Three-Season Tents

Recent Three-Season Tent Reviews

Coleman 8-Person Instant Tent

I have owned this tent for 11 years. Have used it roughly once each year and I use it by myself or with only one other person, so not under heavy repeated use. If you want it to last, best not to force anything and follow the instructions on setup. It has held up very well and still looks like new. I sweep it out before every take down. Recently, I experienced my first breakage. At the top center hub, I got in a hurry and erected the legs too soon in the wrong order which caused the hub to twist… Full review

Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL1

Roomy, comfortable shelter with plenty of storage. Generally good weather protection and ventilation. I love this castle of a tent. I have used this tent on multiple trips in the Virginia Blue Ridge mountains as well as in the Bridger Wilderness in Wyoming. This review is based on those trips and particularly on an 8-day backpacking loop trip in Wyoming mountains with elevations around 10K. In two very hard thunderstorms the waterproofing of the fabric was overwhelmed, allowing moisture to "spritz"… Full review

Force Ten Helium 2

Very light. Much more affordable than most super-lights. Simple to put up. Green is perfect for unobtrusive wild camping. Perfect for one person plus kit. And possibly a Border Collie. Tent blends in nicely. Wouldn’t have been interested if it had been yellow or orange. Force 10 designation puzzled me. Suggests this could withstand high winds and rough weather, which, very plainly, it couldn’t, at least not a lot of it. It genuinely is super-light. Packs down small. Is easy to put up and take… Full review

Zpacks Duplex Tent

Poor materials (adhesives) and no help from Zpacks. Zpacks won't stand behind their product. After 25 nights over four seasons, the patches where the inner elastic cord that holds up the bathtub floor on the inside and where the center guyline attaches started slipping because the glue holding them to the cuben fiber roof got sticky.   Pulling apart, they started pulling apart the cuben fibers.  Zpacks won't honor this as a material defect and says they cannot repair it. It is out of warranty… Full review

Outdoor Vitals Dominion 2P

The single best piece of gear I own. I have owned this tent for 3.5 years. It is very comfortable for two people. To this day after heavy use it is still waterproof and in great shape. The only issue is that my wife zipped the door up and tore it. Two years ago. A small patch, and it has been good as new. I have used this tent in heavy rain, snow, hail, high winds, and hot nights. I still wake up dry, and with a smile on my face to this day. The coldest night I spent in this tent was 13 degrees. Full review

Macpac Microlight

Used a few times, including last night in Torridon in very wet conditions. Stable as anything, no condensation to worry about. Pitches really quickly. Took about five minutes and being fly first / in one means it's wonderful to put up when already raining. Weight—1.6 kilos—so not too heavy, but it feels bombproof, so worth the weight sacrifice for comfort.  Full review

NEMO Galaxi 2P

I have used my Nemo Galaxi 2P tent for my solo (+ dog) backcountry camping for two years now. It is quick and easy to put up alone, very spacious design, held up beautifully during severe rainstorm. I love the fact that there is a lot of mesh space—I really like fresh air when I sleep! I like that there are two doors each with a large vestibule. It gives flexibility on choosing a site to set up—and allows for a nice cross breeze with the fly doors open. The fly also setups easily; both fly and… Full review

MSR Hubba Hubba NX 2P

This tent is a classic!! This tent is a classic. I travelled and backpacked with it, through storms and sunshine. Even after years of use, it holds on real good. As long as you make sure your fly is nice and tight, you'll be safe from rain. I definitely recommend it. Full review

Wenzel Jack Pine 4 Person Dome Tent

Out of the box, I really liked this tent. Super easy to set up, roomy, and a couple of nice extras like a hammock net to hold small items and a port to run a power cord through (I didn’t test this out because I had no power needs in the tent, but I did keep an eye on whether or not bugs would access the tent—didn’t see any inside!). This is a nice setup for a car camping tent for a family of four or a couple with dogs. On the downside, it was heavy (definitely not for backpacking), the bungies… Full review