Tents come in many different shapes and sizes, but we reckon the most useful type to have in your gear cupboard and the one you’ll undoubtedly use most, is a two-person tent (or a two-man tent). After all, there are few better outdoor experiences than being pitched up under the stars, protected from the elements after a big day in the mountains and looking forward to another big one come the following day, while being comfortably ensconced in your very own home from home.
The best two person tents for backpacking should meet a tricky set of demands: they need to provide enough space to be comfortable for two while also protecting you from rain, wind, hail, snow and anything else the mountains can conceivably throw at you. On top of that, ideally they should also be lightweight, packable, low cost and quick to pitch.
Yes, these tents are inevitably going to be heavier than the tents we featured in our Best Solo Tents For Backpacking test, but as these backpacking tents are designed to accommodate two people, you’ll be able to split many of the components between yourself and your partner in an effort to evenly distribute weight. Many of these tents can be split up into four different components; outer (fly), inner, pegs and poles.
Tent Buyer’s Guide | How To Choose The Best Tent For Backpacking
That said, there’s also nothing better than having a two person tent all to yourself for maximum comfort in the hills and mountains (as long as you’ve also got your sleeping bag and sleeping mat setup squared away). Those of us who are taller than average will infinitely prefer the space offered in these tents, compared to the much smaller footprints typically found in ultra lightweight solo tents.
The Best Two Person Tents For Backpacking
We’ve put a range of two-person tents to the test and the below came out on top. Some of the tents featured are also found within our Outdoor 100 and our Green Gear Guide. In these guides, you’ll be able check out a more in depth review of each shelter, including testers’ verdicts and industry trade secrets.
- Nemo Dagger OSMO – Best Two Person Tent
- MSR FreeLite 2
- Sierra Designs Meteor 3000
- Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2
- Nemo Hornet 2P
- Lightwave Sigma S20
- Terra Nova Laser Compact 2
- Snugpak Journey Duo – Best Value Two Person Tent
- Heimplanet Fistral 2P
- Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight 2
- Snow Peak Fal Pro Air 2
- Nordisk Telemark 2 LW
- Vango Banshee Pro 200
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BEST BUY: NEMO Dagger OSMO

Weight: 1.89kg
Price: £479.99
Best for: Three-season backpacking, bikepacking and cycle touring
Key attributes: Eco-friendly, high-spec materials, easy to pitch, excellent space-to-weight
Roomy but without being heavy, very sturdy, easy to pitch and made using recycled materials, there’s a lot to like about Nemo’s Dagger OSMO tent.
This is in fact an evolution of a previous design from Nemo that’s been hugely popular over the years. The main change is to the fabric which now features Nemo’s impressive OSMO fabric. It’s a material that brings 4x more water repellency than standard tent fabrics and 3x less stretch – that means it can keep its structure when it gets wet and doesn’t end up sagging.
Expect plenty of space to sit up in this thing, two large porches with ‘Landing Zones’ to keep porch-based kit off any wet ground, loads of internal storage options and one-handed tabs that hold back the doors when they’re rolled up.
The single hubbed pole structure also makes this a sturdy design too – one our testers were able to sleep soundly in, even when the wind picked up.
Full Specifications
Available in two or three person sizes / DAC Featherlite pole / OSMO fly fabric / 0D OSMO Ripstop 2000mm floor fabric / colour-coded hubbed pole set / 100% recycled pole bag / Light dispersing pockets / landing zone in porch / top strut vents / 19.5 x 6.5 x 3.5 in / 50 x 16 x 9 cm packed size / 31.3 sq ft / 2.9 sq m floor area
Selected for the Outdoor 100 2022/23 – check out our full Nemo Dagger OSMO review.
BUY NOW: TREKITT.CO.UK |
MSR FreeLite 2
Weight: 1.06kg
Price: £470
Best for: Three-season backpacking, bikepacking and cycle touring
Key attributes: Ultralight, double skin design, twin doors and porch areas
If you’re looking for a two-person tent that’s even lighter than the MSR Hubba Hubba, MSR also offers the FreeLite 2. Designed for ultralight adventures of all descriptions, this tent is all about maximum space-to-weight, without compromising too much in terms of overall protection or durability.
The flysheet is 15D ripstop nylon, coated on both sides with MSR’s proprietary Durashield PU, and finished with taped seams. The inner is almost entirely made from 10D polyester micro mesh, with a bathtub groundsheet made of the same material as the rainfly (again 1,200mm HH). The mesh inner keeps the tent weight down while ensuring excellent condensation control. In terms of waterproofing, the Hydrostatic Head rating is 1,200mm.
The poles are high-quality aluminium alloy DAC NFL, measuring 8.7mm in diameter. The tent is supplied with lightweight pegs and guylines, plus a stuff sack.
Full Specifications
15D ripstop nylon flysheet with MSR Durashield PU coating and taped seams / Hydrostatic Head rating: 1,200mm / 10D polyester micro mesh inner with bathtub groundsheet / aluminium alloy DAC NFL poles (8.7mm diameter) / twin porches / hanging tabs throughout / pitches inner first / includes pegs, guylines and stuff sack.
Selected for the Outdoor 100 2022/23 – check out our full MSR FreeLite 2 review.
BUY NOW: MSRGEAR.COM |
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