
Best 3 Person Tent for Backpacking Reviews
Reviews of the Best 3 Person Tents for Backpacking
We’ve all heard it: “Three’s a crowd.”
Clearly, people saying this have never had a ménage à trois. Or maybe they have and it didn’t go well.
Anyway, for whatever reason you’re in search of an ultralight, best 3 person tent for backpacking, you came to the right place.
Each review is based on:
- Durability
- Ease of use
- Season rating
- Comfort Level
- Detailed specs
- Cheapest Prices
Let’s get started!
The Best 3 Person Tent for Backpacking:
What Sets an Ultralight Tent Apart?
1.When you’re backpacking, the best type of tent to use is an ultralight tent. The best 3 person tents for backpacking are compact. Also, they should be less than 5 lbs yet durable enough to last for years.
2. Usually, the lightest 3 person tents aren’t as stable as the heavier ones.
3. Condensation is common in ultralight tents. The key to preventing condensation is to make sure you have as much ventilation as possible. Leave your rainfly open at night, and you’ll find a lot less dampness in the morning.
The Three Best 3 Person Tents for Backpacking
Big Agnes Fly Creek Ultralight 3 Person Tent
The Lightest 3 Person Tent for Backpacking
Weight | Measurements | Basics | Material |
Packed Weight: 3 lbs 8 ounces | Floor Dimensions: 90 x 66 (foot width) 60 inches | Form Factor: Freestanding | Canopy Fabric: Ripstop nylon/polyester mesh |
Minimum Trail Weight: 3 lbs | Peak Height: 42 inches | Doors: 1 | Tent Floor: Coated Ripstop Nylon |
Rainfly + Footprint Weight: 2lbs 5oz | Square Footage: 39 square feet | Season Rating: 3 | Rainfly: Coated Ripstop Nylon |
Pole: 9.6 millimeters | Vestibule Square Footage: 12.5 square feet | Available Color: Gold/Grey | Pole Type/Material: Aluminum DAC Featherlite NSL* |
Overview
The Big Agnes Fly Light Ultralight 3 is an excellent tent for backpacking. In addition to having an incredibly low trail weight, it provides excellent storage and organization options. It’s also easy to set up, and it accommodates people over 6 feet tall. The biggest downside is that the ultra thin walls don’t do well with mid- to heavy winds.
Price-O-Meter: $$$$
(Price scale is 1-5, with 5 being the most expensive)
Included Set Up
It all depends on the vendor. If you buy directly from REI, only the stuff sacks and 11 superlight stakes are included.
However, you can usually get better deals if you look around the web for them. In this case, everything but the footprint comes with the tent. Talk about a bargain!
You can either buy the exact footprint for the Fly Light Ultralight Best 3 Person Tent, or you can save money by using a footprint you already have. Another option is to poke around the web for a cheaper rainfly that’s just as good. Just make sure it’s compatible with the tent’s dimensions.
Why We Love It
Easy organization: There’s plenty of storage space both outside and inside this 3 person ultralight tent. In the first place, the vestibule allows for covered storage space. The second awesome characteristic is that the tent has 7 interior pockets.
Stability: Due to its expert design and several guy points, it the Big Agnes Fly Light Ultralight 3 person tent can handle mild rain and winds. However, it *is* one of the lightest ultralight tents and therefore has ultra-thin wall. Naturally, heavy winds will take a toll on the shape.
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Comfort: Next, there’s the comfort factor. Unsurprisingly, this ultralight beauty is comfy due to plenty of room. Since the peak height is 42 inches (3.5 feet), most people can comfortably sit upright.
Another aspect is its length. Attention, tall campers! The sleeping length is 90″ (7.5 feet). With this length, there’s extra room at the end to store some of your belongings.
However, the walls lean inward which can make it a little crowded for 3 people. It’s best as a 2 person tent for backpacking.
Ease of Use: In the same way it’s comfy, the Fly Light Ultralight best 3 person tent is relatively easy to set up. It’s no instant tent, of course. But considering that it’s a backpacking tent, it isn’t hard to set up. DAC Twist Clips snap onto the poles quick as can be.
