Last Updated on March, 2025
Winter camping is on the rise for sure. Did you know that winter camping has seen a 40% jump during the pandemic, as people were seeking outdoor activities due to lockdowns? And this number has not slowed down since.
According to a survey conducted by Dyrt, the best app for camping availability, almost one-third of campers (31.2%) camped in the winter. Now, these numbers are massive.
But of course, winter camping comes with its specific requirements and gear. The most important equipment that you need on your winter camping adventure is a winter tent or a 4-season tent.
But what exactly is a winter tent? Well, essentially it’s a double wall tent, typically including the tent body and a rainfly. The inner wall is breathable, but it’s not waterproof, while the rainfly is waterproof but not breathable.
It means that you get the rainfly off and it becomes a regular 3-season tent. But we’ll talk about that in detail later in this article.
Now, as the market has a plethora of different winter tents available, choosing the best one becomes a tough call. Therefore, we have developed this comprehensive guide on these double wall tents to help you make the right decision based on your needs.
So without any further ado, let’s get on with it.
Best Winter Tents Reviewed
1. Mountain Hardwear Trango 2 Tent
Built with a solid design to perform in extreme weather conditions the Trango 2 by Mountain Hardwear features durable yet lightweight poles made of aluminum. These poles come with color coding and are easy to set up in no time.
This tent is easy to carry on your hikes through the snow and rough terrain and whenever the weather gets the better of you, you can set it up and call it a day. It doesn’t take more than 5 minutes once you get the hang of things. So it’s better to try it at home a couple of times.
The Mountain Hardwear tent also comes with a direct connection point that secures it to the ground along with the fly and the frame to hold everything in place during high winds.
This Mountain Hardwear also comes with a couple of mesh/canopy doors and a couple of large vestibules. There’s plenty of headroom and storage area within the tent to move around and place your gear.
On the front vestibule, there are snow flaps to shield the spindrift and keep your tent secure from all directions. This Mountain Hardwear tent also features a bathtub floor along with a taped fly to ensure waterproofing even during heavy snow.
There are internal mesh pockets in this tent that you can use to store your personal belongings above the ground. These pockets also feature light diffusion that can turn your headlamp into an excellent light source all over for better visibility inside the tent.
The canopy and mesh have zippered vents to ensure proper ventilation and you can enjoy the views through the fly window when you need. The best part is that this tent comes with reflective guyline loops as well as zippers to ensure proper visibility in low-light conditions.
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2. Nemo Kunai 2P Tent
If you’re truly after lightweight double-wall tents then look no further. The Kunai 2P is an ideal choice for camping throughout the year.
It comes with a design that is meant for high-altitude trekking as well as hot and humid conditions thanks to its double-wall construction.
It features a bathtub tent floor that will keep the interior floor dry even during the snowiest of weather. Moreover, with a large door vent and zippers window mesh, the tent remains properly ventilated no matter what the conditions are outside.
Thanks to its tapered profile, the tent can protect from extreme winds in the mountains. And when it comes to storing your personal belongings, the tent features gear pockets along with light pockets to ensure proper organization of all your stuff.
This freestanding tent also comes with a divvy sack that enables you to split gear with your backpacking partner, so you don’t have to carry all the weight.
With its sturdy pole design, the tent can withstand heavy snow, driving rain, and extreme winds. Moreover, its dual guy lines are directly attached to its inner canopy. This ensures that the tent stays upright even when the weather gets a little too out of control or when dealing with heavy snow.
It is made of ripstop nylon with a polyurethane coating to ensure you stay dry no matter how much snow or rain is coming down. This winter camping tent is made for treks in all seasons and it can work better than most single-wall tents out there.
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3. MSR Access 2 Tent
This sturdy tent features a rainfly made of 20 denier ripstop nylon with DuraShield polyurethane and silicone coating while the canopy is made of 10 denier ripstop nylon.
Furthermore, the floor is made of 30 denier ripstop nylon, and it comes with DuraShield polyurethane and DWR coating as well.
Despite it being a 4-season tent, it’s lighter than most double wall tents on the market. This tent is another excellent option for your winter camping trip in the mountains that involves plenty of trekking.
There is a decent interior space in this freestanding tent for two but it’s still not an ideal option for taller individuals, especially if you bring plenty of gear as well.
With the strong nylon floor, the tent won’t succumb to heavy snow or rain. Furthermore, the tent features two doors that allow easy entry and exit points for both occupants.
This tent comes with a unique support frame that can take the heavy snow loads during the middle of the night so you don’t have to deal with any surprises.
This unified frame also has a construction that will enable you to set it up easily in cold conditions when you have freezing fingers.
