The Z Packs Duplex Tent was voted as the best tent by Appalachian Trail thru-hikers two years in a row. It consistently comes up in surveys as the most popular tent year after year. It is extremely light, fairly easy to set up, and provides a good barrier to inclement weather. The bathtub floor is especially nice for keeping rain and puddled water out of the bottom of the tent. The major drawbacks are the price and some reports from hikers that their tent simply did not hold up well. If this is your chosen option, be sure to take care of it and dry it out before storing it after backpacking trips. 19 ounces for a two-person tent is simply unheard of, which is why the high price. This trekking pole tent should be in consideration for your gear kit.

Big Agnes makes quality tents and the Tiger Wall UL2 has been one of the best received in its lineup. The tents are heavier because they are double-walled, but this also makes them a little easier to store and use in rainstorms that last more than one night. The Tiger Wall is durable, and lightweight for a freestanding tent and might be the best option for a 3-season shelter, although we have even been able to stretch it to 4-season usage. The dual entry points make it a great option to use with a partner, and with any freestanding tent, there is less pressure to find ground that can hold a tent stake.

The One is a great affordable ultralight option. It does not perform as well as the more expensive shelters on this list, but it is completely capable of surviving an AT hike. We recommend waterproofing it yourself and sealing it before a thru-hike or backpacking trip to give the silnylon an extra coat of weather protection before you live in it. The tent uses two trekking poles and is fairly simple to set up. It is a basic one-person single-walled shelter but it checks all the boxes for a thru-hike or AT backpacking trip. Our favorite feature is the large amount of headroom.

The Nemo Hornet is a great option for a freestanding tent. The headroom is fantastic and has a couple of interior pockets that make organizing and stowing things like headlamps and phones simple during the night. It is still fairly lightweight despite being a double-walled shelter. This tent is among the most weatherproof on the list and holds up well through the harshness of a thru-hike. If you go with the Nemo Hornet 2, it should last long beyond a thru-hike and be available for subsequent backpacking adventures.

The Big Agnes lineup is centered on freestanding and double-walled tents. This means that they pale in comparison to the single-wall tarp competitors on the weight side. But, they offer a more comfortable camping experience with more room inside and a more weatherproof design if you opt for the heavier option. Big Agnes tents also work well for shorter backpacking trips because they are adaptable. The rain fly can be left off for a view of the stars or cinched tight in rain and snowstorms. This tent weighs more than the Tiger Wall, but the design is a little better for two people It is more weatherproof and the double doors make more sense. If longevity in a versatile tent is the goal, the Copper Spur is a good option.

The Zpacks Free Duo combines ultralight with a free-standing tent. The single-walled tent comes in at an amazing 1.9 pounds with the tent poles included. This alone should land it in consideration for a thru-hike and an every backpacking trip tent. The interior room is less than the other two person tents and this tent is susceptible to more wear than others on the list.

The MSR Hubba NX 1 is a tent built to last. The freestanding design is more suited for weekend trips and longevity than a thru-hike, but it still lands on the list as a good option. It is constructed with high-quality ripstop nylon construction and added an Xtreme Shield waterproof coating. The built-in rain gutter is a unique feature and draws water away from the tent’s openings. Durability and weatherproofing are its selling point and have some of the best precision-stitched seams of any shelter on this list. It does very well in heavy winds and rainfall. It is well priced for its features and durability.

The Ultamid 2 is a great option for an early start on the Appalachian Trail or a thru-hike that may extend into winter. It has a great design, lots of headroom and is capable of keeping all types of weather out. The quality DCF construction and lightweight design does come at a high price and does not include a floor or a bug insert, although they can be purchased separately. Hyperlite tents can be seen often on the AT and we believe it is for good reason. This tent comes well-reviewed and is highly recommended.

The award-winning Lunar Solo from Six Moon Designs is a very good tent especially when considering the price. It firmly sits in the budget realm, but outperfoms that designation. It also lands on many lists of the best budget gear list for the Appalachian Trail. The Lunar Solo is simply competent enough to last the entire trail and keep you dry. The tent should be additionally seem sealed and waterproofed on top of the factory settings to assure maximum weather protection.