Best Mountaineering Tents

A mountaineering tent is one of the essential gears for a comfortable journey. As mountaineering is a demanding activity, a mere mindset is not enough and one needs a proper tent to adapt to the harsh climate. So, we are going to discuss some of the best mountaineering tents available on the market today.

Unlike the clear skies and predictable weather in the cities, the fickle conditions in the mountains might surprise you with heavy rainfall and raucous winds. And it calls for a supportive mountain climbing tent to fight them all.

We have researched hundreds of tents to narrow down the list of best mountaineering tents to the top 10.

This guide is designed to be a resource that will help you find the best mountaineering tents available. We have spent hours researching and trying out the products. The wear-testing included waterproofing, breathability, vents, aerodynamics, durability, and weight test.

With that being said, every person’s choice and camping habits are different. We understand that finding the one that fits you best is a long and arduous task. The assembly procedures, the number of people it can fit, the weight of the package, the season it’s suitable for are some of the prime concerns in choosing your best mountaineering tents. Considering that, we have provided a variety of best mountaineering tents to pick just for you.

Top 10 Best Mountaineering Tents 

Product Name	Capacity	Weight	Product Image	Check Price
Black Diamond Eldorado Tent	2	5 lbs		Check Price
Black Diamond Mega Light Shelter: 4-Person	4	2.13 lbs		Check Price
Mountain Hardwear Unisex Comfort Zipper Shifter 2 Tent	2	5.12 lbs		Check Price
Marmot Limelight 2 Person Camping Tent w/Footprint	2	5.2 lbs		Check Price
MSR Access 2 Tent	2	4.6 lbs		Check Price
Nemo Kunai 2P Tent - Freestanding 4-Season Tent	2	2.2 lbs		Check Price
Big Agnes Copper Spur HV Expedition Mountaineering Tent	2	2.3 lbs		Check Price
ALPS Mountaineering Camp Creek 4-Person Tent	4	20 lbs		Check Price
Mountainsmith Morrison 2 Person Tent	2	5.53 lbs		Check Price
Kelty Salida Camping and Backpacking Tent, 1 Person	1	3.89 lbs		Check Price

1. Black Diamond Eldorado Tent

 

Black Diamond Eldorado Tent sets itself apart from other tents by its tough fabric. Comparatively easier to set up than other products with similar performance, Black Diamond Eldorado is a durable, compact, lightweight mountain climbing tent that provides exceptionally high breathability.

Capacity: 2-Person

Features Highlights

• Aluminum Poles in the internal part provide Lightweight Strength
• Two Zippered Vents at the peak offers Ventilation
• Four Internal Mesh Pockets For Storage

Best For

• High Altitude Climbers

Product Description

This classic compact design has extra space to accommodate all those extra gears you’re traveling with. The two aluminum poles inside offer extra strength while incredibly reducing the overall weight of the tents. Single door entry is ideal for 2 persons.

Also, you can secure your keys, gears, and other important items inside the vestibule. Similarly, you can also opt to remove the vestibule to increase the space inside. The presence of two zippered vents at the top offers ventilation. Moreover, there are hooded vents over the door and at the bottom to prevent the flow of cold air.

Eldorado offers ToddTex single-wall fabric and ground cloth to go along with the purchase of this item. The bright yellow color of the tents ensures quick to dry as soon as the sun is up.

This free-standing mountain climbing tent doesn’t need rocket science to set up either. In sum, with no need to stake into the ground, one can unpack the tent, extend the aluminum poles, unzip the opening and you’re good to go, no hassle!

Roll it and pack it to the weight of your water bottle! Can it get any lighter?

Pros

Cons

2. Black Diamond Mega Light Shelter: 4-Person

 

With dependable water-proofing and reliable wind-breaking ability, Black Diamond Mega Light Shelter is a professional-grade best mountaineering tent. Black Diamond Mega Light Shelter is an ideal choice for both novice and advanced mountaineers.

Capacity: 4-Person

Weight: 2lbs. 13oz.

