Surviving in the wilderness without proper shelter can be pretty tricky. There’s tons of stuff out there that can ruin your night during your camping trip. You can easily overcome most of those challenges by using a simple tent. But, one problem that completely blows right past your tent (pun intended) is high winds.
You can buy the most luxurious and expensive tents in the market. Yet, they still might not be able to hold up against high winds. If you’re going to a spot that’s well known for the winds, you need to find a tent that can hold its own against the harsh weather conditions.
So, to make the process of finding one easy for you, we went ahead and dug out some of the best tents for high winds on the market. Before we talk about them, let’s get into a bit about what makes a tent resistant to high winds.
Buying Guide
1. Poles
Poles are the first thing you need to look at when searching for a tent that can withstand high wind. It’s no surprise that poles hold up your entire tent.
There are two things you have to consider. The first is the material of the poles. Optimally, you’re looking for a tent that has poles made of strong material. Usually, you have two options: aluminum and fiberglass. Aluminum is lightweight and easy to carry. It’s pretty strong, too, so it should hold up reasonably well against strong winds. The other option is fiberglass which is much more durable. However, fiberglass is a lot heavier. If you’re going to be carrying the tent during a hike, it’s going to be pretty difficult. If you’re driving to the location where you’ll set up camp, it’s much better to get a fiberglass pole instead.
The second is the number of poles your tent has. This also depends on the number of people your tent is supposed to support. If it’s a small two-person tent, you can have two poles crossed in an X. If the tent is a bit bigger, you might need four or more poles.
2. Weight
The heavier the tent, the better it is for durability. Heavier tents are made of more durable material, sometimes double or triple layered to make it that much better. Moreover, their poles are usually heavier fiberglass, and we already talked about how that can increase the strength of your tent. Also, do consider how far you’re going to be hauling the tent on your back.
If you aren’t going to stray too far from your car, then the weight shouldn’t be much of an issue. However, if you’re going to be backpacking, you should avoid biting off more than you can chew.
3. Height
Usually, height in camping tents is necessary for convenience. It’s not fun if you have to crouch around the tent to avoid hitting your head on the top. Usually, we’d be all for tent center height and wouldn’t recommend anything below the 6 feet mark. However, when it comes to wind-resistant tents, things are a bit different. You have to sacrifice a bit of height to get the optimal amount of wind resistance. The shorter the tent, the more wind resistance you’re going to have. Most of these tents that are good against winds sit at the height of about 4 feet, so you’re going to have to do a bit of crouching to use these tents if you want the right amount of air resistance.
4. Shape
The shape of a wind-resistant tent is entirely different from a regular camping tent you’ll find on the internet. Traditional tents have a cabin-shaped design that is more focused on convenience. On the other hand, wind-resistant tents have a dome shape with the aerodynamics needed to sustain heavy winds. They might not look too neat or be super comfortable, but they do the job the best.
5 Best Tents for High Winds
Now that you’re more familiar with what features you need to look for let’s jump right into the products.
1. ALPS Mountaineering 5422607 Taurus
The first product on our list is the ALPS Mountaineering 5422607. Visually, there’s nothing special about this tent. It looks like your average, run-of-the-mill tent that doesn’t stand out. But that’s the brilliance of this tent. Its sheer simplicity makes it the perfect product for wind resistance on your camping trip.
The first thing worth mentioning is the easy-to-set-up design. It has a simple build that only requires you to set up two fiberglass poles and mount the tent in no time at all. It has a dome-shaped design, which is excellent for wind resistance, as you know from the buying guide above. The center height is only 4.3 feet meaning you will have to crouch around, but as said earlier, this makes it ideal for wind resistance.
The fabric used to make this tent is a 75D 185T polyester with a 1500 mm coating to keep you dry in the rain. ALPS doesn’t cheap out on the flooring either. They added a similar poly taffeta flooring which takes the rain coating up a notch and sustains 2000mm of rain to keep you dry.
The Taurus is decent for airflow as well. There are two entrances to this small tent with a zippered window on each of those entry points.
All things considered, this is a pretty durable and affordable tent with a fantastic amount of wind resistance. The ALPS Taurus is an amazing product for your next camping trip.
Pros
- Easy to set up
- Lightweight design
- Strong carrying bag
- Good quality zippers
- Can withstand strong winds
Cons
- Slightly heavy
- Airflow is not strong when rain fly is on
2. NTK Arizona GT
NTK has been functioning as a reliable vendor of supplies since 1975. If there’s one thing they’ve learned from their time in the business, it’s how to create unique tents, and the Arizona GT is one of their best. The company advertises this tent as the sixth-best tent in the United States for families. We don’t exactly know who gave them the sixth place, but if there are folks ranking tents, the Arizona GT is up there as one of the best.
The Arizona GT is a lot bigger than the ALPS tent we mentioned previously. 9-10 people can comfortably fit inside the tent, and it’s an absolute 10/10 when it comes to durability. The fabric used is double layered 190T polyester that’s been further reinforced with a layer of polyurethane, making the tent resistant to 2500mm of rain. The best part about the build quality of the tent would be the fiberglass poles. NTK is the only company on this list that’s making its own fiberglass compound. They’re so confident in their poles that the company will provide you a replacement for free if you end up breaking one.
