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If you’d love to set out on lengthy trail excursions, winter camping, or backpacking a few times a year, it is important to have a quality backpacking tent in your gear.
Honestly, when you’re looking for the right tent for your next adventure, you will have several options.
This wide range of options will make the selection difficult for you. So, if you’re looking for the good backpacking tent under $100, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, we will simplify the top five picks for you, including our detailed buying guide to choose the right tent for you.
Top 5 Backpacking Tent Under $100 Review in 2021
We have selected the top five tents to help you get the best for your budget. Read on to find out what makes them unique and the benefits they have to offer.
Night Cat Backpacking Tent
Our first pick for the backpacking tent under $100 is the Night Cat tent. We love that the tent is lightweight and portable at just 4.6 pounds when packed.
If you’re looking for the best 1 person backpacking tent under $100, this might be the right option for you.
It is very roomy for one adult and can also contain one kid if needed. You can also fit in a single person air mattress or a sleeping bag individually.
Night Cat tent is one of the most cost-effective options on our list and is the best option for kids scouts playing in park, beach, backyard, mountain, and so on.
The tent features a windproof and waterproof design to give you plenty of coverage and insulation from harsh weather elements like rain and wind.
To ensure that the tent interior is totally dry under any rain or storm conditions, it features a waterproof/windproof design that offers Oxford bottom fabric PU 3000, 210D waterproof PED fabric PU 3000, double tape on four inside corners of the tent.
We were also impressed by how easy it is to set up this tent, as it is user-friendly and can be set up even by a kid within a minute or two.
Furthermore, there are strong fiberglass poles that ensure stability and long service usage. Ropes and pegs are also included to make the tent stable under heavy wind.
What more? For ample ventilation, the tent has two mesh windows and a mesh door that lead to enough fresh airflow.
It also features a double-sided zipper to make getting in and out of the tent a breeze. There’s also an inner pocket that you can keep your small valuables like phones, keys, and jewelry.
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Related Guide: Best 2 Person Backpacking Tent under $200
Bessport Backpacking Tent
Our next selection for the backpacking tent is the Bessport backpacking tent for camping. It features an all-weather-resistant design that holds a one to two-person capacity.
The very first thing we noticed was an instant tent design with an easy set-up that allows you to assemble or disassemble the tent within two minutes.
Furthermore, the tent features a thermally heat sealed water/wind block technology to keep away water from the interior.
It is also designed to be more wind-responsive, thanks to its engineered poles that make it more stable in snow, windy and rainy weather.
Also, Bessport tent offers an excellent ventilation system. Its mesh panels at the top allow you to enjoy the view and improve ventilation; ripstop panels at the bottom provide you with privacy and wind reduction.
This tent features a two-way zipper that makes getting in and out of the tent as simple as ABC. For more protection from the elements to the door, it also features a zipper cuff made of weather-resistant fabrics.
In terms of space, the tent is spacious enough for almost two people at a time with two vestibules, two D-shaped doors, an interior floor dimensions of 87.8 × 33.5in, interior height of 42.1in and interior canopy area of 20.4-square-foot.
The tent fabric is made with durable 68D Polyester, the flour material is welded Oxford, and the tent poles are 8.5mm 7001 aluminum.
With all these materials, this tent is rugged, durable, breathable, and lightweight.
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Mkeep Backpacking Tent
If you’re going to be backpacking in warm or cold weather conditions, the Mkeep backpacking tent might be just what you’ve been looking for.
It is the best budget backpacking tent under 100 on our list. The tent offers a very portable, lightweight design to protect you from the elements like wind and rain.
One of the most outstanding feature is the unbelievably affordable price for a 2-3 person tent. Another great feature is the compact and lightweight design of the tent.
You will not face any difficulty to stuff the compressed tent in your backpack or store in the car easily.
For an excellent camping experience, the tent features mesh pockets, sturdy frame, and two-ways zippers.
The mesh pockets allow you to store your small valuables such as mobile phones, keys, jewelry, and wallet. You can easily get in or out of the tent with its two-way zippers.
The good news is that it has a spacious room suitable for two people or three members’ families camping. It has the dimensions of 84 × 84 × 47(H) inches that can fit in three sleeping bags or one queen air mattress.
Also, it features one mesh tent top, one mesh window, and one large mesh door to give you an outstanding roomy 2-3 people camping experience.
Furthermore, this backpacking tent guarantees PU1000m water-resistant, all thanks to its 1000m polyurethane hydrostatic rated coating high-tech with 185T polyester fabrics. The tent will stay completely dry even under light rain.
