2-Man Tents

What a 2-man tent really fits

The number on a tent's label is the number of sleeping mats that fit side by side on the floor, with nothing else inside. So a 2-man tent sleeps two people close together, with bags and boots in the porch, the covered space between the inner tent and the flysheet. For one person it is roomy. If two adults want room to spread out, look at the 3-man tents.

Dome, tunnel, pop-up or backpacking: which 2-man tent

• Backpacking and trekking tents are the biggest group here: light and small when packed. See backpacking and trekking tents.
• Dome tents have poles crossing over the top. Most stand up before you peg them. See dome tents.
• Tunnel tents have hoops in a row. More room for their weight, but they need pegging out to stand. See tunnel tents.
• Pop-up tents spring open from their bag: good for festivals and the beach, awkward to carry far. See pop-up tents.
• Pyramid and tipi tents stand on one tall centre pole, so they are the tallest 2-man tents here, and some take a stove. See pyramid tents.

Weight and pack size if you are carrying it

The lightest two-person tents in this range weigh about a kilo, and many of the backpacking tents come in under 2kg. The heaviest weigh around 7kg: fine in a car, heavy on your back. A maker's "minimum weight" leaves out pegs, guy lines and bag.

What the waterproof rating means on a 2-man tent

The rating in millimetres, the hydrostatic head, is the height of a column of water the fabric holds back before it leaks, tested to BS EN ISO 811. About 1,000mm is the lowest rating usually called waterproof, most lightweight flysheets are 1,500mm to 3,000mm, and more is worth having for long wet trips or a 2-man tent left up for days. The groundsheet is often rated higher, because you kneel and lie on it. One ultralight 2-person tent here has a 6,000mm floor. Taped seams matter as much as the number. Shop by rating: to 2,000mm, to 3,000mm and 5,000mm and over.

Single or double layer

A double-layer tent has a breathable inner tent under a waterproof flysheet. The gap lets the moisture you breathe out escape, so less condensation drips on your sleeping bag, and the flysheet makes the porch. A single-layer tent is one waterproof skin: lighter and quicker to pitch, but damp inside on a cold, still night. Most 2-man tents here are double layer. See double layer and single layer tents.

Questions people ask about 2-man tents

Will two adults fit in a 2-man tent?

Yes, side by side, with bags in the porch. Two tall adults will be more comfortable in a 3-man tent.

Which 2-man tents are for winter?

A 4-season tent: stronger poles, and a snow skirt round the bottom of the flysheet to stop wind and snow blowing underneath. See 4-season tents, and hot tents with a stove jack for tents that take a stove. Never take a barbecue or a stove without a flue into a tent: carbon monoxide kills. With a hot tent, use its own kind of stove and a carbon monoxide alarm.

How long does delivery take?

Delivery is included in every price and tracked to your door. Each product page says when that tent usually arrives, so check it before ordering for a set date.

More to look at

• 1-man tents
• 3-man tents
• Backpacking and trekking tents
• Festival tents
• 4-season tents
• Groundsheets and footprints
• Guide: Tent sizes explained
• Guide: Backpacking and trekking tents