WALL CONSTRUCTION - Double-wall tents come with two separate parts - a mesh tent body and a rainfly. The mesh inner-tent acts as a barrier from condensation that forms on the inside of the rainfly. Single-wall tents reduce weight by ditching the mesh inner-tent, but that leaves hikers vulnerable to interior condensation in wet/cold conditions. Rubbing up against a wet tent interior is the pits, so we mostly recommend double-wall tents unless you usually backpack in arid, dry climates. For ultralight hikers open to the idea of single-wall shelters, have a look at our ultralight tarp and tent recommendations.

DOORS & VESTIBULES - If you plan on sleeping two people in your tent, it's more comfortable to have two doors and two vestibules. Having separate entrances will ensure that you’re not climbing over a tentmate and two sets of gear every time you want to get in or out of your tent. That’s a huge benefit, and it's why almost all of our tent recommendations have two doors and vestibules.

DURABILITY - The main trade-off with lightweight tents is that they're built using thinner materials, which tend to be less durable than heavy-duty shelters. That said, ultralight tents will literally last for thousands of miles if treated with care. It's also important to remember that a sharp stick or rock will puncture just about any kind of tent fabric. If you're tough on gear and don't want to deal with lightweight materials, we recommend choosing one of our heavier recommendations built for durability or adding a footprint to to increase the durability of your tent floor. For our personal use, we think lightweight tents are well worth the tradeoff.