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Sleeping in the best 3 season backpacking tent makes the whole camping more comfortable and fun. It is not only about comfort but health and safety. The market is filled with tents of different quality, price, and weather resistance. And even those experienced campers who are precisely aware of what is a 3 season tent and its benefits may lose themselves in this variety.
Whether it is your first or twenty-first backpacking tent, you still have to be careful picking up the product. This is why I have created a list of the tents I admire. Get familiar with it before you purchase anything.
Top-6 Best 3 Season Backpacking Tents
Here are 3 season tents reviews I’ve made based on personal experience. I have been using all these tents for some time, or have lent them to my friends. Here are my thoughts on this list, with the peculiarities of each tent, its pros, and cons.
- Big Agnes Copper Spur – Best Three Season Tent on 2 Doors
- Marmot Limelight – Compact 3 Season Camping Tent
- Hillman Backpacking Model – Best 3 Season Family Tent
- Featherstone Backpacking Tent – Top Rated 3 Season Tents Perfect for Couples
- Bessport 3 – Best 3 Season Backpacking Tent for Snag-Free Installation
- Kelty Late Start – True 3 Season Tent Definition of Comfort
These tents can be designed for 1-4 people, so you can choose the option suitable for you by color and number of people.
1. Big Agnes Copper Spur – Best Three Season Tent on 2 Doors
Check out the stylish design of this tent. It has a cap that protects from the sun and the vents to guarantee the natural airflow and cut the condensation. The media pockets are made for those who can’t stay far away from their electronics, even while camping.
Features:
- Dimensions: 19.5 x 6 inches packed;
- Materials: nylon, PU coating, silicone fly and floor, aluminum poles;
- Weight: 3 lbs;
- Extra features: quick set-up, pre-bent span pole, vestibules.
There are extended vestibules for your gear and an additional storage mezzanine for your backpack and other stuff. This tent is super light, which makes it simple to carry around and quick to set up.
There are two layers of fabric. Nylon is waterproof. Silicone floors and fly are durable. The poles are Featherlight DAC. At the same time, the tent is made of extra strong materials. They can easily withstand strong winds and even snow. Big Agnes is a company that develops products for outdoor activities, like camping and hiking. They claim this tent has become their top popular bestseller.
- FULLY REDESIGNED - One of our best-selling, full-featured, ultralight backpacking tents, the Copper Spur HV UL series just got better with new features inside and out, proprietary materials that are stronger and lighter, and hardware that makes setting up even easier
- Ultralight
- Easy to set up
- Resistant to the water
- Extra storage
- High-quality materials
- The price is slightly higher compared to similar products
2. Marmot Limelight – Compact 3 Season Camping Tent
The tent looks like an igloo of a cinder color. It can accommodate two people inside. There are two entrances for better convenience and for extra ventilation. Each entrance also provides extra space for storage. You can place all your things there. This tent has self-supporting inner construction and an upper mesh that protects from the vermin.
Features:
- Dimensions: 19.69 x 11.81 x 7.87 inches packed;
- Weight: 5.63 pounds;
- Materials: nylon, aluminum;
- Extras: two doors, extra space for gear, easy to set up.
In the lower third of the camping, there is a pre-bent pole for stability and more space. The fabric is resistant to water and UV light. Besides, it stands against the strong winds. Yet, since it is a three season tents, I don’t recommend using it in the mountains for a long time.
Marmot is one of the most popular brands that develop tents for versatile cases. They contribute to your high-quality camping. The American-based company was founded in 1974. They also offer comfortable clothes for sports. Their tent is light, and you can carry it for the whole day. The pole comes with color coding for the simplicity of pitching.
- Footprint Included
- Two doors
- Reliable and durable
- Waterproof
- Affordable price
- There is no gear loft in this series of tents
3. Hillman Backpacking Model – Best 3 Season Family Tent
This model is not only family-friendly but pretty affordable. You can buy several tents for you and your friends. It is easy to set up, and its bright colors will not let you lose the tent out of your sight. You may choose between orange, blue, and green colors.