Footprints Included: No

Number of Poles: 1

Features Highlights

• SilNylon construction and simple design
• Provides 81 square feet of covered floor space
• Adjustable pole and stakes
• The center pole can be substituted with the ski pole
• One-Year Warranty

Best For

• Extreme minimalist Backpackers

Product Description

With over 70 years of expertise in manufacturing, Black Diamond has stepped up its game with the release of this classic mountaineering tent. After all, the Black Diamond Mega Light’s SilNylon construction and simple design allow it to shelter four backpackers. All while adding less than three pounds to group weight!

Unlike a cramped tent, Mega Light provides 81 square feet of covered floor space and a roomy 57 inches of usable height. This ensures you have plenty of room when you need to wait out a storm.

Black Diamond Mega Light is also incredibly versatile. Pitch it on the snow at base camp and dig out the floor to create a plush kitchen. Or find the shelter on top of the alpine with freezing temperatures outside. When it comes to testing the product, the sky is your limits!

This iconic mountain climbing tent pushes the boundary of comfort. Nega Light is the full-stretch, carbon fiber design that ensures full weather protection and high durability.

On top of that, Mega light sets up very quickly. Use the trekking pole adaptor provided to join two poles (with overlap, points facing out). Peg the four corners not too tight with the door closed. Open the door and insert the pole. Pull out pegs if necessary. And you have a home for the night. Easy- peasy!

Best deal on a tent of this caliber right here on good ole Amazon. Lots of 5-star reviews on this tent do not lie. We guarantee consistency and the best bang for your buck with this one of the best mountaineering tents.

Pros

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3. Mountain Hardwear Unisex Comfort Zipper Shifter 2 Tent

 

This ‘best for privacy’ tent is suitable for adventures across any mountainous terrain and ranks as one of the best mountaineering tents in 2021.

Everything about Comfort Zipper Shifter has been gauged from a functional and weight-saving perspective, which makes it an excellent choice for avid mountaineers looking for something lightweight to increase mobility.

Capacity: 2-Person

Weight : 5 lb 12 oz / 2.60 kg

Footprints Included: Yes

Number of Poles: 5

Features Highlights

• Breathable mesh construction
• Guaranteed watertight construction with fully taped fly
• Fly configuration offers a large front-door vestibule for easy entry/exit
• Split solid canopy for both privacy and ventilation
• Nylon built

Best For

• Couples\ Privacy Seekers

Product Description

Mountain Hardwear Unisex Comfort Zipper Shifter 2 is an upgrade to the previous mountaineering tent of the same name. Mountain Hardware improved the best seller’s design to ensure this new product fits the bill of the best mountaineering tent in 2021.

Split solid canopy combined with breathable mesh construction offers both privacy and ventilation to the dwellers. Fly configuration has been adjusted to provide a large front-door vestibule for easy entries and exits. The ”shouldered” backdoor vestibule makes room for your gear storage. Along with that, two mesh/canopy doors with dual-slider zipper also aids in easy entry and exit.

This tent guarantees watertight construction with the fully taped fly, taped perimeter seam, welded corners, and welded guy clip anchors. The product has been tested with 1200” of rain in 24 hours to ensure waterproofing ability. Reflective guy-out loops, starter point, and zipper pull make the set-up at night easy and hassle-free. The presence of mesh storage pockets lets you keep your valuables safe and dry.

From the durable and breathable synthetic nylon to the original reinforcements over the shoulders, all elements are technically solid and efficiently lightweight. It has great durability and a relatively high light weightedness, making it perfect for any kind of mountaineering adventures.

The zipped vestibules keep you warm and your stuff secured, while the rear-overflow storage area helps you haul an excess amount of gear.

Compact packaging aids you in preparing the fleece for the next trip with ease.

Pros

Cons

4. Marmot Limelight 2 Person Camping Tent w/Footprint

 

Should You Buy Marmot Fortress 2 Person Backpacking Tent?

The short answer is YES! Marmot Fortress 2 Person Backpacking Tent is the perfect gear whether you’re stopping for the night on the mountain or taking the whole cold winter months off from the cities to make mountains your home.

Marmot Fortress 2 Person Backpacking Tent is designed to suit the varying needs of hikers, climbers, and alpine mountaineers alike as the insulation it offers ranks it among the best mountaineering tents in 2021.

Capacity: 2-Person

Weight : 5lbs. 2.25oz.

