Cold weather tents are rather different compared to the regular tents used for camping. This is because it has better insulation to withstand the extremely cold weather condition. Also known as the 4-season tent or a mountaineering, it has a sturdier construction to withstand the heavy snow and extreme cold temperature.
In addition to that, it provides better protection, extra insulation for warmth as well as has added guy lines to strengthen the structure of your tent and keep you warm and snug to brace the cold temperature.
There are various tents out there which vary in sizes, construction and additional features such as poles and doors and capacity. Therefore, you need to get the best product depending on your usage, whether for long-term or short-term camping or the number of people you plan to camp with.
Don’t forget your very own solar charger if you plan on winter camping for months.
All in all, you need to get the best cold weather tent well-suited to your needs as well as keep you warm and dry at all times, not forgetting with good ventilation and waterproofness so you have a pleasant time.
Check out our top rated camping cot review here.
Top 7 Rated Cold Weather Tents Comparison Table
| Name of Product | Weight | No of door | Occupancy | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Diamond Firstlight Tent | 3.31 lb | 1 | 2 | $$$ |
| Mountain Hardwear Trango Tent | 9.46 lb | 2 | 2 | $$$ |
| ALPS Mountaineering Tasmanian | 9.3 lb | 2 | 3 | $$$ |
| Black Diamond Eldorado Tent | 9.5 lb | 1 | 2 | $$$ |
| Artic Oven 12 Vestibule | 56 lb | 1 | 4-6 | $$$$ |
| Hilleberg Nallo GT Tent | 5.5 lb | 1 | 3 | $$$ |
| Bryce 2P Ultralight Tent | 4.4 lb | 1 | 2 | $$$ |
Ventilation
Good ventilation is an extremely important feature every cold weather tent should possess. Since the inner and outer atmosphere will most probably have a vast difference in temperature, having proper ventilation comes in handy to prevent any internal frosting or condensation buildup, especially during cold weather conditions.
To ensure this, most product comes with mesh zippered windows or panels so it is well-ventilated at all times. Each tent require a good balance between keeping the freezing air out as well as providing proper ventilation.
Size/Weight
Some materials are made from lighter fabric and smaller frame, hence contributing to its light weight rating. The size on the other hand wholly depends on the number of people you plan to camp with. If you are plan to go in a group, it is best to invest in a larger one for more convenience as well as extra space to keep your gear.
Some products are equipped with vestibules, which is basically another chamber interconnecting to your main area. The vestibule comes in handy as you can store your additional gears and belongings in them conveniently rather than bringing it with you in your main resting space. Hence, you can have your own private space to yourself to dwell in comfort.
Entrance
The number of entrances solely depends on your personal preference. In my opinion, having 2 entrances will be a lot more convenient than having only one. Let’s say there are 3 people in your tent. More entrances will just make a lot quicker and simpler for each of you to get in and out.
This factor will make a difference, depending on the size of your tent. With a larger tent, it won’t make much difference. Nevertheless, if your tent is small, everything will be cramped up. Imagine having to climb over your partner just to get a gear at the opposite end of the tent. However, as mentioned above, it solely depends on your preference.
Note: If you ever need a selfie stick to take some great group selfies, you can find more reviews here.
Black Diamond Firstlight Tent
Weighing 3.31 pounds, this product is rather lightweight therefore being portable. It can be folded into a compact shape to fit your backpack with ease, thus further contributing to its portability.
In terms of setting up, it is simple. You can even pitch the tent from the inside with maximum convenience, according to your preference. If you are unfamiliar however, you can watch tutorial videos online for extra guidance and assistance.
Moreover, it is equipped with 2 interior mesh pockets. The zippered mesh panels on the other hand are located at the rear and door side to provide your tent with proper ventilation. That being said, it breathes well enough to minimize, or even prevent any condensation and frost from building up at the interior of your tent during a cold night.
This product comes with double internal DAC featherlite poles. The poles are constructed from aluminium, hence ensuring that it is sturdy and tough to be able to withstand any strong impacts from heavy snow. With those poles, it can easily be fastened on, therefore getting into the proper shape.
It has occupancy to accommodate 2 people. The 2 person design comes with a single door entry as well as an optional vestibule. The vestibule can be used to store your additional gears, hence you don’t have to crowd them inside the main space. In other words, you’ll have plenty of additional space for yourself and your partner.
The Alpine 2 person design on the other hand is very space efficient to prevent any additional weight, however it is good enough to accommodate 2 people. Also, it is suitable to withstand 4 seasons as it is specially designed to work under cold weather conditions.
Apart from that, the tent is made out of nylon. It includes a nanoshield single-wall fabric that comes with 2000 mm floor as well as an optional ground cloth. It is best to use the ground cloth for more comfort when putting up the night.
Suitable for :
- Nanoshield single-wall fabric
- Optional vestibule
- 2 person design
- Single door entry
Mountain Hardwear Trango Tent
First things first, it features the top in the industry OAC feather light NSL poles. There are a total of 5 poles and they are constructed from aluminium. Its aluminium construction ensures that it is stable and strong at all times, especially to withstand any sort of impacts. The snow flaps on the other hand on the front vestibule successfully seals out spindrift, thus keeping the snow away from your tent.
