The best one-person tents 2023: solo shelters for featherlight camping

A one-person tent does exactly what it says, provide a small shelter for a solo camper. They're naturally lighter than tents designed for multiple occupants, so they are popular with gram counting wild campers. They're more luxurious than a bivy bag, yet still portable enough to not make the carrier wince during an ascent.

Where winter camping is concerned, the best one-person tents are often a good choice. The smaller the area within the tent, the warmer it becomes when your body heat is radiated. We're not suggesting you venture out into the snow with just any one-person tent, but the right solo shelter is a great option for some unforgettable camping experiences. We start our roundup with two tents suitable for 4 season camping.

Like all the best camping tents, you can expect features like featherweight poles, durable fabrics and ingenious design features to make your back-to-basics adventure a little less basic. All of the tents in our selection offer excellent protection against the elements.

So, if you're a minimal camper looking to venture out this winter, or perhaps dreaming of idyllic wild camping trips in 2023's warmer months, look no further. Short of a hammock or bivy sack, you can't get more minimal than a one-person tent.

Best ultralight one-person tents

Ultralight, versatile and incredibly comfortable, the Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL2 is a great option for almost any three-season adventure in the backcountry. It's small, simple to set up and – with a maximum packed weight of 2 lbs 4oz (1kg) – is classified as “ultralight”. The fly is made of “solution-dyed, water-repellent silicone-treated nylon”, which in layman’s terms translates to ultra-thin and unbelievably light. So thin and light, in fact, that you might think this tent will barely last a season. 

But first impressions don’t count for everything. The Fly Creek UL can put up with a surprising amount of abuse on the trail, as long as you treat it with a reasonable amount of care. The tent is also quite roomy, with one door and a fair-sized vestibule (comprising around five square feet). As with practically any other two-person tent on the market, it’s a tight fit for two, however, and I personally wouldn’t want to double up in this shelter. That being said, it provides more than enough space for one person and gear, and the roomy vestibule allows you to keep muddy boots and other bits of kit well out of the elements. You can also fully sit up in the tent and move around freely, which is a welcome feature for tents of this pack size and weight.

Read our full Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL2 review

Nemo has established itself as a reliable go-to brand for producing high-quality, lightweight tents for hiking and mountain missions, enough to have earned a handy reputation (and several awards) for design innovation. Its Hornet model comes as a one-person and a two-person, offering some upgrade flexibility. With only approximately 150g difference between models, you may still want to choose the two-person even for sleep-alone missions, delivering more space for gear. Or just so you can starfish. 

The Hornet offers a well-tuned balance of lightweight, intuitive design matched to a fairly roomy interior (for a one-person offering), especially regarding headroom. Volumising guyouts connect the inner tent to the rainfly, pulling the sidewalls of the inner tent outward to create even more interior space.

The ball-and-socket design makes clipping in the single Y-shape pole super easy for lightning-quick pop up, with an intuitive and non-fiddly assembly, even when you have the cold-hand fumbles. The tension of the Y-shape – two contact points at the head, one at the feet – brings the tent well taught with ultralight but tough pegs tensioning the floor to full capacity. Head room is good for such a small beast.  Overall, this is a cracking tent for going fast and light in three seasons and most weather conditions. 

Weighing under a kilo and boasting the smallest pack size of any tent we’ve tested recently, this an impressively light and compact shelter, ideally suited to multi-day backpacking and thru hiking trips. It is a hybrid design based on a wedge-style single-skin trekking pole tent, but incorporating a hanging mesh and fabric inner to give you some of the benefits of a conventional double-wall tent too (including a bug-proof inner with a sewn-in, bathtub-style groundsheet). 

The trekking poles fit inside the inner, although you can also pitch it using carbon fibre struts (sold separately). It is very easy to pitch, requiring just five pegs or stakes to create the basic structure. When set up it is exceptionally roomy, with an integrated spreader bar that adds loads of headroom. There are two doorways and vestibules on either side of the tent, which are a good size. This provides ample storage space and makes it easy to get in and out. The fact that the doors can be rolled back also gives you superb ventilation, not to mention panoramic views. 

All in all, this is a tent that offers fantastic liveability, even if spending multiple nights on the trail. Single-skin trekking pole tents probably aren’t for everyone. If you’re a first-time camper, this might not be the best choice for you, unless you’re really looking to get into ultralight scene. But for more experienced users who are familiar with these types of tent, we think Skyscape Trekker is one of the most practical and effective options on the market.

Read our full Six Moon Designs Skyscape Trekker 1P review

It is hard not to be instantly impressed by the compact size and amazingly low weight of this tent when you first see it packed away in its stuff sack, especially considering it’s a double-skinned, poled tent, not some gossamer thin, single-skinned trekking-pole shelter or air tent. 

Weighing in at under a kilo, this makes it well-suited to almost any ultralight backpacking or wild camping adventure, where every gram counts. You would expect it to be a fairly minimalist and cramped tent, but actually, when pitched it boasts excellent headroom and a generous rectangular inner footprint with good length and width throughout. In addition, a generous porch area means your gear doesn’t have to be stored in the tent with you. 