Features:
- Dimensions: 6.3 x 6.3 x 19.3 inches packed;
- Weight: 5.06 lbs;
- Materials: polyester, aluminum;
- Extras: simple to set up, a carry bag is added to the pack.
The material of the tent is ventilated, protects you from the UV light, and does not let mosquitoes get to you. A double zipper lets you in and out easily. The outer layer is made of waterproof fabric.
I checked the claim that one person could set up this ten in 10 minutes. It has taken 5 minutes of my time. I don’t recommend this tent for cold winter, but for 3 other seasons, it works great.
Hillman is a Chinese company that produces tents and sells them internationally. This tent is portable and weighs 5.6 lbs only. I am not aware of the end date for this tent, but I have been using a few of them during my camping activities for several years. There are 8 aluminum poles for better stability and 2 folding poles. If you are completely new to camping, read the instructions.
- QUICK and EASY TO SET UP, one person can easily set up the tent with flysheet in less than 10 minute .
- Lightweight
- Waterproof
- Affordable price
- Does not protect from cold weather
4. Featherstone Backpacking Tent – Top Rated 3 Season Tents Perfect for Couples
This 3 season tent looks so strong and reliable that you can easily mistake it for the 4 seasonal. Well, it can shelter you during strong winds and even snow, but you don’t want to go live in the mountains with it. The tent is still incredibly reliable and waterproof. The No-See-Um mesh protects you from mosquitoes and other insects.
Features:
- Dimensions: 17.1/2 x 6 inches pack;
- Weight: 6 lbs the whole pack;
- Materials: polyester, polyurethane, noseeum mesh, aluminum poles;
- Extras: lifetime warranty, 2 doors.
Once when I was camping near the seashore, it protected me from the lizards that were falling from the nearby rock. Yet, I could still see the starry sky, and the lizards, of course.
Lightweight bend poles provide extra security to the tent so it wouldn’t be blown away so easily. It suits well for one or two people. There are several vents that keep you dry, decreasing the condensate. Besides, there are two doors and extra space for your belongings.
It is simple to set up even if you are a complete newbie. Featherstone is a US-based manufacturer that produces tents and other products for outdoor activities. They offer a lifetime warranty for the tent.
- LIGHTWEIGHT DESIGN: Weighing in at just 4 lbs Trailweight, this tent is perfect for backpackers looking to minimize their load without sacrificing quality.
- Simple to set up
- Durable
- Affordable price
- Not so simple to gather in the bag again
5. Bessport 3 – Best 3 Season Backpacking Tent for Snag-Free Installation
This is a stylish igloo-shaped tent for two people. The developers offer the same model of the 3 person family size, but it is up to you. The price is pretty affordable, so you can order several options. The color palette is versatile as well. You may order burgundy, green, gray, and orange tents. They serve multiple purposes, from hiking to mountaineering.
Features:
- Dimensions: interior height 43.3 inches, floor 93 x 53 inches;
- Weight: 5.5 lbs;
- Materials: polyester, aluminum;
- Extras: windproof, easy to set up.
You can also go fishing with this tent or set it up in your yard for kids to play inside. One air mattress of the full size fits this tent. There are 2 doors for perfect ventilation.
This tent is easy to set up with one aluminum pole and clips. You can do it even in the rain. Zippers are extra-large for your convenience. The cover is waterproof, and the floor is dry inside as well.
There are 4 guylines to provide extra stability. The tent is designed with a big mesh window for better ventilation and 2 vents in the ceiling. Bessport designs high-quality tents, sleeping bags, and other accessories for the outdoors.
- Large Space-Camping Tent 2 Person: This backpacking tent is spacious enough with two D-Shaped doors and two vestibules to accommodate up to 2-3Adult. Weight: 5.5lb(2.5kg). Interior floor dimensions: 93 x 53 inches (228x135cm), interior height: 43.3 inch(110cm).
- Comfortable
- Reliable
- Affordable price
- Not suitable for cold temperatures
6. Kelty Late Start – True 3 Season Tent Definition of Comfort
This tent is a better version of Kelty Salida Tent if you have used this model. The developer offers several tents for 1 person, 2, and 4 persons up to your choice. And when they say 1 person, you can be assured there is a place for one person only. It weighs almost nothing, just 3 pounds. The interior place equals 20.6 sq ft. There is a vestibule for your gear. Extra space is offered by 2 pre-bent poles from aluminum.
