How to choose the right solo tent

Whether it’s your first solo camping trip, or you frequently hit the hills alone, we understand how important it is to have the right tent for your trip. We’ve been designing tents and shelters for over 40 years, so know exactly what it takes to make your camping trip a comfortable one.

In this guide, we’ll help you make the right decision for your next solo tent.

What will you use your tent for?

Before you head out, there are certain factors to consider. Firstly, you need to decide what you want from your tent. Will you just be camping in the spring/summer, or will you require a 4-season tent so you can fully embrace the elements all year round? Are you planning on longer, laidback camping trips, or will you be packing up quickly to continue your adventure racing? Do you value weight over space, or would you rather have more room to spread out when you hit the hay? These are just a few things you need to consider as they have a big impact on which shelter you need.

Weight

It’s important to keep your pack light when you’re on a solo adventure. Everything you take up the hills must come down again (leave no trace!) so make sure you are comfortable with the weight before you set off. Our lightest tent weighs less than 500g, with many of our tents weighing less than 2kg, so there’s plenty of choice when it comes to choosing a lightweight shelter.

Packed size

The packed size of a tent can be just as important as the weight. A tent can take up a lot of space in your bag which can leave little room for other important pieces of kit. Choosing a tent that packs small will really help you be able to make the most of the room in your backpack. Most of our backpacking tents have an incredibly compact packed size with short poles, so you can maximise the space in your pack.

Ease of pitching

You’ll need to pitch and pack away the tent alone, so pitching must be easy. If you spend ages trying to set the tent up, you could lose daylight very quickly, which would leave you in a very vulnerable position. Be sure to watch tent pitching videos for the tent you’re interested in, and always practise pitching the tent before you head out. If you don’t feel comfortable pitching it alone on a mountain, don’t risk it.

Design

There are various tent designs on the market, all of which appeal to people for different reasons. Dome-style tents offer a lot more room and headspace, whilst tunnel tents are much lower but offer great resistance to wind. Some tents require trekking poles to be pitched, whilst others are supplied with poles. Another big factor to consider is whether the tent is inner pitch or outer pitch first and there are pros and cons to both, so be sure to consider all design elements. Terra Nova’s range of tents offers a variety of designs to suit your needs, so there’s something for everyone.

Vestibule space

If you value having a large vestibule to store kit, you’ll need to consider this when looking for a new tent. Different designs also have variations of door/porch access offering different access points and spaces.

If you’re ready for a new solo backpacking tent, you can shop our full range of tents here.