Reflective guyouts and webbings on the corners help keep you from stumbling into the tent after one beer too many…
Special Considerations
Although this is one of the best 3 person tents for backpacking, it isn’t good for rough weather or car camping. It’s very, very thin. That compromises durability and the ability to withstand heavy wind and rain. Steer clear of the Fly Creek if you know you’ll be in very windy or stormy conditions on a regular basis.
Best Uses
Above all, the Fly Light Ultralight best 3 person tent is ideal for backpacking. We can’t emphasize enough how lightweight it is. In fact, it’s lighter than a lot of 1 and 2 person tents. So for long treks, this could be a life saver.
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Reviews of the Best 3 Person Tents:
Big Agnes Copper Spur Ultralight 3 Person Tent
The Most User-Friendly Ultralight 3 Person Tent
Weight | Measurements | Basics | Materials |
Packed Weight: 4 lbs | Floor Dimensions: 90 x 70/62 inches | Form Factor: Freestanding | Canopy Fabric: Ripstop nylon/polyester mesh |
Minimum Trail Weight: 3 lbs 7 oz | Peak Height: 43″ | Doors: 2 | Tent Floor: polyurethane-coated ripstop nylon |
Rainfly + Footprint Weight: 2 lbs 12 oz | Square Footage: 41 square feet | Season Rating: 3-4 | Rainfly: polyurethane-coated ripstop nylon |
Number of stakes: 8 | Vestibule Square Footage: 9 + 9 square feet | Available Color: Orange/Grey | Pole Material: DAC Featherlite aluminum |
Overview
The next ultralight, best 3 person tent up for review is another Big Agnes tent, and it’s just as impressive as the Fly Creek. The Big Agnes Brand is one of the best tent brands; you can count on quality tents and great customer service.
In a nut shell, the Big Agnes Copper Spur 3P has plenty of advantages over the Fly Creek. It’s more spacious, has more features, and is much sturdier. However, it is heavier and takes up more space in a backpack.
Price-O-Meter: $$$$
Included Set Up
When you buy this particular Big Agnes Copper Spur Ultralight 3 person tent, set up includes the poles, stuff sack with sewn-in instructions, 8 stakes, and lightweight tent clips.

Why We Love It
Doors & Vestibules: There are two doors with vestibules. This adds extra storage with twice the vestibule space.
Organization: There are an incredible 8 interior mesh pockets on the inside of the tent. This means that each person has two pockets to organize/separate their personal belongings.
Stability: Unlike the Big Agnes Fly Light Ultralight 3 person tent, the Copper Spur is sturdy for its weight. This is a huge contributor to why it’s heavier, of course. But it stands up much better under windy and rainy conditions.
Comfort:
Two vestibules mean twice the storage. Since they have room, you’ll have less gear crammed in the tent with you.
Also, rather than having one door to crawl in and out of, there are two! That means more personal space, ultimately. The chances of waiting for a tent-mate to get in and out are slim to none.
The longer your backpacking trip is, the more thankful you’ll be for dual exits/entrances! You’re already shacking up with two other people *and* spending most of your time during the day with them. Even of you love ’em, you know… it’s annoying to crawl over people every time you have to get up.
Tall campers will be a little more comfortable in the Copper Spur Ultralight 3 person tent, due to the higher arched walls.
Special Considerations
At 4 lbs, this isn’t on the lightest side for being an ultralight tent.
Also, one common complaint is condensation build-up. It tends to collect on the walls and dribble down the tent walls. Condensation is normal in ultralight tents, so that isn’t a deal breaker.
The key to preventing condensation is to make sure you have as much ventilation as possible. Leave your rainfly open at night, and you’ll find a lot less dampness in the morning.
Even though the tent comes with 8 stakes, we recommend buying more. The more you have, the better you can secure it in dicey weather conditions.
The two vestibules are fantastic. Even so, they aren’t very big – just something to keep in mind when packing.
Best Uses
First and foremost, the Big Agnes Copper Spur Ultralight best 3 person tent is meant for backpacking. However, it’s better at weathering storms than the Fly Light. So if you backpack often but only car camp a handful of times a year, this one tent is probably fine. (For the price, you’ll be motivated to make that work!)
Best 3 Person Tents: A Review of the Sundome 3 vs the Copper Spur UL3 is a great article to read if you’re on the fence about getting a lightweight tent vs an ultralight tent. It also has great Copper Spur Ultralight 3 Person Tent accessory reviews.
