Wild camping, also known as free camping or stealth camping, refers to camping outside of designated camping sites, often in remote locations untouched by man.
It’s the ultimate experience for those craving solitude, adventure, and a deep connection with nature. As every seasoned wild camper knows, having a reliable, sturdy, and easy-to-carry tent is paramount. And that’s why we’re here: to guide you through the best tents for wild camping, ensuring you choose the perfect shelter for your wilderness backpacking adventures.
What are the Best Tents for Wild Camping?
Not all tents are created equal, and when it comes to wild camping, certain features can significantly enhance your camping experience. A good wild camping tent should be lightweight, durable, easy to set up, weather-resistant, and well-ventilated. It should also be compact when packed, yet spacious enough to accommodate you (and your camping partners, if any) comfortably.
Understanding Different Tent Types
There’s a wide variety of tents available, and knowing what each type offers can help you find the best tent to fit your wild camping needs.
Backpacking Tents – Backpacking tents are designed to be lightweight and easy to carry, making them perfect for wild camping. They’re usually small, with a low profile to withstand windy conditions.
Four-Season Tents – Four-season tents are built to withstand harsh weather conditions, including snow and strong winds. While they’re heavier than other types, their durability and weather resistance make them a good choice for wild camping in harsh climates.
Bivy Tents – Bivy (short for “bivouac”) tents are the smallest and lightest of all. They’re essentially a waterproof cover for your sleeping bag, offering minimal shelter. These are best suited for solo campers and extreme minimalists.
Selecting the appropriate shelter is paramount to the success of your outdoor adventure. Thus, consider the kind of wild camping you’ll be undertaking, anticipate the probable weather conditions you’ll encounter, and decide whether you’ll be journeying alone or as part of a group.
With that said here are my top picks for the best tents for wild camping…
Best Overall
Terra Nova Voyager
- 4 season tent for year-round wild camping trips
- Durable lightweight design
- Ample space for 2 people and gear
Editors’ Top Pick: Sierra Designs Meteor 3000
Most Spacious Wild Camping Tent: Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2
Best Bivvi Tent For Wild Camping: Snugpak Ionosphere Bivvi Tent
Best Four-Season Tent: MSR Access 2
Best Budget Tent for Wild Camping: Vango Banshee 200 Tent
Best Lightweight Wild Camping Tent: Wild Country Zephyros Compact 1
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Terra Nova Voyager
Best Overall
Weight: 2.05 kg
Packed Dimensions: 50cm x 15cm
Capacity: 2 Person Tent
Season: 4 season
Waterproofing: 5000mm HH
What I Like: Suitable for year-round wild camping, durable and lightweight, Terra Firma pegs included weighing just 13g
The Terra Nova Voyager stands as a beacon for outdoor enthusiasts, celebrated for over 25 years among backpackers and trekkers. Known for its adaptability to year-round camping, its reputation stems from an aerodynamic and semi-geodesic design, ensuring it endures various weather challenges.
Its semi-geodesic structure guarantees stability while offering ample space for two people and their gear, making it a top pick for lengthy excursions. The 2023 update brings a PFC-free breathable inner tent fabric, enhancing its eco-friendly quotient. Unlike many tents, the Voyager’s pitching is inner-first, providing superior stability in gusty conditions, aided by colour-coded tent poles.
A unique dual-door system offers varied ventilation options, with one being a full midge-proof mesh panel and the other a solid door. Ensuring complete protection, its Watershed nylon ripstop flysheet and Waterbloc nylon groundsheet are seamlessly sealed against external elements. Enhanced stability is ensured with Dyneema reflective guylines, three times stronger than regular ones. And for a sturdy base, it now includes Terra Firma Pegs.
In short, Terra Nova Voyager is more than just a tent; it’s a reliable outdoor companion, blending legacy features with modern updates, making it a top choice for diverse adventures.
Sierra Designs Meteor 3000
Editors Top Pick
Weight: 2.08 kg
Packed Dimensions: 46 cm x 17 cm
Capacity: 2 Person Tent
Season: 3 season
Waterproofing: 3000mm HH
What I Like: Quality tent at an affordable price, spacious for two occupants and plenty of gear too.
The Sierra Designs Meteor 3000 comes as a splendid revelation, marrying space, durability, and affordability without compromising on weight. Tailored for the discerning backpacker, this tent emerges as a go-to for those seeking space, without the encumbrance of added weight.
Got gear? The Meteor 3000 has you covered. Its expansive interiors, accented by steep wall angles, grant generous room at the head, peak, and foot. This is all thanks to an ingenious ridge pole design. Two expansive vestibules coupled with two doors ensure that the space inside is never a constraint, whether you’re stashing gear or stretching out.
