Kelty Salida Camping And Backpacking Tent 2 Person

These inexpensive small 2 person tents perform remarkably well. They will keep money in your wallet but still keep you warm and dry. They are great for camping and some are still small and light enough for a multi-day backpacking trip. Getting a new piece of backpacking / camping gear is an investment, and a tent can be one of the pricier items to add to your kit. This purchase doesn’t need to break the bank though, and if you’re on a tight budget, it also doesn’t mean you need to compromise quality or get a too heavy tent.

And yes, I know few tents have this, so the Salida 2 is not at fault by itself. The pockets at the head of the tent were perfect for holding small essentials, such as lights and chapstick. Overall, it was a good place to spend a cold, rainy night alone in the wilderness without snacks. The tent vibe would skyrocket if it came with snacks. How to Choose a Backpacking Tent Picking the right backpacking tent means checking out a… Check out our list of the best two-man tent options for camping pairs for the best value, quality options.

That’s why I cut to the chase in this analysis and let you in on some of the best 2-person tent brands that can give you the biggest bangs for your bucks. The inner mesh pockets are found in the corners that are good for storing small personal items that you need close by like your glasses and phone. These poles are also connected with a clip system to the inner tent removing the need to pull the tent poles through the fabric sleeves like other tents.

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The Salida’s wall fabric boasted a mesh upper and a solid lower, making the tent walls less susceptible to snags and pulls. As noted above, we were not big fans of the breathability or weather resistance of this tent, and campers would need to carefully dry both the inner tent before storage to prevent mold. The Salida and the ALPS Mountaineering Lynx 2 both scored low for durability.

Find the ultimate tent,shelteror backpacking tent for epic adventures and spontaneous overnights. Our backpacking tents and camping tents pitch easily and house comfortably — with lots of room, convenient features and awesome ventilation. And for day events, our quick setup sun shelters are clutch. You’re getting a full-coverage fly with impressive vestibule storage space, plus near-vertical walls for increased interior room. The poly sidewalls offer some much-needed privacy, but you’re still getting airflow from 360° mesh panels. Overall, the Salida tents are ideal for backpackers who need something lightweight, without compromising on comfort.

Good But Not For 2 People

We recommend putting a $11 Gossamer Gear Polycro Footprint or MLD UL FOOTPRINT under this type of shelter. This multilayer, cross-linked polyolefin film weighs less than 4 oz and is much stronger and more durable than the typical painter’s plastic sheet you’d get at a hardware store. It’s also ~ 1/2 the weight and 12% the cost of a footprint from the tent manufacturer. When it starts to wear it can easily be replaced by another $11 footprint. The standard floor area for a tent is a good starting point for estimating the “livable area” but it’s far from telling the whole story. For example, two tents with the same floor area can have dramatically different amounts of livable area.

The rain fly proved to be a super fly — it kept the inside of the tent bone dry. We’d much rather pack around a tent like the Midori or the MSR Hubba Hubba NX, which packs down to 6″ x 18″, saving valuable pack space on backcountry trips. For the ultimate tent that excels in both weight and packed size, consider the Big Agnes Fly Creek HV or the Tarptent Double Rainbow. This is a three season tent, but I stayed toasty enough in temperatures as low as about ten degrees F. The Salida can support its own weight on any terrain. It does not even have to be staked down in most cases.

Key Information For Buying Small 2 Person Tents

In this case, you should seriously consider protecting it with a footprint or Polycro sheet. We recommend skipping the manufacturer’s footprint, which is heavy and can be expensive. Instead, use a 2 to 3.5 oz Polycro Footprint to protect the floor of very light tent floors.

The rain fly lacks air vents, but due to the ventilation of the mesh sides of the tent, it has never given me any condensation problems. Also keep in mind that you’ll need clothes to wear throughout your backpacking trip. Many backpackers opt to dress in layers so that they can remove items as conditions merit it. But extended backpacking trips can require more changes of clothing, which will quickly consume the limited space in your backpack.

Condensation management and ventilation is important to take into consideration when choosing a tent. Some models and styles vent better than others, but it also has to do with how you set your tent up and your site location. For most tents in this guide with exception of the REI Flash Air 2 are double walled and will do well with condensation. For comparison, a generic camping tent available at Walmart and sporting good stores, the Coleman Sundome 2 Person Tent, weights 7.2 pounds and has 35 ft2 of area.

An app that will work offline can also be a great option. Just keep in mind you probably won’t have cellphone reception once you get deep into a trail. Make sure your app will work without that connection before you leave home.

Sturdy & Great Ventilation

If you plan to use the Salida 2 in wet weather, make sure to seam seal the floor and/or use a footprint to prevent water from seeping into the floor area of the inner tent. I haven’t had the chance to camp in it yet and really test it out. The setup is dead simple, the tent appears to be made very well, there is enough room for me and my gear, the vestibule is also of good size. If you’re new to backpacking, it’s a good idea to load your backpack up and take it on a test run at a local park or campground before you commit to a long-term trip. This will give you a feel for just how much you can weigh your backpack down before it fatigues you.

They are also double walled, having both an inner tent with breathable fabric walls, mosquito netting and bathtub floor, and separate outer rain fly . This allows you to avoid setting up the fly for better views and ventilation when it’s not raining. And when you do have the rain fly up and it begins to condense, the walls of the inner tent keeps you and your gear away from the fly’s wet inner surface. The downside is that some of these tents are heavier than other options on the market, and a few have limited livable room. Your tent can be one of the heaviest items in your pack. As such, it’s a great place to save a ton of weight.

The inner tent allows you to roll out a six-foot sleeping bag without hitting either side of the tent. Roof loops can also hold your equipment in the included gear loft. Packing up the Salida 2 is also simple with the Tent Cube storage bag that is thoughtfully designed, plus lightweight at just under 4.5 pounds so you can hit the trails in no time.

The MSR Hubba Hubba NX 2 Backpacking Tent is a great lightweight backpacking tent, perfect for the solo backpacker or for 2 people who don’t mind tighter space. Setting up the Hubba takes less than 5 minutes to do. “Freestanding” is a bit misleading, and does not necessarily mean that you do not need to stake out these tents. In reality, it is a good idea to stake out any tent or shelter, freestanding or not. While the main body of a freestanding tent will stand on its own without stakes, it is still better to stake it out. We have seen more than a few un-staked tents blow a considerable distance in strong winds, sometimes resulting in tent damage and lost gear .

The inner tent is spacious with ample room for people and their sleeping bags. The side inner walls are quite steep which adds to the feeling of spaciousness. The inner tent floor is also long enough to lie in a 6 foot sleeping bag without touching the end walls. One thing we did love about the Salida was the user-friendly clips. Our main issue with comfort in the Salida was in wet conditions.

Sea To Summit Ether Light Xt Extreme Insulated Air Sleeping Mat

We have our main lists ranging over all the various types and features, great for those wanting to learn more or just see the best out. That’s because the fiberglass add more weight to it. ALPS Mountaineering has been in the tent making business for years. Right from the time it started operation, until today, the company has always taken part in creating durable, high-performance tents that give buyers the best value for their money. And they’ve done the same with Taurus 2 Person Tent. A lot of people praise Big Agnes because it is designed to last for eons.

Lynx 2 does not feature a master point at the apex; it only has regular clips and cheap hook stakes. It is free standing with long enough stakes and two-pole construction. So, it is not a good option for people that intent to bring plenty of camping gear.