So first let me say I did use the search function and went through 8 pages of results!

I am doing my first mini weekend tour down the Great Allegheny passage in a month or so. I am a pretty avid road biker and I do some mountain biking, but this is a first.

I have a Salsa Vaya with a rear rack and decent sized panniers. I also have a minimalist front rack. I am looking for a tent that doesn't take up a lot of room and is somewhat light. I would prefer a two person, so I have a little room, but a one person is cool too. I am thinking a three season might make sense as I have a feeling this won't be my last tour.

Any suggestions?

So why do you still have a question if you searched dozens of threads on tents, and read hundreds of answers?

Have tents changed radically since the last thread, perhaps a day ago?

Look at REI.com and then go to the tab REIoutlet their tents are very good and often at a great price on REI Outlet. They also have had good sale prices on Big Agnes tents.
www.REI.com

If you have the time you should also watch Steep and Cheap. The way they work is they offer one sale item at a time for 20 minutes, then move to the next. So you need to bookmark them and watch often to see what they have. Tents come up, often the Stoic brand, and at very steep discounts. I recently bought a $300 sleeping bag there for $99.
https://www.steepandcheap.com/

For a fair weather two person tent the MSR hubba hubba works well.

I was searching tents today too... And your right all of the results are kind of daunting. I did find a really good thread.... And of course I can't seem to "re-find" it now to post for you.... DOH!! But after reading that thread I wandered over to the REI site to look at Big Agnes tents.. After seeing the price I knew I could not afford something like that in the time before I want to try my first tour this fall. So I checked out the REI branded tends and came across this one.. Has tons of great reviews and if you search google/youtube there are a bunch of videos and reviews on it. https://www.rei.com/product/761893/re...r-dome-t2-tent Anyway..... Thinking about getting it..... But have to look into sleeping bags first...

Good luck!!!!

I second REI and Big Agnes tents.

I use Sierra Trading Post sometimes. Found this on their website. No clue about it, but it's not much money: https://www.sierratradingpost.com/alp...search~tent%2F

Big Agnes Seedhouse 2 for $222.50: https://www.sierratradingpost.com/big...search~tent%2F

The tent at that first link you posted got a lot of really good reviews on that site... And also on Amazon. At almost half the price as the REI tent.... It is definitely something for me to think about. Thanks for the link!

I highly recommend the Eureka Spitfire. It is well designed, well made, very light, and very inexpensive. I find the Spitfire 1 plenty large enough, but they also make a two person model if you are so inclined.

Campmor is usually my first stop when I'm searching for camping gear. https://www.campmor.com . The tents by Alps Mountaineering are getting really good reviews. However, the Kelty Gunnison series seems to be the hot ticket right now. And it's around 150 for the Gunnison 2.1 two person tent.

Yeah, I can't believe 500 new redesigned tents came out last night!

Seriously though....no, there was plenty of tent discussion, but nothing that "fit" what I was looking for. I thought a specific question might bring better results

Thanks everyone for the suggestions so far. A couple look really nice...I might order that ALPS tent given the reviews and at least give it a try.

Alps does have some interesting, reasonably priced tents.

I've used the Eureka Spitfire 1 for years, but at 18 sq ft, it is a bit cramped. I also have a Spitfire 2, 39 sq ft. Rarely used as it's just too big.

The Alps Zephyr 1.0 at 23 sq ft might be a good comprise, tho it's vestibule space is small and I find the front entry a drawback. I step into and out of my Spitfire.

Darn, why don't someone make a 25 sq ft, free standing tent with side entry and 40" peak height for <$150? Or at all.

I understand how you can spend hours searching for the 'perfect' tent and not find it. Why? There is no such thing.

Probably quite a few people feel that way. Me I think the Spitfire 1 is just about perfect. I even find it big enough to accommodate me and my 55 pound dog on backpacking trips. We both are usually ready to sleep when we get in the tent and neither of us move around much during the night. Those who want room to bring in a lot of stuff or thrash around a lot will find it kind of small. I would definitely find the Spitfire 2 bigger than necessary for one person, but in general I tend to find tent capacity ratings fine despite that I am a large-ish guy (210 pounds). Still, at 4 pounds the Spitfire 2 isn't all that heavy.

Read the back issues of the Backpackers Magazine, for their reviews.

Campmor for all your needs. Get a freestanding to keep it simple. eureka, kelty etc. Big Agnes are nice but light weight and pricey. Look at the Kelty teton 2. I have a dozen or more bpacking tents and know a good bit on the subject. Feel free to pm me for more info. John

this just arrived in the mail... packs to 4x14", 1.8 pounds. can fit 2 in there, but it would be very tight. listed as a 1+ gear


Tarptent Contrail, first pitch by mbeganyi, on Flickr


IMAG4149 by mbeganyi, on Flickr


IMAG4146 by mbeganyi, on Flickr

Be hard to beat the price at this site.

Free standing and side entry, 31 sq ft.

Kelty Teton 2
I had one, sold it. The fly does not reach all the way down on the ends. I used it one night, and it rained. Anything touching the walls where the fly is not allows leaking. Look for a tent with full coverage fly. The Ketly Gunnison has that. I now have the Alps Mountaineering Chaos 2 from REI Outlet, works great easy to pitch, vents in the fly to reduce condensation. https://www.rei.com/product/812850/al...nt-special-buy

above is a Solo tent ,
https://www.tarptent.com/contrail.html

heres one for 2
https://www.tarptent.com/cloudburst2.html

single wall, SilNylon , fabric does the job, and is light.

thats weird about the kelty. I have many tents and I bought the kelty for my son for scouts and I liked the weight so I use it in the Smoky's and It was dry and fine. And it rains as hard in those mnts as anywhere. But I still try a new one just about every trip. I like buying tents and gear. Can;t do the tarp-tent thing. Hate bugs and soggy floor.

If you want a very light and compact tent, and are willing to pay the $$, I own a Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2 and I am very happy with it. You can find it on sale from time to time for $280USD. Our you can save some $ and get a UL1.

I am missing why either would be a problem as it has mesh and a bathtub floor.

However, I would like to see how it performs in heavy wind storm.

Winter Gales ?

I dunno. I mean the rains in the smoky's are unreal. I just can't see how it would stay dry. Don't get me wrong, I know how popular they are. The flycreek ul 2 is sweet for sure. As my tired hurt, no ACL, bone to bone knees get older, I am always looking to go lighter and lighter. I'll try anything once.

another NH company, Stevenson Warmlight. they make tunnel tents,
not freestanding, but the liner in the R models is sewn in as a unit,
stake out 1 end, then you feed the poles in the sleeves
and then pull the tent up and drive the other stakes in
and you are not wrestling with a rain fly in a storm,

custom made , a variety of colors, you pick .

bright or stealth. light

Hennessy hammock is another option. Have one. Like it, wish I had the ultralight version.