There are so many different hiking tents out there that it can be overwhelming to choose one. We took a look at 22 different hiking tents and narrowed them down to our top 6.
Best Hiking Tent Options
In this article, we provide a comprehensive look at each of the 6 best hiking tents we looked at, as well as a handy Buyer’s Guide, which will educate you on what you need to consider before you make your final choice.
Oztrail Nomad Hiking Tent
(Cheapest Hiking Tent)
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Features
The Oztrail Nomad Hiking Tent is among the cheapest hiking tent you can get your hands on. It comes in a grey color with blue trim, and it accommodates two people with a floor dimension of 230 x 105 cm and head clearance of 100 cm.
The 190T Polyester fly is waterproof and protects you from the sun’s ultraviolet radiation. The strong-taped seams prevent seam leakage.
You can attach the fly to your tent through attachment points that have Velcro closures. The inner tent is made from polyester and features no-see-um mesh preventing insects from getting in while allowing ventilation.
Oztrail has used elevated seams and tub flooring made with 210T Oxford polyester for the floor, keeping you dry at all times. You get fiberglass poles and joiners made with stainless steel for stability.
There is a decent-sized door in the tent with low door sills that prevent tripping; the door features coil zips for both doors and windows.
The straps of the tent ensure the tent is sturdy, especially during stormy weather. This tent weighs only 1.75 kg, and when it is folded, its dimensions measure 44 x 14 x 14 cm.
This tent comes with a carry bag with 150D fabric for easy transportation. There are internal pockets as well for storing your essentials. The hiking tent comes with a two-year warranty for any material defect.
Pros
- It is the most affordable, high-quality hiking tent available.
- The pole section is designed to make the carry bag smaller and increase portability.
- It is very lightweight.
- It has a high head clearance.
- The canvas is both waterproof and UV-resistant.
Cons
- The tent is not too durable.
MSR Hubba Hubba NX 2P Tent
(Best Overall Hiking Tent)
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Features
The MSR Hubba Hubba NX Tent is among the most popular and bestselling hiking tents. It is a lightweight backpacking tent meant for two people with a floor area of 2.7 square meters and a head clearance of 100 cm.
This tent is also ultralight, weighing only 1.54 kg, and comes in a color combination of creme and red.
It has a rainfly fabric of 20D ripstop nylon 1200 mm dura shield polyurethane and silicone with canopy fabric of 20D ripstop nylon.
It features a 30D ripstop nylon 3000 mm dura shield polyurethane and DWR bathtub-style floor that is symmetrically optimized and non-tapered.
It is a freestanding tent with one DAC Featherlite NFL pole used. There are also adjustable and integrated stake-out loops with reflective guy-outs. You also get lap-felled seams and reinforced “Infinity” bar tacks. The tent also features two large D-shaped doors for entry/exit.
It can be folded to a dimension of 46 x 15 cm and comes with a three-year warranty for any defect in the material.
Pros
- It provides plenty of room.
- The tent material is waterproof and durable.
- It has a freestanding and robust design.
- The waterproof material protects you from rain.
- It has a three-year warranty.
Cons
- It is very expensive.
Why is it better than the others?
The MSR Hubba Hubba NX Tent is a spacious tent with a lightweight design for easy transportation during hiking. It is made of durable polyurethane, silicone, and nylon. It is also a freestanding tent with a single DAC Featherlite NFL pole. On top of everything, you also get a three-year manufacturer’s warranty.
Coleman Ridgeline Adventure Tent
(Best Value Hiking Tent)
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Features
The Coleman Ridgeline Adventure Tent is an effective hiking tent with excellent features, and it comes at a reasonable price.
It weighs just 1.75 kg which makes it convenient for hiking, and it accommodates two people. The floor dimensions are 240 x 120 cm, while the height clearance is 90 cm.
It has a two-pole construction for quick and easy setup. The tent is made to work well in all major seasons.
It features a seam-sealed 75DN polyester fly measuring 320 x 140 cm with four buckle attachments, while the floor has a 190T polyester bathtub floor.
The fine mesh is especially helpful during the summers giving you the right amount of air circulation. This tent is also tested for winds of up to 100 kph so that you can feel safe even in a storm.
You can fold the tent to a dimension of 45 x 15 x 15 cm. The Coleman Ridgeline Adventure Tent offers a one-year warranty for any material defect.
Pros
- The Coleman Ridgeline hiking tent is a value for money product.
- It has an easy and quick setup.
- It can withstand winds up to 100 kph.
- It provides ventilation during the summers.
Cons
- The bottom of the tent is thin
Companion Pro Hiker 2 Hiking Tent
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Why is it the best value?
The Coleman Ridgeline Adventure Tent is just not about the features but also the price at which you get them.
