Light weight tent recommendations for mother and teenage son

[Kestrelchick]

My teenage son and I are planning our March 2017 thru-hike and the tent is the one, main piece of gear we have yet to purchase- I have been going back and forth for months and still have no clue. Our gut is telling us to go with a double wall instead of the super lightweight single walled tents out there. We are not huge into having to fiddle with a tent to get it pitched perfectly. Neither of us have any interest in a hammock for a variety of reasons so we know we want to share a tent. I know that it is a give and take in that if we go with a super lightweight tent, we are probably going to have to deal with condensation or splash-back into the tent from hard rain as opposed to a traditional double walled tent but then with a double walled you have a higher carrying weight.

Most 2 man tents seem to be 50" across which might be great for two people who are dating or married but not so sure it is the best thing for a mother and her teenage son (I am 5'10 and my 13 year old is 5"11 and is still growing with 10 months to go till our departure time and we both have broad shoulders). We are very much working hard in keeping our pack weight down as much as possible so we are not very interested in a tent that weighs over 4 pounds....the lighter the better.

We had looked at the Sierra Designs Lightning 2 UL which looked promising because it was a 2-man tent with 56" wide at the head but have come across some comments about the gear storage that is on either side as being much too small and several different complaints about waking up with wet sleeping bags. I have a Western Mountaineering bag and have no desire to wake up with a wet bag for many reasons :-)

We thought about the Six Moons Lunar Duo because it is 54" wide but have read quite a number of reviews concerning condensation issues with this tent and issues with splash back into the tent from the edges and people waking up with the inside wet.

Also have looked at other tents like the Tarptent Cloudburst 3 (3.3lb and 62" wide) but are not sure we want to have to worry about fiddling with the tent to get it pitched perfectly and have heard about some issues with sleeping bags getting wet from spash-back during harder rains or windy while raining . Other tents on the list that have a little bit more width to them include the MSR Carbon Reflex 3 (2lb 10oz and 66" wide), Mountain Hardwear Ghost UL3 (3 lb 2oz and 64/60" wide) and the Nemo Dagger 3 (3 lb 12 oz, 70" wide)

We just purchased the Copper Spur UL3 from backcountry on sale and are wanting to see just how huge the thing is when we set it up in the living room. It is supposed to be 3lb 11oz and 70" wide. I wish that it didn't weigh so much and am worried that it is going to have a huge footprint and am concerned about it fitting in the areas around the AT shelters. I know this tent has gotten outstanding reviews across the board as basically being bomb-proof in the rain and I don't think I have heard a single complaint about it - it is just big and heavy but I know we will be splitting the weight between the 2 of us.

Would love to hear what other NON-dating couples use on a thru-hike or any recommendations for a non-fiddly double-walled tent that weighs under 3.5lbs? Or comments on the tents I brought up? THANKS!

[CalebJ]

Honestly, a sub 4 pound tent that comfortably sleeps 2 doesn't sound bad at all to me - and I'm extremely conscientious of the weight in my pack. Less than two pounds a person is really reasonable. I wouldn't want to be any more cramped than that with somebody for months at a time, regardless of the weight savings.

[Kestrelchick]

thanks Caleb - I have usually gone off by myself when backpacking and I carried an old 1 man tent and we have done tons of car camping but trying to figure out what a reasonable weight is and size for a mother-son on a thru-hike has been something new all together for me. I have read countless blogs and stories about couples sharing tents but have not found any about a parent/teenager. Do you have an opinion as to whether or not a tent that has an approx 10' x 7.5' size is going to be an issue at the AT shelter areas? Stealth camping is going to be extremely interesting as well but I just can't see us surviving in a 50" wide tent without strangling each other after a few weeks ;-)

[martinb]

Looks like you already made your choice? Roll with it, it's a good tent. On the trail, nothing is going to be cut and dry. You will be able to find somewhere to set it up.

Also, don't worry about how close he is, it's your son. Enjoy his company on what will surely be one of the greatest experiences in his (and your) lives. The only thing you have to fear is foot odor.

[alnitak]

I think the Copper Spur UL3 is a great choice. It will provide plenty of room for you and your son, and you won't find a better choice, or even a much lighter tent, for three people (or two comfortably). I have the CS UL2 for just me and couldn't be happier.

[HeartFire]

Have you looked at the LightHeart Gear Duo? 55 inches wide.

[HooKooDooKu]

While I hated the Fly Creek UL1 for one person, I've seen positive suggestions on the Fly Creek UL3 for two.
The weight is less than the Copper Spur, and the footprint is narrower at 66"/60".
(Based on tents I've owned in the past, anything at or above 58" in width is plenty wide enough for two people.)

[CalebJ]

Doesn't the Fly Creek cut you to a single front opening vs separate doors and vestibules? A few ounces for those features would be well worth it IMO.

[Kestrelchick]

LOL!!! Foot odor and super stinky teen boy odor mixed together - I may need to pack a gas mask at the same time we figured we would grab the CS UL3 while it was on sale and just set it up in the living room and try it out and if we didn't like it we can return it and try something else. Most of our other gear choices have been pretty cut and dried but for some reason picking the tent has been hard

[left52side]

Hi there I am a fan of the SMD tents,there has been mixed reviews on them as of lately but my three shelters I have with them are great.
I do have A big agnes fly creek hv ul2 that is still brand new I would be will to sell if you are interested.
I am about to post it on here for sale.
It is brand new and still in the box from big agnes,you can check out there page and see if it is something you might be interested in.

