Four-Season Tents

Recent Four-Season Tent Reviews

Diamond Brand Gear Combat II

This tent is not for everyone. It’s heavy at almost 10lbs with everything, and bulky. However, it’s an amazing tent for car-camping, short backpacking trips/hike ins, and if you split carrying it with a partner. It’s super well made, incredibly durable, almost 100% waterproof, and can withstand high winds consistently.   Set up in CNF right before heavy rain/hail. Had to jury-rig the front vestibule as the stakes kept ripping out as the soil was super loose and wet.     Ignore the messy… Full review

MSR Access 1

A pretty bomber winter tent, at a nice light weight. I've got several nights out in this tent and so far I'm pretty impressed. It's definitely a winter tent, very little mesh so wouldn't fare well in warmer weather. The tent is not quite full on bomber, but for most winter duties, it's going to work just fine. It handles snow loads and wind pretty well. Expect some condensation, but it's been pretty minimal for me. You're probably not going to find a lighter one-person, double-walled winter tent. Full review

Mountain Hardwear Trango 2

Lifetime warranty is a lie. Mountain Hardwear refused to do anything about a lightly-used Trango 2 fly with massive delamination.  The tent itself performed well early on, seeing use high on Longs Peak and Mount Whitney. It's very heavy for what it is, the stakes are of poor quality, and the guy lines are easily tangled. However, it's a sturdy, very roomy 4-season tent. Unfortunately, Mountain Hardwear does not honor their warranty. I recently noticed that the fly was flaking laminate everywhere… Full review

Macpac Minaret

Compact and easy to erect. Can use as a fly or with inner and outer. I love my Minaret, but sadly it now has to be retired. In storage for a good number of years the fly has now delaminated but the remainder is in good working order, like new. Maybe I can just replace the fly. Of the early 1990s vintage it has done many tramps keeping us dry and warm. It was the tent of choice amongst my friends and we pitched on Mt Ruapehu, sleeping on the snow is never comfortable. Mt Tongariro on the rock in… Full review

The North Face Mountain 25

Well designed tent with lots of nice touches, let down by two major flaws. I have had two of these tents for over 10 years and in that time have had multiple breakages of the aluminium poles. These are made of DAC 9mm aluminum and are sold as "extremely strong for the weight." Well, that may be, but the weakness is at the joints where the poles are even thinner than the 9mm and these have snapped under gentle breezes in back gardens, and even just when being inserted into the neighbouring section… Full review

Hilleberg Staika

This is a great tent if you regularly experience heavy wind and/or storms. If not it's probably overkill. It sets up extremely quickly, and keeps the interior dry even if you set it up in a storm. Even though I'm not an overnight mountaineer or even much of a winter camper (not one for snow camping at least...) I have been using four-season tents for backpacking for the last fifteen years. The main reason is in the Mountain West USA, conditions are often very windy with pretty extreme weather, and… Full review

Black Diamond Firstlight 2P

Not waterproof, especially in heavy rain. Lightweight, compact, excellent space-weight ratio. Agree with most of the earlier reviews—great tent except NOT waterproof. Stopped being my go-to after my dogs, gear, and I were soaked in a 10,000-foot severe summer storm, trying to stay warm while wet in 40-degree F temps—will always remember seeing water mist blow through fabric and coat my dogs eyelashes and, to my horror, my down sleeping bag. Still like it for backpacking when weather forecast… Full review

Blacks Arctic Guinea

I bought one in a charity shop in New Zealand in the late nineties for NZ$5. Yes, five. At the time that was less than£2 !!!!!!!! Mint condition and amazing still today. It is heavy with poles, but I often suspended from trees pole-less which reduced the weight a lot. I have a few tents—mostly new synthetic ones as they generally are—but it’s great to get under canvas. It breathes and is non-toxic and this tent is super lightweight for a canvas tent and even with poles is acceptable if two… Full review

Black Diamond Firstlight 2P

A nice, lightweight winter tent that will stand up to tough weather. It was designed as a winter tent and in that environ it performs great I've used this tent a couple of dozens of times the last couple of winters and while not perfect, is a very solid winter tent. I've had it in strong winds and heavy snow and it does a good job of handling both. It's listed as a two person tent and while two could use it in a pinch, it's much better when used as a solo shelter. With one there is plenty of extra… Full review