Best Winter Tents For Camping in Snow 2023

Last updated on December 15th, 2022

Winter camping is not for everyone. You will likely encounter freezing temperatures and chilling wind gusts that make your experience uncomfortable. However, camping tents have evolved a lot as now they have unique designs that can withstand harsh weather conditions and offer superior comfort. So if you are planning to go on a winter camping trip, read this article as we have created a list of the best winter tent for camping. That will keep you warm and dry throughout your adventure during the cold winter months. 

Best Winter Tents : Our Top Picks

MSR Access 3 Winter Tent

Mountain safety research was founded in 1969 to improve the safety of climbing equipment. At MSR, engineers and passionate outdoors people band together to create all kinds of dependable camping gear. The MSR Access 3 is the best yet and hard to compete with. The tent has two doors, 41 square feet of floor space, and a peak height of 47 inches inside. The vestibule area is 17.5 square feet so that you can store boots, packs, and equipment. 

Its Easton cyclone poles are made of aerospace composite material, and its limited mesh offers warmth on frigid nights and rainfly reduce condensation. This ultra-light tent incorporates a robust frame that can easily set up and withstand the weight of accumulated snow very well. 

When you want to hike in the winter backcountry without lugging around a heavy mountaineering tent, the MSR access 3 is simply the best choice. 

Specifications

The North Face Ve 25 Tent

Featuring easy pitch design and durable construction. The north face ve25 offers easy access and a fantastic view of the great outdoors. Its fly and canopy are constructed from lightweight nylon with a water-resistant coating that will keep you and your tent partner dry. On top of that, the fully taped cut-in nylon bucket floor is added for structural strength, while DAC poles and stakes deliver an unparalleled power to weight ratio. The combination of pull sleeves and clips maximizes strength and helps in easy pitching. 

Overall, the north face ve25 is ideal with a ton of headroom and interior space. There are also welded reinforcements at critical points on the fly, and it has eight interior pockets to show away from your camping gear. If that that all sounds like a good deal for a backpacking tent, that’s because it is.

Specifications

Black Diamond Eldorado Tent

The Black Diamond Eldorado is a unique tent that delivers remarkable performance to make your outdoor trip full of fun and comfort. Its canopy material utilizes a tart tech single-wall fabric which is challenging and durable enough to withstand every kind of weather. The internal aluminum poles allow easy setup and offer an excellent balance of strength and outstanding livability. 

This two-person tent has a single door entry and an optional vestibule for gear storage so that you can always have a spacious liveable environment. Besides, with a weight of around five pounds, it’s light and compact enough for most alpine climbing objectives and is reliable enough to keep you dry during snowstorms. Overall the Black Diamond Eldorado offers excellent performance within its price range and promises to fulfill all your shelter needs during winter camping. 

Specifications

 Mountain Hardwear Outpost 2 Tent

When you want to be in nature but don’t want to sacrifice proper sleep, the mountain hardwear outpost 2 is one of the top choices for minimalists who seek the best technical materials and design. This tent uses industry-leading DAC featherlight NSL poles, and the floor fabric is made of 30D nylon ripstop with a 4000mm water-resistant coating. Its D-shaped dual canopy mesh doors open and close quickly and allow maximum protection during storms along with maximum ventilation in fair weather. 

There are mesh vents at the roof for more ventilation while multiple guys out points and guylines keep the tent in place even during blizzards. Reflective accents are used for added visibility and internal pockets for the storage and organization of small items. Considering everything, the mountain hardwear outpost 2 provides all the comfort of a sei-freestanding setup which will earn your accolade for easy layout and lightweight design. 

Specification:

Hilleberg Jannu 2 Camping Tent

Experience hassle-free camping with Hilleberg Jannu 2, a reliable camping tent designed to withstand the test of time. This tent is a delightful cocktail of everything campers need with excellent stability to a lightweight frame, from durability to the amount of room it offers. It offers a single entrance and vestibule, allows easy access, and offers plenty of storage space while keeping the weight very low. 

It features a rugged yet lightweight DAC aluminum pole coupled with the Kerlon 1200 outer tent fabric, making for an extremely light and stable tent. Moreover, its dome construction provides a tremendous amount of room for two occupants and the gear, while the multiple pole crossing points provide outstanding snow-load handling capacity. 

In a nutshell, the Hilleberg Jannu 2 is a lightweight four-season tent for high-altitude trekking in the winter. 

