Review: Roundup: 2-Person Tents

Three may be company, but we're more than happy to just double up — especially when it comes to camping. These two-person tents are perfect for sheltering you and a pal anywhere from the valley floor of Yosemite to the untamed wilderness of your own backyard.

Roundup: 2-Person Tents

Learn How We Rate ##### Wired

Unbelievably light (a shade over 2 pounds with groundsheet). Fly and tent pack smaller than a grapefruit. Single-hub pole setup is fast and easy. Interior gear loft. Well-ventilated, even under the fly.

Buy It Now
| Roundup:

• 1/10A complete failure in every way
• 2/10Sad, really
• 3/10Serious flaws; proceed with caution
• 4/10Downsides outweigh upsides
• 5/10Recommended with reservations
• 6/10Solid with some issues
• 7/10Very good, but not quite great
• 8/10Excellent, with room to kvetch
• 9/10Nearly flawless
• 10/10Metaphysical perfection

MSR Carbon Reflex 2

The Carbon Reflex 2 is the Winnie Cooper of two-person backpacking tents — sweet, sensible and not without its charms. Its two-pole frame is quick and easy to set up. It's also possible, if somewhat awkward, to set up the fly without the tent, which is a nice option: You can erect the tent under the fly to avoid getting the interior soaked under heavy rain, or you can set up the fly by itself for a quick bivy. Mesh sidewalls make the Reflex 2 incredibly breathable, even when the fly is on. And for such a light weight — less than 4 pounds with the ground sheet — the tent's interior feels luxuriously spacious with 40 inches of headroom. A minor point: Brick red and canary yellow is a color combination that brings to mind carrot-flavored baby barf. But like Winnie's turtleneck sweaters, it's at most a cosmetic defect. And one we're willing to overlook.

Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2

The Fly Creek is a tent aimed at beginning backpackers, which is to say — light, small, and not the most comfortable night's sleep in the world. The tent's dimensions were by far the most cramped of all the ones we tested. While the specs state that the UL2 offers 38 inches of headroom, those inches are towards the back of the structure instead of front where your head is. This makes putting on your pants a grueling, horizontal task if it's cold or raining outside. Moreover, the Fly Creek must be thoroughly staked out to produce those dimensions, including two crucial stakes on each of the tent's sidewalls. Rocky campsites cause the tent to collapse on itself, shrinking from 28 square feet of floorspace to what feels like about 5. Missing any stakes lets the UL2 flap noisily in the wind, while the miniature vestibule leaves packs and boots exposed to the elements. On the other hand, the ultralight silicone of the tent and fly felt like silk, packed up small, and kept out the fiercest cliffside breezes and rain. The Fly Creek is ideal for Daniel Boones who like to go fast and travel alone.

Nemo Morpho 2P

Inflatable supports are a nifty idea in theory, but in reality the Morpho 2P suffers from several fatal flaws. Two thick, sturdy air booms support the Morpho in the front and back but not in between, which makes the tent difficult to pick up and shake out when damp or dirty. Moreover, the air booms save neither time nor weight. Each took about 30 seconds to inflate with the minuscule foot pump — which isn't bad for a balloon-animal party, but a lot longer than the time it takes to assemble aluminum tent poles. And the tent itself was more than a pound heavier than any other tent tested. The integrated fly makes it impossible to separate the pieces to dry them or cut weight. And finally, for a three-season tent, it's stuffy. The back vent is too small to allow much in-and-out air flow. Multiple interior pockets are a nice touch, but not enough to compensate for the tent's deficiencies.

WIRED Booms stayed sturdy and inflated throughout rain and wind gusts. Inner vestibule keeps backpacks and boots dry. Convenient interior pockets. Cozy, cave-like interior.

TIRED Confusing setup. Heavy: 6 pounds with footprint. Gets hotter than a volcano stuffed with Victoria's Secret catalogs.

$430, nemoequipment.com

Marmot Haven 2P

The Haven 2P is the ideal tent for a Saturday beach trip with friends. Leave the optional floor at home to cut weight, and stake all eight corners in warm, soft sand. Then clip the single support pole into place and unzip the tent's top vents with the convenient stiff handles. The 10-second setup complete, your whole family can then stretch out in the unbelievable 56 square feet of space in the Haven's well-ventilated interior. Yes, the Haven would be perfect there ... and nowhere else. It's impossible to use in places with limited space or on rocky ground, as all eight corners need to be staked for the tent to be secure. Moreover, the Haven leaves a few inches of open space above the floor, giving vermin, wind and rain free access to your vulnerable, sleeping head. A three-season tent? It's barely a weekend tent.

WIRED Light in proportion to the tent's size. Removable floor lets warm-weather campers cut weight. Excellent ventilation. Plenty of room for bags, boots and people.

TIRED Freezing in temperatures below 55 degrees. Gap between tent and floor lets dogs wriggle out and mosquitoes buzz in.

$200, marmot.com