Best Bikepacking Tents of 2024
The Top Bikepacking-specific and Ultralight Backpacking Tents for Overnight Bike trips
Home > Gear Reviews > Bikepacking
Last updated February 15, 2024
Bikepacking requires a few essential gear items, one of those being a reliable and lightweight tent. After a long day on the saddle, there’s nothing like stripping off your gear and hanging it out to dry on an easy-to-set-up bikepacking tent, knowing that you’ve got a comfortable place to crash that’s safe from the elements and that small items like gloves and wind jackets won’t fly away in evening winds.
To find the best bikepacking tents, we aggregated the results of dozens of professional reviews and hundreds of customer opinions. Then, we tested the most promising models we could get our tired quads into. I’m a bikepacker and guidebook writer who spent months testing bikepacking tents, usually as part of routes in my Colorado guidebook.
While researching bikepacking tents, we found that, well, there aren’t too many options on the market—yet. Big Agnes and NEMO are two companies leading the way right now, and others (like MSR) are making lightweight backpacking tents that bikepackers have loved for years, though they aren’t made specifically for bikepacking. More companies, like Sea to Summit, are planning on introducing bikepacking-specific tents soon.
Overall, we looked at one, two, and three-person tents, choosing options for overnight group bike trips and solo bikepacking. We liked tents with large vestibules, and prioritized features like integrated daisy chains on the rainfly, helmet stash loops, and internal pockets to hold gear.
In the end, we found a top winners that are bikepacking-specific and adapted from a line of ultralight tents that outdoor users have come to love. We also recommend an impressive ultralight shelter that’s made to use with trekking poles but can be used for bikepacking with the addition of a section pole, and we chose a nice two-person tent with double vestibules and doors. Whatever your bikepacking needs, read on for the best tents for all sorts of overnight bike trip adventures.
This story may contain affiliate links, which help fund our website. When you click on the links to purchase gear, we may get a commission. This allows us to create reader-supported, objective gear reviews, independently selected by our editors— without costing you an extra cent. Thank you for supporting our work and mission of outdoor coverage for every body! Learn more.
Comparison Table
| BIKEPACKING TENT | TREELINE AWARD | SIZE OPTIONS | PACKED WEIGHT | PACKED SIZE | FLOOR AREA (SF) | HEAD HEIGHT | VESTIBULE AREA (SQ FT) | SEASONS | NUMBER OF DOORS | POLE LENGTH (folded) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Agnes Tiger Wall Bikepack Solution Dye | Best Overall Read why |
2, 3, or 4 people | 2 lb 15 oz | 13" x 6.5" | 28.0 | 39" | 8.0 | 3 | 2 | 12" |
| Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo Bikepacking | Best Solo Tent Read why |
1+ person | 1 lb 10 oz | 11" x 4.5" | 26.3 | 49" | 8.5 | 3 | 1 | 11" |
| Nemo Hornet Elite OSMO Ultralight | Best 2-Person Ultralight Tent Read why |
2 people | 2 lb 1 oz | 19" x 4.5" | 27.3 | 37" | 6.2 each | 3 | 2 | 19" |
| Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL 2 Bikepack Tent | Best Upgrade Tent Read why |
1, 2, or 3 people | 3 lb 8 oz | 7" x 13.5" | 29.0 | 40" | 9.0 each | 3 | 2 | 12" |
| Nemo Dragonfly OSMO Bikepack Tent | Best for Wet Tours Read why |
1 or 2 people | 3 lb 8 oz | 14.5" x 6.5" | 29.0 | 41" | 10.0 each | 3 | 2 | 14.5" |
*We note any discounts we see on our Deals page, which is updated daily.
The Best Bikepacking Tents
The Best Bikepacking Tent: Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL Bikepack Solution Dye
Sizes available: 1-person, 2-person, 3-person
Packed weight: 2 lb 15 oz (2-person)
Packed size: 13"x6.5"
Floor area: 28 square feet
Head Height: 39"
Vestibule Area: 8 square feet
Seasons: 3
Doors: 2
Pole length: 12”
Bikepack specific features: Stuff sack with daisy chain webbing, helmet and daisy chain loops to dry gear
What we like: bikepacking specific features like daisy chain webbing on rain fly, helmet loops, ability to dry gear, quick pitch, generous height, packability
What we didn’t like: price, can be hard to find at retailers
We found that the best bikepacking tent is the Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL Bikepack Solution Dye. Its bikepacking-specific features made it a favorite and a great adaptation of Big Agnes’ existing Tiger Wall line of tents, which are also great tents for bikepacking. We found a lot of value in the large vestibules and additional bikepacking-specific features, like integrated daisy chains on the rainfly, a helmet stash loop, and giant internal pockets to hold gear.
The Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL Bikepack Solution Dye was our favorite overall bikepacking tent. This 3-season tent is designed for road, gravel, and single-track rigors better than any other tents we tested. It’s a semi-freestanding tent with a minimum trail weight of 2 pounds and 7 ounces (for the two-person version).
It’s explicitly designed for bikepacking, pitches quickly and easily, and is capable of a fast fly setup with only the fly ground tarp.
Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL 2 Bikepacking Tent
At 86” long and 52” wide at its widest point (42” wide at its narrowest point), the Tiger Wall 2-person version is long enough for all but the tallest adventurers to stretch out in, and it has a peak height of 39 inches, generous enough for someone over 6 feet tall to sit upright.
It’s big enough to sleep two adults comfortably, if not closely, and has two entry doors and vestibules. Still, it’s light enough and compact enough to justify one person carrying it for themselves if they love the extra space.
Our Big Agnes Tiger Wall camping set-up for bikepacking.
The Tiger Wall Bikepack tent offers a compelling set of bike packing-specific features that make it different from the backpacking version of this much-lauded tent. Features like a shorter pole also transition well to other self-propelled mobile adventures where packing space is at a premium — like multiday packrafting and kayaking trips. The packability of this tent sets it apart from the other tents we tested and evaluated for bikepacking.
