# Backpack Hunting Tent Recommendations



## aspiring_hunter (May 6, 2020)

Hi All,

I am looking for recommendations on a tent for backpack hunting as well as backpacking trips with my wife. So ideally a roomy 2 person tent that is light and holds up to the elements reasonably well. 

Thanks in advance!


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

aspiring_hunter said:


> Hi All,
> So ideally a roomy 2 person tent that is light and holds up to the elements reasonably well.


So you want a 3 person tent.


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## Kwalk3 (Jun 21, 2012)

Most 2 man tents aren't truly 2 man tents. 1 man and gear, or 2 people if you don't mind being uncomfortable.

I have a Mountain Hardwear 2.5 man tent that's treated me well, and sleeps 2 guys reasonably comfortably, but it's not super light. I know a few guys that have good luck with the Big Agnes Fly Creek and Copper Spur, but again, more of a 1 guy and gear proposition

What kind of budget are you looking at? Are you willing to try a floorless shelter, tipi style? 

There are a lot of options out there, just need to know some of your preferences/constraints.


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

Check out: https://seekoutside.com/

Cimarron is a great option, with many options in regards to how its used (with or without nest & ability to run a stove).


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## Kwalk3 (Jun 21, 2012)

gdog said:


> Check out: https://seekoutside.com/


What shelter are you running? Thinking about going floorless this year. Not to hijack the thread, but I figure it'll still be relevant to the OP.


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

Kwalk3 said:


> What shelter are you running? Thinking about going floorless this year. Not to hijack the thread, but I figure it'll still be relevant to the OP.


I've got too many tents. My go too's now...

Ultra light one person, I'm running the TarpTent Aeon. Dyneema $$, but it weights in at barley over 1lb. I used this last fall on a Snow**** hunt and it worked well. Not a ton of room, but again super light.

I use a Cimarron with and without nest & stove a lot too. If we are truck camping with the wife and dogs, I throw this up with the nest, since the wife doesn't like the floorless idea and it does keep the early season bugs at bay. I use this elk hunting setup floorless. If close to truck, I'll use a Big Agnes cot. If backpacking a piece of tyvek and or bivy on the ground. Stove when appropriate. The stove is a game changer when hunting in cold/wet conditions. Great roomy setup for 2 people.

I'm thinking of picking up one of the SeekOutside Eolus with nest for early backpack & hunting (ptarmigan/snow****) trips and early archery elk trips. Nest for when bugs are bad or I have wife/dog with and mostly setup floorless when by myself.

The other "want" is a 8 man teepee with stove setup for base camp.

Too many choices, but the flexibility in setups to go floorless is really nice at times and the weight savings can be significant.

I have handful of tents from MSR, Big Ages, Euraka and others. I like the Big Agnes products, but with the really lightweight options (all manf.) in a free standing tent, you start giving up a lot of durability. The new version of the Big Agnes Copper Spur is a really nice option.

You can find some good deals on high end used tents. A great place to look is https://www.rokslide.com/forums/forums/rokslide-classifieds.88/


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## johnrr65 (Nov 7, 2019)

gdog said:


> I've got too many tents. My go too's now...
> 
> Ultra light one person, I'm running the TarpTent Aeon. Dyneema $$, but it weights in at barley over 1lb. I used this last fall on a Snow**** hunt and it worked well. Not a ton of room, but again super light.
> 
> ...


+1


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## Brettski7 (May 11, 2020)

I got the new Big Agnes Copper Spur UL 2. I like the vestibules can be propped up with a pole and sit under to relax in some shade. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## utskidad (Apr 6, 2013)

I've had a lot of luck with Alps line of backpack tents. Cheap, lightweight, and durable.


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## BigT (Mar 11, 2011)

I picked up a cheap lightweight backpack tent at Recreation Outlet.. It's a two person but as others have said, it is great for me, and my gear.

I've been impressed with the tent. Think it was $60 was all. Came with a lifetime guarantee. 

Not sure how it would compare with some of the others that have been mentioned. But it's a decent tent, low cost, and lightweight as in a little over 2 pounds. I believe there was a 3-person tent there too in the lightweight backpack tents. 

Good luck!


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

I have a camping gear fetish and have tons of sleeping bags, tents, and ways to cook. So I feel somewhat qualified to weigh in here.

The REI Passage 2 person tent is a great tent and I'd definitely recommend giving it a look.

https://www.rei.com/product/168433/rei-co-op-passage-2-tent-with-footprint

We keep gear in the vestibule and it works great and isn't terribly heavy.

