What is the best backpacking tent for under 150$?

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mr_mixer08

What is the best one person backpacking tent for under 150$? Im medium sized so dont have to be too long? just under 150$ lightweight and fit one person. thank you.

Answer
There are so many options in tents, it's tough to pick one that is the "Best." Some considerations you may want to look at:

1. 3 season or 4 season?
If you are intending to backpack in extreme cold / snow conditions, you'll want a 4 season tent. If not, then a 3 season (which is lighter in weight) would be fine.

2. single wall or double wall?
A single wall tent can be a LOT lighter - if you're going long distances that can be important. However, a single wall can also have condensation problems. A double wall tent can have a rain fly that goes all the way to the ground (great for inclement weather), or it can have a fly that only partially covers to the ground (lighter, and still offers rain protection).

3. free standing or no?
A free standing tent does not need to be staked to stand up - this is nice if you're camped in rocky areas. You still stake the tent down for wind - but the poles make it stand upright. With a non-free-standing tent, you have to take extra care to stake it well for the tent to remain solid.

Some one and two man tents to look at:
Eureka Spitfire - 3 season, double wall, not free standing - but weighs under 3 pounds.
Go-Lite Shangri-la 1 Shelter - 3-4 season, single wall, not free standing - weighs only 1 lb 2 ounces
Kelty Gunnison 1.1 - 3 season, double wall, free standing with full coverage fly, 3 lbs 14 ounces.
Sierra Designs Vapor Light 1 - 3 season, double wall, free standing w/ full coverage fly 2 lbs 14 ounces

Any of these would do great, and all but the last one can be found for well under your price limit. The Vapor Light is around $159 on sale.

Better to buy a tent you think you'll like when it is on sale and get out on the trail and try it. After a year or so, you'll learn more about what you like / don't like and you can sell that tent to a buddy and upgrade. Or, you can rent a tent to start out - and try a few different styles. Stores like REI offer backpacking tent rentals, and they can offer you their recommendations on what tent would work best for your destination.

Where can I camp / pitch tents on a cross-country bike tour?

Alex

I'm graduating high school in a few weeks and since I'll be taking an infamous 'gap year' between high school and college, I've been planning on biking across the country â my parents are willing to fund the tour as my graduation gift.

I know that most people do these kinds of tours as part of a group but I have heard of others my same age (~18 years old) who complete this on their own; I think doing the trip solo will be a fulfilling challenge and, not to be cliché, but it will also be good for 'self-discovery'. I'm not oblivious to the dangers of doing this on my own, however.

I don't plan to stay at hotels/motels every night so I am wondering where I might be able to camp. I do plan on using campgrounds, but since they may be hard to find at times (and potentially expensive), are there any alternative locations where I would I be able to set up a tent free and legally?

The side of the highway? The middle of a park? Someone's backyard if I ask for their permission? (Couch-surfing may also be part of my plan). I won't be making campfires or anything, I probably won't even 'pitch' the tent (as in nail it to the ground), I simply plan to sleep in a 1-man backpacking tent for a few hours before hitting the road again.

Being honest with myself, a full coast-to-coast tour might be a little ambitious since my funds may be limited, but at the very least I'd like to be able to make it from my hometown of Seattle, WA to Austin, TX â and then back again.

The camping question is the main thing I'm wondering about (I'm researching all other aspects of the tour as well), but if you can offer any answers or advice at all, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks!

Answer
You should probably check with the various states that you plan to traverse, some allow roadside camping and some do not. As a general rule, roadside rest areas are a viable option, although they may not be the safest place.

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