Specifications

Nemo Kunai 2p Winter Tent

Whether you are out in nature losing yourself to the beauty of the sunset or waking up to breathtaking views on top of a mountain, be sure to bring a Nemo Kunai 2P tent. The ultra lightest tent on the list yet doesn’t compromise on durability. It has a tapered profile and incorporates dimension poly and sailcloth with an aggressive brow pole and a wind-blocking in a tent to keep it protected from high winds and blowing snow. 

The tub floor construction guarantees a dry tent no matter how wet the ground is, plus the large door vent, zippered mesh windows, and struts vent located on the zippered flap allow multi-direction air circulation. Its overhead light pockets use unique light-diffusing fabric to cast an even glow throughout the tent. At the same time, the gear pockets at each corner offer ample storage for personal items. If you want year-round versatility and outstanding built quality, then the Nemo Kunai 2p tent will be an excellent shelter for your winter camping season.

Specifications

ALPS Mountaineering Tasmanian 2 Tent

Get away from the city lights and enjoy a trip to the unknown with the ALPS Mountaineering Tasmanian 2, which will allow you to focus more on camping and worry less about other things. It has a 75D 185T polyester fly with a 1500mm coating that helps resist UV damage and stay taut. Plus, the factory sealed fly and floor seam provide the best weather protection. 

You will be able to quickly enter and get optimal ventilation from the two doors, both of which come with zippered mesh windows. All the vents can be closed for complete privacy. Also, this four-season tent comes with more storage pockets, a gear loft 7075 aluminum stakes for added convenience.  

Thanks to the freestanding pulse system with 7000 series aluminum poles and weatherproof shock code, easy assembly is assured. Overall, the ALPS Mountaineering Tasnmenium 2 is a good choice for hikers looking for excellent ventilation, easy setup, and reliable durability when camping in the cold.

Specifications

Big Agnes Mountaineering 2 Winter Tent

Designed with versatility and convenience in mind, the Big Agnes Battle Mountain 2 tent comes packed with features that will ensure you a great winter camping experience. This two-person four-season tent offers foot protection in the harshest backcountry and high alpine conditions. The tent body combines breathable nylon ripstop and polyester mesh. At the same time, the fly is made out of Dominico undyed polyester ripstop with a 1200mm waterproof polyurethane coating that provides incredible tear strength and UV resistance. 

The floor is also nylon Tafetta with a 10000mm waterproof polyurethane coating. It has two fly vents for increased airflow and reduced condensation, and the oversized 3D bin pockets provide ample storage without encroaching on your liveable space. The velcro tabs connect the fly to the pole structure providing perfect pitch and stability, thus making it a superb lightweight mountaineering tent. So if you want to experience the four-season camp experience, then going with the Big Agnes Battle Mountaineering 2 tent will be the right choice. 

Specifications

GEERTOP Toproad 2 Tent

Make winter camping as comfortable as possible with the Greetop Toproad 2. A four-season tent that can incorporate a freestanding structure and has an effortless pitching system. The tent flysheet with snow skirt is rugged 210T anti-tier checkered polyester. 

It has taped seams that have up to Pu 3000mm water resistance. 

This tent has two dual doors and offers excellent ventilation thanks to mesh tops and screen doors closed for privacy when sleeping or changing. It weighs around 6.8 pounds and is loud enough for short backpacking trips plus, its freestanding design is sturdy and allows for hassle-free pitching. In summary, this Geertop toproad two tent can be the ultimate shelter when the tent size, weight, and features are your primary consideration. 

Specifications

REI Co-op Arete ASL 2 Tent

Tough enough to handle the harsh winter months, the REI Co-op Arete ASL 2 is a reliable tent that will provide you with comfortable shelter when you are out camping. Its 40 denier nylon rainfly is lightweight yet strong, and the no-wick welded construction ensures that moisture won’t sneak through susceptible areas. This two-person tent has a four-pole design that increases structural stability for dependable all-season use and increases both internal living and storage space. 

This tent has multiple storage options which you can use to store your items. A large door makes it easier to get in and out, while a wide vestibule provides stealth storage space for your gear. Its adjustable vents create cross-flow ventilation that releases condensation, and zippered panels cover the mesh and vents. It has corner pockets, roof pockets, and a lamp loop to hand the lamp at night. With a long list of cool features, the REI Co-op Arete ASL 2 person tent is definitely worth your consideration. 

