OK, I realize that the term “One Man Tent” isn’t deemed politically correct in 2022, but saying “one person tent” just doesn’t roll off the tongue in the same way! I’m a gal, and I’m perfectly happy to bunker down in a one man tent for the night, so let’s just forget the name and get on with it! One man, one person or solo tents (whatever you want to call them) are super handy when you’re hiking because they are easy to carry in your backpack and take no time at all to set up and pack up when you’re short on daylight hours or racing against inclement weather.
I recently took a 3 day hike with my dear Dad, who is a pretty big dude. Knowing my own one person tent didn’t give me a lot of added leg room, we tested our gear out before we left and realized that poor old papa was going to have to stay in the fetal position all night if he bought a tent the same as mine. Turns out you tall humans need to pay extra attention to the dimensions when buying your lightweight shelter!
Choosing a one man tent:
There are a few factors to take into account when choosing a one man tent, so I decided to run through the main considerations here to help you make your decision:
Single wall vs double wall tents:
You may have seen these terms thrown around when browsing tents and wondering what it all means. Single wall tents are generally constructed of a durable, waterproof and breathable material that will keep you protected from overnight moisture and light rain, though they don’t offer much in the way of thermal insulation. Single wall tents are made to be compact and super lightweight because they use less fabric, so they are brilliant for lugging around in your backpack. A double walled tent provides a much higher level of waterproofing and will also offer greater protection from temperature variations. A double wall tent will keep you cooler in warm temperatures and warmer in colder climates. The trade off is that the extra material means these tents are bulkier and (more notably) heavier to carry around. You need to assess what conditions you’re going to be sleeping in and what sort of terrain or the distances you’ll be covering and make the call that’s right for you.
Trekking Poles Tents:
I do love myself some multi-purpose gear! If you use trekking poles for your hiking adventures, you might like to investigate some of the trekking pole tents on the market. These nifty night shelters use your trekking poles in lieu of specific tent poles, which means less to carry around and more space for snacks!
Tent Size:
Obviously in an article about tents for tall people, I’m going to address size. The thing is, it’s not just your height you need to consider. Depending on where you are camping, you might need to fit all or some of your gear inside the tent with you overnight. Food can attract wildlife if left outside, creepy crawlies can find their way into boots, and of course there is the obviously risk of your gear getting wet from rain or even just heavy dew.When you are taking your extra height into account, it’s important to measure the length of whatever you’ll be sleeping on too. If you choose to skimp of length and decide you’re okay with being a little curled up for the night, you might be disappointed when you realize your sleeping mat / mattress can’t be curled up and literally won’t fit inside the tent!
Ease of set up:
Pretty much all single man tents are fast to set up, but it’s still worth taking into consideration. When you’re racing against the last few minutes of daylight to bunker down for the night, you’ll notice the extra 5 minutes it takes to get your tent ready to crawl into!
Best one man tent for tall people:
It’s one thing to find a quality ultralight shelter for hiking that will protect you from the elements, but when you’re over six foot tall it can get a little trickier. Compact and lightweight tents are notoriously small, so it’s really worth noting the dimensions if you’re specifically looking at buying a one man tent for tall people.
There’s nothing worse than not being able to get comfortable. A slightly larger tent means you might have trade the leg room for a slightly heavier bundle on your backpack. If you’re willing to invest in a slightly higher end tent, there are some great products available that maintain their light weight while offering a roomier space to bunker down for the night.
For a solid night’s sleep, I recommend tents that are at least 90″ in length. That’s around 7.5 feet, so if you’re much more than six foot tall, I’d try to go bigger, but you need to realize that it’s a heavier piece of equipment to carry around, so consider your terrain and the distance you want to cover.
I’ve narrowed down this list of my picks for the best one man tents for tall people in 2022. I hope it helps you find the right tent for your needs and I’ll be back to update it as soon as I can. Just a reminder, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases that arise from my website.
Winterial Single Person Personal Bivy Tent
This bad boy is a double walled tent that will see you comfortable through some significant wet weather. It’s low-line design means it will fare well in strong winds and in the warmer months, the rain fly can simply be left off to allow for greater ventilation.
Set up is fast with 2 poles, 14 ground pegs and 3 guylines for maxium stability.
Dimensions when set up are: 38″ x 28″ x 90” (that’s 7.5 feet in length)
Dimensions when packed up: 18″ x 4.5″x 4″
Weight: 2.9 lb
Camppal 1 Person Backpacking Tent
You asked for extra long – Camppal provided! This double wall, weather-proof shelter will keep even my tall Dad’s toes warm and dry. There’s also a snow skirt available from Camppal if you’re planning on hiking through snowy conditions. You can make this tent even more lightweight to carry around by swapping out the bags and the pegs for different ones.
Dimensions when set up are: 35.4″ x 35.4″ x 98.4″ (that’s over 8 feet long)
Dimensions when packed up: 21.6″ x 7″ x 7″
Weight: 3.4 lb