In addition to that, it is equipped with a dual canopy as well as 2 mesh doors. The 2 mesh doors allow entry from two ways, hence coming in handy as you and your partner can conveniently move in and out of it, according to your preference. You can get out and remove stuffs from your tent with maximum ease, utilizing the double entry feature.
The direct connection point on the other hand secures the fly, frame and body at each guy out point. This ensures a solid connection between all 3 components so your tent can hold up well, in a stable manner.
Its large double dry entry vestibules comes with a brow pole. It provides a whole lot of extra room for your gear storage as well as ample of headroom, thus ensuring that there is plenty of additional room in the tent itself for both you and your partner.
This product is equipped with a watertight construction to prevent rain water for instance from seeping into it, thus keeping you warm and dry at all times. Also, this product includes a fully taped fly, welded corners, taped perimeter seam as well as a welded guy clip anchor to ensure that it is tough for any outdoor use.
Besides that, its tension arch stabilizes the tent well, hence you only need to utilize fewer poles. The stakes on the other hand are a little difficult to drive into the frozen earth so you should bring along a hammer to help drive it into the ground with maximum ease.
Not only that, it has SVX windows for a brighter interior and higher visibility. The windows comes with zippers, which provides good ventilation to prevent any condensation or internal frosting, during a cold night. That being said, it keeps you snug and warm to survive the weather.
Suitable for :
- Double mesh door and dual canopy
- Featherlight NSL poles
- Snow flaps feature
- Large dry entry vestibules
ALPS Mountaineering Tasmanian Backpacking Tent
Upon purchase, this product includes two vestibules with poles included, mesh storage pockets, weatherproof fly buckles, gear loft, guy rope and aluminium stakes so you are able to put it up or down according to your preference, with maximum ease. That being said, you are most likely to have a great camping experience.
In addition to that, the poles are constructed from 7000 Series aluminium metal. It also has weatherproof shock cords to absorb any strong impacts, hence contributing to the durability of your product. Not only that, it features the free standing pole system.
The easy assembly pole clips ensures that your tent is firmly put up in no time, as it quickly snaps over the tent poles, securing them to the ground. Also, it has sufficient guy lines for all major points of reinforcements, so your product is most likely to be pitched well and good to go.
Moreover, it is equipped with large rear and front vestibules that offer plenty of storage space. The vestibules comes in handy to store your personal belongings, any extra items or gear so your main space in the tent is reserved for yourself to relax. Also, it is able to accommodate 3 people in total.
The huge zippers on the door and vestibules on the other hand allows easy entry, in and out of your tent. It is equipped with 2 doors (more convenient) which has zippered mesh windows that comes in handy in providing excellent ventilation. This further prevents any formation of condensation inside.
Its fly, which has a polyester construction ensures the durability of this product as it resists UV damage from the Sun. It stays taut at all times, hence keeping your product stable and well-pitched, during the whole duration in which you plan to camp, provided you properly set it up.
The poly taffeta floor on the other hand has a 5000 mm coating to provide you with maximum comfort. That being said, the factory floor seams and sealed fly ensures the best weather protection, keeping you warm and snug in the cold weather conditions.
Suitable for :
- 3 person capacity
- 2 doors
- Free standing pole system
- Easy assembly
Black Diamond Eldorado Tent
The Eldorado tent features a classic mountaineering design that has extra room which comes in handy to accommodate tall climbers with larger build as well as to store extra gears, according to your convenience.
It is able to accommodate 2 people, in total. This product is almost similar to the I-tent product, in which it is a more spacious version compared to the I-tent. In other words, it has extra room in terms of length and width. That being said, it is 13 cm longer and 8 cm wider.
Equipped with a yellow finish, it features the ToddTex single-wall fabric. An optional ground cloth is available, which ensures your comfort when putting up the night inside. Also, it includes 2 internal aluminium poles to assist you in setting up the product with maximum ease. The aluminium poles are strong and tough to resist any strong impacts.
This product has a single door entry, which you can utilize to get in and out of it. Apart from that, it comes with an optional vestibule which comes in handy so you can store your additional gear and personal belongings conveniently.
The 2 zippered vents at the peak as well as the hooded vent on the bottom and over the door acts as a great ventilation system. It provides good breathability, thereby preventing any internal frosting or condensation from forming in your tent.
Weighing 9.5 pounds, it is rather lightweight hence, portable and perfect to fit your backpack once folded down into a compact size. Deemed solid, it is good enough to handle heavy snow and strong winds, without budging.
The setup on the other hand is a breeze. You just have to pull it over your head and insert the poles into the canvas while standing up. Also, you can also pitch it from the inside, for your convenience.
Suitable for :
- 2 person occupancy
- 2 aluminium poles
- Single door entry
- Optional vestibule and ground cloth
Artic Oven 12 with Vestibule
The canvas of the tent is made from the combination of nylon and polypropylene material. That being said, it is deemed as a true 4-season tent, as it is able to specialize and adapt in extreme cold and wet climate perfectly.