It provides you with an easy setup, and it still holds well against winds of 100 kph. The material of the canvas is also waterproof and UV-resistant.
Features
The Companion Pro Hiker 2 Hiking Tent has an external dimension of 225 x 260 and an internal dimension of 215 x 140 with 100 cm of head clearance.
Its flyscreen is made of PU 210D silver coated ripstop polyester with a Waterhead rating of 3000 mm.
The 150D Oxford polyester floor has a Waterhead rating of 4000 mm. Both the floor and fly have heat-taped seams.
The fine no-see-um mesh in the inner tent, along with roof vents, provides good air circulation while keeping pests out. This tent has 8.5 mm anodized aluminum alloy poles to keep it in its place.
It also comes equipped with pre-tied guy rope points and a gear loft. This hiking tent weighs 2.7 kg and can be folded to a 45 x 14 x 14 cm dimension, and comes with a compression bag for portability. The Companion Pro comes with a warranty period of one year.
Pros
- It is a spacious tent.
- It keeps inside dry and warm.
- Set up does not require much time.
- It has excellent ventilation because of the mesh.
Cons
- It is pretty heavy compared to its counterparts.
OZtrail Hiker 3 Dome Tent
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Features
The OZtrail Hiker dome tent is among the biggest hiking tents and can accommodate up to three people with dimensions of 215 x 195 x 125 and a weight of 3.5 kg. It has a silver-coated polyester fly fabric that is both 100% waterproof and UV-resistant.
There is also no seam leakage as it features heat-taped seams. The fly attaches to the tent through velcro attachment points, and the 210T Oxford polyester tub floor keeps you dry and warm inside the tent. It features no-see-um mesh panels that protect you from insects yet allow circulation; there are storm flaps in the window for protection from the storm.
It has a Tri-Max pole construction for easy setup and water-shedding design. It has two large front and rear doors that allow easy entry/exit and ventilation. You also get large vestibules for any additional gear storage.
It folds to a dimension of 54 x 17 x 16 cm, and thanks to the short pole sections, it easily fits into a compact carry bag for better portability. The OZtrail Hiker 3 Dome Tent comes with a one-year warranty for any material defect.
Pros
- It is a spacious tent with plenty of room.
- It has large vestibules for extra get storage.
- The inside of the tent is always warm and dry.
- It has massive side windows for ventilation.
Cons
- It is heavier than most hiking tents.
Hiking Tent Buying Guide
Weight
When you go hiking, the less weight you carry, the easier the hike. The same thing goes for hiking tents.
The hiking tent you plan to buy should be as lightweight as possible and easy to carry. You can consider any hiking tent under the weight of 2 kg to be lightweight.
Ease of Setup
Setting up a tent can be tiring if the tent is not designed for easy setup. As hiking can be both adventurous but also exhausting, you will not appreciate a tent that requires a lot of your energy for setup. An Ideal tent should take under ten minutes to set up.
Material
Whether you talk about the fly or floor, ripstop polyester is the most commonly used material in any tent.
The outer tent material should be waterproof and protect you from UV rays, while the inner tent should have well-aligned mesh for air circulation, especially during the summers.
All-Weather Proof
Considering the weather in Australia you need to buy an all-weather tent.
A tent should be equipped to handle all weather and have features like waterproof fly and floor for protection in rain and cold, inner tent mesh for ventilation in summer, and storm flaps for sturdiness during stormy weather.
Size
Most hiking tents accommodate two people, but many tents also accommodate 3 to 4 people depending upon their size.
Always make sure you buy a tent that fits your requirement and never forget to consider your height when making a purchase.
Note – large tents are also much heavier and therefore challenging to carry.
Folding Size
The smaller you can fold the tent, the easier it will be for you to carry it. Small section poles help a lot in folding the tent to a compact size.
Doors & Windows
Having multiple doors in a tent makes any tent effective and more accessible, and they also provide ventilation. The same thing happens with windows as they also provide air circulation and offer an excellent outside view. Make sure to buy a tent with multiple large doors and windows.
Poles
Poles are among the essential part of a tent’s design and help the most in the stability of a tent. Tents can have a freestanding single pole design, a two-pole design, or even a three-pole design, depending on the construction. Most high-standard tents feature alloy poles or anodized aluminum poles.
Conclusion On The Best Hiking Tent
We took a detailed look at 6 of the most popular hiking tents in Australia, and in our opinion, the MSR Hubba Hubba NX Tent is the best hiking tent currently available.
If you need something cheaper, then the Oztrail Nomad Hiking Tent was the cheapest hiking tent we reviewed. We felt the Coleman Ridgeline Adventure Tent presented the best overall value.
Any of the tents on this list will suit you well for your next hiking adventure.
Happy hiking!