All in all, it makes for one of the most comfortable solo tents around. This seemingly physics-defying feat is achieved via a clever design that incorporates steep walls and a clever overhead spreader bar, combined with ultralight yet weatherproof fabrics. Admittedly, extraneous features are omitted, so the tent lacks some of the familiar ‘life on the trail’ conveniences of its rivals – like inner storage pockets, for example. There are hanging tabs for a gear line or loft though, so you can add a few home comforts if desired.

Read our full MSR FreeLite 1 review

Terra Nova markets the Laser Pulse Ultra 1 as the ‘lightest tent in the world’. At only 450g minimum weight (490g when you pack it as intended) it’s perfect for people who know their bag weight to the nearest 0.1g. Or for people who like bragging about ultralight gear at parties. 

The tent is aimed at the multiday mountain marathon runner - the type of person who wants to keep weight to the absolute minimum, but can suffer a little for the sake of a couple of nights on the hill. The shelter has a tunnel construction, with enough height to allow an adult to sit up inside the pitched tent. A groundsheet protector is available separately. And if you’re worried about wear and tear, Terra Nova offers a guarantee ‘to the original owner against defects in materials and workmanship for the lifetime of the product’.

Best one-person trekking pole tent

This unusual tent is a double-walled design, but lacks conventional poles, instead requiring a pair of trekking poles, placed at opposite corners, to form the structure. This asymmetric offset configuration is a bit ungainly looking but very innovative, giving the user significantly more interior headroom than most trekking pole tents. 

The High Route 3,000 is an evolution of the original High Route, with slightly heavier but also more weatherproof fabrics, featuring an upgraded waterproof rating of 3,000mm Hydrostatic Head – hence the name. There’s also more fabric and less mesh in the inner, to add warmth and reduce draughts. All of these changes are designed to appeal to the UK and European markets – US consumers might want to consider the standard High Route instead. 

But for Brits in particular it is a practical and versatile shelter, since you can pitch it outer first, all-in-one or just use the inner as a bug shelter. This gives you plenty of options regardless of prevailing weather conditions. Inside, there is plenty of room to stretch out and sit upright, though the inner isn’t the widest we’ve tested. On the other hand, you get two useful porch areas and ‘one and a half’ doors – the first has a full-length zip for easy entry and exit, while the other has a half zip that gives access to a smaller vestibule area. Sierra Designs calls this a ‘gear garage’, and it is certainly a useful space to stash rucksacks, cooking gear or muddy boots.

Read our full Sierra Designs High Route 3,000 1P review

Best one-person tents for bad weather

The Vaude Hogan SUL 1-2P tent is a popular choice for bad-weather camping. If you are expecting to be throwing your tent up in the dark, amid horizontal rain, then this might be the tent for you. The Hogan has a very simple two pole ‘tri-pod’ construction that is incredibly simple to pitch and very sturdy against high winds. 

However, it relies on the tent corners being pegged out for maximum space so this is not a completely freestanding tent. You will not be able to use the tent to full capacity on hard or rocky ground. It can either be a spacious one-person tent or a cosy two-person tent, designed specifically for the lightweight market. It has adjustable ventilation and is completely PVC-free, manufactured with the environment in mind.

It is unusual for a tent to have been tested up against measured windspeeds by the manufacturer, but the Nordisk Svalbard 1 has been pitted against just that – and csme out standing. “It surpassed the magic 32.7m/s in our wind tunnel test,” say Nordisk, which basically means it has the “ability to withstand a hurricane”. This is, of course, if pegged correctly! 

This is a three-pole tunnel tent and the inner can be pitched alone, or with the rain fly over it. The webbing is colour coded, making for an easy set up. The pack sack has compression straps, allowing it to be compressed even smaller in your backpack.

Best cheap one-person tents for wild camping

This compact solo shelter from British brand Snugpak is a sort of halfway house between a one-person tent and a hooped bivvy. The low-profile design is very inconspicuous and sheds wind well, making it a practical choice for stealthy wild camps just off the trail or exposed pitches on hill, moor and mountain. The tent is available in two colorways, with an outer fly sheet of either drab olive or a terrain camo pattern, further emphasising its clandestine credentials. The two-pole, double-skinned design pitches inner first and is easy to set up. 

The inner is made of a No-See-Um Mesh that keeps the interior cool and airy, though it’s important to guy out the fly sheet securely so as to avoid the outer skin touching the inner and causing condensation to drip through. On the other hand, the design means that the inner can be used without the fly as a stand-alone bug shelter in warmer, drier climates, which adds versatility. Inside, things are a little cramped in terms of headroom – you’ll need to crawl in on your elbows and don’t expect to be able to sit upright – but the footprint in terms of length and width is exceedingly generous.

There is plenty of room to sort out your kit or stow a rucksack alongside the sleeping space. You could even sleep two in an emergency situation, or perhaps if competing in adventure races or other multi-day mountain challenges. Two mesh pockets provide useful quick-access storage too. The design means there is no porch or vestibule area though, which might be a deal-breaker for some.  

