If you’re a fan of backpacking or trekking through mountain and forest trails, having a quick and ultralight shelter is needed. That’s where a trekking pole tent comes in handy to make it easy to carry around and quickly set up.
Instead of needing a dedicated pole, these compact tents use trekking poles as the primary setup. This not only saves you the burden of carrying one but also makes it incredibly efficient when it’s time to set up or take off!
Here are ten of the best trekking pole tents as well as a brief guide to help you pick the most suitable one for your needs.
Top 10 Trekking Pole Tents
1. ALPS 2-Person Mountaineering Trail Tipi Tent
ALPS is an excellent option if you’re looking for a durable tent capable of supporting up to 2 people inside, although it may feel a bit limited in terms of living space. However, it can be an excellent roomy option for one person.
It’s a tipi tent that gives an extra headroom in the middle. It’s made of 75 Denier polyester with a thick 1,500 mm coating to protect it from the UV lights, which also helps keep you cool during the day inside the tent.
In addition to using a trekking pole to support it, you can also use the top loop to hang the tipi directly on it.
This single wall tent provides all-directional ventilations, all the while being protected by weatherproof closable vents on both sides.
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2. River Country Products Trekking Pole Tent
If you’re looking for a relatively spacious two-person trekking pole tent, you’re going to enjoy this one!
This ultralight tent from River Country is one of the largest out there, with a height of 42 inches as well as a base of 7 ft x 5 ft. This guarantees not only decent headroom but also relative comfort while relaxing inside.
Despite that, it sets up incredibly easily and quickly, and it’s compatible with a wide range of trekking poles.
In addition to being easy to deploy, it’s also easy to carry around, all thanks to its low overall weight and the carrying bag that comes with it.
While the tent sets up easily, you’ll need to be extra careful while deploying it because it might leak rainwater if you’re not careful.
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3. Camppal 1 Person Tent
Camppal 1 is an all-around top option that balances good features with a decent price.
This Camppal lightweight tent is one of the most portable options, all while being incredibly durable and insulating.
The tent is built with reinforced fabric about 3,500 mm to 4,000 mm, almost twice what other options offer. Moreover, all seams are stitched and taped with velcro for extra insulation.
The extendable length of the tent also makes it ideal for relatively taller hikers, as it has a standard length of about 8.2 ft, allowing you to sleep comfortably. If you close the tent fly, you also get added space for your backpacking gear.
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4. OneTigris Backwoods 2.0
If you typically hike around rough terrains and need a durable ultralight tent to resist the wear and tear, this one from OneTigris is an excellent choice.
The OneTigris Backwoods Bungalow 2.0 is made from a 75 Denier ripstop nylon, one of the most durable fabrics.
It also comes with a 1,500 mm waterproof rating as well as reinforced tie-out points and premium YKK zippers.
The tent has a unique built-in canopy that gives you a shaded outdoor area to enjoy the scenery along with a cool breeze. Yet, the ventilation system is also great without compromising on insulation.
The tent comes with all the needed items to put together, including a waterproof compression bag, guy-lines, and aluminum stakes. The tent weighs around 3.2 pounds, slightly heavier than other options but still easy to carry around.
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5. MIER Ultralight 3-Season Backpacking Tent
If you hike in a variety of locations or in a spot where the weather fluctuates rapidly, you need the MIER 3-season tent.
This ultralight tent is made from durable 15 Denier nylon coated with a layer of silicone to boost the tent’s ability to withstand different weathers while repelling moisture and water.
It’s very easy to set up and put together, and it comes with two vestibules on both sides in addition to twin doors.
The durable tent also features YKK zippers and has a specific spot to fit two lamp hangers as well as a storage pocket.
The backpacking tent has inner mesh walls that help provide good ventilation all around. The rain fly provides added weather protection and increases the overall gear storage capacity, so you don't end up with any wet gear.
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6. Stansport Scout
If you’re on a strict budget and looking for simple and affordable camping and backpacking tent to get the job done, the Stansport Scout might be what you’re looking for.
The tent floor is made of polyurethane, while the walls are made of durable nylon, with a thick 8,000 mm rated upper for additional protection against harsh weather.
The tent comes with two trekking poles for quick set up along with a carrying bag as well as stakes and ropes, so you won’t have to buy them separately. Just don't forget to buy a sleeping bag for you or your kid if you're bringing them along.
One of the best things about the Stansport Scout is its spacious design despite coming at a very reasonable price, giving you a floor space of about 29 square feet. It's spacious enough if you need a lot of gear storage.
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7. Drop + Dan Durston X-Mid Tent
Drop is one of the most popular names in the tents industry, so it’s no surprise that its trekking pole tent, the Durston, made the list.
It’s incredibly lightweight and weighs only 1.75 pounds, making it one of the lightest options.
