-freestanding tent on laborious floor, you must get extra inventive. You’ll be able to tie your guyline to a rock or leverage your stake in opposition to a rock. Macgyvering your setup does take time, and it may be irritating when your mountaineering accomplice is already cooking dinner outdoors their freestanding tent.

Nevertheless, in case you’re often tenting on grime, sand, or in any other case stake-friendly terrain, a trekking pole tent is a good way to save lots of weight and house.

Weight

Freestanding tents are heavier than trekking pole tents as a result of you must carry tent poles, as an alternative of counting on the trekking poles you’re already carrying. Some non-freestanding tents provide an choice to purchase poles in case you don’t all the time carry trekking poles. Based mostly on the typical weights of freestanding tents vs non-freestanding tents in our backpacking gear take a look at, going with a non-freestanding tent will prevent about half a pound.

Construction

There are a pair execs to the structured design of a freestanding or semi-freestanding tent. You’ll be able to arrange the tent, after which resolve on a location based mostly on the way it’ll match. Or if it’s essential to transfer spots, it’s a lot simpler. There’s additionally the opportunity of shaking out your tent on the finish of the evening. Dumping particles out of the within of a non-freestanding tent is tougher with out poles conserving the tent open.

Inside Area

Throughout testing we discovered that the two-person trekking pole tents had a formidable quantity of inside house due to the A-frame design. Some semi-freestanding tents however tapered to a single excessive level. Inside house varies tremendously by particular person tent design, but it surely’s value evaluating the size.

Price

Non-freestanding tents often price lower than freestanding tents since you aren’t paying for poles. Assuming you have already got trekking poles, it’s a good way to save cash. 

Sturdiness and Climate Resistance

The sturdiness and climate resistance of your shelter relies upon extra on particular person tent design than the construction class. In heavy winds a freestanding construction may need a basic benefit as a result of a non-freestanding construction has extra fail factors. Whereas very sturdy, if a guyline snaps or turns into unstaked on a trekking pole tent, the entire thing may come down extra simply.

Whereas it’s most typical to see double-wall freestanding tents and single-wall non-freestanding tents, that’s not all the time the case. Double-wall tents have the added weight and setup time of a rain fly, but additionally provide one other layer of climate safety. Single-wall tents require extra air flow to keep away from condensation in your shelter as a result of there’s just one layer of climate resistant material. 

Freestanding vs Non-Freestanding Tents Subject Take a look at

Right here’s a have a look at two of our favourite ultralight tents from Out of doors Life’s 2024 backpacking gear take a look at to provide you an concept of how freestanding and non-freestanding tents carry out within the area.

Freestanding Tent: Zpacks FreeZip 2P

• Dyneema Composite Cloth
• Weight: 2 lbs. 2 oz.
• 44 x 86 x 43 inches 
• Two doorways
• Two yr guarantee
• Worth: $900

One of many stand-out freestanding tents from Out of doors Life’s 2024 backpacking gear take a look at is the Zpacks FreeZip 2P. It received the very best improve award in our take a look at of ultralight tents as a result of it’s bombproof in heavy winds, and weighs solely 2 kilos.

The one-wall and semi-freestanding design make it straightforward and fast to arrange and take down. This shelter is safe, homey, and maximizes a small footprint with out the stress of discovering stake-able floor. The one-wall design does invite the opportunity of condensation in humid or moist climate and the ultralight supplies come at an extremely excessive worth.

Non-Freestanding Tent: Search Outdoors Daylight

• Ripstop silnylon
• Weight: 2 lbs. 15 oz.
• 99 x 60 x 50 inches
• Two doorways
• Restricted lifetime guarantee 
• Worth: $450 

There’s a studying curve to developing non-freestanding tents, however the Daylight’s easy setup and revolutionary door design made it stand out to us. When you get it pitched correctly, it’s impressively sturdy. Throughout our testing it outperformed a freestanding tent on a windy ridgeline the place staking was a chore. In the event you’re new to trekking pole tents, this one is simple to get the dangle of. And it’s made within the USA. It simply weighs greater than most trekking pole tents, and the optionally available poles aren’t as efficient as trekking poles.

Take a look at our area overview of those freestanding and non-freestanding tents in our video: Prime Ultralight Tents

Remaining Ideas

Backpackers will all the time debate the deserves of freestanding vs non-freestanding tents, however the actuality is that they’re each succesful classes of shelters. In the event you’re the kind of hiker who desires to cowl as many miles as attainable and spontaneously arrange camp on the subsequent flat-ish spot you see in a snap, then a freestanding tent makes probably the most sense for you. On the flipside, if each ounce counts and also you’re keen to be pickier together with your websites to save lots of half a pound, then go along with a non-freestanding design.