The shorter tent pole segments make it much easier to pack on a bike’s handlebars or in the sometimes oddly-sized packs that fit into a bike’s frame (you can read more about choosing a bike frame bag in our How To Get into Bikepacking guide).
You’ll still find the Tiger Wall extremely packable, even if you aren’t using the 3 oz daisy chain-covered stuff sack to fit it between your handlebars, under your seat post, or even against your bike’s frame. Its moderate volume can fit in most frame bags, larger handlebar bags, or bikepacking-specific seat pack or saddle bags.
Bike camping with the Big Agnes Tiger Wall.
The external daisy chains on the rainfly are excellent stow points for sweaty gear, as are the helmet straps on the tent body. Its inner tent mesh pockets are bigger than the pockets on the regular Tiger Wall tents to accommodate additional bikepacking gear.
The 6-ounce tent footprint (sold separately but highly recommended) acts as an extra tarp under both vestibules, making it easier to remove shoes and clothes without getting dirtier. Essentially, it’s like having your own tiny mudroom.
Plus, using the ground cloth will ensure the ultralight tent’s floor lasts longer. In our backpacking tent review, one of the deciding factors in choosing Big Agnes’s Copper Spur Tent over the Tiger Wall was the more robust but slightly heavier ripstop fabric on the Copper Spur’s tent floor. Adding a groundsheet should provide the protection you’ll need.
Testing the Big Agnes Tiger Wall in ruggedized stuff sack found on the bikepacking models.
Compare Big Agnes Bikepacking Tents
It’s no wonder that some of the best bikepacking tents come from Big Agnes. Located in Steamboat Springs, it’s near thousands of miles of mountain bike trails, the Continental Divide Trail, and gravel roads that wind through some of the nation’s highest mountains and epic roads. The company’s owners and staff are avid outdoors folk and developed bikepacking tents based on their needs.
The result is three of its most popular ultralight backpacking tent lines have been adapted for bikepacking:
the Copper Spur (backpacking version | bikepacking version)
the Tiger Wall (backpacking version | bikepacking version)
the Fly Creek (backpacking version | bikepacking version)
All are excellent choices, but we find the Tiger Wall UL2 edged the others for bikepacking. The Tiger Wall UL2 Bikepack is 8 oz lighter than the Copper Spur HV UL2 Bikepack, yet it still has two doors.
The Fly Creek HV UL2 Bikepack is 5 oz lighter than the Tiger Wall. But it only has one door at the head and one small vestibule, making it a little harder to get in and out of than the Tiger Wall, particularly if you’re trying to get out of your sleeping bag without disturbing your snoring tent-mate.
All the extra features and the Tiger Wall’s environmentally friendly manufacturing make it a worthwhile investment. At $500 (and $70 more for the correctly-sized matching Big Agnes tent footprint), it is an investment, but it’s one we’d gladly make.
We’re not alone in praising the Tiger Wall UL 2 Bikepackinging Tent. It was named Best bikepacking tent by Bike Perfect and was one of Bikepacking’s top tent choices and was recently reviewed in-depth by Bikepacking. The standard version of Tiger Wall UL2 was also one of The Adventure Junkies’ top winners for bikepacking. There aren’t many reviews of the bikepacking version yet, but it’s got 4.7 out of 5 stars on Google Reviews already.
Best Bikepacking Tent for Solo Bikepackers: Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo
Sizes available: 1+ (Lunar Duo is 2-person)
Packed weight: 1 lb 10 oz
Packed size: 11" X 4.5"
Floor area: 26.25 SF
Head Height: 49"
Vestibule Area: 8.5 SF
Seasons: 3
Doors: 1
Pole length: 11"
Bikepack-specific features: handlebar-compatible pole length, 2-minute setup time, internal gear area
What we liked: incredible value, lightweight, generous internal space
What we didn’t like: price, can be hard to find at retailers
The best tent for a solo bikepacker is the Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo; it’s an impressively ultralight shelter with a generous amount of space for sleeping, and in the vestibule. Made for ultralight hikers, the Lunar Solo was designed to be set up with a trekking pole, but Six Moon Designs tailored the set-up for bikepackers and padders with an ultralight (2.1-ounce) Carbon Fiber 5 Section 49” Tent Pole that’s that is only 11” long.
Given that there aren’t that many bikepacking specific one-person shelters available at this time, it’s no surprise that our winner for Best Solo Backpacking tent, the Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo, is also our winner for Best Solo Bikepacking tent. Still, we’re thrilled that Six Moon Designs has built out a system specific for bikepackers and paddlers who need to think about space differently than backpackers.
What we like about using this backpacking tent as a bikepacking tent is the stand-out feature: ultralight, 2.1 oz Carbon Fiber 5 Section Tent Pole. The pole collapses into segments that are only 11 inches long, making the pole and the tent easy to stow anywhere on your bike.
As tester and Treeline Review writer Mike Unger knows, all this makes the 1-pound 10 oz Lunar Solo an excellent tent for backpacking, bikepacking, and bike touring. We also have a long-term gear review of the Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo.
Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo
Six Moon Designs 5-Section Carbon Fiber 49" Tent Pole
With one pole, the Lunar Solo tent isn’t freestanding, and it doesn’t come with stakes, so you’ll need to bring your favorites.
Other reviewers have dinged this tent because stakes are sold separately, but we find that as a bonus. Many bikepackers already have stakes or want to choose their own for the conditions they’re riding in.
The single-wall tent is easy to set up and spacious. There’s plenty of interior height at 90 x 48 x 49 inches to easily sit up in.
It also has an additional 8.5 square feet of vestibule space to help keep your gear dry on rainy nights. Despite lacking windows, thanks to its mesh interior and vent near the top, it breathes well, and the vestibule is easy to roll back or slide up for more ventilation on warmer nights.
