Winter and Snow Tents

What a winter tent is

A winter tent is made for cold, wind and snow: nights when a summer tent would be cold, flap all night, or let snow blow in underneath. The tents here say they are 4-season, have a snow skirt, are made for winter, or are hot tents that take a stove. Many are small and light for walkers; others are big cotton yurts, inflatable family tents and a roof tent that stay up all winter.

4-season tents, hot tents or cotton tents

• 4-season tents have stronger poles, a snow skirt and a fly that comes low to the ground. See 4-season tents.
• Tipi and pyramid hot tents are the biggest group here, with a fire-resistant stove jack for a wood stove. See hot tents with a stove jack.
• Cotton and polycotton tents are heavier, hold warmth and suffer less from condensation. See canvas and cotton tents.
• Winter fishing tents are closed-in cotton shelters to sit in. See ice fishing tents.

Snow skirt, stove jack and condensation

A snow skirt is a strip of fabric round the bottom of the flysheet. You weigh it down with snow or stones, and it stops wind and spindrift getting under the fly. On several tents here it rolls up for summer. A stove jack is a fire-resistant ring in the fabric for a stove pipe. A stove takes floor space: the Northgaze 2.0 sleeps two with a stove, three without. Cold nights also bring condensation, so open the vents even when it is freezing. The OneTigris CONIFER polycotton tent says it resists condensation, though it is rated only 400mm, so check the rating if you expect heavy rain.

What the waterproof rating means on a winter 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 winter tent left up for days. The groundsheet is often rated higher, because you kneel and lie on it. The Widesea winter tent here has a 3,000mm fly and a 5,000mm floor. Taped seams matter as much as the number. Shop by rating: to 2,000mm, to 3,000mm and 5,000mm and over.

Questions people ask about winter and snow tents

Is a stove safe in a tent?

Only in a hot tent made for one, with its own kind of stove through the stove jack and a carbon monoxide alarm. Never take a barbecue or a stove without a flue into a tent: carbon monoxide kills.

Do I need a winter tent for camping in a British winter?

For a campsite in mild, wet weather, a good 3-season tent and a warm sleeping bag will do. For snow, high ground or strong wind, choose a 4-season tent. See mountain tents.

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

• 4-season tents
• Hot tents with a stove jack
• Mountain tents
• Ice fishing tents
• Canvas and cotton tents
• Tent pegs
• Guide: Single, double and triple layer tents
• Guide: 3-season or 4-season: which tent for which weather