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If you’re planning on embarking on a camping trip, a tent is surely something you’ll take with you. Measures need to be taken to ensure that you get the right one, but if you are anticipating a windy weather condition, extra measures should be taken to get the best tent for camping in high winds.
Why won’t a regular tent work for camping in high winds? Why do you need a tent optimized for high winds? It’s simple, high winds can be quite powerful, and if your tent is not built for such, it’ll collapse in no time.
Normally, camping in high wind weather conditions is not ideal as sometimes, such high winds precede much more dangerous weather conditions. Nevertheless, if you must, getting the best tents for windy conditions is ideal for your safety.
We’ve done the market research for you and identified the best tents for camping in high winds. Check them out below;
8 Best Tents for Windy Conditions
1. MSR Hubba Hubba NX 2-Person Tent
The MSR brand is renowned for producing camping equipment this 2-person tent is one of the best pop-up tents for high winds. It is a backpacking tent and lightweight, but thanks to the Easton Syclone poles it features, it stays put in fierce winds.
If there’s rain, the Xtreme waterproof coating will keep the tent dry, and there’s also a rainfly. As a simple tent, you’ll face no hassle setting it up as all you need is included, both stakes and guy lines.
This tent is recommended if you need a lightweight tent for high winds. It weighs just 0.16 ounces but will do the job.
- Lightweight
- Easton Syclone poles
- Xtreme waterproof coating
- Rainfly
- Easy to setup
- The footprint is sold separately
- Few pockets
2. Kelty Night Owl 4-Person Tent
First of all, the tent is spacious enough to contain up to 4 persons, and it is not difficult to set up. With a freestanding design, you can conveniently move this tent even after it has been pitched.
To protect against high winds, the tent features a two-hub bed and one ridged pole. Also, it comes with guy line pockets. For easy setup and quick portability, this Kelty tent is recommended.
- Easy to set up
- Two-hub bed and ridged pole
- Guyline pockets
- A bit heavy
- Rainfly is hard to setup.
3. Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL Tent
The Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL Tent features a DAC Featherlite NFL pole system with a DAC Angle SF Hub. By connecting the Velcro tabs to the pole structure, the tent can withstand high wind, and there are also reflective guy lines and webbing.
If you’re going on solo camping in high winds and need a 1-person tent, this Big Agnes Fly Creek tent is recommended. However, the 2-person and 3-person versions are also available on Amazon.
- Lightweight
- Waterproof coating
- Velcro tabs
- Easy to set up
- Not for a lot of persons
4. Teton Sports Mountain Ultra Tent
Teton Sports produced this product using a cross and ridge pole system to beat the wind. It also comes with a stainless steel stake and a waterproof rainfly. Notably, the floor material is relatively very heavy.
You’ll fancy the dome design if you’re a person of style. It might not be very light, but at 4 pounds weight, it’s not heavy either. The tent comes in variations that can contain 1-4 people. It’s ideal for a not-too many-person camp.
- Easy to set up and pack
- Cross and ride pole system
- Stainless steel stake
- Rainfly
- A little heavy
- Bottom bath not very high
5. Kelty Outback Tent
The tent has a huge door, so getting in and out is convenient for everyone. It also comes with a double stake-point vestibule to ensure that maximum space is obtained.
The wind can’t beat this tent, thanks to the attached guy lines it comes with. The guy lines are relatively easy to use and will keep the tent stable. Like the previous Kelty tent discussed, this also features a freestanding design, for easy portability after pitching.
- Freestanding
- Double stake-point vestibule and guylines
- Easy setup
- Rainfly
- A tad heavy
- Not ideal for very high-speed winds
6. Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow Deluxe 8-Person Tent
The Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow tent features two large doors in front and back. Each features YKK zippers so you won’t worry about wind getting in when you seal them shut.
This tent is further kept steady by its flex-bow frame. The frame makes it sturdy and concise; at the same time, it makes it easy to set up this tent. This product is recommended as the best canvas tent for high wind.
- Two large doors
- Flex-bow frame
- Easy to set up
- Sturdy canvas material
- Spacious
- A tad heavy
- Doesn’t dry easily if wet
7. Coleman Elite Montana 8-Person Tent
It is a relatively large tent, measuring up to 6 feet and 2 inches in height. A hinged door is featured, which makes entry and exit hassle-free. However, setting up can take a bit of time.
There are four poles featured to hold this Coleman Elite Montana tent in place when there’s a high wind. Color-coded pole sleeves are also included.
If there’ll be many persons in your camp, a tent such as this is what you should consider purchasing.
- Spacious
- Poles and sleeves
- Hinge door
- Heavy
- Not very easy to setup
8. Core 10 Person Straight Wall Cabin Tent
The tent was produced using water-resistant 68D polyester material and still comes with a rainfly. There are guy lines, steel poles, fiberglass tent poles, and 2-way plastic pole joints. You can trust these to keep the tent firm in high winds.
This is a second tent we would recommend if there’ll be many persons in your camp. With the room divider, everyone can enjoy a bit of “privacy.”
- Spacious
- Water-resistant
- Sturdy poles and guylines
- Room divider
- Heavy
- Zippers might get stuck if not careful.
Best Tents For Windy Conditions – Buying Guide
With this buying guide’s help, you’ll figure out which camping tents are the best for high wind situations. What are the things to consider?