I do recommend using Nikwax on a nylon tent even prior to first use to ensure you are good and dry in the event of a storm and I personally carry two footprints to put under my tent to give added protection against punctures.

I use my Passage 1 man tent regularly and have had great times with it. The Passage 2 has served us well for trips and I feel like it's a good bang for the buck.

I think they have 20% off right now too...


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## aspiring_hunter (May 6, 2020)

Thanks everyone for your recommendations. I will look into all the tents listed. 

The big decision seems to be between a 2-3 person tent. Especially because 50% of the time it will be my wife and I and 50% of the time it will be me solo hunting. 

My philosophy on budget is I don't mind spending more money if additional cost is adding more value. And I doubt my wife is super open to open floor tents... haha But it was a fair question. 

I've seen a few articles that reference the MSR hubba hubba. Anyone tried it?


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## Lone_Hunter (Oct 25, 2017)

Halfway decent backpacking tents that won't break the bank.
https://luxe-hiking-gear.com/collections/lightweight-camping-tents

I own the minipeak and minipeakXL. The minipeak is great when your by yourself. The minipeakXL is great when your by yourself and packing a stove. You can fit two people in XL if you shove some of your gear outside, and don't mind sleeping without an inner tent liner.


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## Kwalk3 (Jun 21, 2012)

Lone_Hunter said:


> Halfway decent backpacking tents that won't break the bank.
> https://luxe-hiking-gear.com/collections/lightweight-camping-tents
> 
> I own the minipeak and minipeakXL. The minipeak is great when your by yourself. The minipeakXL is great when your by yourself and packing a stove. You can fit two people in XL if you shove some of your gear outside, and don't mind sleeping without an inner tent liner.


I've looked at these a bit. Intrigued by the price point more than anything. Other similar shelters from SeekOutside and Kifaru are quite a bit more expensive.


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## Lone_Hunter (Oct 25, 2017)

Kwalk3 said:


> I've looked at these a bit. Intrigued by the price point more than anything. Other similar shelters from SeekOutside and Kifaru are quite a bit more expensive.


Well, I've used the MinipeakXL during a winter backpacking trip as a hot tent. Four feet of snow underneath me, used dead man anchors with 550 cord, average daytime temp was 15-20 degree outside, inside I think i got it up to 60 if i remember correctly. Only thing I've really had to do with it, is patch it a couple times. Two pinholes from firewood poppng when shoving more wood into the stove, and one 1/4" tear because I was a dumbass and stepped on the tent with a snowshoe.

Also used it at the beginning of the turkey hunt without the stove. It's a whole lot more roomy without a stove and firewood taking up space. More then plenty of room to keep gear out of the spring rain. So it seems to work well enough. I know the seekoutside tents are expensive, and I can't justify the cost of those tents to myself when the luxe works well enough.

If I end up doing the elk muzzy hunt, or a late season cow tag, I'll be loving that hot tent. Although, that means I'll have to take time out from hunting to cut firewood.... so that's a negative there I guess.


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## tmitty (Jun 22, 2020)

I have the Cabela's XPG Warthog and am happy with it.


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

I often wonder how man, especially hunters, survived into the 21st century without a 2.5lb pound tent, a Jetboil to cook over, a $400, 70 qt back pack to carry all their gear, and a solar array to keep the old cell phone and Wi-Fi hunting boots up and runnin.
He** man, get a good old blue tarp, a water filtering straw, some dihy food packs and get out there. If the little woman don't like it and starts to bitch, well, make her cook diner next time and maybe she won't be so prissy. Seriously though, I shouldn't rag on the gals out there hunting, men have been taking their wives out hunting for ever, just don't start lettin them run the show. Geez, why do you think there are all those 60' 5th wheelers out there..."my Go* women, ain't there nothing you can leave home...we're going camping for criminy sakes". Now man up, get stinky and become hunters!


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

I love my ZPacks triplex. You use trekking poles for the tent or you can get separate poles for it. 

22oz, bath tub floor, built in bug net, weight is including stakes. It has two good sized vestibules and plenty of space for two adults, a dog and gear. But it isn't exactly budget friendly.


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## Ray (May 10, 2018)

Get a bivy, light, don’t take up a ton of space and you can find some very affordable ones


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## Ray (May 10, 2018)

https://www.rei.com/product/147956/...bIU8PM3TwEmRu2wRO7hoCO-AQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds


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## Lone_Hunter (Oct 25, 2017)

Bear burrito or Cat cannoli. :mrgreen:


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