Tunnel Tents

The tunnel tent, a guaranteed comfort for camping or bivouacking

The holidays are approaching and you can't wait to escape into nature? As the call of adventure grows stronger, it's time for you to meticulously prepare your camping gear to fully enjoy your beautiful nights in the wild and your journey, whether it's a long hike, trek, or any other adventure requiring camping. Without skimping on space and comfort, the tunnel tent is a wise choice for campers and hikers looking to fully enjoy their moments of rest. Spacious, easy to set up in the mountains, lightweight, and compact, the tunnel tent offers many advantages that we will present to you below. At Hardloop.co.uk, we offer a wide selection of tunnel tents from the biggest outdoor brands, such as Vaude, Ferrino, MSR tents, Guidetti, Nemo, Black Diamond, and Sea to Summit.

Everything you need to know about the tunnel tent

During your research on hiking tents, you have surely heard about the different shapes of tents. Dome tent, tunnel tent, tipi tent, Canadian tent… It can be overwhelming to choose with so many different forms of camping tents. Which one should you choose?

The tunnel tent, as its name suggests, resembles a road tunnel, except that the ends are, of course, covered with tent fabric to keep you warm and isolate you from the cold and humidity. The tunnel tent consists of several parallel poles, equipped with a door at the front of the tunnel tent. The tunnel tent does not have a significant height due to its elongated shape, so it will be impossible for you to stand up once inside. The tunnel tent has many advantages for the camper or hiker. The tunnel tent is often a lightweight hiking tent, offering excellent resistance to wind and rain. Quite low, the tunnel tent has, in fact, a low wind profile, making this trekking tent a great ally in windy areas, by the sea, or at high altitudes on bare peaks. The tunnel hiking tent also has some notable disadvantages. The tunnel tent is not a free-standing tent, this hiking tent requires the use of tent stakes to hold it in place. This means that once set up, the tunnel tent cannot be moved. So make sure of the ground before pitching your tunnel tent, or you may have to set it up again. For very tall hikers and adventurers, the tunnel tent may not be suitable as, due to its low height, taller individuals may have difficulty moving inside the trekking tent. Finally, as the poles of the tunnel tent are parallel to each other, you may encounter some difficulties during the first setup of your hiking tent.

How to choose your tunnel tent

The tunnel tent is definitely the shape you need for your next expeditions? Be sure to choose a tunnel tent that meets your needs and is suitable for the environment in which you plan to sleep while bivouacking or camping. There are 2-season tunnel tents, 3-season tunnel tents, and 4-season tunnel tents. Depending on this criterion, you will be able to use your hiking tent throughout the year or not. Don't hesitate to include an inflatable mattress in the trekking tent for more comfort and better ground insulation. Depending on the temperatures, be sure to also bring a s sleeping bag to act as a blanket and maintain your body heat when temperatures inevitably drop at night in the mountains or elsewhere. If the temperatures are really low, you can also include a sleeping bag liner to gain a few extra degrees under the shelter. Make sure that the tent fabric is waterproof to avoid getting wet during the night in case of rain or humidity.

The tunnel tent, your ideal shelter for hiking, trekking, and mountaineering

Do you enjoy going on long hikes or treks, such as the Annapurna Circuit, the Chamonix-Zermatt High Route, or the Tour du Mont-Blanc? The tunnel tent proves to be the most suitable choice for your outdoor activities as it is lightweight, compact, and takes up little space. So it's easy to find a small spot for it in your hiking backpack! In case of wind, rain, or low temperatures, the confined space of the tunnel tent will be a real cozy nest acting as a shield against the weather conditions.

If you are more of a mountaineering enthusiast and plan to undertake, for example, a mountaineering course in the Écrins next summer, the tunnel tent is also recommended to accompany you during your bivouac nights. It will effectively protect you against the often harsh weather conditions at high altitudes. Whether you are alone or with others, the tunnel tent offers different capacities for successful nights.