A List Of The Best Cycle Touring Tents In 2020

OK, theory lessons over – let’s get down to business!

The following listings represent a collection of tents specifically recommended for travelling by bicycle by experienced riders, fully updated to reflect the latest models and prices for 2020.

We’ll start with low-budget tents for short and simple trips, visit some of the most popular all-rounder tents in the mid-range, and work our way up to uber-tents for people on worldwide bike tours of many months or years.

We’ll also look at a few specialist tents suited to the weight and pack size restrictions faced by off-road bikepackers with frame luggage alone.

For each tent, you’ll find links to manufacturer’s websites where you can get detailed, up-to-date specifications. I’ve also included links to online retailers in the UK and USA I’ve found offering the best deals (full disclosure: affiliate links are marked with an asterisk*).

These are not the only tents that’ll do the job. But I can tell you from 13 years of worldwide bike-tripping experience that they are representative of what riders are using out there today.

Vango Banshee Pro 200/300 (UK, RRP £155/185)

Vango’s Banshee Pro range of 3‑season tents is a step up in quality and features, coming in a good shade of green for wild-camping and providing ample living and storage space while remaining on the lightweight side of things. Two- and three-berth versions are available under the 200 and 300 model names. The 200 is ideal for a soloist at 2.39kg, and the 300 at 2.82kg is good for a couple.

(The same naming scheme is used for other tents in Vango’s range, of which the Soul is also recommended as a budget option and the Mirage at the higher end.)

Being a British brand, Vango is very well represented in the UK, both on the high street and online, though their tents my be harder to find elsewhere.

The RRP for the Banshee Pro 200 is £155, and you’ll be able to find them cheaper online from outlets such as Go Outdoors and Amazon*. The 300, with an RRP of £185, can also be found at Amazon* and Go Outdoors.

As an alternative, the Coshee range by Wild Country (see below) is similar in design, name and price point.

Wild Country Zephyros 2 (UK, RRP £200)

Wild Country is the budget marque of the premium British manufacturer Terra Nova. The 1.85kg Zephyros 2 takes more than a little inspiration from Hilleberg’s Akto, a favourite high-end tent for minimalists since it was popularised by TV outdoorsman Ray Mears. It requires staking out at each end, but you get a lot of space for a reasonably low weight and with a single pole supporting a single-pitch structure. Not a lot of awning space, though.

You can get the Zephyros direct from the Terra Nova website at the RRP of £200. Amazon, Snow + Rock and Cotswold Outdoor all have it cheaper at the time of update.

Alpkit Ordos 2/3 (UK, RRP £270/310)

Britain’s favourite direct outdoor gear retailer Alpkit has made a splash in the bikepacking and cycle touring scene as well as with the mountaineers and climbers, with the Ordos 2 and Ordos 3 tents now almost as popular as MSR’s Hubba series (see below). I used one myself on a traverse of the central highlands of Armenia.

With 2- and 3‑berth models available and a choice of a red or green fly, these ultralight tents – just 1.3kg for the 2‑berth and 1.6kg for the 3‑berth – are roomy, practical, well-ventilated, easy to pitch, and reasonably priced, with the wedge design echoing the long-standing Vaude Hogan (see below) and Big Agnes Seedhouse. Not quite freestanding but close enough for almost all real-world purposes, they do well in warmer weather.

As with all ultralight tents, longevity is not a design priority, and I would be surprised to see these last more than a season without noticeable wear and tear.

Order the Ordos 2 (RRP £270) or Ordos 3 (RRP £310) direct from Alpkit in the UK. As with all their gear, buying direct from their website or one of their stores is the only way to get it.

REI Quarter Dome 1/2 (USA, RRP $299/349)

If your tour is beginning in the States and you need a new set of camping gear, you’d do well to head to the nearest branch of REI when you arrive. This well-known outdoor co-op manufactures a range of top-rated gear and sells it without the third-party mark-up, so you get a lot for your money.

Their freestanding Quarter Dome SL range, available in 1‑berth (1.3kg) and 2‑berth (1.7kg) versions, was the most popular cycle touring tent range among Stateside riders in my latest community poll.

The one-berth Quarter Dome SL 1 is available from REI.com or from any of their 132 retail stores in the USA, as is the two-berth Quarter Dome SL 2.

If you’re on a tight budget, don’t mind a little extra weight, and still want the REI brand assurance and warranty, check out the heavier yet significantly cheaper Half Dome 2 Plus.

MEC Spark 2.0 1/2 (Canada, RRP CAD$ 320/420)

Looking for a suitable tent for a bike trip originating in Canada? Look no further than the Spark 2.0 dome tent from Canadian gear co-operative MEC.

The 1.75kg 2‑berth version of the Spark will house you and your partner, or just you if you want a bit of space, at a very reasonable weight for the price. A 1‑berth model is also available for minimal soloists, and a 3‑berth model for couples who like plenty of space.

With two doors and two vestibules for easy access and extra storage, the 3000mm waterproof, 30D polyester ripstop fly will protect you from the most obnoxious of North American springtime downpours. And because the Spark 2.0 is designed in-house by Canada’s largest gear co-op, it also works out considerably cheaper than similar-looking tents from better-known brands, and is covered by MEC’s famous ‘rock solid’ guarantee.

Get the MEC Spark 2.0 1‑, 2- or 3‑berth tent online from the MEC website or from any of their 22 retail stores across Canada.

MSR Hubba NX 1P / Hubba Hubba NX 2P / Mutha Hubba NX 3P (Worldwide, RRP £385/445/650 / $380/450/550)

The MSR Hubba NX series (click for the EU/USA* versions of MSR’s site) is indisputably one of the all-time most popular series of tents among global cycle tourers and bikepackers, as mentioned in the introduction.

