A backpacking tent can impact your budget and package weight significantly — this makes buying tents the most critical gear-buying decision. To make things worse, they come in an astounding variety of sizes, shapes, and designs. So, the only way to make this process easier is by following this handy guide of choosing the right backpacking tent:

1. Capacity

How many sleepers do I need the tent for? Backpacking tents are generally categorized by capacity for accommodating 1 to 4 sleepers. Unfortunately, there are no industry standard definitions for per person dimensions, so tent sizes are likely to vary from brand to brand. The number of doors and vestibules is also a critical factor.

2. Seasonality

What are the expected weather conditions, and would my tent construction suffice? Rainfly is a must in tents, and fortunately, most backpacking tents manufactured these days come seam-sealed, so you don’t have to waterproof it yourself. Tents tend to last for years, so you want to make sure that this one fits the bill by covering all sorts of adverse weather implications.

3. Weight

How many ounces am I willing to carry? The weight of the backpacking tent is a crucial part of calculating the overall load. Weight-conscious hikers tend to evaluate the ounces over the livable space factor to determine the speed of their expedition. The lesser the pack weight, the more hours you’re likely to be able to spend hiking.

4. Livability

How much of a well-placed interior space can I afford? This is a catch-all word for all features included. It’s imperative to those backpackers who like to watch their view from the comfort of their tents. The bigger the tent, the more room you’re likely to have to move around. But an obvious tradeoff of a bigger tent is having more weight to carry. Likewise, it includes the ease of setup as a critical factor — you want your campsite set up to be quick and painless after a long day of the trail.

There are quite a few different sizes and setup styles for backpacking tents, and they only tend to get better each year, but to hold onto your tent, you need a sturdy backpack and what better place to shop for packs than Light Hiking Gear?Light Hiking Gear is your one-stop-shop for backpacks and bodypacks. We give you only the best in terms of balance, comfort, and stability with our wide range of balanced day bags, ultralight packs, and dynamic daypacks for sale. Get bear canister holders for sale for as little as USD 20.