How to choose your hiking/bivouac tent ?

Dreaming of travel and adventure in the great outdoors? You need a tent! Which hiking tent should you choose? 3-season? 4-season? What’s the best tent for your needs? Many questions come to mind—at Montaz.com, we explain everything!

What weight for a hiking tent?

For bivouacking, it is not recommended to bring a classic camping tent. Although more comfortable and offering more storage space, it is also much heavier, which can significantly slow you down and complicate your progress

• Lightweight, ultralight, or ultra-ultralight tents!

Opt instead for lightweight hiking tents. These are 2- or 3-season tents, easy to set up and pack away: perfect if you plan to bivouac! They generally weigh less than 3.2 kg, depending on the brand and tent features.

Ultralight tents are for the most minimalist hikers and can weigh less than one kilo. At this weight, don’t expect a very comfortable or highly durable tent in bad weather.

• Comfort trekking tents

These tents are ideal for occasional hikers or families: they are the so-called “comfort” tents.

Weighing between 2.6 kg and up to 7 kg, they offer considerable interior space, especially in height. If you’re looking for the best value for money without being too demanding about weight, this type of tent will meet your needs.

• Mountaineering tents

For the most adventurous among you, seeking to climb peaks or explore places with extreme conditions.

Mountaineering or expedition tents accompany and protect you in the toughest environments. They withstand strong winds, support snow loads, frost, and temperature fluctuations.

French brand Samaya’s tents are particularly well suited for mountaineering.

• Les tentes monoplaces

Single-person tents are obviously lighter and preferred for solo bivouacs.

If you carry gear as a group, multiplying the number of single tents can end up heavier overall. It’s usually better to opt for one tent with multiple places. That said, you need to decide who will carry the tent, or whether it’s better to sleep separately to avoid the downsides of group life!

Better to carry your own tent and enjoy a restful sleep than be disturbed all night by your bivouac buddy’s snoring!

• 2 season tents 

These are suitable for bivouacs from late spring to early autumn in mild weather conditions.

Perfect for spring & summer adventures!   

• 3 season tents 

Designed for mild temperatures: spring, summer & autumn.

They are ideal for trekking and bivouacking during those seasons and can handle tough mountain conditions like heavy rain, storms, and wind.

However, they are not suitable for harsh winter environments.

• 4 season tents 

Built for year-round use — in all altitudes, all climates, and all over the world.

They’re designed to withstand intensive use, violent winds, and snowstorms.

These are the types of shelters typically used to set up base camps in mountaineering expeditions.

A Freestanding or Non-Freestanding Tent?

When it comes to whether your tent is freestanding or not, you have two options: freestanding tents and non-freestanding tents.

• Freestanding Tents

These tents can stand on their own without the need for stakes or guy lines. However, you should still secure the tent with stakes and guy lines for safety, better wind resistance, and to ensure the structure is properly tensioned. You can easily move the tent without fully assembling or disassembling it. They require minimal ground surface.

They can be set up on difficult terrain: sand, rocky ground, or anywhere it's hard to drive in stakes.

Tente autoportante MSR Hubba Hubba NX

• Non-Freestanding Tents

EThese tents cannot stand on their own. They must be staked to the ground and supported with guy lines to hold their shape. At first glance, this might seem like a disadvantage, but in practice, setup is usually simple and quick — and can be very convenient in rainy weather.