However, it’s not just about space. When the heavens decide to open up, the tent’s bathtub-style floor and waterproof, PFC-free rain fly ensures you stay cosy, dry, and undisturbed. But on starry nights, roll back the cover for a celestial view that’s arguably better than any luxury suite. Packing up? Sierra Designs adds a twist – a Burrito Bag. Drop in the tent, pull the cords, and you’re trail-ready once more.
While the Meteor 3000 is slightly heavier than some of its two person tent counterparts, it compensates with durability and a design that stands tall in three-season UK weather conditions. The almost vertical walls add an ergonomic touch, making sitting up and lounging a delight. Pitching woes? The streamlined pole design promises a hassle-free setup and takedown.
In essence, the Meteor 3000 champions the cause of value for money. It’s more than just a shelter; it’s a testament to quality craftsmanship, innovative design, and affordability, making it a prized choice, especially for those venturing into camping or those who value their buck.
Read my full review of the Meteor 3000 2P here.
Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2
Most Spacious Wild Camping Tent
Weight: 1.42 kg
Packed Dimensions: 50 x 15 cm
Capacity: 2 Person Tent
Season: 3 season
Waterproofing: 1200mm HH
What I Like: Ultralightweight tent for wild camping, available in various sizes ranging from a one person tent all the way up to a five person tent, spacious design with modern features.
The Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2, a gem in the world of ultralight backpacking tents, embodies a harmonious blend of innovation, space, and weight-conscious design. With each iteration, it seems Big Agnes sets a higher benchmark, and the Copper Spur HV UL2 does just that, levelling up an already iconic shelter.
At the heart of this tent’s allure is its generous spatial design, defying the norms of what one expects from an ultralight setup. Inside, the tent delivers a sanctuary of space, ensuring your wild camping experience isn’t a cramped affair. The innovative 3D bin ‘mezzanine’ at the foot and the oversized ceiling pocket elevate the storage game, ensuring your gear finds a neat corner, without encroaching on your living or sleeping space. And for the tech-savvy camper, the media pockets, complete with cord routing, offer a nod to modern needs.
Venturing outside, the awning-style vestibules, enhanced with double-zippers, impress with their versatility. Whether seeking protection from a drizzle or needing shade from the midday sun, these adaptable vestibules have you covered. Speaking of coverage, the thoughtful inclusion of dual low-vent vestibule doors and a high fly vent tackle condensation, ensuring the inner climate remains comfortable.
Ease of use is evident in every corner of this tent, from the smooth-closing dual-zipper doors adorned with easy-grip pulls to the Quick Stash door-keeper which swiftly secures unzipped doors. And for those navigating the wilderness after sundown, the reflective guylines and webbing serve as a beacon, ensuring your abode is easily spotted.
Overall, the Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 isn’t just a tent; it’s a statement. A testament to what’s possible when the boundaries of design, functionality, and weight are pushed. Whether you’re a seasoned backpacker or just embarking on your ultralight journey, this lightweight tent, is sure to become a cherished companion.
Snugpak Ionosphere Bivvi Tent
Best Bivvi Tent For Wild Camping
Weight: 1.52 kg
Packed Dimensions: 48 x 14 cm
Capacity: 1 Person
Season: 4 season
Waterproofing: 5000mm HH
What I Like: Low profile design makes this wild camping tent ideal when stealth is required, lightweight bivvy is suitable for year-round use.
Snugpak, renowned for its 40-year legacy in the UK outdoor scene, introduces the Ionosphere Bivvi Tent. A testament to Snugpak’s commitment to delivering quality, this tent showcases the brand’s craftsmanship in constructing efficient shelters fit for all terrains and weather conditions.
Unveiling a sleek tunnel design, the Ionosphere stands apart with its unobtrusive low profile. Not just an aesthetic wonder, its form delivers exceptional waterproofing and stability, tailored to endure the capricious moods of all four seasons. The tent’s design thoughtfully incorporates a side entrance, supported by two DAC Featherlight NSL poles, ensuring that setting it up is as breezy as the adventures it’s made for.
For solo wanderers, the Ionosphere’s interiors offer solace and ample space to comfortably accommodate oneself alongside essential gear. In exigent circumstances, it can snugly fit two individuals. When the climate is benign and the only unwelcome guests are pesky insects, the tent’s No-See-Um mosquito mesh stands guard, ensuring a peaceful, uninterrupted slumber.
But beyond its design and function, what truly elevates the Ionosphere is its resilience. Crafted with a ripstop nylon fly and groundsheet, every seam is meticulously taped, fortified with a PU waterproof treatment that boasts a 5000mm hydrostatic head – a genuine bulwark against nature’s unpredictable tantrums.