Footprints Included: No

Number of Poles : 3

Features Highlights

• Intelligent designs, durable fabrics and weather-enduring
• Added guy outs to endure stormy weather
• Roomy and lightweight
• Lampshade pocket securely holds your headlamp to provide ambient light
• Strategic clip placements

Best For

• Claustrophobic Climbers

Product Description

Marmot Limelight 2 Person Camping Tent has a very thoughtful design that offers you the best comfort and warmth, thanks to the seam-taped full coverage fly that insulates the tent. The innovative zone pre-bend construction creates vertical walls up to shoulder height for a roomier sleeping area and extra headroom.

Similarly, with exceptional insulation, you don’t have to worry about the harsh climate in the mountains. The seam-taped catenary cut floor is recessed, tight, and sewn into the vertical walls so no wind gets in, hence making it perfect for mountaineering. The fly of the tent is made from 100% water-resistant polyester. Therefore, it doesn’t have to be retightened, despite being wet.

You can enter the Marmot Limelight through a super-sized double door and a rear D-shaped door. The vestibules over the doors are useful to store cooking items to keep it dry and easily accessible. They are easy to stuff completely into the interior pockets if necessary.

Simultaneously, the slightly dimming lamp shade pocket at the roof of the tent securely holds a headlamp. Especially, the headlamp provides an ambient light ideal for reading, relaxing, or sitting out the bad weather.

Also, the internal pockets are big, plentiful, and absolutely waterproof.

Pros

Cons

5. MSR Access 2 Tent

 

MSR ACCESS 2, as the name suggests, offers excellent protection against any dangers in the mountain. Equipped with a mesh roof, the position of pockets, trendy design, and acute protection against wind makes this tent ideal wear for any adventures.

Capacity: 2-Person

Weight: 4lbs. 6oz.

Footprints Included: No

Number of Poles : 3

Features Highlights

• Lightweight and durable
• Lighter than a mountaineering tent and warmer than a three-season backpacking tent
• Offers spacious room
• Central support frame that can withstand overnight snow and win
• Quick Setup For Cold Environments

Best For

• Harsh Winds

Product Description

NSR access uses 20-denier ripstop nylon in the build of fabric and rainfly. This offers high durability and protection against the harsh winter in alpines. Rainfly also provides additional support.

The Central-support frame is made from Easton Syclone. Easton Syclone poles are made of cutting-edge composite materials that resist breaking in harsh winter conditions. This also gives the tent it’s Freestanding design. Dura Shield-coated fabrics including the taped bathtub floor aids in fighting weather conditions.

A quick setup feature means it’s easy and fast to install, making it perfect for cold environments. The design supports 2 people at once.

The limited mesh on the tent body offers warmth to you. There are two vestibules provided for added storage space. Also, the presence of two doors facilitates easy entry and exit.

It is lighter than a mountaineering tent and warmer than a three-season backpacking tent. The amount of warmth and comfort on cold nights is unparalleled. Meanwhile, the tent offers a spacious room and has a central support frame that can withstand winds of high intensity and other environmental conditions.

Pros

Cons

6. Nemo Kunai 2P Tent – Freestanding 4-Season Tent

 

Nemo Kunai 2P Tent – Freestanding 4-Season Tent is the coolest tent we have ever laid eyes on or put on the test. The manufacturers at Nemo Kunai have paid close attention to detail and sustainability, durability, and aesthetic levels. Furthermore, the result is a beautifully designed tent that is worth every penny.

Capacity: 2-Person

Weight: 2lbs. 20oz.

Footprints Included: No

Number of Poles : 3

Features Highlights

• Year-round versatility
• Tub floor construction guarantees a dry tent
• Overhead Light Pockets use special light-diffusing fabric to cast an even glow
• Divvy Sack dual-stage stuff
• Lifetime Warranty

Best For

• The beginners/ Low Altitude Climbers

Product Description

If versatility is your keyword, this tent is the one for you. Kunai is the most versatile tent on the market for backpacking year-round. It’s truly in a category of its own. Likewise, this tent is able to handle everything from hot and humid days in the trees to frigid temps and exposure high in the mountains.

This tent is ideal for anyone outfitting for an adventure that will take you across many landscapes and through a wide range of conditions. Similarly, the thoughtfully engineered frame design uses top-shelf DAC poles for rigidity. Equally, the seams of the tent are aggressively-tapered and are built to shed wind, rain, and snow.

