Slightly heavier than the Venus II Extreme Tent, Exped’s Venus II Tent is a weather-resistant, 4-season tent for damp backpacking and stormy climbing conditions. Color-coded sleeves, poles and zippers make this near-freestanding shelter easy to set up, even if your hiking companion is new to the novelty of pitching a tent. Dual doors and vestibules make it easy to sort out your gear and tweak equipment completely out of the rain, sleet or snow. The opposing openings also accentuate airflow to minimize condensation while keeping plenty of airspace between the fly and canopy. Exped’s Venus II Tent also has a gear loft that fits inside one vestibule so you can dry damp gear or hang travel towels out of the rain. If you need the weight savings of 100 grams and would like a silicone-coated rainfly for the soggiest situations, check out the Exped Venus II Extreme.

The winter mountaineering standard for over a decade, the Mountain Hardwear Trango 4 Tent is an extremely refined shelter for four people. Featuring Atlas Scandium XL poles combined with Mountain Hardwear’s fourpole design and including the patented tension shelf for added strength, the Trango 4 tent excels in the toughest conditions. Poled vestibule offers additional room front and rear. Guaranteed watertight construction. Superlight option pitch with fly and Pitch Light footprint to shave pounds. Footprint sold separately.

Great for camping on warm summer nights, Kelty’s Trail Dome 4 tent is one of the best values you can tote into the backcountry. This 55-square-foot design has ventilated panels on all sides and a mesh ceiling for exceptional airflow and comfortable cooling. The mesh panels can also be closed for privacy, but keep in mind that the Trail Dome 4 is a three-season tent–it doesn’t have the warmth of those pricey four-season climbing tents, but you do get the nice extras like internal storage pockets, gear loft loops and convenient guy-out points for extra support. One important consideration is the door design–the Trail Dome 4 Tent has one door, which might be a concern if you’re camping with kids who need quick access outside for midnight bathroom breaks. The single door configuration saves both weight and cost, which makes the Trail Dome 4 suitable for light family backpacking. The two DAC Pressfit poles are structurally rugged but slightly heavier than the ultra-refined tent poles that you usually find on higher priced tents. Above the door and back mesh window you’ll find attachments for shorter lightweight fiberglass brow poles that help keep rain from seeping inside the tent door whenever it’s open. If you’re looking for a four person tent and you still need to consider the costs of a camping stove, cooking kit and hiking boots, the Kelty Trail Dome 4 Tent is an affordable choice that doesn’t stick you with cheap components. If you’re looking for extra room in a dual door design, consider Kelty’s larger Trail Dome 6 Tent.

Venturing out into the unknown, you need a tent you can depend on. The designers at Mountain Hardwear understand this and created the Mountain Hardwear Trango 3.1 FourSeason Mountaineering Tent to answer this call. An extremely refined shelter, accommodating up to 3 people, the Trango 3.1 has fourpole design, the Mountain Hardwear patented tension shelf for added strength, and stands strong through the most demanding conditions thanks to Atlas Scandium XL poles. A front and rear vestibule create an additional front room and plenty of room for gear storage when on long expedition. With a watertight guarantee, you can sleep soundly knowing you and your sleeping bag will stay dry through the night. If your adventures call you to move light and fast, the Trango 3.1 also has a superlight pitch option, combining just the fly and Pitch Light Footprint sold separately to provide lightweight protection while shaving valuable pounds from your pack.

Work through a whistling ridgeline and stomp out a platform high above crystalline winter valleys. The Polaris is an ultra lightweight, single wall tent designed for mountaineering and winter conditions. A waterproof/breathable 3-layer PTFE-laminate fabric provides reliable shelter in white outs and downpours. DAC aluminum poles, in a freestanding three-pole design, will stand up to punishing winds and heavy blankets of snow. Flat pole sleeves and adjustable pole tension pockets keep the Polaris taut and aerodynamic in harsh conditions. Waterproof, silicone-coated nylon is used in the vents, pole sleeves, and vestibule to reduce weight and bulk. A fully featured tent that still weighs less than five pounds, the Polaris is suitable for any alpine challenge.