Our Six Moon Designs’ Lunar Solo set up with bikepacking gear.
The Lunar Solo is a highly awarded ultralight tent that just keeps getting better. In 2020 it was featured in Bikepacking.com. It received many awards in 2019, including the OutDoor ISPO Award, a Backpacker Magazine Editor’s Choice Award, The Trek Best Gear Award, and was a Section Hiker Top winner.
One stand-out feature of the Lunar Solo is its material: siliconized polyester, which packs down smaller. It also sags less than silnylon, is less likely to trap moisture, and is less likely to delaminate. Silpoly is shaking up the ultralight world and as a smaller brand, Six Moon Designs was one of the first tent brands to innovate with it and is forefront of using this new material.
For extra protection underfoot, consider adding the Six Moon Designs Small Tyvek Footprint.
Best Ultralight Bikepacking Tent: NEMO Hornet Elite OSMO UL
Sizes available: 1, 2-person
Packed weight: 2 lb 1 oz
Packed size: 19” x 4.0”
Floor area: 27.3 SF
Head Height: 37”
Vestibule Area: 6.2 SF
Seasons: 3
Doors: 2
Poles: 19" DAC 8.7mm Featherlite NFL
What we liked: lightweight, weather resistance, three-season versatility, DAC Featherlite NFL pole is super light and strong, PU/silicone floor and fly coatings for water-resistance, easy and fast set-up
What we didn’t like: price, high demand means hard to get hands on, not as spacious for two people
If you’re looking for an ultralight 2-person tent, we recommend the Nemo Hornet Elite OSMO UL. It has the features we want—like two doors and two vestibules—for no weight penalty. Plus, it’s free standing and the 2023 version is made of OSMO, some the most environmentally-friendly material out there.
It has a minimum weight of 1 pound 11 ounces (that’s 12 ounces lighter than the Tiger Wall and just one oz more than the Lunar Solo), yet it still manages to have two vestibules and doors.
The new OSMO fabric has won multiple awards, including from Popular Science as one of the top 100 greatest innovations of the year. it’s a being a 100% recycled checkered weave of water-repelling nylon and moisture-wicking polyester. It optimizes water repellency without fluorinated water repellents (PFAS). The combo of the two fabrics means it dries faster than many other tent fabrics. Meanwhile it avoids sag and optimizes water resistance. It meets fire retardant requirements without harmful chemical additives.
The Hornet Elite OSMO was our winner for the Best Lightweight Tent for backpacking. We liked it so much that we wrote an in-depth review on why we think it's such a great lightweight tent.
Nemo Hornet Elite Osmo Ul
The Nemo Hornet Elite OSMO UL is a semi freestanding, double-wall tent boasts a minimum trail weight of 1 lb 11 oz. It’s a full 12 ounces lighter than our Overall winner, the Tiger Wall 2-person tent. But it still has two doors and two vestibules. If you’re going for lightweight, the Hornet Elite Osmo 2 is among the lightest two-person tents we’ve seen and is the lightest tent we chose as a winner.
The Hornet Elite OSMO UL 2 is a lighter version of the Nemo Hornet OSMO. To cut weight further, the Elite tent uses more gossamer no-seem-um mesh than on the regular Hornet and a 10-denier tent floor fabric rather than the 15-denier fabric on the regular Hornet (already a lightweight fabric). The Hornet OSMO still has some of the same eco-friendly materials, but is less expensive since it doesn't have as much high-tech material.
The 10-denier fabric means it’s less durable, so again, we recommend using a footprint with the tent. Nemo’s Hornet Footprint is $70 and weighs 7 ounces.
Nemo Hornet Elite at a bikepacking camp. Photo by Trist Hogue.
Like the Hornet, the Hornet Elite OSMO UL is a tent that uses the term ‘2-person’ tent loosely (or tightly, rather). Though it’s 85” long and 51” wide, testers and reviewers have noted that aggressive tapering from the corners makes for tight sleeping for two; it becomes even more challenging for people over 6’ tall.
Still, if you want the lightest bikepacking tent, this is the lightest tent that still has the features we want in a quality bikepacking shelter.
It’s worth noting that this tent is marketed as a backpacking tent. Still, Bikepacking praised the tent in its review: “It is undoubtedly one of the lightest semi freestanding tents that still offers two doors and two vestibules. Even so, it doesn’t hold back on features that make it attractive and comfortable for self-supported bikepacking. Its simple design makes it easy to pitch, like you’ve practiced setting it up a thousand times before.” The tent was also a top winner from Outdoor Gear Lab and got 4.5 stars on Google Reviews.
See our most popular bikepacking guides in our Bike gear section:
Best Upgrade Bikepacking Tent for Extra Space: Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 Bikepack Tent
Sizes available: 1-person, 2-person, 3-person
Packed weight: 3 lb 8 oz (2-person)
Packed size: 7"x 13.5" (2-person)
Floor area: 29 SF (2-person)
Head Height: 40"
Vestibule Area: 9 SF (2-person)
Seasons: 3
Doors: 2
Pole length: 12” poles of 9 millimeters Aluminum DAC Featherlite NSL
Bikepack-specific features: 12 in. Shortstik pole set for packing onto handlebars, panniers and saddlebags; compression stuff-sack with daisy-chain webbing system; mixed-denier fabric offers extra tear-strength and puncture-resistance without adding weight
What we liked: Shortstik pole length is convenient for saving space, very spacious, more durable, ripstop floor, durability, eco-friendly solution dye
What we didn’t like: durability comes with weight penalty
If you’re looking for plenty of room to spread out your gear and be comfortable, the Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 Bikepacking Tent is the Best Upgrade bikepacking tent. At 90 inches long and 70 inches wide, you could pretty much sleep two 7-foot-tall people in this tent and still have space for a dog in it. We mentioned earlier that on most bikepacking trips, you’re likely to split a tent between two people but aren’t as likely to split one between three. The Copper Spur HV UL3 is your chance to sit up, spread out, and bikepack in luxury with minimal weight.