The weather resistance is quite strong with this tent. In terms of water resistance, the seams are welded shut, the vents are covered, and obviously, the 2500mm rating helps a lot. As far as wind resistance is concerned, the Arizona GT doesn’t give us much to complain about. It’s one of the more giant tents on this list but doesn’t compromise wind resistance.
Another reason why we like Arizona is the mosquito mesh. They put a polyester no-see mesh all over the tent to keep you safe from your number one enemy in the wilderness: insects. The ultra-thin material makes sure no mosquitos creep inside while you’re sleeping.
Pros
- Very spacious
- Comes with full-coverage rain fly
- Has anti-mosquito net
- Effective waterproofing
- Good ventilation
- Can be set up by one person easily
Cons
- Windows cannot be opened from inside
- Door design allows water in when opened in the rain
- Floor develops holes over time
- Difficult to pack in its carry bag after initial use
3. High Peak Outdoors Pacific Crest Tent
This tent from High Peak Outdoors Store is the most affordable tent on this list. It goes to show you don’t necessarily need to spend hundreds of dollars to find a reliable product for your trip. Even if you don’t have a huge budget to invest in your supplies, you can still find something good enough to survive harsh winds.
This tent is not only the cheapest one on this list, but it’s also the lightest. Coming in at just 8.6 pounds, you’ll have absolutely no issue lugging this tent around on your back through prolonged hikes. But, don’t be fooled by the lightweight of the tent. It still has a dimension of 8.2 feet x 6.9 feet with durable fiberglass poles strong enough to hold through the toughest of winds. The dome shape paired with the suspension cords ensures that you’re entirely safe and sound in the comfort of your tent.
To make the tent water and weather-proof, High Peaks did have to skip on the ventilation. They didn’t add any vents. The material around the tent is breathable, but it doesn’t do a good enough job to maintain a consistent airflow. This is a considerable drawback of the tent, but it’s essential to consider that it’s a fourth of the price of a regular weather-resistant camping tent. It’s still an excellent bang for the buck and deserves to be mentioned on our top five list.
Pros
- Decent waterproofing
- Vestibule area is good for storing gear
- Can withstand strong winds and rain
- Light and packs small
- Very easy to set up
Cons
- Poor ventilation
- Center height is not enough for tall campers.
- Outer zippers are flimsy
4. FlyTop Camping Tent
FlyTop isn’t a company that primarily makes camping equipment. They usually just make audio equipment like soundbars. But, this camping tent goes to show that they’re well-rounded and have a lot of potential in the camping niche. They made a relatively affordable tent that is only second to the High Peak product mentioned above. The best part about this tent is that it comes in variants based on their color and capacity. Their tents have three sizes; one-person, two-person, and three-person. Each of those tents comes in three different colors: blue, green, and orange.
The tent is pretty minimalist. There are no fancy features that most camping tents have, but it does the job well. It’s pretty easy to set up, and one person will be able to get it up and running within a few minutes.
The fabric used to construct this tent is a durable 210T waterproof material. The tent does have exceptional protection against UV rays. There’s a silver coating over the fabric, which, as per the manufacturer, can block up to 98% of the harmful rays allowing you to camp in severe heat.
There isn’t much vertical height to work with, but that’s a pretty far-fetched expectation from a dome-shaped tent of this size. The low height does make it great against strong winds. There is more than enough room for people (number depends on the variant you’re buying) to sleep inside and store all your equipment.
Pros
- Stands up to strong winds
- Packing up is easy
- Has a lot of room to stand in
- Tough floor material
Cons
- May be too small for tall campers
- Zippers can be flimsy
- Stakes bend easily when used on hard ground
5. MSR Hubba Hubba NX
We mentioned a couple of cost-effective camping tents above. It’s only fair that we close up the list with an over-the-top tent. The MSR Hubba Hubba might have a questionable name, but it is worth a purchase. It comes from a manufacturer that’s been in the business since 1969. MSR is a name that’s synonymous with reliability, and they claim to have a personal war on unsafe equipment.
This product from the MSR Store is the most visually appealing tent on this list. The two-person camping tent is made of 30D ripstop nylon that has a whopping 3000mm water resistance. There’s also an extra waterproof coating that MSR called the Xtreme Shield Waterproof Coating, which, according to the manufacturer, lasts 3-times longer than a standard coating.
The Hubba Hubba has a center height of 3.3 feet which is the lowest on the list, but it does the job reasonably well. You will have to crouch a bit lower for this one, though it’s more than enough to have a decent experience. The 29 sq. feet of floor area is enough to support two people comfortably. Another reason why we like this tent is the lightweight design. It can be rolled up in a nice little ball to make it portable and isn’t too heavy, making it easy to carry on your back for longer trips.
Overall, the lightweight design of this tent is discreet. It doesn’t look like it’s sturdy, but it can take quite a beating if you give it a fair chance. It’s simple, it’s straightforward, and most importantly, it’s incredible at weather resistance.
Pros
- Lightweight yet very durable
- Resistant to wind and rain
- Good ventilation
- Can be disassembled in minutes
Cons
- Thick mesh decreases visibility
Conclusion
Having the best tent for high winds is an absolute necessity wherever you go camping. No matter what, your safety should always be the top priority. We hope this list of the 5 best tents for high winds helped you narrow down your options. At the end of the day, the best tent is one that perfectly fits your needs and requirements. A tent like the one’s mentioned should definitely be of top priority in your tactical bug out bag. All that’s left to do now is get the campfire up and going and enjoy!
