Greatest 2-Individual Tents of 2024, Examined and Reviewed

With a whole lot of 2-person tents in the marketplace, constructed for all the things from automobile tenting to roof tops, mountaineering to ultralight looking, it may be arduous to know the place to start out. Nonetheless, over the past a number of months the Outside Life gear staff has been testing tents constructed for quite a few completely different classes. To ease your search, we narrowed down the sphere to following greatest 2-person tents accessible at the moment: 

How I Selected the Greatest 2-Individual Tents

I’ve tried, and watched others strive, quite a few tents over a whole lot of nights in 9 completely different states, pitching them on all the things from alpine meadows to old-growth forests whereas long-distance backpacking to informal automobile tenting. I’ve had my fair proportion of mishaps in tents, from getting flooded in Southern California to being blown off a sand dune outdoors of Demise Valley, to bringing the unsuitable poles for my winter tent throughout a snowshoeing in a single day in Olympic Nationwide Park.

Along with my very own testing of various fashions of tenting tents appropriate for tenting, backpacking, and river rafting, The Outside Life staff has examined the greatest backpacking tents and greatest ultralight tents as a part of our annual backpacking gear checks on America’s lengthy trails.

Greatest 2-Individual Tents: Critiques & Suggestions

Purchase from Sea to Summit

Key Options

• Weight: 5 kilos, 3.6 ounces
• Ground Dimensions: 84.5 inches x 53 inches
• Peak Top: 41 inches
• Variety of Poles: One
• A snug match for 2 individuals

Professionals

• Wonderful headroom
• Sturdy materials

Cons

• On the heavy aspect for backpackers

The reality is that high quality 2-person tents, one thing that may final you for years and see you thru all method of circumstances, are costly. That goes double for tents which might be gentle sufficient to take backpacking: poles and tent materials which might be gentle sufficient to maintain your base weight underneath 20 kilos whereas nonetheless having what it takes to face up to heavy winds and rains come at a premium.

The Sea to Summit Ikos TR2 does an amazing job of balancing these concerns. It’s on the expensive aspect, however its versatility makes it an amazing selection for somebody who desires to experiment with a wide range of out of doors actions. It’s roomy sufficient for automobile tenting. It’s received a sufficiently small packed measurement for bikepacking. It’s nonetheless gentle sufficient for traditional-style backpacking. And the 68D flooring coupled with a restricted lifetime guarantee means you possibly can count on to get a few years of use out of this tent. The primary night I examined it alongside the Colorado River some critical winds kicked up. Even tents the place the stakes have been held down by bigger rocks noticed motion, and a few began to cartwheel away earlier than being rescued by their house owners.

The tri-beam stakes (the design of all the greatest tent stakes) held the place I used to be in a position to pound them into the arduous packed sand. The nylon webbing survived the place I had piled rocks on high of it with out seen abrasion. The poles stood agency with out situation, and the tent flooring appeared no worse for put on the place it had scraped throughout the bottom. It was a formidable efficiency.

Its glorious structural design can also be notable for having probably the most headspace of any tent I’ve used. Whereas the middle pole of most 2-person tents bend downwards, the Ikos TR2 is designed to bend upward. This maximizes the headspace throughout the middle of the tent, making it that rather more snug for 2 individuals to share.

Purchase from Slingfin

Key Options

• Max Head Top: 44 inches
• Doorways: Two doorways
• Supplies: Ripstop nylon
• Guarantee: Restricted lifetime
• Worth: $560

Professionals

• Nice inside area (and pockets)
• Simple to attain a fundamental setup
• A number of methods to make your setup extra storm worthy

Cons

• Costly
• Heavy in comparison with different fashions we checked out

At first look, the Slingfin seems to be like some other freestanding backpacking tent. Two poles crisscross and join in on the tent corners. Clip up the physique, safe the fly, and also you’re achieved. However whilst you can completely cease there in your arrange (and a number of other of the testers on our backpacking gear check did, extra on that beneath), you may as well undergo any variety of extra steps to make an much more bombproof setup for these instances once you count on to come across tough climate. 