This was one of the first bikepacking specific tents available. That means that, unlike other bikepacking tent designs, the Copper Spur has had years to be perfected and develop the features that bikepackers want. Like our overall winner, the Tiger Wall Bikepack tent, the Copper Spur it has the same bikepacking-specific features-shortened pole segments, daisy chains for gear, generous mesh pockets in the interior.
While the Copper Spur HV is available as a 1-person and 2-person bikepacking tent, we think it excels in the 3-person version. As a luxury bikepacking tent, the 3-person version has a few more features we really like. With a 43” high roof, this freestanding tent is tall enough for most people to sit up without scraping the ceiling. The Copper Spur’s vestibules can be set up as awnings for even more gear storage room in the external tent, such as keeping your bike out of the rain. It has extra durability vs other bikepacking tents. Best yet, it’s so spacious that this is one tent where you can really spread out and enjoy your time outdoors.
Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 Bikepacking Tent
The latest iteration has the same solution-dye of the Tiger Wall for a more eco-friendly fabric.
The Copper Spur’s vestibules can be set up as awnings for even more gear storage room in the external tent. For the backpacking version of Copper Spur, our winner for The Best Two-Person Tent, you can use your trekking poles to set up the awning. When bikepacking, you’re usually not carrying trekking poles, so you’ve got to be more creative if you’re setting up the awnings. You might be able to use two bikes’ handlebars for one side, or you guy them to trees or rocks, or bring extra poles, like the Six Moon Designs’ folding poles used for the Lunar Solo.
The Copper Spur Bikepack has a more durable double-ripstop nylon for the tent floor, which adds durability. Of course, all this comes with a weight penalty--kinda. The Copper Spur HV UL2 Bikepack has a trail weight of 2 pounds 15 ounces. Not the lightest, by any means, but that still translates to under 2 pounds per person.
The Copper Spur UL3 Bikepack and its larger sibling were rated as the Best 3-person and 4-person ultralight tent for bikepacking by Outdoor Ultralight, and Outdoor Gear Lab ranked it as one of their top winners. This tent boasts 4.6 stars out of 5 on Google Reviews based on 251 reviews.
Best for Wet Tours: NEMO Dragonfly Bikepack OSMO Tent
Sizes available: 1, 2 (tested)
Packed weight: 3 lbs. 12 oz (measured)
Packed size: 14.5” X 6.5"
Floor area: 29 SF
Head Height: 41"
Vestibule Area: 10 SF X 2
Seasons: 3
Doors: 2
Pole length: 14.5”
Bikepack-specific features: bikepack specific stuff sack, short pole length, daisy chains for drying gear on tent body, Landing Zone gear tub, giant tent pockets
What we liked: included gear tub, generous internal space, great vestibule space, bikepack specific features
What we didn’t like: heavier and bulkier than other options, daisy chains not as large as other options
If we’re choosing a bikepacking tent based on a wet climate where we plan to ride, the NEMO Dragonfly Bikepack OSMO is the tent we’d opt for. We tested the 2-person version on Colorado’s Front Range in the summer and not in wet conditions—yet. However, the Landing Zone—a waterproof, fabric tub that secures between the tent body and the rainfly under either vestibule is the killer feature here. It essentially ensures that any gear you place outside of the tent is still protected from the wet ground or any rivulets or puddles if you’re camping in the rain — because no one wants to put on wet shoes or a wet backpack in the morning.
Nemo Dragonfly Bikepack Osmo Tent
Close up on the start of the Nemo Dragonfly bikepacking: a gear storage tub (“The Landing Zone”) that keeps your helmet and other gear dry when the ground is wet and free of gravel and dirt that can impact its performance. This makes the vestibule significantly more functional for bikepackers.
First set up (without looking at instructions) was easy and came in at under 10 minutes. We loved that there were no plastic bags shipped with the tent and both the stakes and poles came in lightweight, thin fabric bags. The two-toned poles and tabs on either end of the tent made it easy to figure out and the stakes are large and heavy duty. The hardest part was securing the hooks on the Landing Zone gear tub to the fabric loops on the rain fly—a cord or webbing loop would make that easier.
The Nemo Dragonfly bikepack was quick and easy to set up.
As we note in our review of backpacking tents, the Dragonfly is very close to the specs of the Big Agnes Copper Spur—which also is offered in a bikepack version. Like many 2 person, lightweight tents it’s often tight quarters for two people to sleep comfortably in, but it also has generous vestibules and pockets for extra gear storage.
Close-up of the internal gear storage on the Nemo Dragonfly Bikepack tent. The Y-shaped Flybar makes set-up easy and intuitive. You can also see the Nightlight Pocket and gear storage attic.
The Dragonfly bikepack tent has a rated weight of 4 lbs., 1 oz—about a half pound more than the Copper Spur and significantly more than the 2 lbs., 15 oz weight of our overall winner the Big Agnes Tiger Wall.
The Nemo Dragonfly Bikepacking Tent loaded onto the author’s bike. The Dragonfly bikepack comes in subdued colors for those times when you need to stealth camp and don’t want to be seen.
Having daisy chain storage between the tent and rainfly means you’ll be closer to the stinky gear you want to air out, but it will keep it dry in between the layers, as opposed to Big Agnes’ design which has daisy chains on the outer side of the rainfly—each of these have their merits and detractions.
