Ultralight tents under $400 always involve a compromise. Weight, weather protection, or durability: you pick two. Here are six I tested this season.
The list
- Gossamer Gear The Two
- Durston X-Mid 2
- Tarptent StratoSpire 2
- Lanshan 2 Pro
- Decathlon MT900 Ultralight
- Naturehike Cloud Up 2
My actual favorite
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 I 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 I'd like, 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.
