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At 6 pounds, 12 ounces, Sierra Designs' Meteor Light is roomy and loaded with features. |
Unless you are car camping, weight and pack size are quite important. Three-season tents that accommodate two to three people usually weigh in at four to nine pounds. (The weight is given by the manufacturer on the tent's hang tag and should include tent body, rainfly, poles, and stuff sack.) Small, ultralight solo shelters (basically bivi sacks with poles to enhance headroom and ventilation) weigh as little as one or two pounds. Family and expedition tents can easily weigh more than 10 or even 20 pounds.
Lighter is better, but don't sacrifice important features for a few ounces. Manufacturers generally cut down on weight by using fewer zippers (hence fewer openings), fewer and lighter poles, and smaller rain flies and vestibules.
Zip-out nylon panels over mesh inserts are the current rage for added ventilation but they add both weight and cost. Single-walled tents (one layer of fabric that breathes and wicks moisture) are usually lighter than two-walled tents but also more expensive. Poles add weight to a tent but can supply sturdiness as well.
Aluminum alloy poles are still considered the best choice, because of their high strength-to-weight ratio, combined with the fact that they won't corrode in wet conditions. More expensive carbon/fiberglass poles can be lighter and stronger than aluminum, but also have the tendency to be so flexible that they fail under extreme winds.
Vestibules (small sheltered areas outside the main living space) add comfort and convenient storage for boots and packs, but they add weight as well. Vestibules that are created by a staked-out canopy or rain fly are the lightest option, although the pole-supported variety are generally roomier and more stable.
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