Other Bikepacking Tents We Considered
MSR Hubba Hubba Bikepack Tent
Sizes available: 1- and 2-person
Packed weight: 3 lb 12 oz (2-person)
Packed size: 14.5” x 7” x 5”
Floor area: 29 SF
Peak Height: 42”
Vestibule Area: 35 SF
Seasons: 3
Doors: 2
Poles: 2 DAC NSL aluminum
Bikepacking-specific features: 12” folded pole width to fit between drops, waterproof handlebar bag, handlebar spacers to leave room for hands or accessories, headtube bungee for stability
Brand new for 2024! We asked for more true bikepacking tent options, and MSR delivered. They took their trail-tested, wildly popular Hubba Hubba tent and made a bikepacking version:
The handlebar bag is seam-taped and waterproof
The handlebar bag is designed to attach easily to both drop bars and flat handlebars
Handlebar spacers “float” the bag from the handlebars to clear brake and shift cables and create room for hands and accessories
The handlebar bag has a third attachment point around the head tube for extra stability on rough terrain
The handlebar bag has reflective details for road visibility
The handlebar bag has utility loops to tie on additional gear
The lightweight aluminum poles are only 12” wide when folded up for storage and fit easily between drop handlebars (see the photo above for perspective)
At 17.5 square feet each, the vestibules are the largest of any bikepacking tent we’ve tested (and double the size of the Hubba Hubba backpacking version’s vestibules)
It was designed to keep packed volume to a minimum
We’re currently testing the MSR Hubba Hubba Bikepack 2 — and first impressions are nothing but positive!
Sizes available: 1-, 2-, 3-person
Packed weight: 3 lb 8 oz (2-person)
Packed size: 14.5” x 6.5”
Floor area: 29 SF
Head Height: 41”
Vestibule Area: 10 SF
Seasons: 3
Doors: 2
Poles: 1 Hubbed Aluminum DAC Featherlite® NSL 8.5mm pole / 1 Aluminum DAC Featherlite® NSL 8.5mm pole
Bikepacking-specific features: Ultralight aluminum poles with shortened segments, stuff sack, Landing Zone™ removable storage tub
We wanted to rank the MSR Carbon Reflex 2 as the best ultralight bikepacking tent, and it was on some bikepacking roundups as a favorite. Still, we didn’t feel confident making that decision because we found too many reviews complaining about durability issues related to waterproofing and the carbon poles breaking.
When we tested the MSR Carbon Reflex 2, we noticed MSR had replaced one segment of the tent we tested with a curved aluminum segment. This is noteworthy because MSR recalled certain tents over waterproofing issues in 2019 and 2020. The Hubba Hubba tents and the Reflex series were among them. Retailers have said the problem tents were replaced with properly treated tents, but we haven’t seen enough recent reviews of this tent to verify the claims across a base of users.
MSR Carbon Reflex 2
Still, we were impressed by the MSR Carbon Reflex 2’s trail weight of 1 pound, 13 ounces. Despite the light weight, the Carbon Reflex 2 still includes two doors and vestibules.
At 84” long, 50” wide, and a peak height of 34”, it’s a smaller 2-person tent and sleeps two, but it has a rectangular shape. It also has two 7-square foot vestibules for keeping gear out of the elements.
While we didn’t experience any durability issues with our demo model, one other thing we’d like to see with the Carbon Reflex is shorter tent-pole segments.
The pole segments are currently up to 16,” and since all are not equal lengths and are connected with a shock cord, they fold down to 18” long without stretching the cord. Shorter tent pole segments would make it easier to take advantage of the tent’s already small pack size by allowing it to pack narrower.
Sizes available: 1, 2, or 3-person
Packed weight: 3 lb 14 oz (2-person)
Packed size: 18” x 6”
Floor area: 29 SF
Head Height: 39”
Vestibule Area: 8.75 SF
Seasons: 3
Doors: 2
Poles: 9.3 millimeter Easton Syclone
Bikepacking-specific features: Easy set up and packing, Easton Syclone poles are ultra-durable
The MSR Hubba series of tents are favorites of many bikepackers and backpackers. In a previous guide, we ranked the MSR Hubba Hubba 2 as the Best Luxury Tent in our Best Backpacking Tents guide, for instance.
MSR revamped the Hubba line of tents with a redesign that cuts weight by up to 14 ounces per tent and changed the naming scheme from Hubba, Hubba Hubba, and Mutha Hubba to Hubba Hubba 1, 2, or 3.
Unfortunately the reviews of the most recent version included reports of delamination and poor customer service.
However, as we reported on in our Takeaways from the Outdoor Market Alliance trade show, MSR is planning to release a new line of bikepacking tents for 2023. We’re really looking forward to testing these.
MSR Hubba Hubba 2
Sizes available: 1-person, 2-person, 4-person
Packed weight: 1.3 lb (2-person)
Packed size: 8.5" x 6.0" x 5.5"
Floor area: 63 SF
Head height: up to 64"
Vestibule Area: 0 SF
Doors: 2
Poles: 17" packed Carbon Fiber pole expands between 56.5" to 65.75"
Bikepacking-specific features: Easy set up, only needs one pole, add on UltaMid Carbon Fiber Tent center poles packs to 17"
The Hyperlite Mountain Gear UltaMid 2 Pyramid Tent is a winner in our best 4-season tent guide. It's a single-wall shelter without a bug net and a pyramid-shaped tarp. It has a head-turning 63 square feet of floor space, but that doesn't include vestibules, and the edges aren't really usable space. Still, it's an option that is increasingly popular with minimalist bikepackers, especially tall people who like the 64" of height.
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Ultamid 2
Unlike most of the bikepacking tents in this guide, the UltaMid only requires a single pole. The add-on UltaMid 2 pole is made of carbon fiber and packs down to 17". It expands between 56.5" and 65.75" depending on how much peak height you want and how windy it is.
However, one downside of the UltaMid is it does not include a bathtub floor or bug netting. Ultimately, even the most ultralight tents in this guide have those features, and the UltaMid 2 does not.