Our third night time testing alongside the Pacific Crest Path in Washington State’s Goat Rocks Wilderness was alongside a totally uncovered, arduous, non-stakeable ridge. Adam Tycaster, the tester for the Slingfin that night time, was not in a position to make the most of quite a few the extra choices for making a taut setup with this tent. Nonetheless, whereas different testers that night time reported heavy winds pushing the partitions of their tents inward, Tycaster — who didn’t even get his vestibule absolutely staked out — skilled no compromise of the tent construction itself.

In order that’s what you get with the Portal once you don’t do something. However along with the guylines (hooked up on the identical spot on the rainfly because the pole clips for extra structural integrity), tensioners inside the tent permit you to cut back slack with out even getting out of your sleeping bag. Unusually for a freestanding tent, you possibly can combine your trekking poles into the design (on the midpoint on the doorways), so as to add extra construction. You may even buy extra strong poles for this tent, for high-wind environments. 

All this makes the Slingfin Portal one of many extra attention-grabbing backpacking tents that we’ve checked out. It’s an applicable selection for a newbie simply getting began with multi-day journeys. It’s additionally an amazing selection for knowledgeable backpackers that need a light-weight tent that may carry out in a number of environments.

There have been additionally user-friendly options on the within of the tent. Pocket-enthusiast Patrice “Regular” La Vigne informed me, “There have been virtually too many pockets! I counted two gear lofts, two pockets on all sides on the head finish, and one giant pocket on the toes.” A number of testers additionally famous the comparatively excessive peak inside peak, which was 44 inches (practically 4 toes). Higher but: This tent was roomy sufficient to suit two average-size males comfortably, making it an applicable selection for non-romantic mountain climbing companions.

So what’s the dangerous with this 2-person tent? First off, it’s each just a little pricier and just a little heavier than different fashions that Outside Life has examined. However on this case, the advantages of this tent — notably for people who count on to camp in uncovered areas — outweighs these points. And in comparison with the MSR Hubba Hubba or Nemo Dagger — its equally priced bombproof rivals — it’s a couple of pound lighter. 

Greatest Backpacking: MSR Freelite

Purchase from Amazon

Key Options

• Max Head Top: 39 inches
• Doorways: Two doorways
• Supplies: Ripstop nylon
• Guarantee: 3 years
• Worth: $450

Professionals

• One of many lightest semi-freestanding tents we examined
• Good size
• Simple to arrange 

Cons

• Barely narrower inside area than different tents at this worth level

The MSR Freelite is each semi-freestanding and shockingly gentle, which is important for backpackers. Organising the MSR Freelite (our testing staff checked out the one-person mannequin on a trek down a piece of the Oregon Coast Path) was extraordinarily quick, with one tester setting it up in underneath two minutes on her first strive. Equally, it took minimal effort to attain a storm-worthy profile. Testers reported that it felt bigger than it was, which is a vital element for those who get caught inside ready out a storm. The mesh and fly are extraordinarily light-weight and lots strong, with the grime falling proper off after we shook it out earlier than stuffing it away for the day. The poles have been even made out of aluminum, versus splinter-prone carbon fiber. Our solely concern was with that 15D bathtub flooring — it might profit from a groundsheet on tougher terrains — however this was strictly theoretical as we didn’t expertise any holes on our testing journey. The inside, whereas not precisely spacious, is a lot giant sufficient for 2 of the largest sleeping pads on our check (a full-size rectangular Therm-a-Relaxation NeoAir Xlite NXT), with a backpack becoming handily into the vestibule.

Whereas some backpackers favor the burden financial savings of a single-wall tent, the acute condensation of the Oregon Coast confirmed some great benefits of a double-wall setup. Whereas the remainder of our testing staff was fastidiously packing up for the day, avoiding the soaked sides of their single-walled tents lest they unleash a rainstorm on their sleep system, the tester within the MSR Freelite might sit up, bump their head on the mesh on the high of the tent, and keep dry. 