In addition, Tub floor construction guarantees a dry tent regardless of how wet the ground is. Large door vent and zippered mesh windows allow for plenty of airflows. The strut vent located on the zipper flap allows multi-direction air circulation which provides ventilation.

Overhead Light Pockets use special light-diffusing fabric to cast an even glow with a headlamp. Even more, the gear Pockets offer storage for your needs. Divvy Sack dual-stage stuff sack allows you to split the load with ease.

Additionally, this product carries a lifetime warranty against defects in workmanship and materials to the original owner.

Few tents are this adept in every season like Kunai does. The tent with this compactness and lightweight fabric easily ranks as one of the best mountaineering tents. For 2021, Kunai is updated with a reshaped entry area, higher volume vestibule, and larger convertible mesh panels on the sides of the inner tent. What are you waiting for?

Pros

Cons

Similar articles you may like:

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• 1 Person Backpacking Tent in 2021
• Best 2 Person Backpacking Tents Under $100

7. Big Agnes Copper Spur HV Expedition Mountaineering Tent

 

Big Agnes’s goal was to build the best possible tent, and they came up with this pinnacle outdoor product. After passing the ‘All the tricks and complicated maneuvers’ test from our team, we found this tent super warm, well constructed, and comfortable.

Capacity: 2-Person

Weight: 2lbs. 20oz.

Footprints Included: Yes

Number of Poles: 2

Features Highlights

• Closable Ceiling Vent
• Large diameter poles and bomber architecture
• Durable polyester high tenacity rip-stop
• 20-25% more tear strength than other tents
• High UV resistance and stability

Best For

• Toughest conditions on the planet

Product Description

You want the best tent at base camp, right?

Copper Spur HV Expedition will stand tall and strong even when the wind crushes other’s tent. This is a beefed-up, burly addition, the best sequel to the award-winning Copper Spur HV series.

Copper Spur includes a sturdy DAC NSL pole system tent. The steep walls maximize living space inside the tent making it one of the most spacious in the range. The nylon zip-up option for complete closure keeps you safe and sound as the temperatures and wind chills test your physical capacity. Two doors are included for two vestibules offering you easy tent life and optimum gear storage as you would want to store everything inside to keep them safe.

Four-way high-volume hub design increases strength to defend against the agony of mother nature. Large diameter poles and bomber architecture handle mountain winds and snow load with ease. A Dual-zipper door helps you with easy entry. Quick Stash door keeper on tent body door makes stowing unzipped doors quick and easy, making the process effortless. The proprietary random rip-stop pattern is applied in the built material which not only adds to the durability but also gives it unique finishing.

UV resistance and stability during temperature and moisture fluctuations are unique features that make Copper Spur HV a favorite among the best mountaineering tents.

Overall, Copper Spur FV is a lightweight, totally bomber addition to your quiver. This one goes when the tough gets going and helps you defend against any harsh armies of nature.

Pros

Cons

8. ALPS Mountaineering Camp Creek 4-Person Tent

 

Beginning in 1993, ALPS Brands is a continuously growing and expanding manufacturer dedicated to developing and manufacturing high quality, performance-driven outdoor products. ALPS Mountaineering, their most successful venture has delivered this Camp Creek 4-Person Tent which has gained fame and topped the bestseller charts for a long time.

Capacity: 4-Person

Weight : 20lbs.

Footprints Included: No

Number of Poles: 4

Features Highlights

• Free-standing design with fiberglass poles
• Large awnings over the front door and back window
• Extra-tall center height
• Factory-sealed fly and floor seams
• Great ventilation with one door and four large windows

Best For

• Best four-person mountaineering tent available

Product Description

Alps Mountaineering gives you the choice of two colors on their best-selling tent. The free-standing design with fiberglass poles and steel uprights provide extra strength

to the tent. The product is relatively easy to set up. It has a unique hub design and pole clips that quickly snap over the tent poles, saving a lot of time and effort during installations.

Extra-tall center height is a pretty neat feature of this cabin-styles tent. It allows room to stand up making it accessible for tall persons. The side walls are straight unlike most other tents which increases the space area inside the tent.

