Ultralight tents under $400 always involve a compromise. Weight, weather protection, or durability: you pick two. Here are six in that range.
The list
- Gossamer Gear The Two
- Durston X-Mid 2
- Tarptent StratoSpire 2
- Lanshan 2 Pro
- Decathlon MT900 Ultralight
- Naturehike Cloud Up 2
Our pick
Durston X-Mid 2. It's a trekking pole shelter, which means learning the pitch, but once you get it, it is unbelievably weather-worthy for the weight. Two doors. Two vestibules. Simple geometry that sheds wind. For $300 it beats tents twice the price.
Downside: the pitch is not obvious the first time. Plan to practice in your yard before the trail.
The one we can't recommend
Naturehike Cloud Up 2. Looks great on Amazon. Feels fine on a clear night. In any real weather, condensation is miserable and the fly sags. Fine for a planned-dry car camp. Not for backpacking.
The budget pick
Lanshan 2 Pro. Around $180. Half-inch shorter than ideal, but a solid two-person shelter if you don't mind a trekking pole pitch. Good first ultralight tent.
What to watch
Seam sealing: most of these tents ship un-sealed or need a tune-up. Factor an extra hour and a tube of SilNet.
Guylines: the stock guylines on several of these are too short. Upgrade them before your first trip.
Footprints: Tyvek from Home Depot is $0.60 per square foot and better than half the branded footprints.
Come by the store with a tent you bought online if you want help seam-sealing it. We'll walk you through it.