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Nemo Dagger Ultralight 3 Person Tent
The Most Spacious & Sturdy Tent for Backpacking
Weight | Measurements | Basics | Materials |
Packed Weight: 4 lbs 4 oz | Floor Dimensions: 90 x 70 inches | Form Factor: Freestanding | Canopy Fabric: 20-denier nylon/mesh |
Minimum Trail Weight: 3 lbs 12 oz | Peak Height: 42 inches | Doors: 2 | Tent Floor: 30-denier nylon |
Packed Size: 19 x 6 inches | Square Footage: 43 square feet | Season Rating: 3 | Rainfly: 20-denier nylon |
Pole Diameter: 9/9.6 millimeters | Vestibule Square Footage: 23 square feet | Available Color: Birch Leaf Green | Pole Material: Aluminum |
Overview
Price-O-Meter: $$$
Included Set Up
What’s included with this lovely ultralight, best 3 person tent? The aluminum pole and tent stakes come with the tent. Purchase the Nemo Dagger 3P Footprint and Nemo Dagger 3P Gear Loft separately.
Why We Love It
Ease of Use: Set up is easy and should take you less than 10-15 minutes. On average, it does take just a little longer to snap the clips on and off the poles. There’s just something different about these clips.
Similarly to the Big Agnes Copper Spur Ultralight best 3 person tent, the Nemo Dagger 3 has two doors. What a relief! This will cut down on awkwardly crawling over your tent mates to get out of the tent.

Stability: It’s always a little tricky to find stability in an ultralight tent. On the one hand, it needs to be very thin in order to be super light. But on the other hand, you want to know it can stand up under wind, rain, and even snow.
The Nemo Dagger Ultralight best 3 person tent is a win-win. It isn’t the lightest ultralight tent. But the few extra ounces are worth it. Especially when you take into account that you can split it up between three backpacks.
Comfort:
As discussed in the Copper Spur review, two doors with vestibules nearly doubles the comfort level. There’s twice the exterior space, as well as more wiggle room inside.
Compared to the Big Agnes ultralight tents in this review, the Nemo Dagger Ultralight 3 person tent is probably the easiest to sit up in, all around. Comparatively, the peak height, square footage, and vestibule areas are all larger.
Congrats! You and your two backpacking tent pals will still like each other at the end of your trip, since you won’t feel like you’re stacked on top of each other. (Unless that’s what you wanted all along… knock yourself out! This is the best 3 person tent for it. )
Organization: First, there’s an overhead sleeve for a light of some kind. There are also a couple of mesh pockets for storing your electronics, a book or two, and other personal things like that.
Special Considerations
Unlike the Big Agnes tents, the Nemo Dagger Ultralight 3 person tent does not have reflective parts. So, if you’re camping in a crowded area, make sure to put up some light around your tent when you go to sleep.
Especially if you’re camping out at a music fest of some sort. It’s *highly* likely that a drunken camper will mistake your tent for their own… it happens more often than you think
Another aspect to be aware of is that there are less interior pockets. Once you see the 7 pockets in the Big Agnes Fly Creek Ultralight best 3 person tent, it’s hard to settle for any less. However, all the extra interior and vestibule space make up for that.
Check out the Nemo Dagger UL 3P Gear Loft, which adds even more room for stashing your gear.
Best Uses
As is the case for all ultralight tents, the Nemo Dagger Ultralight best 3 person tent is designed for backpacking. In contrast to many ultralight tents, though, it’s heavy and sturdy enough to use for car camping as well.
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Finding the Best 3 Person Tent for You
Each of these ultralight 3 person tents is high quality and great for backpacking.
Of course, the best 3 person tent for *you* depends on your needs. It’s pretty easy to make a choice when you know what your primary purpose of the tent will be. Combine purpose with your priorities and there’s your answer.
For example, if you value space over weight, the Nemo Dagger Ultralight 3 person tent is best for you. But if you know you’ll be going on backpacking treks that last for weeks, you’ll probably want the Big Agnes Fly Creek. Then there’s the Copper Spur, which is kind of the best of both worlds.
Although they’re pricey, consider your new ultralight 3 person tent an investment – it’ll make backpacking that much better.
Happy Trails!
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