one or two-person tent?

[Ice Pick]

In my Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike Planner it says to consider a compact two-person tent for more elbow room. Yes, the cons would be that it would take up more space in a pack and be heavier than a one-person tent, but has anyone found the extra space to be worth the extra weight?

I will be hiking alone but I am inviting people to join me for a week or two weeks or a month or so. It might be a plus if I could tell my guy friends that I have extra room in my tent, thus eliminating their need to buy or bring one. Of course shelters are an option too if I find some temporary companions.

[Feral Bill]

Some cottage gear makers, like Liteheart Gear, have two person tents that weigh very little. You could also choose an 8X10 silnylon tarp, which is palatial for one, and more than adequate for two, as well as cheaper and even lighter. Every one person tent I have seen in person looks like a nylon coffin.

[Rocket Jones]

I carry the Tarptent Double Rainbow. The slightly greater weight is worth it to me to have all my gear inside with me.

[Kerosene]

Just remember that you have to carry every extra ounce for 2000 miles, but if you can keep your total carry weight below 20% of your bodyweight (as a rule-of-thumb) then treat it as a luxury item. Yes, extra interior space (with bug netting for summer) is really nice; just recognize that the trade-off might be sore shoulders and a slower pace with a slightly greater risk of overuse injury.

Also, it is a lot easier for two people to hike 'together' when both are self-sufficient, just in case you get separated for any reason (including you need a day or two apart from each other!).

[Sarcasm the elf]

Keep in mind that many ultralight tents which claim to be 2 person are more realistically a 1.5 person tent at best and many 1 person tents UL tents are small enough to feel like a coffin if you are claustrophobic.

For me it was well worth the couple of extra ounces in weight to buy a two person tent instead of a one person tent, in exchange I have nearly double the floor space and some extra headroom.

[MDSection12]

Keep in mind that many ultralight tents which claim to be 2 person are more realistically a 1.5 person tent at best and many 1 person tents UL tents are small enough to feel like a coffin if you are claustrophobic.

For me it was well worth the couple of extra ounces in weight to buy a two person tent instead of a one person tent, in exchange I have nearly double the floor space and some extra headroom.

+1

My two man tent would only hold two people that really like each other. It was too small for myself, my dog and my pack. I now use a hammock and tarp... For around the same weight I could have four people sleeping under my hammock in the tarp. No bug net though.

[jrabbott]

My two dents is that I prefer a two person tent. Several reasons:

1. Room for pack and "STUFF"
2. If its raining or snowing and you ard hole up for a while...well the tent is worth every ounce extra
3. Security...important to know that while im out in a rmote location...I feel safer inside versus outside just personal pref.

I have two hammocks but they ard fof short trips when weather is known....

I have REI Camp dome 2...heavier yes...but when hiking with family or friends it offers a lot!!

Good luck and HYOH!!

[Meriadoc]

My two cents:

A 1.5 person tent is worth it. A 2 person tent is not unless you anticipate having other people sleep in it. I have crashed in 1.5 person tents before. You have to like the person well and not be overly tall. (5'7" and 5'3" were our heights) But it worked on several occasions.

LightHeart Solo is a true 1.5 person tent - this is the one I slept in with two people. LightHeart Duo is a true two person tent. I slept in there on a rainy night with me and a 6' person. I used the Duo for 300+ miles. Very light tent and plenty of room. If I was choosing a tent again I would go with the LightHeart SoLong - a 1.5 person tent that's a little bit bigger with a nice big awning for a vestibule.

Also a 2 person tent is harder to pitch just because it has a bigger foot print.

My take:
1 person tent: too small
1.5 person tent: just right
2 person tent: too big

[LAF]

I'm carrying a ZPacks Hexamid Duo (20.9 oz with stakes). I like the extra space and I too plan on having people join me at various points along the way. The way I figure it, they can carry the tent while they're with me if it's too much of a burden Sometimes little comforts at a little bit of a wt sacrifice go a long ways. It's a lot different than carrying those 3 lb (and more) tents I used to carry. And the Solo or solo plus that Zpacks makes is only about 4 oz lighter. With that said, it ain't cheap and you need to do what you'll be comfortable with and for me that means carrying a couple extra ozs to offset my rather large personal bubble (it's huge considering I'm a whopping 5'4" )

[daddytwosticks]

This reminds me of the thread back a few years ago where some single-guy hiker wanted to bring a two person tent because he thought he was gonna be getting lucky quite often during his thru hike. Wonder how that worked for him?