You can add in the optional UltaMid 2 insert with DCF floor, but together, the cost is $1,098. Like all inner tent add-ons, it also adds weight — in this case, nearly 1.4 lbs. HMG has other, cheaper options, such as the half insert ($249 and 14.8 ounces) or the mesh insert with no floor ($99 and 13.6 ounces).
As much as we like the UltaMid 2, we think that the price and extra weight are steep for a tent without bug netting.
Still, if you like the modularity and flexibility of having a tarp that only sometimes needs an inner or like the idea of bikepacking with only one pole to keep track of, this is a much-loved and highly-rated tent that we like a lot for 4-season trips and will perform well during 3-season bikepacking, too.
How is a bikepacking tent different than a backpacking tent?
Loading a bike up with gear for an overnight summer trip. With bikepacking, all your gear must fit along the frame of your bike in a way that minimizes obstruction with gears and brakes. Bikepacking luggage has you load your gear in a way that it won’t catch on branches as you ride trails.
The first question you’re probably going to ask is: why should I consider a bikepacking tent? How is it different than a typical backpacking tent? To be honest, most good, ultralight backpacking tents will work as a bikepacking tent or bike touring tent.
But, if you plan on bikepacking a lot, a tent made for bikepacking has some features you won’t find on most backpacking tents, like poles that fold into 12” segments. These features also make them ideal for other multiday, self-propelled activities where your adventure mobile’s width and packing space’s availability influences the gear you need for it (like packrafting and kayaking).
What is bikepacking?
First off, we should explain what bikepacking is. Succinctly, it’s going on a multi-day adventure on your bike. Whether that’s a fat-tire, gravel, road, or mountain bike, the title of bikepacking still fits.
Is bikepacking different than bicycle touring?
A bikepacking trip differs from traditional bike touring, where much of the clothing and other gear is carried in panniers. Though increasingly, some bicycle travelers are choosing to bike tour with a less-pannier focused packing system. While often bicycle touring has you staying overnight in hotels or established campgrounds, bikepacking has you wild camping in the backcountry like you would on a backpacking trip.
How is bikepacking gear different than backpacking gear?
Rather than carrying all of one’s gear on your back, as one does when hiking, bikepacking uses the open space on one’s bike to carry as much gear as possible. This strategy lowers your center of gravity, making it easier to carry the additional weight of gear on the bike and reducing, if not eliminating, the need to ride with a backpack.
If you carry all your camping gear on your back while biking, you’d be carrying a teetering mass of weight above your center of gravity. Thus, you’d be crushing your hip belt into your belly as you ride hunched over your bars. Carrying the mass of weight higher above the bike’s frame makes it harder to stay stable on the bike.
In contrast, bikepacking luggage is designed to take advantage of the entire bike frame. Bike bags make the whole rig narrower instead of taller. Narrow luggage allows you to get further on deeply rutted backcountry roads where side-riding panniers could snag on branches. Wide or tall bags could make it harder to travel through narrow rocky trails. Bike bags, in contrast, don’t add much to your rig’s height or width. To learn more about bikepacking in general, check out our most excellent guide: How to Get Started Bikepacking.
A side-by-side comparison of the packed width of tents. The longer segments of poles on the MSR tent are more likely to interfere with shifters and brake handles.
What makes a good bikepacking tent?
Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s get on to choosing the best bikepacking tents.
Roomy Vestibule
In the larger scope of things, you want a tent with a roomy vestibule (or vestibules) under which you can let some of your sweaty gear dry out a bit while you’re sleeping and relaxing.
Room for you and your gear
We find that in most situations, bikepackers will want to carry tents for up to two people. If traveling solo, they can opt for a 1-person tent or a 2-person tent if they like stretching out. If the gear is split between two bikepackers, they can opt for a 2-person or even a 3-person tent if they want the space. The Tiger Wall, our overall winner, is also available as a 3-person model for those who want a more roomy abode. The 3-person tent has a trail weight of 2 pounds and 13 ounces, just 6 ounces heavier than the 2-person version.
Shorter Pole Segments
Another important thing to look for in a bikepacking tent is shorter pole segments. Most backpacking tents have tent pole segments that are 16” or longer. That makes them too wide to stow on handlebars safely, particularly narrow road bike handlebars, which may only be a couple of inches wider than the full packed width of a tent.
Even on mountain bike handlebars, usually over 2 feet wide, longer pole segments can make even a packed ultralight tent unwieldy and complex to manage while riding. That's because some long poles can be as wide as a bike’s brakes.
Long pole segments are also harder to stow on the top tube or down tube of a bike. Shorter riders with smaller bike frames will especially appreciate bikepacking tents with short pole segments. By comparison, Big Agnes’s bikepacking tent pole segments are only a foot long and make a packed tent narrower and easier to pack on any bike.
Robust Stuff Sack
The stuff sack for most backpacking tents is often made out of the same fabric as the tent. The weakness of this sack is a problem for bikepackers. If the stuff sack is made of lightweight ripstop nylon, it could easily get punctured in a crash and damage the tent inside. Bikepacking tent stuff sacks are usually more robust, burlier, and designed with external attachment points to attach them to the handlebars or tubes of the bike.
Bikepacking specific features include external daisy chains as seen on the Big Agnes Tiger Wall on the left and storage features like gear storage tubs as seen on the Nemo Dragonfly on the right.
Gear Storage Options
An ideal tent for bikepacking also features extra gear storage than most backpacking tents. These are in the form of daisy chains or even fabric tubs that attach to the tent and rainfly, as offered with NEMO’s Dragonfly bikepacking tent. They make it easier to stash gear off the ground or keep sweaty, wet gear like helmets, gloves, and even chamois elevated so they can dry quickly while keeping them secure.