The tent poles are made of Easton Syclone poles that are not prone to breaking, so the tent can very well hold its own during your snow camping trips. The walls come with interior pockets but you can still have enough interior space to place your gear at an arm’s length.
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4. Alps Mountaineering Tasmanian Tent
Alps Mountaineering brings you the Tasmanian Tent built for two, featuring quality aluminum poles covered with weatherproofing shock cord. It means that your tent will remain lightweight and easy for you to carry, with additional protection from any damages caused by the elements.
The tent walls feature mesh storage pockets, and you can place your belongings right next to you. It also comes with stakes made of quality 7075 Aluminum for durability, as well as guy ropes so you don’t have to buy anything separately.
There are fly buckles on this tent that also come with waterproofing, and they provide you with maximum adjustability and safety when weather gets raging.
Like most four-season tents, the Tasmanian also comes with sturdy poles for its vestibules to protect your gear from the weather while adding more area for you to use.
The inner tent features easy entry and exit points with a dual door design that features zippered mesh windows for maximizing ventilation when the weather is right.
To make your snow camping experience much more subtle, this tent boasts quick assembly using pole clips that snap right over the poles. These features make freestanding tents better than most treeline tents.
Weighing as much as most good quality single wall models out there, this tent features 75 denier 185T polyester taffeta floor with a 5000 mm waterproof coating.
Moreover, the fly is made of 75 denier 185T polyester as well as UV resistance to ensure top-notch weather protection no matter what conditions you’re dealing with.
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5. The North Face Ve 25 Tent
This North Face mountain tent comes with a spacious floor area and decent head height to make your trip much more comfortable.
With the space available in this tent, you can even play multi-day ski tours if you want, as the tent enables you to carry your skiing gear with you and keep it safe.
Despite it being a tent for extreme cold, it has minimum weight, so you can carry it on your back in cold temperatures with ease.
The tent canopy of this North Face mountain tent is made of 40 denier ripstop nylon with waterproof finishing while the fly is made of 40 denier nylon and comes with 1500 mm polyurethane and silicone coating along with water-resistant finishing.
The floor fabric is made of 70 denier nylon with a 10,000 mm polyurethane coating as well as a water-resistant finish. All in all, this tent is a top choice for dealing with snow and rain, and it will keep you comfortable during a cold night.
Thanks to its design, this Hyperlite mountain gear will enable you to trek with ease. This North Face mountain tent features a couple of doors with ease.
Moreover, it comes with an 11-square-foot vestibule on the front and a 5-square-foot vestibule on the back. So you have plenty of storage space to use during your trips. It is one of the best tents in double wall models.
Its poles are also made of DAC aluminum and can withstand a snow storm without a bother. These features make it a top choice for light and fast missions where you have to carry some mountain hardware with you.
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6. Samaya 2.0 Tent
This is one of the lightest tent on our list, and it is as light as most single-wall shelters available on the market. That makes it one of the best options for winter hiking.
This lightweight 4-season tent features a floor that is made of Dyneema Composite material which will keep the ground under your feet dry within the tent no matter what the conditions are outside. The removable roof of the tent is also made of this material to keep you well-guarded from the top as well.
The wall fabric of this tent is made of a 3-layer laminated Nanovent membrane to keep the inside of the tent breathable at all times. There’s a window as well that features a YKK zipper and a Dyneema flap with water-repelling Aquaguard.
The seams of the tent are also 100% waterproof, and all these features make this lightweight tent a top choice among the basecamp tents. The external pole structure of this tent ensures that the tent holds well in strong winds and heavy snow sessions.
The walls of the tent feature storage packers so you can keep your gear and belongings right next to you. Moreover, its guy lines are reflective to keep your tent visible in low light conditions.
If you’re looking for dome tents with solid poles, this 4 season tent will work well because it comes with pole sleeves to guard them against the elements and any damage.
If your trips involve long trekking and hikes, and you need some weight savings, then you need to consider this tent. Most freestanding tents for cold weather are not this lightweight, but Samaya 2.0 does this job very well.
So if you’re looking to carry Hyperlite mountain gear including your tent on your mountain climbing trip, Samaya 2.0 is what you need.
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7. REI Base Camp 4 Tent
If you’re planning a group camping trip out in the cold weather then you don’t need to carry multiple tents. You see most cold camping tents are for two people and if you’re looking for something bigger, then you might have to compromise on some features.
But not with the REI Base Camp 4. This winter tent for 4 is an excellent option for a group of four people, especially if you’re looking for a home-away-from-home experience.
This is a type of tent that you can even use for cooking and placing a wood stove if you want. That said, this tent is not the best choice for extremely cold camping, but it works well for winter camping.
It has a large floor area that can fit four people comfortably. Moreover, it comes with plenty of storage space to place your belongings. The tent is tall enough for you to comfortably stand and move around with decent head height.