The presence of large awnings over the front door and back window makes it easier for entering and leaving the tent. 75D 185T polyester fly with 1500mm coating on the outer part of the flyer resists UV damage and adds to the durability of the product.

The flies are factory-sealed fly and the seamed floor provides the best weather protection against any harsh conditions. Weatherproof fly buckles are featured instead of regular ones. Along with maximum adjustability, they also aid in the protection of gears inside the tent.

This tent, unlike most others, has four large windows which ensure great ventilation.

This fully equipped tent comes with a mesh storage shelf and stakes guy ropes. Surprisingly, this high-quality ALPS Mountaineering Camp Creek 4-Person Tent is one of the most affordable best mountaineering tents you can buy today.

Pros

Cons

9. Mountainsmith Morrison 2 Person Tent

 

The quality and comfort of Mountainsmith Morrison 2 Person Tent set a standard of excellence in the outdoor marketplace. Mountainsmith has designed this tent to meet the demands of rigorous travel on and off the trail, through mountain valleys, summit ascents, and anywhere your next adventure takes you. Overall, this quality and dependability help make this product one of the best mountaineering tents available anywhere on the planet.

Capacity: 2-Person

Weight: 5.53 lbs

Footprints Included: No

Number of Poles : 3

Features Highlights

• Set up instructions are included
• Removable gear loft
• Interior mesh storage pockets.
• Three seasons, free-standing tent

Best For

• Best Freestanding/Self-Supporting tent

Product Description

Mountainsmith Morrison 2 Person Tent is a three Season flexibility best mountaineering tent. With a two Door / Two Vestibule layout, this free-standing four corner tent has a Bathtub floor construction. The floors are taped with seems. The seams Mesh wall panels come with a detachable ceiling.

Furthermore, the store space this tent offers is by no means ordinary. The loft pockets, combined with interior mesh storage pockets are capable to hold your possessions. Be it gears, backpack, or other valuables, these pockets will keep your belongings safe, dry, and secure.

The clip-pole attachment of the tent provides lighter weight and better breathability. This, combined with guy out attachment points and reflective guylines tension lock cord adjustment make sure your tent will retain its shape regardless of the situation.

Particularly, tent fly ventilation windows offer exceptional breathability. This polyester-made tent stands out as one of the compact tents with a maximum interior usable space of 35 square feet. Also, the peak height of 43 inches means you can fit any tall person with no hassle. The gear loft is removable for your ease of access.

If you’re having a difficult time with set up, take the manual out, turn the pages, and boom- the perfect home for the night at the alpines!

Pros

Cons

10. Kelty Salida Camping and Backpacking Tent, 1 Person

 

Kelty’s Salida Camping and Backpacking are well known for its classically compact mountaineering apparel that fits and performs well. Also, you’ve likely seen the brand’s iconic bright orange accents on products like high-end backpacks, sleeping bags, and tents.

To cater to the new trend of manufacturing high tech mountain gears, Kelty has developed a unique backpacker-friendly compact-one person combo tent that is built to be used during alpine climbing.

Capacity: 1-Person

Weight: 3.89 lbs

Footprints Included: No

Number of Poles: 1

Features Highlights

• Ideal for your backpacking trip
• Roll-top cube carry bag with easy setup
• Kelty hug clip, Easy entry D door
• Three seasons, free-standing tent

Best For

• Epic star-gazing experience for solo mountaineer

Product Description

‘Offering only what you need’, as the slogan of Kelty goes, this reflects entirely on their product Kelty Salida Camping and Backpacking Tent. Salida Camping and backpacking tent is the Backpacker Editors’ Choice 2011 award-winning tent whose rise to fame has been unprecedented. Similarly, this compact one person tent has topped the best selling charts for many years after it has been in the market. It was clearly one of our choices for the best mountaineering tents even before we tested the product.

What does a backpack friendly tent mean to you?

Well, a backpack friendly tent-like Salida offers compactness with folding poles, lightweight construction, and the design that will easily fit in your bag with ease.

Gearloft loops make the tent stiff and secure against gars winds and color-coded clip and fly attachment helps with easy setup. The Wall material uses 68D Polyester and the floor uses 40D 68D Nylon, 1800 mm in the build. Moreover, this not only gives the tent competitive strength but also makes the product highly durable.

