Rectangular vs. Tapered Tents (2026)

[JAshley73]

I’m wanting to get a smaller tent than my current Nemo Dagger 3p. This would be a 2nd tent for a family of 4 outing, or a lightweight option for 2.

My instinct is to stay with a fully free-standing, rectangular 2 person tent, to accommodate (2) wide pads. Under 4 lbs, and closer to 3 lbs is preferred. I’m not really interested in trekking-pole tents. Semi-freestanding tents just seem like they’re full of compromise.

 

A tapered-floor tent of course can save 8-12 oz, but in use, how much more crowded will they feel? Possible options for a tapered-floor tent include Nemo DragonFly & Big Agnes Copper Spur. Of course these won’t fit two wide pads. Will they feel noticeably more cramped than a rectangular floor tent?

 

On the rectangular-floor side, Nemo’s Dagger 2p is an option, but it’s one of the heavier choices, and expensive. The Durston X-Dome 2 is among the lightest, but also expensive.

Mountain Hardwear Aspect 2 is nearer the 3lb mark, and I like that it uses 2 traditional crossing poles. While heavier, Marmot’s new Tungsten UL 2p is still under 4lbs, and also uses 2 traditional crossing poles. Both of these have full-width brow-poles for more vertical walls. Marmot also has the Limelight UL 2p which is interesting, and under 4 lbs. The BA Copper Spur XL looks like I has a rectangular floor, but I don’t really know if the canopy is superior not.

Being a nerd, of course I have a  spreadsheet with many options… Mountain Hardwear, Marmot, and Big Agnes I can get significant discounts on the ExpertVoice. (Big Agnes less so.)  And of course, there’s always last year’s models, and secondhand.

I guess at the start though, I’m more curious about people’s thoughts on tapered-floor, vs. rectangular-floor tents in general. I feel like the rectangular tent would be  marginally easier to setup, as the poles aren’t end-specific. Even moreso on the tents that use the traditional 2 crossing poles, as the separate pole segments will be smaller, and a little easier to manage vs a single, large hubbed monstrosity. (Like on my Dagger 3p.)

 

Anyway, enough rambling for now. Please share your experience & wisdom, and sell me on a rectangular-floor, or tapered-floor tent…

[Dan]

These are mass market tents, and the questions you are asking are very subjective, e.g. “How much more crowded will they feel?” So I would suggest going to REI and trying them out. I think that could be very helpful to narrow down your choices.

TBH, for me, these are all pretty heavy for what they do, and 3lbs seems like it should be an upper limit for a basic 2p 3-season backpacking tent, not a lower limit, given the name of the forum. 4 lbs shouldn’t even be in the conversation, IMO. YMMV, as they say.

[Daniel N.]

One option you didn’t list but might want to consider is the MSR Freelight. I’ve been thrilled with the Freelight 3P that I bought 8 years ago and has ~ 120 nights in the Rockies with no repairs needed. Mine is 3lbs 3 oz on my scale, but they have a newer version advertised as a few ounces lighter. They have 2P and 3P options… with the 2P option listed as 2lbs 5 oz. It has a rectangular floor, which I like. Note that it does use a hubbed pole system, but that’s never been a problem, and it all snaps together in seconds. My 8-year-old MSR Freelight 3P has been a surprisingly bomber tent and has been through a few snowstorms, lots of hailstorms, and winds to ~50 mph, and it just keeps doing the job for me with no reason to replace it.

[JAshley73]

I was hoping to receive more feedback on this topic. I know this site caters to the ultra-lightweight & boutique gear, but honestly, I have no need, and quite little desire for such products. I’ll be lucky to use any tent a dozen nights a year, so having something ultra-lightweight for a thru-hike, or long backpacking trip just isn’t necessary.

 

Regarding the original question, the next tent will be fully freestanding, 2 person. Probably never used more than 3-nights at a time. Used either solo, or solo + child, or solo + wife

 

The extra room for sitting out a rain event sounds nice. Waiting out a thunderstorm while playing cards together, or reading a book, etc. In that scenario, a rectangular-floor tent sounds more appealing.