Considering its set up, this tent is easy to assemble and disassemble. You don’t need technical skills; two persons will set it up easily within two minutes.
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Related Guide: Best Backpacking Sleeping Bag Under $100
Clostnature Backpacking Tent
Clostnature is a popular outdoor gear brand established in 2006. Their main priority is to provide better material that is thriftier for an amazing camping experience. They are dedicated to making durable, functional outdoor gears with a focus on sustainability.
We picked the Clostnature as the best 2 person backpacking tent under 100 for its two-person capacity and impressive inner space. This tent will hold up well in a range of weather conditions such as rain and wind.
Whether you’re simply camping for the weekend or backpacking for a whole week, you will need a sturdy tent to keep you warm and comfortable at night. This tent is suitable for 2-3 person camping trip. It is affordable with high-quality materials.
Plus, it comes with two mesh windows that allow you to enjoy the view as you fall asleep, with a D-shaped mesh door for ventilation and breathability for camping in summer weather.
With this feature, you’ll be able to enter and exit the tent without crossing over anyone. Also, for additional ventilation, the inner tent mesh wall produces great ventilation with two mesh windows on the flysheet.
What remains? This tent has a freestanding structure that allows easy mobility without taking it down.
Also, the two-way SBS zippers protected by Velcro sleeves to offer a smooth and durable zipper system. For excellent rainproof protection, the tent is designed with Ripstop material with factory-sealed seams archives.
This tent’s interior length is up to 7’3,” which will even allow a tall man to lay down. Adttionally,another impressive feature is that this tent comes with air-craft grade aluminum poles, reflective ropes, and loops to increase its strength.
With the PU5000 coating and 210T Polyester applied to the tent floor, you will enjoy good insulation for your body.
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Hotohike Backpacking Tent
Our last pick for the high-quality backpacking tent is the Hotohike 2-3 Person tent. It canholdup to 3 people and has a 3-pole user friendly design with more inner pockets for storage.
Moreover, we really liked the inclusion of high-strength support poles manufactured from sturdy 8.55mm fiberglass that is corrosion resistant and elastic.
Also, it comes with B3 nylon mesh that not only makes set-up a breeze but ensures the durability of use for campers.
When setting up, this is the backpacking tent with the dimensions 82.6” L x 59” W x 47.2” H, offering plenty of headspace, floor space, and inner volume.
The tent has a lightweight design, weighing just 5.79 pounds when packed, small enough to fit into your backpack or in your car.
It consists of Anti-tear, polyethylene floor, Polyester Polyamide inner, and Rainfly to give you the best camping experience.
For easy set-up and versatility, this tent can be assembled by two persons within two to three minutes, comes with a carry bag, which makes it ideal for hiking, beach gatherings, festival, casual camping, backpacking, and boy-girl scout trips.
What more? For more entertainment, we loved to see that the tent features a special import place for travel power bank.
This means that you can set up a screen and projector to watch outdoor movies with your loved ones.
Furthermore, Hotohike tent comes with two pockets in feet and head and four side pockets to store your T-shirt, magazines, keys, phones, and outside shoes.
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What To Look Out For Before Buying
Buying a tent is like deciding on a car, a suit, or even a mobile phone. The presence of variety and a wide choice to choose from can ultimately affect your decision, and this is why this article is put together to help you scale your decision making on the backpacking tent for your camping.
Either it is for a short time camping or a fishing camp or even a timeout with the family, your backpacking tent decision should be well informed, enabling you to end up with a fantastic tent choice for the occasion.
This piece highlights nine things you must consider before buying your tent, and to help you make the best tent decision. So let’s get to the list immediately.
Size
Let’s start with the size. If you are camping alone, you must check the size of the tent before buying it.
It is not correct to believe that a tent designated to sleep 5, will sleep 5. This is because you will need some extra space for your luggage and also just enough space for comfort.
So, what’s the logic? Always subtract one number, this is how to go about it: if you intend to go camping with your family of 3, buy the tent that sleeps 5 or 4.
This will guarantee your comfort and provide you with just enough room for your luggage and also space.
Weight
Some tents are just too heavy to carry alone, meaning you will need some extra hands. Most large tents are known for the weight, and often they are just too big to move as they seize up more space than you will necessarily require and have.
So, consider the size and the weight of the tent before buying your backpacking tent.
Waterproof Material
An unavoidable feature is the material. Before camping, it would be best to have some guarantee of the protection of your properties when it is cold, and condensation happens.
So, here’s is the thing you need to know: backpacking tents made of canvas materials are often waterproof.
It offers r you better protection as they hardly deteriorate, even when it absorbs water and puts on extra weight.