The range, which features 1‑, 2‑, 3- and 4‑berth models, has been updated several times over the last couple of decades, and today strikes a delicate balance between weight and durability. The US models come with a grey outer tent, but in Europe, green versions are also available (I’d recommend the green for better wild camping).

Many solo fully-loaded cycle tourers and lightweight bikepacking pairs/couples go for the 1.7kg two-berth Hubba Hubba NX for ample living space and a double entrance awning.

Couples with a full luggage setup tend to prefer the spacious 2.3kg three-berth Mutha Hubba NX.

Ultralight solo bikepackers usually go for the 1‑berth Hubba NX with a minimum packed weight of 1.1kg.

Expect MSR tents to last many years if well looked-after, with top-quality weatherproofing, well-designed ventilation, superb build quality, and super-easy setup, with a variety of pitching options for different climates. Riders love the generous headroom, the inner mesh pockets, the vast luggage awnings, and the low packed volume and weight.

The EU (green) version of the MSR Hubba Hubba NX is perfect for wild camping.

In the UK, the RRP for the 2‑berth MSR Hubba Hubba NX is £445. The cheapest I can find it is from Amazon*, Elite Mountain Supplies and UltralightOutdoorGear.co.uk. The 1‑berth solo Hubba NX is currently discounted at Alpine Trek.

If you’re in the USA you can order them direct from the MSR website, but a better value option is REI, who stock the full Hubba NX range in-store and online, including the 1P Hubba*, 2P Hubba Hubba* and 3P Mutha Hubba*. Adding a $20 lifetime membership to your cart will get you 10% of the tent price back as a dividend later on.

In Canada, you can find the full MSR Hubba range in-store and online at MEC, and of course on Amazon.

MSR Elixir 1/2/3 (Worldwide, RRP £215/265/320 / $200/250/300)

The MSR Elixir 2 is a heavier and cheaper but equally durable alternative to the Hubba Hubba NX.

If weight is not of utmost importance, and you’re looking to save money, but you still want a quality tent from a reputable brand, the heavier and slightly more spacious MSR Elixir range (EU/USA* webpage) has a very similar freestanding dome design and range of sizes, including 1‑, 2- and 3‑berth models, for significantly lower prices compared to the Hubba equivalents. While more basic, you can expect these tents to last at least as long as their more expensive brethren.

In the UK you can find the Elixir range at Amazon*, Snow + Rock (2/3), Cotswold Outdoor (2/3) and Elite Mountain Supplies. As always, don’t forget to search eBay* for second-hand or clearance bargains to save yet more money.

In the USA, as well as the MSR online store*, check retailers such as REI*, Outdoorplay* and of course Amazon* for the MSR Elixir tents.

In Canada, MEC carry most models in the Elixir range, as do Amazon.

Vaude Hogan UL (Germany, RRP £430)

Another tent that has stood the test of time, German brand Vaude’s classic Hogan UL 2‑berth tent was, back in 2007, my first decent tent of any kind. I rode across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Mongolia with it for four years, so I guess you could say I’ve put it through its paces (read my original review here). Then my brother inherited it and subjected it to another few years of abuse. It’s still standing 13 years on.

It’s not the lightest, nor is it truly freestanding, but it is extremely durable, waterproof, and stable in bad weather, with a decent-sized porch and a nice natural shade of green available for the fly, and it’s pretty portable at 1.9kg.

The RRP is £430 and it’s available direct from Vaude, though you can find it cheaper from Amazon* in the UK, or Bergzeit.de in its native Germany.

Terra Nova Voyager (UK, RRP £600)

A British design that’s been doing the rounds for decades, the freestanding classic Voyager is likely the long-term favourite among round-the-world tourers from the UK, in part because Terra Nova don’t feel the need to change the design of or discontinue perfectly good tents at random (like certain other manufacturers seem to do), allowing the tent to build up a second-to-none reputation.

Weighing in at 2.2kg, top-class construction, weatherproofing, liveability and extreme durability is the order of the day here.

They’re expensive – £600 direct from Terra Nova, or a bit less from Amazon*, Cotswold Outdoor* or UltralightOutdoorGear.co.uk* – but you get what you pay for.

Hilleberg Nallo 2/3/GT (Sweden, RRP £765–970)

The most lusted after (and expensive) tents for long-haul trips for which durability is the key consideration are undoubtedly those in the Nallo range from Swedish tentmakers Hilleberg.

They’re not the most lightweight, nor the best choice for hot climates, but they do have an unmatched reputation for quality and longevity. Hilleberg have long resisted following the trend for ever lighter and more flimsy materials: these tents are among the most tried and tested in the world and will last – literally – for decades.

The Nallo 2 (2.4kg) is recommended for solo tourers, with the Nallo 3 GT (3.1kg) delivering luxury on-the-road living for couples and their luggage.

Other Hilleberg tents often seen on the road include the minimalist 1.7kg Akto for soloists and bikepackers (see the Wild Country Zephyros above) and, for couples, the freestanding and spacious 3.3kg Allak 2. The Swedish brand predictably makes excellent winter tents, with the 2.4kg Soulo standing out.

In the UK, the Hilleberg Nallo 2 is available from many of the high-street chains, including Ellis Brigham*, Tiso and Cotswold Outdoor*. Online they’re hard to find and rarely discounted, though I’ve found them recently on UltralightOutdoorGear.co.uk and AlpineTrek.co.uk*.

In the USA, Moosejaw.com* sell all of Hilleberg’s tents, including the Nallo 2*.