This isn’t really about “planning for fears” but moreso, planning for comfort, and more enjoyment for those going with me.**

I like the idea of a slightly simpler, fully symmetrical setup too.

 

Is having a rectangular-floor tent overkill though? Will I be wishing that I saved those 10 oz. by getting a tapered-floor tent?

[Jerry Adams]

I don’t think a tapered floor will save much weight

With a rectangular floor, you can have your head at either the right or the left, depending on the slope of the ground

When I’ve wanted to sit in my tent while it’s raining, I’ve found that height is important.  I want to sit straight up without my head touching

[Bill Budney]

I was hoping to receive more feedback on this topic.

I thought that Dan’s answer was complete. What else can we add? Who can guess what will be comfortable FOR YOU?

For example, my feet want more space than my shoulders. I have never seen much point in tapered anything. But that is just me. Mummies and tapers are popular among ultralighters because they do save some weight. So it is entirely up to YOU and what YOU want.

If you are looking for a lighter freestanding tent, then consider Durston X-Dome or one of ZPacks freestanding options. Those are the lightest fully freestanding tents.

Tarptent also makes some really unique (and light) designs, some of which are almost freestanding, or can be made freestanding with trekking poles.

 

 

[JAshley73]

Jerry, Thank you. I hadn’t considered the rectangular-floor tent being ‘bi-directional’ in the case of a less than perfectly level site. I’ve also seen a decent range in heights so far – 38″ to 45″ peak-height, which is quite a range. Keeping in mind your comment about height, I’ll try to factor the height in more.

Bill, your comment about your feet wanting more width than your shoulders, is the kind of wisdom that I’ve been trying to solicit. Do you say that, regarding side-sleeping, or another reason perhaps? The X-Dome2 isn’t ruled out – it’s a very, very nice tent. (Just pricier than others thus far, by a wide margin.)

 

A few of you all have mentioned what *I* want… Well, I  *think* I want: Low weight; Ease of pitch; Roomy/Comfortable; Not incredibly expensive. (Don’t we all…?) LOL

I don’t know what I don’t know however. Being new to this, I thought asking would be a good way to hear from folks far more experienced. I did search pretty extensively on the topic before starting this thread. I was surprised to find little discussion about it online.

(I was also hoping that owners would chime in with their experience with [fill in the blank] make & model tent – like Daniel N. did in the 3rd post.) (Thank you Daniel N.)

 

Anyway, thanks again.

[Bill Budney]

The reason there isn’t much written about tapered vs rectangular is that it’s up to you what you want. Nobody else can guess. It’s just personal preference.

For me, I’ve never liked mummy bags. I also don’t like pullover sweaters—give me a zipper, please, every time. I used a rectangular sleeping bag like a quilt all my life, since childhood. NONE of that matters a whit to anyone else. It isn’t because of any particular sleep style (I rotate). It’s just personal preference. I don’t like feeling claustrophobic.

Yes, light tents usually cost more.

If you want a tent that will accept two wide pads WITHOUT RUBBING YOUR SHOULDERS AGAINST THE WALL, then that’s a 3p tent, like your Dagger.

BA Tiger Wall and MSR Freelight can save you some weight while not losing much floor space, but they do lose volume and they are semi-freestanding.

A 3p ZPacks tent is what you’re asking for, but it’s expensive. Economizing will “cost” something: volume, floor space, and/or setup flexibility.

Since this is a second tent, it is tempting to recommend a trekking pole tent, except that few of them will take two wide pads comfortably. There are some that will take two wide pads, but you’ll be touching the walls. Again, ZPacks makes 3p trekking pole tents, but they are expensive.

 

[Dan]

Lightweight, roomy, inexpensive – choose two of the three.

Everyone has their own priorities. We started with tapered vs rectangular, but now price is being discussed as a factor. If price is important to you, maybe you can mention your budget.

[Paul S]

I like a rectangular floor plan because it frees me (and my wife) up to sleep in either direction, even change direction mid-sleep if we discover that our heads are downhill.

 

It’s also roomier.

 

[Roger Caffin]

then that’s a 3p tent,
Unless it is a 2-man tunnel tent with vertical walls – like my ones. Then there is plenty of room.

