High Tents and Shelters on the Appalachian Path: 2024 Via-Hiker Survey

This installment of the 2024 Appalachian Path survey covers shelters of every kind. We’ll focus on the kinds of shelters used, the kind and measurement chosen based mostly on mountaineering companions, and extra. As all the time, we’ll go excessive manufacturers and fashions of shelters that have been on the path this 12 months. There was one other shakeup within the prime model this 12 months, with a model that’s been steadily rising in recognition usurping the longstanding chief, Massive Agnes.

This 12 months we collected 389 responses — an enormous because of everybody who crammed out the survey! The info was collected from October by way of November of 2024 by way of our survey, which was marketed utilizing our social media platforms, Backpacker Radio, and TheTrek.co. Some responses from earlier years have been eliminated, and apparent errors in begin and finish dates have been adjusted. No apparent duplicates have been discovered.

Shelter Kind

Freestanding tents stay the most well-liked shelter alternative, however trekking pole tents are rising in recognition yearly. Freestanding tent customers stayed virtually the identical as final 12 months, solely dropping 1%. Trekking pole tent use grew to 30% from final 12 months’s 27% amongst profitable thru-hikers. Tarp use stayed on the similar low share, whereas the variety of hammock customers dropped barely. Nobody reported utilizing a bivy this 12 months. One hiker stated they principally used the shelters alongside the path.

We needed to see if hikers most well-liked a sure kind of shelter relying on who they have been mountaineering with. Those that hiked with a canine completely used freestanding tents this 12 months. These mountaineering with important others or pals/kin have been extra possible than the common hiker to decide on a freestanding tent as properly. Nevertheless, it is very important needless to say the variety of hikers in these teams is way smaller than the pattern of solo hikers (solely 8 contributors hiked with canines, as an illustration), which can skew the outcomes considerably.

Freestanding tents are usually heavier than their trekking pole counterparts, however they’re additionally simpler to arrange and may present extra usable inside area because of the structured pole structure, which might enchantment to hikers planning to share the area with one other (two- or four-legged) particular person. And hikers sharing a tent may break up the load, so the truth that freestanding tents are heavier may not be such a giant deal.

Capability

We additionally appeared on the capability of shelters hikers used associated to who they have been mountaineering with. It’s widespread for solo hikers to measurement as much as a two-person tent or shelter, and that’s actually the case once more this 12 months. Nearly all of {couples} used a two-person tent, though it was not unusual for {couples} to measurement as much as a three-person shelter. Hikers with canines additionally mostly used a two-person tent. These numbers have been all just like final 12 months’s.

Tarp Measurement

10 ft x 12 ft tarps have been the most well-liked tarp measurement once more, as they’ve been the previous few years. They have been adopted carefully by 6 ft x 8 ft tarps, the subsequent hottest measurement. There have been solely three tarp-only hikers, whereas the rest have been utilizing a tarp at the side of a hammock. It’s tough to attract any conclusions on what’s hottest from such a small quantity.

Switching Shelters

We requested hikers in the event that they needed to substitute their shelter and in the event that they changed it with the identical mannequin. Fortunately, the vast majority of hikers didn’t want to exchange their shelter system. A lot of the ones who did substitute it opted to change to a unique mannequin. This means it is likely to be attributable to dislike of the shelter than injury.

When given the prospect to offer further details about their shelter selections, many contributors included their causes for switching. Listed below are a few of the notable responses (evenly edited for grammar):

“I initially began with an X-Mid Professional 1, after which my gf and I moved in collectively into the X-Mid Professional 2 in Virginia. Solely draw back to the Professional 2 was its measurement made stealthing tough.”

“I began with a Gossamer Gear The One and it leaked within the rain, so I modified to the Zpacks.”

“I switched from the Durston X-Mid 1 to a BA Copper Spur UL2 for extra room.”

“Began with 1p Durston and switched to 2p Nemo, solely attributable to being a tall particular person. Each firms make nice tents.”

“In hindsight, I might have extra strongly thought-about a double wall tent for the very moist 12 months we had.”

Standard Manufacturers and Fashions

Lastly, we requested hikers to record their favourite manufacturers and fashions they used. Durston Gear was the most well-liked model this 12 months, leaping two locations to bypass Zpacks and take the spot from long-time champion Massive Agnes.

The preferred mannequin additionally went to the Durston Gear X-Mid, which swept the sphere with greater than 90 folks selecting some variant of that tent. Most hikers most well-liked the one-person model. Listed under are the highest manufacturers after which the highest fashions by capability, together with a abstract desk displaying the general rankings of every mannequin plus a satisfaction rating out of 10.

High Tents on the AT by Model

High Tents on the AT by Mannequin: Total Satisfaction

The desk under reveals the general recognition of every of the highest tent fashions. We requested hikers to charge their satisfaction with their tent out of 10, with 10 being probably the most happy. Customers have been general pretty happy with these fashions, which is mirrored in the truth that most hikers didn’t substitute their tents throughout their hikes.

The tent with the best satisfaction score was the Massive Agnes Copper Spur 3 at 9.75 (however solely 5 contributors used it so we’ve a small pattern measurement). The tent with the bottom satisfaction rating was the Gossamer Gear The One at 7.57.

High One-Individual Tent Fashions

1. Durston Gear X-Mid 1 (37)

2. Durston Gear X-Mid Professional 1 (14)3. Gossamer Gear the One (14)

4. Copper Spur HV UL 1 (8)5. Zpacks Plex Solo (7)

High Two-Individual Tent Fashions

1. Zpacks Duplex (36)

2. Nemo Hornet Osmo 2P (29)3. Massive Agnes Tiger Wall UL2  (23)

4. Copper Spur HV UL2 (20)5. Durston X-Mid 2 (20)6. Durston X-Mid Professional 2 (20)

High Three-Individual Tent Fashions

1. Zpacks Triplex (6)

2. Massive Agnes Copper Spur HV UL3 (5)

3. Massive Agnes Tiger Wall UL3 (3)

High Hammock Manufacturers and Fashions

For hammocks, there weren’t many responses on model or mannequin (21). The one manufacturers that had a couple of response have been ENO (5), Warbonnet (3), and Hammock Gear (2). Solely two fashions had a couple of response they usually each have been from Eno: the SingleNest (2) and the DoubleNest (2), pictured under.

Abstract

1. Nearly all of hikers use tents as their shelter; trekking pole tents proceed to develop in recognition.
2. These mountaineering with a canine or important different are much more possible than common hikers to decide on a freestanding tent.
3. Over half of hikers utilizing tents sized up. This contains solo hikers in two-person tents and {couples} in tents sized for 3 or extra folks.
4. Points with pitch measurement and leaking within the rain have been widespread feedback hikers made about their tent fashions.
5. There weren’t many hammock or tarp customers this 12 months, however the most typical tarp measurement was 10 ft x 12 ft.
6. The preferred tent model was Durston Gear, with the Durston Gear X-Mid 1 being the most well-liked general tent mannequin.
7. There weren’t sufficient hammock customers to establish developments relating to manufacturers or fashions. Eno was the one model with a number of rankings with the DoubleNest and the SingleNest.

Thanks!

Congratulations to all of the Appalachian Path hikers this 12 months — and an enormous thanks to all of you who took the time to fill out the survey! Upcoming posts will element AT hikers’ backpacks, shelter programs, sleeping baggage, and stoves/filters.

To remain updated on the newest survey posts, ensure that to subscribe to our e-newsletter.

 Featured picture: Graphic design by Chris Helm.

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