There are just a few small quibbles with this tent. One is the doorways: They’re on the small aspect in comparison with the remainder of our area, forcing our tallest tester (5 toes, 10 inches) to pretzel her limbs greater than she would have preferred when getting out. The included stakes (needle stakes) are additionally decrease high quality in comparison with different choices within the MSR arsenal. Take into account upgrading to both the light-weight MSR Carbon Cores or the MSR Groundhog Minis, which have nice holding energy. 

Greatest Ultralight: Zpacks Free Zip

Purchase from Zpacks

Key Options

• Max Head Top: 43 inches
• Doorways: 2
• Supplies: Dyneema
• Guarantee: 2 years
• Worth: $900

Professionals

• Very storm worthy
• Light-weight

Cons

• No vestibule
• Tight squeeze for 2 individuals
• Costly

OL Affiliate editor Ashley Thess raved concerning the tent she used on the Tour du Mont Blanc, and, after our testing staff had the possibility to take a look at the Zpacks Free Zip, we will see why. Like all semi-freestanding ultralight tents, it takes little or no time to set this one up. Not like different semi-freestanding ultralight tents, you get a surprisingly bombproof pitch with little or no tweaking. 

Unusually for a 2-person tent, there are 4 separate pole sections, all the identical size. Two poles crisscross to type an X on all sides, creating the construction of the tent. All our testers discovered this to be easy and intuitive. Helmuth, who struggled mightily with the Zpacks Plex Solo, rated the Free Zip a 5 for setup; in reality, it had practically good scores throughout the board. 

In our expertise, whereas it’s attainable to arrange the Zpacks Free Zip with out stakes, our testers aren’t recommending it. First off, the strain from the 2 opposing cross-pole sections desires to clamshell the tent, which is annoying. However even when you get inside it and power the tent form down together with your physique weight, you’re going to be lacking some flooring actual property. The stakes are additionally important if you’re planning to make use of this tent in uncovered or windy circumstances. However as soon as it was correctly staked out, testers have been impressed with its stormworthiness, with one noting that it “felt prefer it might stand up to a hurricane.”

Whether or not or not you assume the Free Zip has sufficient inside area will depend on your expectations from an ultralight tent. Zpacks charges the smaller mannequin of this tent as being for one to 2 individuals (and the bigger as being for 2 to 3). Our expertise helps this advice. Whereas two medium-sized ladies with ultralight kits have been in a position to match into this tent collectively, this one wouldn’t match two common sized males. One other consideration with this tent is condensation. Like all single-wall tents, it’s susceptible to gathering moisture on the inside, however when absolutely zipped up it’s much more susceptible than most: it was one of many few tents on our Goat Rocks Wilderness trek to battle with condensation (on the second night time, whereas camped subsequent to a river). The shortage of vestibules makes this an extra problem. 

The small measurement of the vestibules are maybe some of the noteworthy options of this tent. Their taut design is a part of what makes them so stormworthy; nonetheless, it additionally signifies that you aren’t going to suit far more in there then your sneakers. Whether or not that’s a dealbreaker or a non-issue for you’ll rely on the dimensions of your current equipment. Magic additionally famous that the low entrance to this tent was tough to get out and in for him, as a result of stiffness from Parkinson’s. 

We will’t finish this assessment with out mentioning the worth. It’s very excessive (actually partly because of the excessive value of Dyneema and carbon fiber), and certain out of attain for many ultralight backpackers. 

Learn our full assessment of the Zpacks Free Zip Tent for extra info.