Other makes exist too.
Cheers

[JAshley73]

I feel like I’m getting criticized [a little] for asking for help – that my question is irrelevant because the answers are all just personal preference, etc. etc… I will give benefit of the doubt here, as it’s tough to hear someone’s “tone” on a black & white screen.

Let me apologize for not organizing my thoughts better in the initial post… I didn’t want to get too bogged down on individual makes/models of tents, because I wanted the conversation to be more informative, about things to consider when choosing a rectangular floor, vs. a tapered floor (freestanding) tent. My apologies for doing a poor job of stating that. (I should have probably ignored mention of specific models altogether.)

Let me also state that I recognize that everyone has their own preferences & biases. I welcome that – but please tell me WHY you feel that way – that’s where the helpful information is :)

[JAshley73]

Maybe it’ll be helpful to know where I’m coming from too…? As a kid** I was dragged along to campgrounds for years, enough so to remember all of the trials & discomfort that can come with 3+ season tent camping. (All the crummy stuff, without the nice views & activities.)

Fast forward to now, I’ve been recreational caving for a few years. This year, that progressed to in-cave camping, which required a sleep system, cooking, etc… (We don’t talk much about “ultralight” in caving, but a light, small pack is an asset when you’re dragging it behind you as you crawl through gnarly passages…)

 

From there, it’s nearly only a shelter away, from having gear for backpacking. Add in a young son** who likes fishing & the outdoors, and here we are. I bought that Dagger 3p because it was almost $400 off retail price. Most of my other backpacking gear has been through sales, secondhand, returns, and so on…

 

—————————————————-

 

Looking forward, I’d like to have a 2nd tent for me, or me +1.** I’d like it to be a 2-person tent, so that it won’t need such a large space for setup. Especially if I am using it solo. (Otherwise, I agree, another 3-person tent would be the “roomiest.”)

 

** I know that comfort is relative. My experience tent-camping as a kid was pretty unpleasant. I want my kid(s) & wife to enjoy it, should they come with me, and I *think* that means having a “comfortable” tent. That could mean that (2) adults take the 3P tent, and the (2) kids on narrower pads take the 2p tent. It could be the girls in the larger tent, and the boys in the smaller tent.

 

That’s probably enough for now. I hope my posts haven’t sounded like a cry-baby. I apologize for not having the best context before now.

I do appreciate the conversation. Thanks again.

[AK Granola]

You say you want: Low weight; Ease of pitch; Roomy/Comfortable; Not incredibly expensive. 2 person tent.

We have a Copper Spur HV UL 3 which i bought on steep discount a few years back (discontinued model/color). It’s lowish weight at about 3.5 pounds for a 3 person tent. It’s very easy to pitch. It is roomy and comfortable for 2 people and we have slept 3 in it, very cozily. I would not advise it for 3 however, because someone gets pushed too close up to the tent body and if they let a foot slide out too far, the tent can get wet. It is a 2 person tent, with extra room for the (small) dog. Is it incredibly expensive? Compared to a Walmart tent, yes. Compared to the top of the line dyneema tents, not at all.

As you shop for mainstream brands, look for discounts. Ask about sales. There are often good bargains to be had. Or try gear swap; these BPLers are always buying and selling tents! Serious gear nerds; i’ve gotten some good stuff over here.

[Bill Budney]

Yes, that. I was just going to say something similar: 3p tents often don’t weigh much more than their 2p siblings. 2p tents tend to be snug for two people. Some people are OK with that, while others prefer to size up.

[Terran]

If it’s set up in a cave, how much actual protection do you need? Do you walk short distances, then set up a base camp that will serve you the entire time? Do you get to camp late at night, set up fast and take down early? Rain? Snow? Wind? Bats?😁

[Bill Budney]

Regarding price, the list price of the X-Dome is actually less than Dagger/Copper Spur, and others discussed above. The only reason that it seems pricey is because the other tents sometimes go on sale.

Looking forward, I’d like to have a 2nd tent for me, or me +1.** I’d like it to be a 2-person tent, so that it won’t need such a large space for setup. Especially if I am using it solo. (Otherwise, I agree, another 3-person tent would be the “roomiest.”)