Besides. the tent comes with a roll-top cube carry bag which makes backpacking even easier and hassle-free.

This tent is easiest to set up among all others on our list.

Finally, the exclusive feature that this tent offers is its see-through the mesh in the upper parts of the dome. This lets you observe the night sky or unparalleled view of the sunset and sunrise right from your shelter without the need of getting out in the rain or chilly winds.

Pros

Cons

Buyer’s Guide on Best Mountaineering Tents

Please feel free to read through some of the key points to consider the best mountaineering tent that is ideal for your next adventures across the mountains.

Capacity

Well, the capacity of a tent is the first and the foremost factor you would want to go through. Indeed, most high-end mountaineering tents are designed to fit two mountaineers. Certainly, the reason is simple- a compact tent is more suitable for harsh winds with fewer chances of blowing off and is way safer than setting up large tents on the side of a mountain. Furthermore, with that being said, there are choices for large capacity tents as well which are dependable and highly rated, but usually, they cost much higher than smaller tents.

Weight

Especially, Backpacking in the mountains is a hard task. Carrying your climbing gear, clothing, food supplies, and other essentials will take a lot of space and weight in your bag. That leaves very little space for your tents. Considering this as the reason, you should always look for a lightweight tent without having to compromise on the dependability.

Shorter adventures can accommodate bulkier tents as the additional supplies will be less hence making space and weight both carry-able. However, for longer expeditions, you would want to go with a compact, lightweight, and easy to carry tents. More importantly, even a few pounds difference will add up over the days making the trip difficult and sometimes, cut short.

Construction

Truly, construction of a tent usually revolves around the build material, the number of poles it needs to set up, either it’s free-standing or needs stakes and the designs.

In particular, build material determines durability. Go for the ones with better building materials. The number of poles adds up to the overall weight of the tent. Higher the number, the greater the weight. Some of the one-pole tents can be set up using ski poles which helps you carry only the flyers reducing the weight significantly. Freestanding tents use less number of poles and are very easy to set up. Hence, they are also compact and easier to carry.

However, tents with a higher number of poles and stakes are more sturdy and reliable for long term use than free-standing ones.

Cost

As we move towards the high-end products, the cost of the tents skyrockets. With a wide array of products to choose from, the price range also varies significantly. While you can get a decent tent for a few hundred bucks, the pricier ones are usually more dependable, durable and have better performances than the cheaper ones in bad weather conditions.

Footprint

In addition, if you’re a dedicated camper, then you’ve probably dropped a good chunk of change on your tent, so the last thing you want is to see it become worn from being used on the rough ground every expedition. Moreover, tent footprints are designed for one purpose- to protect your tent from being damaged where it comes into contact with the ground.

Despite the usefulness, footprints have been through a lot of debate over the years with some people arguing they’re totally unnecessary while other people swear by them.

Does your tent come with a footprint or not?

Footprints are not very common with the best mountaineering tents, and you’re usually supposed to purchase them separately.

Although, it’s not a make or breaks feature, footprints definitely add an extra level of padding and insulation beneath your tent as well as protect the bottom of your tent from the rough ground. So, get one that covers you the best if your tent doesn’t have any.

Zip Pulls

This may seem self-explanatory, but zip that is easy to hold and pull comes in handy when you’re wearing gloves and mitts. Also, removing layers of gloves to pull pit zip or your main zip to retrieve something from your mesh pocket or closing the doors of tents would be the last thing you want to do in below-freezing temperatures.

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• Lightweight Backpacking Tent Under $200
• Best Lightweight Backpacking Lantern

Conclusion

In conclusion, a mountaineering tent is a must during expeditions regardless of the season. A smaller sized tent may not cover you/gears and protect you from the cold. This leaves you at risk of hypothermia. On the other hand, buy a big one and you will risk being unable to carry the load of the tent. Likewise, capacity, wind and water resistance, and breathability of tents play a vital role in your successful campaign. Therefore, we have tried and tested varieties of brands to present to you the best mountaineering tents available in 2021.

Whichever you decide to go for, make sure it is a good fit; learn how to set up and pack before leaving for the trip, and always check the warranty, just in case.

With this in mind, we would like to wish you Happy Mountaineering!