Apart from that, it provides around 152 square feet of livable space where you can relax and 46 square feet of vestibule space where you can store your additional gear and items, without overcrowding your main space. In other words, it has plenty of room to ensure maximum comfort.
This product is equipped with a really good ventilation system, thereby ensuring that the interior of your tent is breathable and free from any form of condensation or frosting, due to the difference in temperature inside and outside of it.
It comes with a unique feature, where you are able to use a heat source inside for extra warmth. In other words, you have an alternative of putting a stove inside that comes in handy especially to give your warmth under extreme cold conditions.
To fit the stove, this product comes with a stove jack measuring 4.5 inches. Hence, it is well-equipped to accommodate the stove. The extra vestibule space on the other hand adds additional room for you to store your gear and additional items.
Weighing 56 pounds, this product is very heavy and large in size. It is suitable to fit a group of people or if you plan to winter camp for months. In terms of occupancy, it is suitable to accommodate around 4 to 5 people for long term winter camping and 6 to 7 people during warmer months as you have no need of a stove.
Furthermore, the screen window at the front and back wall further provides proper ventilation. Not only that, it has an incredible strength to weight ratio. All in all, it is perfect and rather popular to be used for base camps, during a research trip or hunt for instance.
Suitable for :
- Option of putting stove
- Stove jack included
- Extra vestibule space
- Breathable and ventilated
Hilleberg Nallo GT Tent
This tent is ideal to accommodate 3 person, but it is comfortable for 2 person, if you plan to bring along many additional gears. Its unique tunnel construction provides excellent space to weight ratio, making it very spacious and totally ideal for mobile journeys.
The outer part is constructed from Kerlon 2000 fabric whereas the 9mm poles are sturdy enough to make it lightweight and stable. Not only that, the outer part can be extended to the ground for enhanced stability. The rear outer wall also provides good ventilation hence reducing any chances of condensation.
In addition to that, the mesh areas are backed with fabric panels, in which you are able to adjust according to your preference. Apart from that, the inner and outer part can be separated for simultaneous pitching. You can do so by simply moving the detachable pole holder from the outer to the inner tent.
This product requires 4 pegs for pitching, to ensure that it is stable at all times which comes in handy when in contact with strong winds or impacts. In terms of setup, it is rather simple to pack up and pitch, however it is best if you try to pitch it at least once at home, to get the hang of it.
Moreover, it is designed using strong floor fabrics and lightweight zippers to keep the weight at minimum of 5.5 pounds. Though lightweight, it keeps you dry, warm and comfortable during a heavy downpour for instance, as you are least likely to face any scenarios of it leaking.
Besides that, this tent has a single entrance in which you can utilize to get in and out. The single vestibule configuration on the other hand allows for easy entrance as well as extra storage space so you can store your additional gear.
Suitable for :
- Separable inner and outer tent
- Ideal for 3 person use
- Tunnel construction
- Single entrance tent
Bryce 2P Ultralight Tent
This product is ultra-lightweight as its design is newly updated, so that it is 7 ounce lighter than most products on the market. It has a floor area of 31.3 square feet, which is suitable to accommodate 2 people.
The floor on the other hand is fully rectangular, with dimensions of 85 inch (length) x 53 inch (width) x 36 inch (height). Also, it comes in 3 different stuff sacks, with each of them carrying the pole, whole kit as well as stake/guy lines.
It is not exactly a 4-season tent. It can withstand a little snow, however cannot be said the same for a heavy snowfall with strong winds, for instance. The setting up on the other hand is a breeze. It does not ship with instructions unfortunately, however an email link is provided after purchase on how to set it up with ease.
In terms of waterproofing, it is equipped with a 5000 mm silicon/PU coating paired with factory taped seams to prevent water from seeping into the interior of your tent. Therefore, it is guaranteed to keep you warm and dry at all times.
The 7000 series aluminium constructed poles and stakes are solid, hence able to withstand strong impacts either from heavy snow or strong winds, with ease. Not only that, it includes a 20D ripstop silnylon fly as well as a 40D polyester floor and footprint. Also, its fine mesh panels on the other hand ensures proper ventilation, so the tent’s interior is condensation-free.
Besides that, this product includes two-way inner and outer zippers, back vent with kickstand, 12 Y-stakes, mesh pockets, pole repair splint, taped seams and finally Dyneema guy lines so you are able to setup and utilize this product with maximum convenience.
Suitable for :
- Newly lighter design
- Fully rectangular floor
- Easy setup
- Aluminium poles and stakes
- 2 people occupancy
Conclusion
Having a cold weather tent is extremely essential if you are planning to camp in cold areas such as snow filled mountains. Compared to the conventional camping tents, it will provide you with more warmth and protection since it is well-insulated as well as strongly built to withstand any impacts.
Choosing the best one, solely depends on your preference such as the number of people planning to stay in it, the number of entrance you prefer or either presence of a vestibule for instance. Hence, I hope my review assists you in making the right choice.
If you plan to go fishing in the cold weather, it is great to get your own pair of ice fishing boots.