Purchase from Amazon

Key Options

• Weight: 9 kilos, 10 ounces
• Ground Dimensions: 84 inches x 60 inches
• Peak Top: 48 inches
• Variety of Poles: Three
• A roomy match for 2 individuals

Professionals

• Tallest ceiling of any 2-person tent I’ve examined
• Low worth
• Heavy-duty bathtub flooring excels at retaining puddles at bay

Cons

• Small vestibule door
• Fly setup is much less easy than the tent

You’ll inevitably spend just a little extra time in your tent automobile tenting than backpacking. Lazy early mornings, an outfit change after your afternoon hike, pre-dinner nap—so that you need a tent that you simply, and your tenting associate, can stretch out in comfortably in. In addition to having probably the most beneficiant sq. footage of any tent in my check, what set the Coleman Skydome Tent aside from its competitors was its peak: a formidable 4 toes. Whereas many 2-person tents solely have area for one particular person, the 60 inches of width signifies that not solely are you able to match your self and your journey associate (snuggling non-compulsory; the tent is large sufficient to accommodate a queen-size sleeping pad), but additionally a four-legged pal. And the most effective but? At lower than 100 {dollars}, that is an especially affordably priced tent.

The disadvantage of this tent is that it’s much less intuitive to arrange than others in my check—I had to return to the instructions a number of instances to determine it out. The 2 poles, that are related to the tent physique (a boon to anybody who has ever forgotten their poles at residence) snapped into place with the top sliding simply right into a pouch on the other nook and the tabs clicking into place. However when it got here time to placed on the rainfly, it took some looking out to determine the place the pole slid into the underside of the rainfly. However as soon as it was arrange, the difficulty was value it, as that is the most effective awning I’ve ever seen on a 2-person tent—higher than numerous four-person tents.

Regardless of being a 2-person tent, the Coleman Skydome solely has one door, which is lower than very best if you’re on the unsuitable aspect of the tent when nature calls in the midst of the night time. Worse, the door is fairly small, limiting the view outdoors the tent on a buggy day. It additionally has just one devoted mesh pocket on the inside for stashing odds and ends like headlamps and glasses, whereas different tents in our check have as many as three per particular person.

Issues to Take into account Earlier than Shopping for a 2-Individual Tent

Objective of the Greatest 2 Individual Tents

Campers can count on to face a wide range of circumstances relying on the time of yr and the a part of the nation they’re exploring, so understanding the extremes of probably circumstances is important for selecting a tent. The tents on this choice are three-season tents, that are applicable for summer time and shoulder-season circumstances.

Set-Up of the Greatest 2 Individual Tents

The vast majority of 2-person tents in the marketplace are freestanding, which signifies that when you snap poles into their grommets, you’ll have an affordable approximation of what the ultimate construction will appear to be. Though, in lots of instances, staking out the tent will noticeably enhance your usable flooring area. Freestanding tents are an amazing selection for first-time tent purchasers, as there tends to be much less guesswork through the preliminary arrange. Most of the tents on this roundup additionally use colour coding to sign to first-time customers easy methods to accurately align the poles, the tent physique, and the rainfly.

Weight of the Greatest 2 Individual Tents

Automotive tenting tents, together with pop-up tents and the most effective rooftop tents, are cumbersome. Even the lightest fashions weigh upwards of 5 kilos per particular person. The very best backpacking tents are a lot lighter and usually weigh lower than three kilos per particular person, with some ultralight (UL) fashions approaching one pound or much less. There’s normally a tradeoff with weight financial savings for sturdiness and worth with backpacking tents. Backpackers centered on quick journeys could favor a heavier choice whereas those who plan on high-mileage days would do higher with a light-weight mannequin. 

Learn Subsequent: The Greatest Ultralight Tents

Dimension of the Greatest 2 Individual Tents

A serious purpose people search for a 2-person tent is {that a} one-person tent is often a decent squeeze for anybody over 5-foot 10 inches—overlook about squeezing in your pack and the remainder of your gear. It’s not unusual to see bigger people go for 2-person, and even three-person, tents to get sufficient leg room. However there can be substantial variations in headroom peak between completely different tents. 

Learn Subsequent: The Greatest One-Individual Tents

FAQs

Ultimate Ideas on the Greatest 2-Individual Tents

There are a variety of choices in the marketplace at the moment for 2-person tents. We advocate selecting the very best quality tent that your finances permits, because the weight-savings and reliability pays dividends over time.