You Can Camp Year-Around With These Top-Rated Four-Season Tents

Camping is one the absolute best ways to enjoy the outdoors. But without fail, even when we try our best to bundle up, we all make that one trip each year that leaves us cold, miserable, and seriously considering heading home early. But we’re happy to report that all changed when we upgraded from a three-season tent to a four-season tent.

Most tents prioritize versatility for variable weather conditions, with breathability, ventilation, and smaller tent footprints. But in order to be comfortable when the wind is whipping, and heavy snow is falling, a four-season tent is the only way to (quite literally) weather the storm. While some tents cater to serious mountaineers on Everest-like expeditions, we selected some more modest (and therefore, more affordable) four-season tents that are lighter in weight (mostly) and will keep you warm and dry in a snowstorm.

Best Four-Season Tents for Winter Camping

• The Heated, Portable Yurt: White Duck Regatta Canvas Bell Tent with Stove Jack
• Best Basecamp: Mountain Hardwear Trango 2 Tent
• Best for Winter Backpacking: Hilleberg Nammatj 2 Tent
• Best for Treeline Camping: MSR Access 2 Tent
• Budget Buy: GeerTop 2-Person Camping Tent
• Honorable Mention: The North Face Mountain 25 Tent with Footprint
• Best Value: REI Co-op Arete ASL 2 Tent

What to Consider

Winter camping tents range from light and packable to massive and stove-equipped. All four-season tents are made from waterproof fabrics and are capable of survival in winter conditions, but some are more storm-ready than others. We consider the pole design, style of rainfly, overall weight, and amount of floor space to be the most important factors.

Pole design: These tents have heavier poles and structural designs that are made to withstand high winds and carry the weight of snow, should it start to pile up. But as with any style of tent, some options feature fewer, lighter poles to make them more manageable to carry into the backcountry.

Rainfly style: A true winter camping tent should have a full-coverage rainfly that extends all the way to the ground to limit sideways snow infiltrating your shelter. But some companies have started using a rainfly that falls just short of a full seal at the ground (“treeline” tents), thus improving ventilation and saving weight.

Weight: As with any tent setup, weight is an important factor in your preferred style of camping. For winter backpacking, a lightweight option is a must, but it's often worth the added weight to have a tent with extra comforts when snow is on the horizon.

Floor space: Some tents have a modest amount of floor space in the range of 30 square feet, which is pretty tight for two people with winter gear, but should work for one person and a pup. For couples or climbing partners, look for an option with upwards of 35 square feet of floor space or consider sizing up to a three-person tent.

Check out our picks for the best four-season tents for winter camping, and don't let the cold weather keep you from enjoying the winter sights and sounds of nature ever again. Who knows — you might just have the campsite to yourself!

Note: For the purpose of comparability, we selected almost all two-person models, but many of these tents are also sold in three- and four-person models.