Hubba Tour 2

We also ditched the RTT in favor of ground tents. After traveling with a ground tent for a week, we realized it was more for us. We opted to stay with a smallish ground tent. We use a MSR Hubba Tour 3 back in like 2018 and it continues to serve us well. We also have the Tour 2 if we don't want the annex. Our rigs are generally smaller, two-door SUVs, so space was a premium for us. We can just throw the tent in the back. I also have to say, drying out a RTT was an issue for us as we don't have a garage and live in the Pacific Northwest, where it rarely dries out in the winter. A simple ground tent dries out much faster.

We started our tour in Iceland on October 15th and went through to China arriving mid June. We used an MSR Hubba Tour 2. It held up to the crazy wind in Iceland. We got lucky in that winter in Europe and Turkey wasn't particularly bad that year, but honestly this tent would have been fine in anything. Had it snowed a lot we just would have needed to shake the walls in the night to keep it from sagging. The vestibule is big enough to fit 2 bikes and gear inside. It's also nice to cook in during bad weather (know the dangers of doing this so you don't kill yourself). The hardest part about winter camping over long periods is the condensation build up on the tent walls. 4 season tents have less ventilation, so they get wetter, especially when the temperature is -5 to +5. 3 season tents have better ventilation, so it's not as bad... but it's still pretty wet. A 4 season tent in the tropics .... Ungh, I'd just never put the fly on.

MSR or Big Agnes for backpacking get my vote. Mountain Hardwear also make some nice backpacking tents. Nemo and Marmot would be the next ones I look at. I love my MSR and Hardwear tent. if you want to go ultralight, just stick with a two person and you’re gonna be really snug but totally doable if you’re with a partner. I’m 6 foot three and I have slept in a two person MSR tent with another 6 foot three person. Go with the three person if you want to compromise comfort while in the tent for added weight. Chances are you will be splitting the tent up into two separate packs to offset the total weight or you’ll carry it yourself and have the other person carry other stuff to equal out the weight. It may not seem like a huge deal, but when your backpacking every little bit counts.

I've got one in my pack right now. Keeps out most mosquitos and even some rain :P

The yellow bag ones tend to be delaminated at this point, unless they were very taken care of. Hydrolysis for these older models is very strong and eminates an awful smell as the TPU breaksdown. They are similar pole geometry to the newer models but made of different grades of materials. Newer ones are lighter, less tough, and have a bit less space inside. Older models may have come with Easton composite poles and not aluminum which while lighter and spring back better under adverse conditions, tend to break in unique ways where the aluminum "male" ends that help attach the poles separate and get pushed into the pole, making them difficult to use if/when that happens.

It's my favorite tent - easy to put up, spacious for two, and freestanding without pegs if necessary. The updated versions (maybe white and red?) are lighter but I read multiple reports of people getting splinters from the fiberglass poles if I recall correctly.

I use an MSR2 tent. It's not a popular one, but I absolutely love it. I backpack with my dog in all weather and it has been amazing. If you want cheap, I thru hiked with a Naturehike and loved it. I just went in a different direction with this one. I also have a 6 Moons design tarp tent and I use it during the summer only. Word of caution on trekking pole tents: if your trekking pole breaks (and I saw it happen) then you're screwed until you get new poles.