How to Choose a Backpacking Tent

Achieve your backpacking goals with this single-walled Samaya 3-person tent. Its freestanding design is ideal for a wide variety of terrain. And it has a minimum trail weight of only 2 lbs. 8 oz.




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Imported.
View all Samaya Backpacking Tents| Best Use | Backpacking |
|---|---|
| Seasons | 3-season |
| Sleeping Capacity | 3-person |
| Minimum Trail Weight | 2 lbs. 8 oz. |
| Packaged Weight | 2 lbs. 13.3 oz. |
| Packed Size | 8.9 x 16.54 inches |
| Floor Dimensions | 90.6 x 61.0/57.1 (L x W head/foot) inches |
| Floor Area | 37 square feet |
| Vestibule Area | 9.8 + 9.8 square feet |
| Peak Height | 43.3 inches |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors |
| Number of Poles | 2 |
| Pole Material | Carbon X 8.6 mm |
| Pole Diameter | 8.6 millimeters |
| Canopy Fabric | Nanovent waterproof/breathable 3-layer laminated fabric, 10,000mm rated |
| Floor Fabric | 3,000 mm rated 20 denier ripstop Nylon 6 |
| Rainfly Fabric | Nanovent waterproof/breathable 3-layer laminated fabric, 10,000mm rated |
| Footprint Included | No |
| Ultralight | Yes |
| Design Type | Freestanding |
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Overall favorite luxury 2p (aka 3P tent) I’ve used. Very lightweight, carbon poles are short enough to fit horizontally into backpack, breathable yet as strong as regular dyneema for the walls, built in dual vestibules, long enough for a 6’3” person on a 4”+ pad and comfy pillow to not touch either end, dyneema guylines included, simple pitch. Almost the perfect tent in my opinion for 3+ season use. Only thing that wasn’t super clear is that the tent at the head end really needs stakes in the ground to take shape - so don’t think is a true freestanding but somewhere between semi freestanding and true freestanding. But putting 2 stakes in the ground at head end and 2 guylines makes it a super roomy and high ultralight backpacking tent. I have a 3.0 and the base camp Samaya tents for winter time and tried Samaya other tents for 3 season use and found them to be either too short for me or not roomy enough and this hits both marks. I’m no engineer but perhaps a small cross bar that connects the 2 poles at the wide head end would make it a true freestanding tent. Keep innovating Samaya!
Tested in heavy rain, thunderstorms and hail for a full night and everything stayed completely dry. Sleeping pads and sleeping bags were never wet. The following day brought strong, cold winds at around 9,200 ft, and we were surprisingly warm inside. The post-stake tensioning system allows you to really fine-tune and maximize the tension of the guy lines. We then spent two nights in good weather with no condensation at all and very good ventilation. Space was sufficient for a father and son (5'11", approx. 165 lb and 190 lb). Setup and takedown are incredibly fast, even between rain showers. The packed size and the waterproof storage bag are honestly impressive. Excellent design and very well thought out overall.
We used the Samaya Instant 3 for a full month while bike touring across Morocco, riding through very different environments and dealing with strong contrasts in temperature. Days were often extremely hot, while nights—especially at altitude—could be surprisingly cold. Throughout the trip, the tent proved to be a dependable shelter, handling these shifts without any issues. In hot conditions, ventilation was efficient enough to keep the interior comfortable, and in colder nights the structure felt protective and well insulated. Wind, dry desert air, and colder mountain evenings never compromised the tent’s stability or overall comfort. Even after repeated setups and pack-downs, it continued to perform consistently. One of the biggest advantages during a bike journey was how quick and intuitive the setup is. After long days on the road, being able to pitch camp fast is invaluable. The freestanding design worked well on all kinds of terrain, from rocky ground to compact sand. After a month of daily use in demanding conditions, the Samaya Instant 3 earned our full trust as a reliable tent for long, self-supported adventures.