Features:
- Dimensions: 85 x 40x 30 inches;
- Weight: 3 pounds:
- Materials: polyester, noseeum mesh, aluminum;
- Extras: guy-line pockets.
The corners of the tent provide you with an extra place for your bags. The inner layer is made of No-See-Um mesh. The floor is from denier fabric, resistant to the water. The Kelty company is an American-based brand that creates high-quality gear for the outdoors.
- SUPER FAST SETUP: Kelty’s quickcorners make setting up fast and easy – as it should be. Pole sleeves at the tent corners matched with pre-bent aluminum poles for a formidable frame, Shark Mouth stuff sack for EZ packing up in the morning
- Simple to install
- High-quality materials
- American-based developer
- No vent in the rain fly
Three Season Backpacking Tent Guide
Before you rush to buy all the tents from the list, let’s find out which features you may actually need. You will use this tent outdoors, and sometimes it will be impossible to return in the middle of the night back home if something goes wrong with the tent. So, it has to be perfect for camping.
What is a 3 season tent?
3-season tents are made for spring, summer, and fall, so all you need is to find a campground. They are pretty similar to the 4 season tents but not effective in the severe wintertime. The 3 season tent temperature range is not as wide as the 4 season tent range.
Despite the problem with the cold temperatures, a camping tents 3 season is way lighter, simpler to install, and can be more durable than other models. A standard 3-season tent consists of the tent body and rainfly. It has vents and can be made with 1 or 2 doors. Above all, 3-season tents are cheaper than others.
What to consider when choosing 3 season tent
There are several features you have to consider when you choose the tent:
- Amount of people. The standard tent is made for 2 people. Check out the sq ft if you want more people to squeeze in;
- Weight. You have to carry the tent on your shoulders for the whole day, except the other stuff in your backpack;
- Waterproof and windproof options. It is crucial every time you are outdoors;
- Vents. There must be at least 2 vents. The 2 doors will be beneficial as well;
- Storage. The tent must have extra space for your backpack;
- Durability. The great tent serves far longer than one season. Read the reviews of other buyers;
- Price. The 3 season tents rarely cost $300. They are pretty affordable, and you can buy several items at once.
Marmot vs Big Agnes tents
If you are trying to make a choice between Marmot vs Big Agnes tents, you are probably stuck with all the benefits both companies offer. The truth is they are both reliable and well-known. Marmot is more spread around the US, but Big Agnes is also known internationally.
The series of Limelight, which I have mentioned on my list, are trusted by millions. It has a footprint inside, and the price is affordable. Big Agnes tents cost a little bit more, but their quality is splendid.
The Best Choice for the Best Camping Experience
You have several options in front of you. I don’t want to be irksome here, but I still believe that you can consider buying more than one tent at the same time. I have all of them, and I am happy with my choice. But camping is my lifetime hobby, and you may come to it step by step.
All these models are beneficial. All of them are durable, resistant to water and wind. They have different developers and prices, but almost all have similar benefits. If you have one of them, please share your impressions in the comments. How long do you use it? Have you tried your model in the snow?
FAQ
How cold 3 season tent?
A three-season tent can be used in temperatures as low as -10 degrees Fahrenheit, but it is not recommended for use in areas where there is a lot of snowfall.
What is a 3 season tent?
A 3 season tent is a type of tent that is designed to be used in the spring, summer, and fall. These tents are typically made with lighter-weight materials and do not have as many features as 4 season tents.
What is a 3 season tent vs 4 season?
A 3 season tent is a tent that is suitable for use in the spring, summer, and fall. A 4 season tent is a tent that is suitable for use in the winter as well as the other three seasons.
Are 4 season tents warmer?
There is no definitive answer to this question as it depends on a variety of factors, including the specific tent model, the climate, and the weather conditions. In general, however, four season tents are designed to be more durable and weather-resistant than three season tents, and they typically feature thicker walls and more insulation, which can help to keep campers warm in colder weather.