[4eyedbuzzard]

Some considerations:
Make sure you can sit up in the tent. Sucks if you can't.
Make sure tent is long enough that feet and head and sleeping bag don't bunch up against end walls.
Ease of entry, again, particularly important in bad weather when you need the tent the most and when escaping from mosquitoes and flies, but also when nature calls, etc.
Ease and speed of pitching by yourself, important particularly in the wind and/or rain. Some tents are a real struggle in the wind.
Agree that most of the smaller/marginal 2 man tents are really 1.5's and good for one + gear.
Weight is important, as is free standing vs non, but they aren't the only considerations.

[RCBear]

I'll save weight somewhere else. I don't get people that are ok leaving there gear outside. Just me though. I'd rather know that I have room to be comfortable after 12 hours on the trail than save 1.5 lbs and not sleep well or worry that my gear may be compromised.

[RedBeerd]

1.5 person

[garlic08]

My Tarptent Contrail is quite large for a one person shelter. I've heard of two small people sharing it, but I couldn't imagine that. Anyway, it seems palatial to me. Ditto the note above about tarps being huge.

[Coffee]

I have a Hexamid Twin. The weight penalty over a Hexamid Solo is a bit over four ounces. I very much value the extra space and on any rare occasions where it is necessary, I can accommodate another person without any issues. The only downside I can think of is cost but in my screwy way of justifying it, I'm already down to under $20 per night of use so far and it is as good as brand new.

[Drybones]

I'll save weight somewhere else. I don't get people that are ok leaving there gear outside. Just me though. I'd rather know that I have room to be comfortable after 12 hours on the trail than save 1.5 lbs and not sleep well or worry that my gear may be compromised.

I agree about leaving gear outside but that doesn't mean you need a two person tent. A lot has to do with learning to use the gear you have to the best advantage. I have a 26 oz Tarptent Notch that I'd rather use than the 3-person BA tent I own even if someone else carried it for me. I can break camp without gear getting wet and I can set up camp without gear getting wet. Every thing I carry is within convenient reach during the night and I'm not crowded.

[Astro]

Started out with Big Agnes Seedhouse SL2 when my son was hiking with me. Now that I am hiking by myself I have bought a Big Agnes Fly Creek UL1. While there was lots of room in the 2 person by myself and I have to put my pack sideways (instead of flat) in the 1 person, the weight savings and ease of setup/take down make it worth it to me. Of course I am only 5'8'', and if I was over 6' I might feel differently.

[handlebar]

My Hexamid Solo Plus has enough room for me and my pack. Worked out well last weekend when 8" of snow fell overnight. Enough room over my head and feet to stay clear of canopy.

[HooKooDooKu]

Keep in mind that many ultralight tents which claim to be 2 person are more realistically a 1.5 person tent at best and many 1 person tents UL tents are small enough to feel like a coffin if you are claustrophobic.

For me it was well worth the couple of extra ounces in weight to buy a two person tent instead of a one person tent, in exchange I have nearly double the floor space and some extra headroom.

+2

Two (or three) key things to shopping for a tent.
1. You've got to look at the tent specifications. The size of an X-man tent greatly varies from one manufacturer to another.
2. Dimensions for tent specifications are NOT the dimensions of the usable space. EVERY tent will show you a drawing with some mummy-shaped sleeping bags sitting inside an outline of the tent, and the outline will show the dimensions of the tent. But those dimensions will be for the footprint of the tent, and will include the space between the rainfly and the tent wall. When you add the fact that usually tents will have floors that curve at the floor/wall corners, the usable space will be significantly smaller.
3. Because of #2, you've got to go look at some tents in person. You can use that information to infer information about other tents, even if you can't find the exact tent you're looking for. As an example, you might find Tent 'X' in a 3-person model. Take a tape measure with you and see how much usable space there is inside the tent. You can use that information to infer the usable space of Tent 'X' 2-person model.

[RCBear]

I agree about leaving gear outside but that doesn't mean you need a two person tent. A lot has to do with learning to use the gear you have to the best advantage. I have a 26 oz Tarptent Notch that I'd rather use than the 3-person BA tent I own even if someone else carried it for me. I can break camp without gear getting wet and I can set up camp without gear getting wet. Every thing I carry is within convenient reach during the night and I'm not crowded.

There's no way I could not feel crowded in the notch. Now I do like the Rainbow, which may become the replacement for my current tent. That looks like a setup I would enjoy and at just over 2 lbs, looks ideal.

Sent from my Galaxy Note 2 using Tapatalk 2