View Full Version : 2 man tent recomendations...for my husband and I
sista souljah
11-28-2011, 09:33
I wonder if anyone has ever asked this question ;)....Whats a good 2 man tent?
My husband and I are looking for a good 2 man backpacking tent. Not too heavy but not so minimalistic that its a tarp and tent poles. Single walled tents are also out....
A long time ago we had a Clip 2...We liked it but I was wondering if there is something better.
Thanks in advance Y'all!
:D
atmilkman
11-28-2011, 10:09
Start by looking at the MSR Hubba Hubba and the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2, they are double walled tents that are midway in the weight range you are asking about, not too heavy not too light. They both are double door and double vestibule so you both would have your own entrance and storage without disturbing the other.
bigcranky
11-28-2011, 13:18
We've used a lot of lightweight 2-person tents. The best we've found is the Six Moons Designs Lunar Duo. The interior volume is unbelievably huge, it has two doors, two large vestibules, great weather protection, and did I mention that it's huge? Sets up quickly with two hiking poles and six stakes.
Like any tent it can have condensation under the right weather conditions. The interior mesh is designed to minimize contact with the canopy, and that works pretty well. But it's definitely a single-wall tent, complete with bug netting and a floor. (Not a "tarp and tent poles.")
bamboo bob
11-28-2011, 13:26
My wife and I have used the HUBBA2 and love it when we want a bit lighter we use the Henry SHires Squall Tarptent. If you expect a lot of weather I think the Hubba is bomb proof but the squall is definitely lighter just tarp tents have a bit of a learning curve.
Serial 07
11-28-2011, 13:29
copper spur 2
Feral Bill
11-28-2011, 13:29
For two I'd suggest a lighter three person tent. Worth a bit of weight for the space, usually.
Tarp Tent has some new double wall designs, Light Hearts, Big Agnes, and Six Moon Designs are all brands that come to mind quickly in the light weight category.
Shutterbug
11-28-2011, 15:10
I wonder if anyone has ever asked this question ;)....Whats a good 2 man tent?
My husband and I are looking for a good 2 man backpacking tent. Not too heavy but not so minimalistic that its a tarp and tent poles. Single walled tents are also out....
A long time ago we had a Clip 2...We liked it but I was wondering if there is something better.
Thanks in advance Y'all!
:D
I am not sure why you ruled out single wall tents. My wife and I use a Black Diamond First Light and have found that it meets our needs very well. It is the lightest tent we could find (less than three pounds) that fully meets our needs. We have used it heavy rains and high winds. It has served us well.
love my Hubba Hubba, and now it comes with carbon reflex poles, lighter by a pound but maybe not so strong as the regular poles
http://lightheartgear.com/
skinewmexico
11-28-2011, 17:34
For two I'd suggest a lighter three person tent. Worth a bit of weight for the space, usually.
Hard to argue with that one!
SCRUB HIKER
11-28-2011, 18:04
In the Boundary Waters in Minnesota, my girlfriend and I got railroaded by 3 severe thunderstorms in one afternoon/evening. We stayed completely dry in our Hubba Hubba and still had plenty of space for ourselves and our gear (canoeing gear being more expansive than backpacking gear). I could hardly recommend a better 2-person tent.
i have a sd flash clip too and switching to the tarptent stratospire 2
I've been thinking of the Light Heart SoLong for two. I measured my older Mountain Hardware 2p and at the center of the body it measures about 46" wide by about 80" of usable space. The SoLong shows that it's 50" by 100". It also matters how big the two of you are. I'm 6'1" 225 and my wife is 5'3" 100. I don't own the tent but I think it would work for the two of us. If I put one of my buddies similar to my size in their with my it would be a bit cramp. Just guessing though.
I'll 3rd Feral Bill's "lighter three person tent" suggestion. You won't find a two-person tent that you can get anything but the two of you in it. All your gear must go outside. If I solo, I take a two-person tent. If I'm in a two-sharing a tent situation, I go with a three-person tent. Always! The two of you can split the weight of the tent: one carry the main tent, the other carry the fly and poles. You can get all your gear in out of nasty weather and chewing critters!
solitarybliss
11-28-2011, 19:58
some good suggestions in here. just a deal hint, if you dont buy from one of the cottage guys(which you should support them!), then make sure to use cashback site when buying the tent. Mr rebates is probably the best with 10% back at Backcountry and 9% at Moosejaw.
5-10% cashback with Mr Rebates (http://bit.ly/qTl5ZL)
HeartFire
11-28-2011, 20:15
LightHeart Tents are on sale now too :)
Nick&Bruce
11-29-2011, 04:44
I just got a LightHeart duo and though I haven't field tested it I can tell you that I was amazed at how much space I had with it set up in my yard.
www.warmlite.com (http://www.warmlite.com) - If you have lots of money and want an all-season tent handmade to your specifications (get the side windows).
www.hilleberg.com (http://www.hilleberg.com) I hope this is the address. Best made major branded tent. Check reviews. Not well known for having breezy summer tents, though you can get an optional (extra money, no simple "switch" option) mesh inner tent for most models. I have an Akto solo tent - bombproof!
http://www.bearpawwd.com/index.html
http://www.yamamountaingear.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=4
http://www.hyperlitemountaingear.com/products.html
http://www.mountainlaureldesigns.com/ (I have some gear made by them. Worth every penny).
For two I'd suggest a lighter three person tent. Worth a bit of weight for the space, usually.
Hard to argue with that one!
I'll 3rd Feral Bill's "lighter three person tent" suggestion.
Agree. Unless you are teenagers...:)
One of the major points overlooked in shopping for a new tent is the amount of stakes needed for a secure setup. MOST "freestanding" tents are only so in very mundane conditions. When the wind blows the rain (or sleet, or snow) sideways all tents need to be staked. The fewer the stakes needed, the lighter the tent's carry weight. More poles usually make a tent stronger and sturdier. Few poles with lots of fabric can mean that the tent will billow inward on you like a sail. If few poles are used the tent should be aerodynamically designed so that wind flows around it. That usually means that such tents have limited interior volume (ie: less of the floor can be used before you bump into the ceiling). Tents with large areas of unsupported fabric should be pitched in sites sheltered from the wind. Pyramid tents are pretty good since they only require one pole (sometimes your trekking pole) and a minimum of four stakes. They take a wind pretty well since it tends to flow over and around the lower walls, but they're limited in interior volume.
There are several single hoop tents out there that are well designed for fast setup with a minimum of stakes and good ventilation options. The best I've seen are made by Tarptent.
This one: http://www.tarptent.com/scarp2.html and the Hogback are worth a look if you want to extend your camping well into the shoulder seasons.
chris948
11-29-2011, 16:54
Definitely need more specs, freestanding or not? Budget?
When I was looking for a tent for my wife and I, I went with the Alps Mountaineering Zephyr and as far as bang for the buck I think it's an incredible tent. When I'm with her, we don't walk very long distances so I went with a 5lb 3 man tent.
I just saw it on sale for less than $70, under $100 was a big part of my decision. To each their own, but there are some really expensive tents suggested so far.