Overall, the Ionosphere ensures you travel light without compromising on protection. Rounded off with Snugpak’s hallmark of reliable construction, this Bivvi Tent is not just a shelter but an investment, offering unmatched value to novices and seasoned outdoors enthusiasts alike.
MSR Access 2
Best Four-Season Tent
Weight: 1.86 kg
Packed Dimensions: 46 x 15 cm
Capacity: 2 Person
Season: 4 season
Waterproofing: 1200mm HH
What I Like: Lightweight, warm and strong make this the best wild camping tent perfect for winter adventures.
The MSR Access 2 tent is a winter adventurer’s dream. Designed for those who love snowy adventures, this tent is the perfect blend of lightness and warmth. Imagine the cosiness of a heavy-duty winter tent, but without the weight dragging you down during your treks.
One of the first things you’ll notice about the Access 2 is its smart design that limits the use of mesh. Why? To keep all the warmth inside on those super cold nights. So, even when it’s freezing outside, you’ll be snug inside. But don’t worry about it being too heavy. This tent is made to be light, so it’s easy to carry around during your snowy adventures.
Inside, there’s plenty of room to stretch out, take off layers, or just relax. And if you’re worried about snow piling up on top overnight, the strong central frame has got you covered. It’s built to prevent snow from weighing down the tent, ensuring you wake up as cosy as when you drifted off.
Now, let’s talk about setup. We all know that setting up a tent in the cold can be a hassle. But with the Access 2, it’s a breeze. The tent uses special Easton Syclone Poles that are tough against winter’s challenges. Plus, the tent’s design makes it quick and easy to pitch, even when your fingers are feeling numb.
A few more things to love about this tent include vents in the rainfly that help reduce any moisture buildup inside, a waterproof coating to keep things dry, two doors for easy coming and going, handy pockets inside for storage, and several points to secure it firmly in place.
In short, the MSR Access 2 tent is like a cosy winter cabin you can carry on your back making it one of the best wild camping tents for winter adventures, ensuring you stay warm, dry, and happy out in the snowy wilds.
Vango Banshee 200
Best Budget Tent for Wild Camping
Weight: 2.4 kg
Packed Dimensions: 47 x 18 cm
Capacity: 2 Person
Season: 3 season
Waterproofing: 3000mm HH
What I Like: Budget-friendly tent for wild camping, perfect for young adventurers tackling the Duke of Edinburgh award
The Vango Banshee 200 is a testament to durable design and rugged versatility. Recommended by the DofE kit, this two person tent is meticulously tailored for avid adventurers, making it ideal for trekking and wild camping in the great outdoors.
A standout feature of the Banshee 200 is its excellent space-to-weight ratio. Its tunnel tent design ensures that occupants have room to relax after a day’s adventure. This tent doesn’t just shine in calm weather; its TBS II Tension Band System is its knight in shining armour against erratic winds. By bracing the tent at three strategic points, this system ensures stability, reducing any chance of it getting blown over in gusty conditions.
Setting up camp can sometimes be a daunting task, but with the Banshee 200, you’re looking at a smooth 7-minute setup. Furthermore, dual flysheet doors offer easy access, which is a boon especially when the tent is shared. The innovative design allows for the door to be propped open with a walking pole, creating a perfect spot to relax and enjoy the view.
Internally, the tent is designed with comfort in mind. Its breathable polyester interior ensures that you’re always surrounded by fresh air, minimizing condensation build-up. The tent also offers reflective points for those dim-lit situations and handy inner pockets to keep your gear organized and within reach.
And if you’re questioning its durability, let me vouch for its resilience. My trusty Banshee 200 stood by me for over a decade before I retired it. And the cherry on top? This tent offers top-tier performance without burning a hole in your pocket. It’s truly a testament to quality paired with affordability.
Wild Country Zephyros Compact 1
Best Lightweight Wild Camping Tent
Weight: 1.61 kg
Packed Dimensions: 30 x 18 cm
Capacity: 1 Person
Season: 3 season
Waterproofing: 4000mm HH
What I Like: Quick and easy set up, sturdy tent with a low profile ideal for wild camping trips.
The Wild Country Zephyros Compact 1 tent is designed for the solo adventurer. This tent is not just lightweight; it’s also sturdy and dependable, making it perfect for those solo expeditions.
Receiving the Trail Magazine Best Value Award in June 2021, this tent has been lauded for its affordability, dependable weatherproofing, robust build, and well-tested design. Its recent update has given it a fresh look with a new hue, and the added adjusters at the pole ends simplify the pitching process.
One of the Zephyros Compact 1’s standout features is its efficiency in setup and pack down. The combined inner and flysheet design ensures a swift pitch, so you can spend less time setting up and more time soaking in the wild outdoors. When it’s time to move on, packing is equally hassle-free, courtesy of its oversized, tarp-style storage bag.
