Features (See links below and camping magiznes and books for others)

• Weight vs floor space and price tradeoff.
  A general backcountry guideline is that the tent's weight should not exceed three pounds per person.
• Ventelation - Lots of mesh makes a tent cooler in the warm NE and south, but will be colder in the higher elevations of the west. Some tents have panels that zip in over mesh for warmth in cold weather.
  Mountaineering tents employ hooded vents to release moisture in the winter.
• How low to the ground the rainfly reaches affects ventilation and rain-protection.
• Dual Doors
• Plastic windows in the rainfly to see out in a rain storm.
• Pocket inside for storing small items.
• Adjustable stake loops on the rainfly let you adjust if for ventilation and make it more sturdy in a heavy wind.
• Fly-only pitching using a fitted groundcloth (or footprint) with the poles and fly only.

Lightweight tents consist of a tarp, which may be supported by hiking poles or ropes beteween trees and a ground cloth under your sleeping bag.
We use to use ponchos as tarps in the Sierra Nevada where rain showers were usually short and infrequent.

Another option is to use the rain fly only from a double wall tent with a footprint, which doubles as protection for the bottom of the double wall tent. The footprint has gromets to hold the tent poles.
This option does not protect you from bugs or other critters and is not as weatherproof in blowing rain.

Bivy sacks fit right over your sleeping bag with little room to spare and are usually made with Gore-Tex to shed the rain but breath.

See Types of Tents at the AMC.

2 Person, 3-Season, Backpacking Tents

Model	Price	Brand	Packed Size	Weight		Area			Hgt	Drs	Main Poles	Len- gth
				Max	Min	Floor	Vest	Total
Median values for tents below	$210			5 lb.	4-8	32 sf	10 sf	43	3-6
5 pounds or less
Meridian 2	$200	Mtn Hdwr	18 x 5	4-13	4-3	27 sf	22 sf	49	3-5	2	1
Evolution 2P	$260	Big Sky	19 x 6	3-1	2-13	30 sf	9.5 sf	40	3-6	2	2
Clip Flashlight	$170	Sierra Dsgns	19 x 5	4-6	3-11	32 sf	6 sf	38	3-7	1	2	84
Lightning	$250	Sierra Dsgns	25 x 7	4-2	2-7	31 sf	9 sf	40	3-4	1	2	84
Hyperlight	$270	Sierra Dsgns		5-1	3-4	37 sf	8.4 sf	45	3-4	1	2	115
Missing Link *	$229	MSR	11 x 7	3-7	3 lb.	37	14	51	3-6	1	2
Tadpole 23 Tent, '06	$229	North Face	22 x 6	4-14	4-4	35 sf	7 sf	42	3-4	1	3	87
Vector 22	$239	North Face	24 x 8	4-14	4-6	34 sf	10 sf	44	3-6	1	2
Quarter Dome	$209	REI	7 x 20	4-4	3-11	28	7 + 7	42	3-4	2		85
Hubba Hubba Tent	$289	MSR	20 x 5.5	5 lb.	4-2	29 sf	9.5 sf	38	3-4	2	3	84
Star 2	$200	EMS	17 x 7	4-11	4-6	33 sf	7+7	47	3-6	2	2
More than 5 pounds
Meteor Light	$230	Sierra Dsgns	24 x 6	7-5	6-10	40 sf	16 sf	46	3-7	2	3
Tristar Tent	$179	EMS	26 x 9	7-12	6-12	39 sf	5.2+5.2	50	4 ft.	2	3
North Star	$159	EMS	23 x 8	6-12	5-12	35 sf	11+11	57	3-6	2	2
Half Dome	$169	REI	23 x 7	5-11	5-1	34 sf	9.4x9.4	53	3-5	2	2	90
Aeolos	$325	Marmot	20 x 7	5-12	5-5	35 sf	19	54	3-4	2	4
Reverse Combi	$250	Sierra Dsgns		6-13		31.5	11 + 11	52	3-4	2	2
Hammerhead 2 Tent	$245	Mtn Hdwr	17 x 6	7-12	6-9	36 sf	7.5+7.5	51	3-9	2	3	98
Moonshine	279	EMS	19.5 x 8	6-8	5-6	31.75 sf	11.25	43	3-6	1	3
Tetragon 5	$60	Eureka	25 x 4	6-2	5-3	35	none			1	2
Yellowstone	$90	Kelty	27 x 8	6-1	5-7	37	none			1
Heron 23 Tent	$289	North Face	22 x 7	5-5	4-13	28 sf	7.4 sf	35	3-10	1	3

Packed Size is height x diameter in inches.
Max Weight sometimes means package weight (shipping wt. )
Some manufacturers also list a "Fastbpack" weight for fly, poles and groundcloth only. Weight is pounds - ounces
sf - square feet
Hgt - Headroom (peak height) in feet - inches
* MSR Missing Link is a lean-to single wall structure with open door and awning in front. Uses trekking poles.

1-person 3-season backpacking  

Model	Price	Brand	Packed Size	Weight		Area			Hgt	Main Poles
				Max	Min	Floor	Vest	Total
Median	$220			3-7	2-14	18 sf	7 sf	24	3-2
				< 2 lbs 13 oz
Beta Light	$160	Black Diamond	4 x 6	1-8	1-6	35			3-8	0
	Uses trekking poles or other poles not included w/ tent.
Skypoint 1	$220	Mtn Hdwr	20 x 5.5	3-5	2-12	25	5	30	3-2	1
Waypoint 1	$195	Mtn Hdwr			2-2	20	n/a		3-4	2
	Single wall tent. Condensation is a problem in humid condiitions.
Light Year	$140	Sierra Dsgns	19x5	3-4	2-11	20	3	23	3-2	2
Solo 12	$190	North Face	23 x 5	2-8	2-2	18		18	3-4
Sarvis 1 SL	$280	Big Agnes	15 x 6	2-15	2-4	15	4.5	20	3-2	2
				> 2-13
Moon Shadow	$259	EMS	20 x 5.8	3-7	2-15	26	10	36	2-10	2
Sololite	$130	REI	19 x 6.5	4-4	3-8	21	7.7	29	3	2
Baku	$230	Sierra Dsgns	21x5	3-7	3	17	7	24	3-2	2
Hubba Solo/ Fast & Light	$230	MSR	20 x 6	3-7	3	17	9.5	27	3-4
Meridian 1	$170	Mtn Hdwr		3-14	3-4	16.5	7	24	3-6	2
Zoid 1	$190	MSR		3-6	2-14	16	7	23.5	2-10

2-person 4-season
Tne North Face Mountain-25 $400
MSR Fury $400
MSR All Season $350
Bibler Tempest Tent $500
Kelty Orb 2 Tent $375
Mountain Hardwear Trango 2 $450
REI Mountain 2 $250
The North Face Mountain 25 $400
3-person expedition
The North Face VE-25 $500