[QiWiz]

If budget is not a problem, take a look at Zpacks Triplex.

[Mr. Bumpy]

I'm a huge fan of the CS3 as used by my teenage son and I. You do need a lot of space, but other than that I think it is about as perfect a two person free standing tent as is out there. I use a CS2 as my go to when I am by myself.
Many would disagree with this, but I don't spit tents between two persons; rather I share weight elsewhere. If you get separated for a few days, planned or unplanned, then no one has a serviceable shelter, and I think that is a silly thing to do.
Most often I carry the tent while my son carries a small tarp. Although we don't go out for more than a week at a time, and I'd guess that most thru hikers wouldn't want the extra weight, but having an extra tarp can be a good thing. A tarp allows both in the party to have a shelter if you are apart, or if you just want to be apart, and they are good things to pitch quickly if you need to get out of the rain.

[SteelCut]

It's refreshing to see someone that's already done alot of research first.

I agree with the suggestions above for the CS3.

But I do have to ask what is your thinking if your son wants to go home at some point. Are you going to continue on alone, and if so, since the CS3 is going to be a bit big (heavy) for one person do you have a backup plan ??


Edit: BTW, I know you said no single wall shelter, but the Zpacks Triplex recommended by QiWiz above is also a good choice. It is very expensive but very light and roomy. My wife and I use a Zpacks Duplex and while acceptable for two, if we ever needed another tent for the two of us, the Triplex would be our choice.

[tiptoe]

Well, somebody has to say it, so I will. Have you considered hammocks, one for each of you?

That would give you lots of options for the hike.

[left52side]

Well, somebody has to say it, so I will. Have you considered hammocks, one for each of you?

That would give you lots of options for the hike.

O great now we got A hammocker chiming in
just kidding obv.

[Starchild]

I just got the Lunar Duo for me and my g/f, and possibly on occasion her 7 yr old, and yes he will fit, it is very roomy much more than a 2 person tent. I have not used it in the rain so can't comment about splashback, but it seems to be better then the tent I thru hiked with in regards to rain worthiness.

But just a note, you son may benefit from having his own tent, part of the growth process and all. Just food for thought.

[Kestrelchick]

thanks guys for some great comments - you have no idea how much I appreciate your help. Right now, and I can't believe I am saying this, we are trying not to focus on the high/low cost of items when it comes to some of our gear like the tent. Not that I am going to go out and spend $1000 on a tent but if it is one hell of a tent and I know it will last us past the AT hike and is bomb proof with zero chance of us or our gear getting wet when using it, then we will spend the money to buy top notch gear. I had shied away from the Zpacks tents even though they have gotten some stellar reviews because of comments about having to master the art of getting them pitched correctly along with them being a little louder in the rain because of the materials - I would love to be able to see one and set it up myself but I know that the tents are made to order and don't know how keen they are about someone ordering one, trying to set it up in the backyard and then sending it back for a full refund if we find it is not for us.

Great comment about what we would do if my son decides to quit in the middle. We have a plan in place in that my husband will come pick him up and we have discussed the tent problem - I would have one or two choices for a single tent for myself and we would look at purchasing one for me to continue on with because the CS3 is way too big for one person. I would love to go with a 2+ choice tent out there but there just are not many 2+ tent options that are lightweight with great reviews.

I LOVE the idea and simplicity of a hammock ;-) but I have tried to love them when friends have had various ones on camping trips and I just could not get comfortable enough. Thanks again for the awesome comments - I feel pretty confident about a lot of our gear but the tent has just been driving us bonkers

[martinb]

The best option is dual tents given that your son will drop off at some point. There won't be any fiddling with a mail drop, etc. If you set them up side by side it will almost be as if you are in the same tent, minus the midnight elbow.

[bigcranky]

The Lunar Duo is a great tent for two people, even two non-romantically involved adults. All tents suffer from condensation, you just learn to manage it. The LD sets up quickly with two hiking poles, has two huge vestibules, and is totally storm proof - we've had it in some epic thunderstorms. (Seam seal it first, of course.)

That said, if I were hiking with my teenager, I would want separate solo tents. Having my own space at the end of the day would be a HUGE big deal. I mean, I love my daughter and all, but living with her 24/7 would get to be a bit much. Privacy is just required sometimes, as is quiet. And space. A HUGE big deal. Also, it may happen that you two decide to hike separately for a while - I ran into a guy at a hostel several years ago, hiking with his son and daughter. Son was maybe 13, and had started hiking with some young men in their 20s, and they had gotten a day or two ahead of dad and sister, with the plan to meet up in Damascus. The son was having the time of his life, exploring his new freedom in a safe environment. It could happen

I'd get a matched pair of Tarptent Notch tents. Light, double wall, plenty of room, two doors, two vestibules, lots of ventilation, not too expensive. If you don't use trekking poles (and you should), get a matched pair of Moment tents from Tarptent.

As always, this advice is worth what you paid for it. Good luck and happy trails.

[Damn Yankee]

I'm a big fan of Nemo tents and have owned a Meta 1P and Meta 2P they are single wall tents but very roomy.