Do you want a camping tent bundles but are on a budget? Take a look at the Smittybilt Overlander. This is one of the roomiest and most comfortable tents we’ve ever used, with enough headroom for campers to change easily or sit comfortably and enjoy the view from one of its many windows. Included perks like an LED light strip and boot bag that hang on the outside of the tent make it more livable and a joy to use on longer trips. The ladder is extra wide and feels sturdy when transporting equipment, children, or pets up to roof level at night. And don’t let the lower price make you question the quality of this store. The Overlander is built with tough 600D polyurethane material to withstand torturous storms.
The lower price of the Smittybilt is probably due to its DIY assembly. The initial setup is more complicated than average. The tent itself is quite heavy and only comes with a very basic tool kit. Most of the components are disassembled and everything takes longer to complete. Once you’ve set up your tent perfectly, convert from travel mode to camping mode also takes longer than average, though thankfully not difficult. Our final complaint with this tent is that there is no convenient place to store the travel cover. It’s completely removed from the store, so you’ll need to fold it up and find a place to store it. On most other models, the cover is attached so you can roll it up and hang over the side of the tent. All in all, if you’re willing to spend a little more time organizing and breaking down each trip, the Smittybilt Overlander is a great way to experience adventure on a budget.
Black Diamond Eldorado
After comparing dozens of 4-season tents, we have found the Black Diamond Eldorado to be one of the best models on the market. It strikes the perfect balance between light weight and compactness while maintaining incredible durability and protection from the elements. It’s surprisingly roomy and comfortable for a two-pronged design. The long, narrow profile holds up well in high winds, the steep sides clear snow easily, and the internal setting method helps distribute forces evenly along the length of the poles. The ePTFE ToddTex fabric featured on this tent (and other Black Diamond models) is one of its most valuable features. Helps minimize condensation by wicking moisture through thousands of tiny micro-piles in the fabric and is incredibly durable and tear resistant.
BD Eldorado shoots from the inside, and if you’re picturing a fight, you’re probably right, at least the first few times. It takes more practice to pull off than other designs, and during the winter months, extra care must be taken to prevent snow from falling inside the tent during setup. The Eldorado is single-wall design, small zipper vents, and small canopy that leaves a lot to be desired in terms of ventilation, though the wicking fabric helps make up for it a bit. This 4 season gazebo is medium weight, but heavier than many other two pole models. The downside, however, is the extra space, increased durability, and increased weather resistance, all of which, in our opinion, make this a great all-purpose gazebo. Perfect for those who want excellent all-round performance.
MSR Access 2
The MSR Access 2 is marketed as a more affordable 4-season tent, and we found it to be one of the most versatile options we tested. It has an easy and intuitive setup that uses strong plastic clips instead of pole sleeves, making it even easier to take off in windy conditions. The double-walled design is preventing condensation and compensating for its limited ventilation. This feature, along with its lighter inner wall, makes it one of our top picks for wet and rainy environments. The lighter fabric also helps shed a few grams, and this tent is remarkably light for a double-walled design, at nearly half the weight of some other options available. The large footprint makes this store very liveable, and the large vestibules on two sides further enhance it.
The Access 2’s biggest downside is its limited weather resistance. While it works great as a 3-season mountaineering tent, it’s not our first choice for more extreme expeditions. The lightweight fabric is thinner and less weather resistant than other styles, and we’re afraid it won’t hold up even to winter storms. When all is said and done, the Access 2 is geared more towards being lightweight and packable than extremely durable, and the comfort-to-weight ratio is a big selling point. It provides 3-season protection that is very livable for most campers. It can handle mid-season camping and occasional deep-winter expeditions in more temperate environments (below the tree line, for example) with ease, and it comes at a price that’s hard to turn down.
ZPacks Duplex Flex Upgrade
ZPacks Duplex Flex Upgrade is an A-frame canvas tent with a few features that set it apart from similar models. Additional benefits like durable tub-style flooring and sewn-in insect mesh make for a complete package, and the mesh walls provide excellent ventilation for a fully enclosed structure. The large footprint and comfortable head height make this tent much roomier than other ultralight options we’ve slept in, and it feels very livable, even for two people. Double doors and large vestibules on either side of the tent make it easy for two people and their gear to manage. Duplex awning is more weather resistant than comparable models. The extended sidewalls and 6-inch-high cockpit floor guard against rain and subsequent muddy conditions, and we felt stable in high winds, though it can still get a bit chilly at times.
The weight of this tent is reduced to half the size of the pack, which can be surprising for a high-end ultralight tent. Still, including the tub floor and bug netting are useful features that we think are worth the effort, and many campers end up packing their bags anyway. It is worth considering that other models with lighter weights do not have this type of protection. It’s also not a free-standing tent, which means you can’t leave stakes and front lines at home, and it also limits the terrain you can set it up on. The fixed design reduces the adjustability of the tent, requiring two additional trekking poles or flex poles, which you have to purchase separately, but again, we think it’s worth it. Our opinion? While expensive, we think the Duplex ZPacks are worth it for their high overall performance and handy add-on features.
Durston X-Mid 1P
We love the Durston X-Mid 1P for its simple design and remarkable quality; the wallet-friendly price is just an added bonus. We appreciate the staggered placement of the poles which creatively maximize usable space within the gazebo. While it’s not the lightest option of the bunch, you can use it in multiple configurations that bring the weight up to 21 ounces. The interior of the tent is removable and we’d say the fly can be used as a self-contained tarp shelter if you really want to lose weight. However, you may not want to skip the interior trim because the bug netting and tub-style flooring offer better protection from the elements. If you choose to use both, we like that having two separate pieces allows you to store the interior and all your gear while staying protected under the outer flap. This tent is nearly impossible to rig incorrectly, thanks to its symmetrical rectangular design.
The X-Mid prioritizes durability and quality over weight, which can be a plus or minus depending on your preference. Regardless of which way you fall, there’s no getting around the above-average weight, which may put some hikers off. The tent also requires two trekking poles to set up and is a fixed layout. This fact resulted in a slightly lower fit score, but we think it’s still relatively versatile thanks to the removable inner liner. Overall, the Durston X-Mid 1P is one of our favorite ultralight options, and its price will fit even the tightest of budgets.