While tents made of nylon, and polyester also give a waterproof guarantee, they often deteriorate faster and easier than tents made of canvas. So, look out for this essential feature.
Wind-resistance
The wind resistance is another essential feature of the backpacking tent you should look out for, a tent that is not wind resistant can be easily pulled off when it gets windy, and this will leave you exposed in the wind. For tents, the taller they are, the better as they stand to resist wind easily.
Ventilation
Next we have ventilation, a feature that can’t be overlooked. It can be scorching some nights, and this is where ventilation is necessary.
The tent must have ventilation in place to guarantee your comfort and provide the best camping experience for you.
Conjointly, ventilation helps reduce the effects of condensation beingjust another important reason why you need a tent that can guarantee you some level of fresh air
After-sale Services
The services you receive during your time of purchase, should be equal to the service you receive when you call in to complain a fault with your tent.
Don’t forget to ask if they do after sale services. Can you quickly be attended to if your beautiful tent develops a fault? This feature should influence your buying decision and help you to make an informed choice.
Flooring
You will need to protect your properties and yourself from moisture and, of course, abrasion. And this is where a tent with excellent flooring is a must-buy for you.
Look out for durable and robust flooring. Most tents come with footprints which ensures adequate protection from the ground and abrasion, get one if your tent doesn’t come with one.
Easy Setup
Can you quickly set the tent up? There’s nothing more frustrating thangetting to your camp venue and having to spend several hours trying to set up your tent.
So easy setup is vital.
While assembling some tents might be difficult, others are way easy to set up. So before buying your backpacking tent, ensure it is easy to setup. If it is possible, do a trial set up in your backyard before heading out.
How To Look After Your Backpacking Tent
A backpacking tent is a portable shelter. It is a tent that can be collapsed to fit a carrier bag and can be carried in a backpack.
Since this kind of tent is carried primarily during hikes and can be pitched anywhere, it requires a lot of care.
Some guidelines can help to take care of the backpacking tent, which includes but not limited to storage, cleaning/washing, and re-sealing. These tent care tips are briefly explained as follows;
Storage
Improper storage can easily lead to the growth of mildew and tent material to breakdown. To help prevent issues like these, simply ensure that the tent is completely dry and store it loosely in a cool, dry place.
This storage has to be done because sometimes, after the adventure, it can be tempting to drop the tent down and not concentrate on the packing procedures upon returning home.
But taking the time to unpack and put items in an orderly manner will guarantee the durability of the equipment.
Cleaning/washing
It is advisable to clean the tent gear thoroughly with warm water and soap and make sure it is wiped after that. It also has to dry completely after washing.
We always not recommend using washing machines as it can wear out the tent’s protective coating and seams.
Clean the tent poles and the zippers with a soft, dry cloth and with a quick dip in respectively. The zippers also have to be dried off.
Re-sealing
Re-sealing or slightly seam sealing a tent makes it more waterproof and assures durability. Seam sealing is the process of applying a sealant into torn parts of the tent.
Whether the tent or canvas is seam-sealed and is fully waterproof, factory-taped, or unsealed, ultimately, it may be required to treat the tent to keep the wear and tear at bay altogether and to make sure it is well maintained and always in good condition. The process of re-sealing is simple and straight forward.
Frequently Asked Questions
We know you’d have something bothering you about your tent. That’s why we’ve provided answers to your frequently asked questions. Here’s a list of frequently asked backpacking tent questions to get you started.
It all depends on your season, location, and level of expertise; you may not need a tent for backpacking.
If you have a good emergency shelter with experience in the hubby, then you may save yourself precious pack pounds.
But if you’re going with your family that includes kids, it is better to go with a good quality backpacking tent.
Generally speaking, a tent should not weigh more than approximately 2 pounds per person.
That’s why it is better to go backpacking with multiple people so that you can split the weight by dividing the tent, poles, and Rain Fly.
A rain fly is an outer waterproof covering normally included in non-cabin tents to protect the breathable inner roof.
A tent is freestanding when it stands alone without the support of guy lines or stakes. Freestanding tents can withstand heavy wind or storm to provide stability.
Polyester and nylon are the best quality floor common in all high-end tents. They are easy to repair, more durable, and long-lasting. Polyethylene is also a durable floor material that is popular for its low cost.
No! You should never cook or put a burning candle in your tent. Combustion from the fire reduces the oxygen level and can produce carbon monoxide, which is dangerous to health and could lead to serious injuries or death.
Closing Thoughts
These are the backpacking tents under $100. Our reviews will assist you in making the right choice when buying one. Even if you were a first-time buyer, the buying guides would help you make the right choice.