Ideal for 3-season adventures, the tent’s low-profile design is not only aesthetically appealing but is a practical approach against harsh winds. Whether you’re out for a weekend or on a more extended trek, this tent has got you covered.
Concerned about staying dry? With its sealed seams, the Zephyros Compact 1 offers you a watertight shelter. It’s also thoughtful about ventilation, minimizing condensation with strategic mesh panels in the door and tent’s end.
The tent comfortably accommodates individuals up to 6ft tall, ensuring a cosy night’s sleep after a long day’s trek. For those travelling in pairs, there’s also a Zephyros Compact 2 available.
Overall, the Zephyros Compact 1 embodies efficiency, durability, and comfort, all packed into a compact design perfect for the lone wanderer.
Is Wild Camping Legal in the UK?
Yes and no, the legality of wild camping in the UK varies depending on the location. In Scotland, wild camping is legal and widely accepted, thanks to the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. Campers are encouraged to follow a “leave no trace” policy and respect the environment.
However, in most parts of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, wild camping is technically illegal without the landowner’s permission. But, there is a longstanding tradition of “tolerated trespass,” especially in more remote areas like Dartmoor and the Lake District. In these places, wild camping might be allowed if you stay for only one or two nights, pitch late, leave early, and follow the “leave no trace” principles.
Always check local rules and regulations before setting out on your wild camping adventure.
Where are the Best Places to Go Wild Camping in the UK?
The UK offers a plethora of fantastic wild camping spots, thanks to its diverse landscapes, from majestic mountains to picturesque coastlines. Here are a few notable locations:
The Lake District, England: Known for its stunning lakes and rugged hills, wild camping is allowed in higher fell areas.
Dartmoor, England: One of the few places in England where wild camping is explicitly allowed. It offers an array of landscapes from woodland to open moorland.
Scottish Highlands, Scotland: Here, you’ll find plenty of remote areas for wild camping. Key spots include the Isle of Skye, Glencoe, and the Cairngorms.
Brecon Beacons, Wales: Though wild camping is technically not permitted, it’s often tolerated in the remote uplands, if you camp responsibly.
Snowdonia, Wales: Wild camping is generally tolerated in the higher areas, away from roads and buildings. The views from these spots are breathtaking.
The Mourne Mountains, Northern Ireland: A beautiful mountain range offering great wild camping spots, though you’ll need to seek the landowner’s permission.
Remember, wherever you decide to go, make sure to adhere to the “leave no trace” principles, respect the local rules and wildlife, and always seek permission where necessary.
Wild Camping Tents FAQ
What size tent for wild camping?
For wild camping, a smaller, compact tent is often preferred. Typically, a 1-2 person tent is ideal because it’s lightweight, easy to carry, and has a smaller footprint, making it less intrusive to the environment.
What is the number 1 rule of wild camping?
The number 1 rule of wild camping is “Leave No Trace.” This means that campers should not leave any rubbish or signs of their stay behind and should respect the environment, ensuring it remains undisturbed for others and for wildlife.
What is the best colour tent for wild camping?
For wild camping, earth-toned colours such as green, brown, or grey are recommended. These colours help the tent blend into the natural surroundings, minimizing visual impact and ensuring campers remain unobtrusive in the wild.
What do you sleep on in wild camping?
For wild camping, many prefer lightweight sleeping pads or inflatable mattresses. These provide insulation from the cold ground and offer a comfortable sleep. It’s essential to ensure whatever you choose is lightweight and compact for easy transport.
Are pop-up tents good for wild camping?
Pop-up tents can be convenient due to their easy setup, but they might not always be the best choice for wild camping trips. They can be bulkier to carry and might not offer the same level of weather resistance or durability as other tent types. However, for short trips in predictable conditions, they can be suitable.
Is a tent or tarp better for wild camping?
Both tents and tarps have their advantages for wild camping. Tents provide full protection from the elements and insects. Tarps, on the other hand, are lightweight and offer versatile setup options, but they may expose you more to the elements and bugs. The choice between a tent or tarp depends on personal preference, the specific conditions you expect to encounter, and the level of comfort and protection you desire.
About the Author
Steve Cleverdon is an adventure blogger dedicated to helping outdoor enthusiasts make the most of their outdoor experiences. With years of travel and many epic adventures including a 3000-kilometre solo hike across New Zealand, Steve has amassed practical knowledge on outdoor gear. You can learn more about his adventures here. Through expert reviews, recommendations, and guides, he equips his readers with the best gear for their next adventure. If you want to send Steve a quick message, visit his contact page here.