Specifications

What to Consider when Buying a Winter Tent (Buying Guide)

Camping in the winter season during the coldest month of December and January is a different experience than camping in the rest of the three seasons. You have to go one step ahead in preparation for camping gear and equipment for winter camping. You have to research more about winter shelters to get the best winter tent that will keep you warm and safe in low temperatures and snow.

This guide lists a few critical points when you purchase a winter tent. 

What is a winter tent, and how is it different from another tent?

Winter Tent (Four Season Tent)

A winter tent, also called a four-season tent, is a specially designed tent for winter camping purposes. There are designed to protect you more from cold winter breeze and snow due to their thin high-quality fabric. This tent has the following features:

Livability 

As the tent is your home in a home away, it must be liveable so that you can stay warm and comfortable when residing in it. Camping during fierce winter can be challenging, and you need a dependable and liveable shelter for your safety. Let look at which features make a tent liveable:

Vestibule

Your winter camping tent must come with a vestibule to store your gear, equipment, language, and shoes there. You don’t want to take these things along with you in the central area of your tent to make it dirty and make the space cramped. 

Ventilation

You may be surprised by why you need ventilation when camping in winter. Well, you need some ventilation inside your tent to overcome condensation due to warmth developed through the tent fabric and by your warm cloth. A double-wall winter tent provides greater ventilation through the fabric inner to avoid condensation issues. 

Storage

All the winter tents come with multiple storage pockets on the sides of the fabric to store your gloves, cap, and other stuff. These tents also have a lamp loop to hock a pattern at the top at night so that you can get out of the tent without any inconvenience.

Double Entrance

The winter tent is usually a two-person tent, so they come with only a single door. This feature can be of importance for you and is of personal preference, more or less. If you want comfort when sharing camp with your partner and don’t want to get disturbed by the movement of someone.

Weather Resistance

Your winter tent must be capable of doing what it is designed for. That is, it must withstand blistering wind and snow. The tent fabric plays a vital role in weather resistance. Mostly the winter tent is made up of Polyester material as it is a very tough material and can withstand harsh weather conditions. 

Tent Construction

Winter tent comes in different construction designs and types. In a cabin-style tent, the roof is flat due to snow staying at the top, creating freezing temperatures inside the tent. A tent with dome style structure did not allow the snow to remain at the top of the tent and prevent the tent from getting cold.

Also, four-season tents come in single wall and double wall designs. A single-wall tent uses only one layer of fabric on the canopy, which is waterproof and breathable to make it lightweight ideal for backpacking. 

A double-wall tent used two layers of fabric. The inner layer is a non-waterproof and breathable material, whereas the outer layer is rigid waterproof non-breathable material. The double-wall tent is heavier than the single wall and is used in harsh weather conditions.

Weight of the Tent

As we have already mentioned, winter tents are usually heavier than three regular three-season tents. In addition, the weight of items you are carrying becomes more than normal days camping as you will be having warm clothes, sleeping bags, pads, heater, and all these different languages adds weight to your backpack. If you have to reduce the amount of weight on your back, either you have to choose a lightweight tent or reduce the add-on you are carrying. Choosing a light tent means you may compromise liveability and space in your priority list. 

Cost of the Tent

Winter tents are more expensive than three-season tents because of the material they are built with. Spending more bucks on a winter tent will save you from the challenging and harsh weather and make your camping experience enjoyable. Additionally, a single-wall tent is less expensive than a double-wall tent, so whether you want a single wall tent or a double-wall tent depends on the condition in which you will be setting up the tent.

Conclusion

Camping during winter needs robust strength and stability that can handle tons of snow, high winds and keep you dry and warm inside the tent. A four-season winter tent is what you need to have for ultimate protection from the snow and high breeze and the best winter camping experience. 

Many tent manufacturers in the market advertise their tent as four-season and often sell at a meager price. But in reality, they are crap and nothing more. So you must look for a tent that uses high-quality polyester material specially designed for winter season camping.

IF you are looking for a winter tent specially designed for the winter season, then Hilleberg JANNU 2 is perfect. This tent uses a premium quality Kerlon 1200, forty-inch height, dome structure multiple pole crossing style tent. So in this tent, you get comfort and warmth. This tent is lightweight with a pack weight of 3.2 kg.