Read our full Snugpak Ionosphere review

Designed and priced to be more accessible to mainstream campers and backpackers, the Wild Country Coshee Micro V2 is an affordable option for people just starting to explore one-person tents. This would be a great place to start if you’re not sure exactly what you want in terms of features. 

It is a small tunnel-type tent, with only two poles. You can’t sit up inside it – unless you’re a very small person – and it’s described as a ‘deluxe bivvy’ by the manufacturer. Porch space is limited, but the full-length door enables you to make the most of what there is. If you’re happy to slide into a small abode at the end of a long day, this is well worth a look.

Best cheap one-person tents for general camping

With a competitive price tag and a small pack size, this robust and stable tent is ideal for backpackers on a budget. The Arrow Head is a side entry, double-wall one-person tunnel tent from Robens’ Route range, which the brand describes as its series of ‘entry-level technical tents’. As that description suggests, it is a value-orientated tent, with a very competitive price point. However, it is well made too, with a robust 75-denier polyester fly sheet and a high-quality aluminium pole set. It pitches outer first or all-in-one, and the fly could even be utilised as a standalone single-skin shelter, so it is also a versatile option. This set-up is particularly good for extended camping in wet weather. 

The packed size is good, but overall this tent is fractionally on the heavy side, especially compared to the lightest solo shelters on the market. On the other hand, the Arrow Head is a far more affordable tent than many of those premium ultralight offerings, and at under 2kg it is still a viable option for backpackers on a budget. The bottom line is, if you want to save grams, you’ll have to spend a bit more. Fortunately, this tent still stows easily in a backpacking rucksack.

Read our full Robens Arrow Head review

How we test the best one-person tents

At Advnture we endeavor to test every product we feature extensively in the field. That means one of our team of reviewers and writers – all experienced outdoor specialists active across the US, UK, Europe and Australasia – taking it out into the terrain and climatic conditions that it’s designed for. If, for any reason, this isn’t possible, we’ll say so in our buying guides and reviews.

Our reviewers test one-person tents overnight, sleeping solo in outdoor conditions, temperatures and terrain appropriate to the rating assigned to the product by the manufacturers/ brand. They will also carry the tent in a backpacking scenario to test its performance as a shelter for multi day hikes.

For more details see how Advnture tests products.

Choosing the best one-person tent for you

There are hundreds of one-person tents available from an assortment of brands, all with very different designs, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed. 

If you're tackling Scotland's Munros in winter, you'll want a tent that is 4-season rated and can withstand blizzards and everything else the Highlands can (and will) throw at it. You might be wanting to get a taste for peak-bagging, taking on multiple summits under the summer sun. In which case, you'll need something lightweight, as you won't be quite as worried about your tent's ability to repel the apocalypse.

Make sure you consider the following before buying the best one-person tent for you:

Durability and robustness 

This comes in two parts. Firstly, how long will this tent last? Are you having a one-night stand, or will you be taking this tent camping for the next 20 years? Look for tents made of strong materials and with a high denier. Tied into this is how well your one-person tent will weather the elements. You want to make sure the tent is up to the conditions wherever you’ll be camping. No one wants to wake up in the middle of the night with their tent flattened by a storm. Strong poles are a must.

Season rating

Just like sleeping bags, the best one-person tents have a season rating. It works very much the same way and will help you match up the right tent to the right weather conditions. A one- to two- season tent will have been designed for mild, warm and relatively dry conditions. It’ll be geared more towards keeping you cool and might leak in rain. A three-season tent will be ideal in conditions that include rainy and stormy weather. These tents are a bit more robust. Finally, a four-season tent is built for full-on winter camping and the conditions that come with it, designed to keep you warm in the snow and ice. 

If you're venturing out in winter, our how to choose a sleeping bag guide will also be of interest.

Dimensions

One-person tents tend to be minimalist. If you’re on the tall side, you want to make sure it’s long enough for you to lie down in. You don’t want to find out, at 11 o’clock on a stormy night, that your head is sticking out in the rain. It’s also worth giving the other dimensions a thought too: is it high enough to sit up in, or more of a glorified bivvy? Is there enough space for you and your kit, or is a bit of a squeeze? These questions are more relevant for multi-day expeditions, when you really appreciate that extra space.

If you want to go uber-minimalist, you might consider a bivvy. Our one-person tent vs bivvy bag feature delves into the pros and cons of either option.

Packability

Ultralight backpackers will typically want the best one-person tent that is as small and light as possible – within reason. The average is around the 1.5kg mark for a one-person tent, although it can go down to as little as 500g. The packed size is also important. You can pack the world’s lightest tent, but if it takes up your entire backpack that’s not much good. 

Construction

Each tent will have different construction features. Decide which ones are important to you and see how many you can get! For example, is it freestanding? If so, this is very useful on rocky ground that won’t take pegs, but not so necessary if you’re camping on grass. Can it be pitched inner and outer together for a hasty camp in the rain? Or can the outer be easily removed for hot summer nights? Consider too, little features like porch size, washing lines and pockets. It's infuriating if you've got the best camping tech but it has to stay buried in your backpack because there's nowhere in the tent's interior to keep it for quick, convenient access.