Since only a few companies are currently making tents like this, some of the products we tested and recommended here are ultralight tents designed for backpacking. When using those types of tents, you can quickly secure them to your handlebars or other parts of the bike with ever-useful, ever-handy ski straps. You may also want to replace the standard stuff sack with something more robust, like a Granite Gear Round Rock Compression Sack.
We got together our bikepacking friends and tested these bikepacking tents side-by-side, checking for packability, ease of set up, and room to store and dry gear.
How we Researched & Tested
To find the best bikepacking tents, we did tons of online research, being guided by other roundups of the best bikepacking tents from outdoor sites and magazines, among them: Bicycling Magazine, Bike Perfect, The Adventure Junkies, Outdoor Gear Lab, The Broke Backpacker, Tom’s Bike Trip, Bikepacking Adventures and more.
We consulted our own excellent Best Backpacking Tents guide and sorted through thousands of customer reviews to figure out the best bikepacking tents for 2022.
The MSR Carbon Reflex loaded on our bikepacking bike.
We rooted out those tents that were most suited to car camping to focus on those ultralight tents that can take us farther away from civilization, rather than a dome tent or camping tent to keep in the back of the adventure mobile when we go out for a weekend trip. We also reviewed customer reviews of the tents most used for bikepacking.
We got samples of some of the most promising tents, strapped them on our mountain bikes, and took off for testing in Colorado’s Buffalo Creek Wilderness, Fruita, CO, and other spots. We used our personal experiences with the tents on the trail and the meta-reviews of other experts and verified customers reviews in ranking the best bikepacking tents.
Given the relative newness of bikepacking tents, ongoing supply shortages, and shipping issues, we weren’t able to get hands-on with all of the bikepacking tents we wanted. But, since all bikepacking-specific tents we’ve found are based on existing models, we are confident in saying whether or not the additional features are worth it and how the bikepacking tent performs compared to the backpacking tents they were adapted from.
Durability and Environmentally Friendly Gear Options
Not only was the Big Agnes Tiger Wall Bikepack Solution Dye the best overall, but it is also among the most environmentally friendly tents we tested. In 2021, Big Agnes moved to solution dyeing their tent fabrics, a process the company says increases UV resistance, improves longevity, and significantly reduces each tent’s environmental impact.
The solution-dyeing process dyes nylon yarns as they’re being made rather than dyeing the fabric after it’s woven from the yarns. Big Agnes says the process uses 80 percent less energy and 80 percent fewer chemicals to produce. It can also reduce the water needed to dye the tent fabric by up to 5 gallons per tent.
Both Big Agnes and NEMO are looking for other ways to reduce the impacts of making, shipping, and packing gear. Both companies helped found the Outdoor Industry Association’s Climate Action Corps. MSR’s parent company also is a member of the organization. Member companies report their annual emissions for the first time in 2021 and are actively planning to reduce emissions throughout their manufacturing, shipping, and supply chains.
NEMO has also partnered with bluesign and has worked to certify that its manufacturing processes and fabrics are environmentally responsible. For more information on how these companies are working to reduce their impacts, check out a recent piece from the author here: Ultralight or Eco-Friendly? Now, You Don’t Have to Choose.
Related: Eco-Friendly Gear Swaps to Reduce Your Environmental Impact
Several of the bikepacking tents we tested side-by-side on a bikepacking trip in Colorado this fall.
How to Choose the Bikepacking Tent for You
When choosing the right bikepacking tent for yourself, there are some key things to think about:
Why choose a bikepacking tent instead of a backpacking tent?
Basically, will you do enough bikepacking, pack rafting, or similar activities to justify the additional expense of some of these models? If yes, then by all means, go for it. Conversely, if you’re looking to replace your backpacking tent with something that has more capabilities, then again, yes. The extra expense of the Tiger Wall Bikepack and Copper Spur HV UL3 Bikepack is justifiable.
How many people will you bikepack with?
Even if bikepacking in a group, we suggest splitting a tent between no more than two people. If you’re bikepacking as a small family, we suggest the Copper Spur HV UL3 or even the four-person version, as we do if you relish being able to stretch out and share the tent with another person and a dog.
The Tiger Wall UL2 will sleep two comfortably but closely. It’s also light enough for one person to carry.
If it’s just you, the Lunar Solo has enough space, so you don’t feel claustrophobic or like you’re inside a casket as some people do when they’re in a bivy sack.
How closely are you counting grams?
If you’re an obsessive gram counter but still want the lightest two-person tent for bikepacking, it’s going to be the Nemo Hornet Elite.
Care and Maintenance Tips
With very few exceptions, like using a ruggedized stuff sack when stowing the tent externally on your bike, maintenance for bike pack tents is the same as maintenance for backpacking tents. For more on that, please refer to the section on “Getting the Most Life out of Your Backpacking Tent” from our guide to “The Best Backpacking Tents.”
Additionally, our Cleaning, Repair, and Maintenance section has useful tips for caring for a tent including How to Repair a Tent and How to Repair Zippers in Outdoor Equipment.
We want more options for Bikepacking tents
There are still just a handful of tents made for bikepacking; even fewer of those have been around for more than a year. As we stated initially, you can use a backpacking tent for bikepacking, but we’re looking forward to more companies introducing these purpose-made tents.
Additionally, we’d like to see some bikepacking traits, like shorter pole segments, cross over into backpacking tents. Shorter pole segments are better for bikepackers, because they can be strapped to handlebars. One reviewer noted that shorter pole segments are also good for backpackers because they can be stored horizontally inside or on top of a hiking backpack.
We know some companies, like Sea To Summit and MSR, are already planning on introducing new bikepacking tent models and look forward to seeing how this segment of the outdoor industry grows.
We should also note that some of the roundups we found for the best bikepacking tent or bicycle touring tent while researching this story were from Europe and included brands that aren’t readily available in North America.
Our two fully loaded bikepacking bikes with tents packed on the handlebars.
