What's the best tent for bikepacking? It depends! Where are you going, what's your style of riding and packing, and how much space do you need?
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A great bikepacking tent should balance functionality and durability with light weight so it doesn't drag you down on the climbs. Aim for under 2 or 3 pounds for a solo tent, and under 4 pounds for a larger tent.
Some manufacturers make bikepacking-specific tents which come with shorter folding poles to fit more easily on a bike. This isn't strictly necessary, bit it's a nice touch especially if you want to carry the tent on drop handlebars.
A freestanding tent can be pitched without stakes, which can be really helpful while bikepacking. Sometimes you need to camp on a patio, in a parking lot, or even inside a building where stakes can't be used. This is more common during long-distance bike travel and less common when bikepacking in the backcountry.
Bikepackers sometimes camp in places where we don't want to be noticed, so it's important to have a bikepacking tent that blends into natural surroundings. Muted green and brown tones are good, and lots of reflective material is bad.
Recommended Bikepacking Tent #1
The Big Sky Soul is a simple, lightweight, and completely freestanding bikepacking tent with short folding poles. It's my go-to solo bikepacking tent and has traveled with me to over ten countries.
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Recommended Bikepacking Tent #2
This popular lightweight yet fully featured bikepacking tent comes in several sizes; the 3-person version is my favorite for long bikepacking trips with my partner. It's easy to set up and offers excellent 3-season weather protection.
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Recommended Bikepacking Tent #3
This unique design isn't bikepacking-specific, but it's a great balance of living space and light weight thanks to its single-wall design. I use this 2-person bikepacking tent for lightweight trips with my partner in not-too-nasty weather.
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