Best tents for 2024 | Tested and reviewed

The Tindheim 2 is MSR's first tunnel tent, and it hits bullseye on so many levels.

It's very spacious for a two-person hiking tent, both in the sleeping space and porch area, which makes it ideal for extending hiking and backpacking trips.

We liked its stable, weatherproof design that can cope with pretty stroppy weather. Another very useful feature in this regard is the Tindheim 2's ability to be pitched outer first, or all-in-one. Yet, it's suitable for most of the year, thanks to the inner, which has zipped panels that can either boost ventilation or prevent draights.

The Tindheim 2 was such a crowd pleaser among our team, and as a result, earned a Gear of the Year award for 2024.

Read our full MSR Tindheim 2 review

Introducing the Wild Country Helm Compact 1 tent, venerated former winner of the our Gear of the Year awards. This is an affordable yet impressive choice for any would-be wild campers who don't want to break the bank this year. It performs exceptionally well and packs up nice and small. 

This freestanding dome tent is not only well-proportioned but also remarkably durable. We've witnessed the Helm Compact 1 endure severely harsh winter conditions. Remarkably, it matched the performance of much pricier alternatives pretty much blow-for-blow. 

The only kicker is, due to its popularity, finding one can be challenging. But don't lose hope! Persistence pays off. Keep your eyes peeled for this nicely portable piece which weighs in at sub-2kg. Not exactly ultralight, but perfectly serviceable in our book. 

Read our full Wild Country Helm Compact 1 review

Like microtechnology, the science of lightweight backpacking tents continues to evolve at an astounding rate. The Alto TR1 Plus is all about maximising internal space without increasing weight or compromising stability. And it achieves this with flying colours.

Sea To Summit uses its Tension Ridge Architecture to provide a higher ceiling in the Alto TR1 Plus and other spatial benefits, like a large porch. Tensions Ridge Architecture uses a cross pole to widen the tent's peak to make the walls near-perpendicular.

Sea To Summit says this is a tent for cooler climates, and so suits a British summer perfectly. The fly provides quite good coverage, and the fabrics are highly breathable to help reduce condensation on humid British nights.

The waterproof ratings on Alto TR1 Plus are what a geography teacher would describe as satisfactory. It's quite a pricey tent too and isn't PFC-free. But for all the clever design that goes into it, you soon realise its worth.

Jack Wolfskin's Eclipse III impressed us in terms of its versatility and sustainability. For camping and hiking, there are few tents as good at both as the Eclipse III.

What makes the Eclipse III so good for camping is its plentiful interior space and excellent waterproofing. Meanwhile, while it's not the lightest tent of this type, it does still pack down reasonably well and can therefore be carried in a large comfortable pack if required. Though, you'll certainly want a lighter option for long distance treks.

Regarding sustainability, the Eclipse III is made mostly from recycled material and is PFC-free. You also have a clearer conscience at the manufacturing end too, because Jack Wolfskin is also a Fair Wear Foundation member with ‘Leader’ status.

Big, spacious family tents are a very far cry from their compact colleagues and the market is also just as competitive. Robens' Eagle Rock 5XP takes the prize for us in this category due to its fantastic build quality, liveability, and style.

The price is premium by we don't consider this tent to suffer from the law of diminishing returns. We feel it's completely justified, in fact, if you're after a fantastic family tent.

From the aluminium poles to the door toggles, it's all just so well made. We also rate the green and beige colours scheme. It makes the Eagle Rock 5XP blend nicely into the landscape on any campsite.

The porch area is large, the features are plentiful and there are two large entrances. Its living space is generous in both floor space and headroom.

To give this tent a proper test, we took it to the Isle of Skye for some wild camping in June. Unusually for Scotland, the weather was subdued and sunny. But luckily, it also involved a rainy night in the Lake District on the way up.

Apart from being quite snug for two people, the Zephyros Compact (compact, indeed) 2 is an excellent and versatile tent for 3-season use in the UK. It has very good waterproof ratings and is pitched in just a few minutes. It's a simple three-pole setup with a single arching pole in the middle and a small one at each end.

It might not look it, but the Zephyros Compact 2 is very stable and weather resistant. It's every bit the 3-season tent Terra Nova says it is. The primary complaint from us is the small porch area. It's okay for one person's gear but is inadequate for two.

Read our full Wild Country Zephyros Compact 2 tent review

For winter camping, a geodesic tent is a no-brainer. But which one? This one. Tents of this sort are often frighteningly expensive, but the Kangri offers relatively good value without ditching its ability to protect you from Old Man Winter.

The Kangri is free-standing, which makes it suitable for a wider range of pitching spots. And its 5000mm HH fly and 10,000mm HH groundsheet plus taped seams and bathtub construction ensure occupants stay dry.

Although light for a winter tent, the Kangri still weighs over 4kg. But there are separate stuff sacks for the inner, fly, and groundsheet, so you share the load if you want to. However, a noticeable downside here is that the Kangri pitches inner first. That's not ideal in wet weather.

For those who think a one-person tent is just too spacious, there are bivvies. Our current favourite of these is Rab's Ridge Raider because of its weatherproofing and versatility.

It's expensive for a bivvy bag, but the hooped pole at the head end and short pole at the foot gives you just enough space to be comfortable. The main fabric is Pertex Shield Air and is remarkably breathable – it also has a 15,000mm HH waterproof rating.

The bathtub base is a great touch for weatherproofing, as are the six peg points and trio of guy lines. Despite this, the Ridge Raider Bivi weighs under 900g.

The TentBox Classic stands out here like a hiker wearing blazing red hiking jacket on a snowy mountainside. But the Classic can be a good tent option for hikers. Perhaps you're the type that prefers fast-paced day hikes. With a roof tent on your car, you can bounce around the country, conquering summits, covering ground quickly.

The roof tent provides the sleeping comfort of a campervan but the tenting experience. The TentBox Classic is the best among a growing choice of roof tents. One of the key factors is its hardshell design. Not only does it look better, it's more protective and aerodynamic than those that use a heavy-duty soft cover.

Adding to the convenience is the fact you can collapse the Classic with your sleeping gear still in it. So it really is setup at your overnight stop in seconds. Among the neat accessories for the Classic, an insulated inner makes the Classic suitable for winter trips too.

No doubt the TentBox Classic is expensive, but if it suits your travel and hiking style, its returns are healthy.

Contains Grangers Tent and Gear Cleaner and Repel. The former cleans the fabric, the latter applies durable water repellency. Can be used for tents and other gear such as packs.

This kit comes with Nikwax's tent and gear wash and reproofing sprays, plus microfibre cloths and a 10-litre dry bag. Can be used on tents and packs.