Bikepacking Accessories
Since most tents aren’t made specifically for bikepacking, if you end up getting a tent that doesn’t have a ruggedized stuff sack, you might want to look into buying a handlebar bag. We have some excellent choices for handlebar bags here: The Best Bike Handlebar Bags.
We’d also highly recommend bikepacking-specific bags such as a Bike Seat Bag and Saddle Bag and a Bike Frame Bag. Most bikepackers will utilize both kinds of bags to efficiently carry their camping gear without messing with the balance of their bike.
If you’re just getting into bikepacking and need a bike for touring or bikepacking, check out our recommendations for The Best Bikepacking Bikes.
To help you get started, check out our pieces on How to Get Started Bikepacking and our Bike Touring Packing List.
FAQ
Can I use a bikepacking tent for other outdoor activities, like backpacking or kayak camping?
Absolutely. They’re particularly great for kayak camping, where space is also limited, and the shorter tent pole segments are easier to fit in tighter spaces. Similarly, since they’re a modified version of a backpacking tent, they’re also good for backpacking. When backpacking, you can lighten the overall weight of the tent by not using the burlier, heavier stuff sack that comes with the bikepacking tents.
How challenging is the setup process for bikepacking tents, and are there any tips for easier assembly?
Bikepacking tents are basically the same as backpacking tents and are as easy to set up. We recommend clearing your tent site of anything that can poke through the tent, staking out the groundsheet (if you use one) and tent first, and then erecting tent poles. It’s also a great idea to practice putting it up at home or in a local park before taking it into the backcountry.
What’s the best way to pack and store a bikepacking tent during rides?
It depends on how you organize your gear, but unless you’re using a large backpack and want to carry it in that, we recommend using the stuff sack it comes with to attach it to your handlebars or seat post, since most bikepacking-specific tent stuff sacks come with daisy chains and straps to lash it to your bike. You can also store it in a larger handlebar or seat post bag if you have one.
Should I prioritize freestanding or non-freestanding bikepacking tents?
That’s up to your comfort level with a non-freestanding tent, like the Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo. They’re among the lightest you’ll find, but they are a little harder to set up than most freestanding or semi-freestanding tents.
If you’re looking for the easiest tents to set up, consider a freestanding tent. They’re also usually better at withstanding serious wind.
Are there any specific features I should look for in a bikepacking tent for different climates?
Just like backpacking tents, most bikepacking tents are intended as 3-season tents. The only interesting feature we saw on a bikepacking tent that might make it more suitable for wetter climates was the Landing Zone in the NEMO Dragonfly Bikepack tent. Essentially it’s a fabric gear tub that sits under the vestibule that could prevent your gear from getting wet in an overnight rainstorm.
What are the essential accessories to complement a bikepacking tent setup?
Most tents will come with stakes and guylines, and in any case you should always have them with you and guylines should be pre-attached to the tent and rainfly. We also recommend ground tarps to protect the floor of your tent. The bikepacking-specific tents we’ve seen often have daisy chains on them to attach sweaty gear to to dry out overnight.
Since we also recommend some tents like the Lunar Solo that don’t have daisy chains, it is nice to have some extra paracord and/or carabiners or clothespins to hang gear out to dry. Other accessories that are a must for bikepacking are extra ski straps or adjustable velcro straps to help tie everything down on the bike.
Author Chris Meehan riding his bike in Colorado.
Why You Should Trust Us
As an outdoors writer covering adventure and gear, I have written multiple pieces about bikepacking companies. I have also contributed multiple guides to Treeline Review, Backpacker, and other outdoor publications/organizations.
Growing up mountain biking, hiking, camping, and adventuring in the Appalachian Mountains around Virginia and Maryland in the 90s, I gained a yen for all sorts of activities and exploring the world in different ways. These days, I spend most of my time mountain biking, backpacking, hiking, climbing, and crisscrossing Colorado and the Rocky Mountain region. Bikepacking is a natural graduation of expanding those skills as I push further from traditional camping and biking adventures. I enjoy using all my knowledge of gear and skills to learn about new equipment and how it will benefit me-yes, I’m selfish-as well as Treeline’s readers.
I have authored multiple outdoor guidebooks. My most recent book includes bikepacking trips: "Colorado’s Best Front Range Adventures: The Greatest Hiking, Climbing, Paddling and More From Denver to Colorado Springs and Fort Collins.” In it, I cover the best hiking, biking, climbing, and rafting in the region.
I’m also the author of Falcon Guide’s “Climbing Colorado's Fourteeners: From the Easiest Hikes to the Most Challenging Climbs” and edited Justin Lichter’s excellent guide to thru-hiking titled “Trail Tested: A Thru-Hiker's Guide To Ultralight Hiking And Backpacking.” All of this experience has helped me become a first-rate gearhead and product tester.
Overall, I have 20-plus years of exploring, mountain biking, bikepacking, hiking, backpacking, climbing, guiding, and playing in the wild. I worked with National Geographic and their mapping division in developing their Colorado 14ers Map Pack Bundle. I’ve written about hiking and climbing for Elevation Outdoors, including stories about Colorado 14ers and outdoor apps to boost adventures.
I’ve written about countless outdoor companies, outdoor sports, and tested gear with publications including CompanyWeek, Outdoor USA Magazine (print), Elevation Outdoors, 5280, and more.
For this review, we tested multiple tents submitted for review as bikepacking tents, talked with other bikepackers, and spent a lot of time researching tents for bikepacking and other bike packers’ reviews of their favorite tents for two-tired adventures. Special thanks to Cedaero for supplying us with some new bikepacking bags for photos.
At Treeline Review, we strive to offer unbiased reviews to help you find the best product for the price. Treeline Review doesn’t accept sponsored content, native advertising, or paid reviews. I am not sponsored by any companies, nor are any of my family members sponsored by, employees of, or ambassadors of any of the companies in this review.
