When camping one of the most important pieces of gear is your tent as it provides most of your protection and shelter from the elements.
Over the years I have gone through and tried many different tents which helped me to learn what’s important when it comes to tents and things to look for when choosing one.
Out of all the tents I’ve had over the years my current tent the Coleman Sundome Tent (link to check price on Amazon) is my favorite by far hands down.
Reasons Why I Love the Coleman Sundome Tent
- The tent offers plenty of room on the inside for you and all of your gear. While the tent comes in a 2, 3, 4, and 6 person version, I have the 4 person version which provides more than enough room for me and the family.
- The Sundome offers excellent protection from the elements and rain while camping thanks to its rainfly, bathtub design, and welded leak proof seams. Personally I have used this tent in pouring down rain and I am happy to report that not even a drop of water made it inside the tent.
- Really easy to set up. I have had tents in the past that were a nightmare to set up and almost impossible to do by one person but the Coleman Sundome Tent is a breeze to set up with just one person.
- I love the extra-large D style door on the tent as it makes it quite easy to get in and out of the tent.
- Even though it seems kind of gimmicky I also really like what they call the E-port which is basically a small zippered portal that you can run an extension cord through. The times I have found this to be really handy is if we are doing some backyard camping and we want to have power inside the tent for all those gadgets its so hard to live without.
Cons of The Coleman Sundome Tent
While I do love my Sundome tent there are a few negatives or cons you should be aware of if you are thinking about purchasing one for yourself.
- There is nothing light about the tent so if you are planning on backpacking or hiking into your campsite this probably isn’t the right tent for you. As mentioned above I have the 4 person version and the tent weighs about 9 pounds.
- Their sizing as far as how many people the tent will hold tends to be a little over-optimistic. For example, in my 4 person tent while it can technically hold 4 people, you better not mind being up close and personal with them. So if your planning a camping trip with 4 adults and no kids I would recommend moving up to the next size to give everyone a little more breathing room.
- While the tent is more than capable of handling some rain and moderate wind it’s important to remember that this tent is only rated for 3 seasons. Meaning that if you are planning on doing any winter camping or camping in an area that sees a lot of extreme weather it’s better to go with a 4 season tent.
If you want to see what the Coleman Sundome Tent is like in person check out this helpful video on YouTube.
What Tent Should I get if I’m Backpacking?
While I love my Sundome tent as mentioned above it really is more of a bulky general-purpose tent as it weights quite a bit making it not the best choice for backpacking.
So in case, your planning on backpacking or hiking to your campsite I really like either the Alps Mountaineering Lynx 1 Person Tent (link to check price on Amazon) or the Alps Mountaineering Zephyer 2 Person Tent (link to check price on Amazon) depending on how much space you need.
Best Tent for a Solo Backpacker
If you’re a solo backpacker or only need a tent to sleep one, I really like the Alps Mountaineering Lynx 1 Person Tent (link to check price on Amazon).
While you do give up a lot of space when choosing a one-person tent what you loose in space you more than makeup for in versatility and ease of use.
Also even though this is a one-person tent it is 90 inches long so if you’re under 6 feet tall there is more than enough room to put your camping gear above your head or below your feet while your sleeping.
If you do happen to be over 6 feet or just want the extra space while your sleeping you can actually store your pack outside the tent but still under the vestibule so even though your pack is not inside the tent with you it is still covered and protected under the vestibule.
Top Reasons to Choose the Alps Mountaineering Lynx 1-Person Tent
- At only about 4 pounds with everything, this tent is pretty light and easy to carry while backpacking. As a comparison, this tent is less than half the weight of the Coleman Sundome 4-Person Tent. Some people can even get the tent weight down to about 3 and a half pounds by not bringing everything the tent comes with.
- The tent has a large D style door on the side making it easy to get in and out of compared to some other 1-person tents that have the door at the end of the tent forcing you to crawl inside.
- Its free-standing two-pole design makes it super easy to set up even with just one person.
- While the tent is a 3-season tent, thanks to its full-coverage rainfly it’s really very capable of keeping the rain and cold on the outside of the tent no matter what mother nature throws at it.
- It comes in three different colors to suit your style. Personally I like the grey/blue color combo.
Drawbacks of the Alps Mountaineering Lynx Tent
- The tent does have a lower 3-foot center height compared to some other larger tents which can make it a little harder to maneuver around in the tent but since there is not a ton of floor space to move around in any way this shouldn’t bee that big of a deal.
- It does not come with a custom size footprint which can be nice to have as it adds an extra layer of protection and comfort when sleeping in the tent.
- While this tent is on the lighter side at around 4 pounds there are certainly more expensive backpacking tents that way less than this tent. But I think this tent offers a great price to weight ratio and a lot of bang for your buck especially when first starting out.
- Because it’s a one-person tent bigger campers or campers that like to spread out while they sleep could find the narrow width of this tent to be challenging.
If you want to know what the Alps Mountaineering Lynx 1-Person Tent is like in person check out this great video on how to set up the tent on Youtube.
Best Backpacking Tent Made for Two People
My other favorite tent for backpacking is the Alps Mountaineering Zephyr 2-Person Tent (link to check price on Amazon).
While the 1-person Alps Mountaineering Lynx tent is great if your backpacking solo, if you are backpacking as a couple or with two people, obviously a 1 person tent is not going to work.
This is why the 2-person Alps Mountaineering Zephyr lightweight camping tent is so great because it is still light enough to be considered a backpacking tent at 4.69 pounds but it can actually sleep two people making the tent more versatile than a standard 1-person style backpacking tent.
Best Things About the Alps Mountaineering Zephyr 2-Person Tent
- Many backpacking tents are only large enough for 1 person to sleep in them which is why the Alps Mountaineering Zephyr 2-Person backpacking tent is so great because it is a much more capable and versatile backpacking tent when having enough space is a concern.
- While the tent is only a 3-season tent thanks to its full rainfly it is more than capable of keeping the rain and wind out of the tent even in rough conditions. The tent also has a very sturdy feel in moderately windy conditions.
- Thanks to the tent’s vestibule there is tons of space to store your gear and keep it out of the rain and elements while camping.
Worst Things About the Alps Mountaineering Zephyr 2-Person Tent
- While it is a 2-person tent officially and you can certainly sleep 2 people inside the tent, at only about 58 inches wide many people might feel pretty cramped with 2 people inside. As a typical queen-sized mattress is about 60 inches wide.
- As with the Alps Mountaineering Lynx Tent, this tent does not come with or have a custom footprint for the tent.
- At almost 5 pounds this tent would certainly be on the heavier side compared to most backpacking tents especially compared with some of the more expensive backpacking tents.
Want to see what the Alps Mountaineering Zephyr 2-Person Tent is like in person check out this helpful review video on Youtube.
Comparison Table for My Favorite Tents
| Specifications | Coleman Sundome 4 Person Tent | Alps Mountaineering Lynx Tent | Alps Mountaineering Zephyr |
| Capacity: | 4 People | 1 Person | 2 People |
| Measurements: | 9′ x 7′ | 2’8″ x 7’6″ | 4’10” x 7’4″ |
| Center Height: | 4′ 11″ | 3′ | 3′ 2″ |
| Weight: | 9 Pounds | 4.1 Pounds | 4.69 Pounds |
| Season Rating: | 3-Season Tent | 3-Season Tent | 3-Season Tent |
| Vestibule: | No | Yes | Yes |
| Use: | General Purpose | Backpacking | Backpacking |