It’s also fairly durable, as it’s made from 20 Denier polyester with a 2,000 mm waterproof rating, which is higher than most other ultralightweight backpacking tents.
It’s ideal for trekking and sheltering in stormy conditions with heavy rain and high wind speed.
Moreover, the tent has a sleek design with a spacious interior to fit one person comfortably. The only problem is that it costs significantly higher than others on this list.
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8. OneTigris Tangram Ultralight
The OneTrigris Tangram Ultralight is an incredible option if you’re looking for a durable tent that can keep you sheltered in rough conditions.
The Tangram is made from 75 Denier nylon, which is on par with the Backwoods Bungalow 2.0. It also has a high waterproof factor of about 1,500 mm to make it suitable for most seasons throughout the year.
It’s designed to fit two people while providing a decent internal space. The easy setup system also adds to the value of the tent, despite lacking the canopy option that the other OneTigris tent offers.
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9. River Country Products Two Person Tent
Another River Country product, this one is perfect if you’re into camping and don’t want to buy two separate tents. The design of it makes it incredibly easy to carry around and deploy wherever you want.
It weighs around 3 lbs and even comes with its own carbon fiber trekking poles in the combo pack. It’s about 7 ft long and 5 ft wide, with a total height of about 42 inches, so it’s roomy enough to accommodate two people.
One thing you should know is that its a double wall tent, so it has walls on the sides and front only, while the back is a single wall. This means it might not perform well in rough weather unless you set it up next to a tree or some sort of natural barrier. So if you need weather protection, you might need to look at other double wall tents.
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10. Fltom Ultralight 4-Season
Last but not least, if you want to buy a single tent you can use in any season. You can use it in the summer or winter.
The Fltom Ultralight backpacking tent is constructed with 20 Denier nylon, a 2,000+ mm rainfly, and a 3,000+ mm bottom for an unrivaled level of insulation.
This allows the backpacking tent to withstand even the coldest winters without water leaking from rain or wind drafts.
It’s perfect for accommodating two people, although not comfortably, and weighs less than 4 pounds.
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Trekking Pole Tent Buying Guide
Now that you know about the best trekking pole tents picking the ideal one for your needs can be overwhelming. To help you pick the most suitable option, let’s have a quick look at essential aspects you need to keep in mind while buying one:
Materials and Durability
The first thing you’ll need to keep in mind is the construction’s durability and sturdiness.
Of course, the material of the pole tent is usually the main determiner of its ruggedness. Ideally, the average ultralight tent is made from ripstop polyester because it’s relatively affordable and durable.
However, if you’re looking for some with a little more tensile strength and UV resistance, you should consider nylon, especially high Denier options that are 15 Denier or higher.
Moreover, always check the durability of accessories and extras, such as the mesh screen and the zippers. A flimsy zipper would render the tent almost useless in terms of insulation until you repair it.
Size and Number of Users
The next important thing you need to decide on while picking a pole tent is the size. Since hiking pole tents are designed to be ultra-lightweight and compact, they usually have enough interior space for 1 or 2 people only.
Always keep the tent’s dimensions after setting up in mind while buying one, and consider the headroom that it gives you before making your final decision.
Portability When Collapsed
Trekking pole tents are usually used by hikers, so you’ll probably have to haul the tent’s fabric around on your journey.
For that reason, you need to make sure that the tent is lightweight and compact enough not to burden you while trekking.
Ease of Setting Up
After several hours of walking on rugged terrains, the last thing anyone wants is a trekking pole tent that’s difficult to set up.
Since the main point of using an ultralight trekking tent is to keep the effort of setting up at a minimum, you should always make sure the tent isn’t confusing and has a precise method.
Insulation and Ventilation
If you’re looking for a highly insulated pole tent that can protect you from the outdoor elements, you should consider a double-walled pole tent with a waterproof exterior. Keep in mind that insulated tents are usually more expensive than regular ultralight tents.
So, if you’re mainly trekking in a relatively clear climate that doesn’t get cold and rainy at night, you can skip on this requirement. You can also always use a tent heater to keep warm.
Instead, you might want to look for a trekking pole tent that gives you mesh screens and canopies to keep you cool under the sun.
Accessories and Options
Only after you’ve already settled on all the essentials can you consider some extra accessories and options that will add more value to the product or make it more suitable for you.
This includes aspects like a carrying bag, various colors, design, storage pockets, and more.
This wraps up this guide on the top trekking pole tents. As you can see, there are plenty of great options that you can find out there that will suit your needs.
However, we pick the Camppal 1 PersonTent as the best overall because it offers an excellent balance of essential features. Yet, if you don’t mind splurging a little more for a 2-person backpacking tent with excellent insulation and a double-layer waterproof construction, the OneTigris Tangram Ultralight should be the way to go.