Factors To Consider Before Buying a Tent for High Winds
Tent size
This is one of the basic things to consider when buying a tent, whether for high winds or any other situation. The tent’s size will determine the number of people it will contain, so deciding which size to go for shouldn’t be difficult.
If there’ll be up to 5 persons and above, it is ideal to go for a large tent such as the Coleman Elite Montana 8-Person Tent or the Core 10 Person Straight Wall Cabin Tent.
Otherwise, medium to small sizes like the Kelty Night Owl and the MSR Hubba Hubba will do. One other thing tent size relates to is weight. It’s typical that the bigger the tent, the heavier its weight, but that’s not in every situation. Nevertheless, providing space to carry your tent shouldn’t be a problem.
Doors
Here we are talking about entrance and exit. Again, this should be determined by the number of people that’ll be staying in each tent. If your tent has just a door, surely everyone will be able to get in and out but, it will be a thing on the inconvenience as everyone has to wait for the next person.
However, one door can be the best for windy situations to minimize pressure. The door should be able to seal tightly to prevent wind from going in, and it’s best if it is not too large. An ideal accessory here to also look for here is a flap.
Poles and Stakes
For your tent to withstand high wind situations, it should have as many poles and long stakes as possible. Carrying many poles and stakes might increase your load, but it’s worthwhile to stay safe. They help you keep the tent firm and stable; as such, it offers serious resistance.
You cannot go with any type of pole. There are three major options, including aluminum, fiberglass, and carbon fiber. Aluminum poles are not ideal to use, and while fiberglass poles can be reliable in some situations, carbon fiber is less ideal than aluminum.
The best way to go for high wind situations is to use a sleeve connection. For the stakes, y-shaped and v-shaped stakes are the best to go for.
Material
Your tent’s material tells how durable it will be and how long it will last for use. Ideally, the thicker the material, the more durable and long-lasting it is. Camping tents can be made using different materials, including nylon, canvas, polyester, and cotton.
While nylon and polyester materials can be affordable, there’re not very recommended during high winds. The best material option to consider is canvas or cotton, although they can be quite heavy. You can consider the Kodiak Canvas Flex-bow Deluxe tent.
However, when talking about material, it’s more than just the material of the outside tent. You also need to consider materials used in making other parts of the tent.
Tent Weight
As stated earlier, tent weight often relates to tent size but not in every situation. There are some light tents for high winds that are large enough to contain multiple persons. When it comes to camping in high wind conditions, you don’t have to deal with a heavyweight.
Most of the best tents for high winds are lightweight and yet made to be stable with double walls, multiple poles & stakes, and overall sturdy fabric material. If you’re very conscious about weight, the MSR Hubba Hubba backpacking tent is an ideal ultralight tent for high winds.
Wall Construction
Tents can have two wall construction types – single and double wall constructions. Single walls are one-layered and are relatively easier to set up. They, however, perform poorly when it comes to condensation and can be expensive.
Double-wall tents are the best to use when camping in high winds. These types of tents are two-layered with an inner canopy and a rainfly on the outside. Most high winds follow up with heavy rainfall, and the rainfly will help in keeping the water out.
Furthermore, double-wall tents are more affordable. You might find such tent types a tad difficult to set up.
Mesh areas
The primary function of mesh areas in a tent is to allow proper ventilation. For high wind camping, you won’t be needed a lot of mesh areas; instead, you need less. To protect yourself, you should lessen the quantity of air that goes into the tent, which means you’ll have to seal up the mesh areas most of the time.
Camping in High Winds – FAQs
Q: How do you camp in the wind?
A: It’s ideal to wait for the wind to die before camping, but if you must, go with one of the best tents for camping in high winds and camp in a spacious area.
Q: How do you prepare for high winds?
A: For high wind camping, you need to carry along all the essentials you’ll be needed and also some safety utilities. During windy situations, the weather is likely to be cold, so you should carry a tent heater.
Q: How do you stop wind when camping?
A: Technically, you cannot stop the wind. However, by properly pitching your tent, you’ll be less affected by the wind.
Q: Are you safe in a tent during a thunderstorm?
A: During a thunderstorm, a tent is the least safe place you should be. If you can, move to a more solid shelter.
Q: What wind speed can a tent withstand?
A: This depends on the type of tent. Some very sturdy tents can withstand up to 30 mph wind speed. Anything higher than that is unsafe.
How to Secure a Tent in High Winds
Securing a tent in high winds primarily has to do with where and how it was set up. Look for a pitch location that is less exposed to the wind by figuring out which direction the wind is coming from. Your main door should face the opposite direction so you can open it without letting in much wind.
Make use of pegs to increase the sturdiness of the tents’ guylines and place a few heavy items in the corners inside the tent. When it’s windy, make sure all the doors and mesh areas are sealed shut. Do not open them in any case if the wind speed is high.
Conclusion
Camping can be fun, but if the right measures are not taken, it could turn out to be a sad story. A high wind weather condition is not what should be taken lightly, and without the best tents for windy conditions, it’ll be better off if you stayed back at home.
Purchasing such tents doesn’t have to be difficult, so the best ones have been listed in this article. These are quality products from renowned brands, and you can count on their functionality.
