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Choose the right tent
No tent is perfect for every situation. However, there are many tents that are versatile enough to meet most people's needs. The choice depends on the environment and season you plan to camp in, as well as whether you need to carry the tent long distances. Hopefully, this guide can help make it easier to choose the right shelter for your outdoor life.
WEIGHT
The first question you should ask yourself is: How much comfort are you willing to sacrifice to save on weight? What is the main purpose of your planned activity? Is it a long-distance hike through tough terrain? Then it’s probably important that the tent is not too heavy, so the hike doesn’t become too exhausting. The longer and tougher the trail, the more demanding it becomes.
On the other hand, is the main goal to set up camp somewhere and spend most of the time in the same area, with the campsite as your base? In that case, you might not want to compromise too much on comfort, since the hiking distance might not be the main focus.
A practical way to think about it is weight per person. A 2-person tent that weighs 3 kg means 1.5 kg per person. Is the extra space in a 3-person tent that weighs 4 kg worth the additional 500 g per person?
size
When it comes to size, you also need to ask yourself a few questions: Are you planning to climb mountains or traverse long and technical routes? In that case, it's best to choose a tent sized exactly for the number of people sleeping in it. But if your plan is to set up a base camp for day hikes, then it’s worth considering higher comfort and thus a larger tent.
Of course, there are exceptions. Even though it may not be ideal from a weight perspective to share a 3-person tent between two people during a longer hike, the extra space provides a much more comfortable trip—especially if you’re forced to stay inside the tent and wait out bad weather. So, if your hike is taking place in southern Sweden, harsh weather might not be much of a concern. But if the tent will be used in the rugged mountain regions up north, that’s an external factor worth taking into account when choosing your tent.
TYPES OF TENTS
3-SEASON TENT
The majority of all tents are 3-season tents, designed for use in spring, summer, and autumn. These tents feature inner tents with good ventilation to handle warm summer nights, and outer tents that protect you from rain and rough weather.
Key features in summary:
- Well-ventilated inner tent
- Wide variety of models to choose from
4-SEASON TENT
A 4-season tent is a great choice if you want to be able to camp year-round, as it’s designed for all four seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter.
To withstand strong winds and heavy snow, these tents are made from more durable materials and equipped with sturdier poles than 3-season tents. With an outer canopy that reaches all the way to the ground, you can pile snow around the base to reduce wind exposure. Many models are designed for double pole systems and include more guy lines for extra anchoring. Instead of mesh, the inner tent often features dense fabric with small, high-placed mesh panels for ventilation.
However, ventilation is generally somewhat poorer in winter tents compared to 3-season variants, since you don’t want snow blowing inside. So unless you specifically plan to camp in winter conditions, we recommend a 3-season tent.
Key features in summary:
- Suitable for year-round use
- A more robust tent that performs well in harsh weather.
TUNNEL TENT
Tunnel tents are often the top choice for mountain hikers. They offer more space at a lower weight and can withstand strong storm winds when pitched in the direction of the wind. Additionally, you don’t have to worry about the inner tent getting wet in the rain, as the inner and outer tents are connected and pitched simultaneously.
One drawback, however, is that it can be difficult to find a sufficiently large and even surface to set up the tent, and you should expect reduced sitting height.
Key features in summary:
- Lightweight in relation to floor area
- Spacious vestibules
- Quick and hassle-free setup
dome tent
The dome tent is freestanding, meaning it has a structure that supports itself, making it easy to pitch on rocks and other terrains where it's difficult to secure tent pegs. It also requires less setup space than a tunnel tent and offers more comfortable accommodation with greater headroom. However, it is often heavier than a tunnel tent and provides less storage space.
Key features in summary:
- Freestanding design – no need for ground pegs
- Requires less space to pitch
Generous sitting height = more comfort
ROOF TOP TENT
A roof tent is a tent that is mounted on the roof of a car. It is attached in a folded position to the car’s roof rack, making it ready to set up at any time. Roof tents have many advantages. In addition to being quick to pitch once mounted on the roof rack, they also help you avoid all the issues that can arise when camping on the ground.
In addition, the roof tent comes with a substantial mattress, making the comfort level more similar to a bed than a regular tent. Roof tents also work well in winter, making them a potential alternative to a 4-season tent.
Since both the tent and the car remain in the same location, you can pack significantly more compared to when you have to carry all your gear on your back.
When the tent is mounted on the car roof, you are elevated well above the ground—usually over 1.7 meters. This height provides a significantly better view of the surrounding landscape, whether you're by the beach, in a field, or in a parking lot.
Key features in summary:
- Raised above ground level
- Can bring significantly more gear
- Quick and simple setup
- Comfortable