The poles of this tent are made of aluminum and ensure weight savings. But that still doesn’t make this tent a good choice for long hikes.
The canopy of this tent is made of 75 denier polyester taffeta with 1500 mm PU coating and it also features no-see-um mesh.
The floor of the fabric is made of 150 denier polyester while the rainfly fabric is made of 75 denier polyester taffeta with 1500 mm PU coating.
The tent is pretty easy to set up thanks to the color-coded poles along with sleeves for extra protection. You can also use the Base Camp Vehicle Connector (separate purchase) to connect it with your vehicle if you’re planning car camping.
This versatile tent also features large doors and solid fabric for maximum privacy, while the walls feature mesh for active ventilation. There are roof pockets that you can use to tuck away the doors when they are open and hanging out.
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Best Tent for Winter Camping Buying Guide
Now, there are various features that you need to consider when buying a tent for winter camping. Tent floors, removable mesh door, rainfly, poles, etc – you need to consider the tiniest of details because you’re choosing a tent that can keep you safe in harsh weather conditions.
Winter Tent (4-Season Tent) Type
“Four-season tent” is an umbrella term that refers to any tent that can handle tough weather conditions. Some of these tents are ideal for base camping which tends to be on the heavier side while others are suitable for mountaineering which tends to be on the lighter side.
Everything else comes in between these two extremes in this category.
Mountaineering tents
These tents are made for high altitudes and weight is the primary consideration here.
Most of these tents are single-wall models and you have to compromise on weather protection.
The square footage and peak height of these tents are on the lower side than other winter tent types.
These tents are waterproof and seam-sealed but there’s an excavation which is the Black Diamond Mega Light tent for 2 persons.
Base Camping tents
These tents are more comfortable than mountaineering tents and are heavier as well. They are not meant for hikes or treks so you can afford more tent area and size. As comfortable as these tents are, you might end up spending more time in your tent.
Most tents in this category are double-walled tents and you can control the ventilation and space of your tent very well. Most tents on our list fall in this category and some other Hilleberg tents as well. These can handle high winds very well and can deal with tough weather conditions as well.
Treeline tents
These tents are the squeezed variants and are made for winter trips but not necessarily in extreme weather conditions. These tents have less mesh and heavier canopy and rainfly materials with massive floor area.
However, these tents are also not rugged enough to compare with mountaineering and backpacking tents. If you’re booking a 3-season tent that can handle unpredictable weather, this is the option that you must consider.
Weight & Packed Dimensions
3-season tents weigh less than their 4-season counterparts as they feature less stride materials and fabric. Lighter options are suitable for more hikes and treks while heavier options are suitable for more robust weather conditions.
Keep in mind that you must consider the trial weight of a tent because it factors in stuff sacks, stakes, poles, and guy lines as well.
Single-Wall Tents vs Double-Wall Tents
Again, single-wall designs are better suited for lightweight hikes and treks while double-wall designs are much heavier and are made to withstand harsh weather conditions. Dual wall models come with more weather protection but they are also much heavier with sturdier materials.
Peak Height & Floor Area
Larger floor area and peak height always provide more comfort. But of course, a larger tent means it will have more area as well. Now, if you’re looking to spend more time in your tent then your tent needs to be more comfortable.
And for that, you need more peak height and floor area. Otherwise, you can go for a smaller tent to spend more time on alpine treks.
Condensation & Ventilation
Make sure to consider proper ventilation and condensation features in a tent as well. For that, you must make sure that your tent has sealed zippers to prevent water from entering your tent.
However, it needs to have proper ventilation to maintain adequate airflow. For this go for tents with mesh windows and doors along with zippers vents to ensure proper ventilation and condensation regardless of the weather outside.
Durability & Materials
Of course, we’re talking about winter tents here so durability is a must-have feature. Consider looking for materials such as Polyester, Dyneema, Nylon, and Denier Taffeta along with waterproof Polyurethane or Silicone coating for weather resistance.
These materials are sturdy and they can withstand tough weather conditions while keeping you safe inside. Furthermore, the tent pole, stakes, and snow anchors must also be of top quality to make sure that the tent stays sturdy in harsh weather.
Storage
Also, keep in mind that the walls of the tent that you’re considering come with mesh pockets. You can use these pockets to place your personal belongings and gear right next to you.
Some tents also come with roof pockets that you can use to place light overhead to lighten up the tent when the light is dim.
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Conclusion
The best 4 season tent that money can buy is the Mountain Hardwear Trango 2 Tent. This tent is made of durable materials, and it is an ideal choice for climbing mountains in tough weather conditions.
Setting it up is pretty easy and its unique frame construction makes sure that you don’t have to worry about snow loads or heavy showers.
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