OK, if you accept that a 2p tent means that your two wide pads will be up against the walls, then that gives you some options. Of course, when you’re solo, a 2p tent will feel nice and roomy.

But you can get 2p trekking pole tents that are smaller, lighter, and cheaper than your Dagger. For example, a 3FUL Lanshan 2 is priced under $200, weighs 2.5 pounds, is double-walled, and the inner is 43″ wide, which is probably just enough to cram in two wide pads (although they will touch the inner walls).

The Lanshan is a knock-off of the Gossamer Gear “The Two”: $320, <2 pounds, 48″ shoulder width tapering to 42″. If your wide sleeping pads are tapered, then that should work. Not sure what happens with rectangular pads.

Another option is the Six Moon Designs Lunar Duo, which has a more generous 54″ inner width, weighs 3 pounds, and lists at $400.

 

[Dan]

We have a Copper Spur HV UL 3 which i bought on steep discount a few years back (discontinued model/color). It’s lowish weight at about 3.5 pounds for a 3 person tent. It’s very easy to pitch. It is roomy and comfortable for 2 people and we have slept 3 in it, very cozily.

We have one of these also, and we’ve occasionally used it for my wife and I and 2-3 dogs. Although more recently, we prefer just to take two tents. I believe we also have the 2p version, or else it’s the REI-branded clone. Many years ago, these felt lightweight, now they feel unnecessarily overbuilt for me, after becoming accustomed to lighter gear.

I really don’t think that the rectangular vs tapered design of a 2p tent is much of an issue for the OP’s use case (one adult or two kids), it’s more the design of specific tents. Tapered tents might have slightly less floor space, but they usually have steeper walls to compensate. I like them, they are lighter and have a smaller footprint, but similar usable space, IMO. But then again, I also don’t feel that semi-freestanding tents, eg Nemo Hornet, involve much of a compromise as suggested in the OP; it’s just two stakes or rocks from being fully freestanding.

I still think that going to REI, setting up the tents, and trying them out will be very helpful.

[JAshley73]

If it’s set up in a cave, how much actual protection do you need? Do you walk short distances, then set up a base camp that will serve you the entire time? Do you get to camp late at night, set up fast and take down early? Rain? Snow? Wind? Bats?😁

All jokes aside, that’s how it goes. Find flat dry surface, not too far from water. I left the tent at home, but I did bring a footprint. It made a great patio to keep things clean.

The WiFi sucks, but the weather’s alright…. ;)

 

[AK Granola]

I missed the cave point. My limited experience with that environment only reinforces that I would not cowboy camp in there! Those spiders are enormous!

[Robert Spencer]

This thread has been an interesting journey as more and more is revealed — culminating with one of the more interesting campsite pictures for BPL.

Yes, this is an opinionated/passionate group, but your questions are welcome here, and I see how a lightweight approach would benefit you in the caving world.

Your original question about tapered vs rectangular, based on your responses, go with rectangular. The last thing you want is two sleeping pads overlapping while getting buzzed by bats in the pitch black.

[David Hartley]

With more info about your use-case (caving), I would want a rectangular foot print and I would also want all 4 corners to be supported by poles, versus some of the lightest weight conventional (non trekking pole supported) tent options where one end is supported by 2 poles and the other end has as pole in the center and the corners must be staked out (like some of the Nemo tents). This would make it easier to just set up the inner tent with the poles and no stakes as an option.

[JAshley73]

Guys – [I’m cracking up here] – the tent will NOT be going in the cave with me! LOL

The progression started with buying “camping gear” for sleeping inside caves, on overnight cave trips. I figured it was a short jump, from there, to a “full” loadout for backpacking.

Tents will be used for off-trail, hiking & backpacking related, outside setup only…. LOL

 

[Matthew / BPL]

LOL

Rectangular vs Tapered: is the other inhabitant someone you want to cuddle up with? If not then definitely rectangular so you can sleep head to toe.

[Dan @ Durston Gear]

Regarding a tapered floor, this alone won’t save 8-12 oz. These tents have floors roughly around 3 sq m, where a tapered floor might drop that to 2.5 sq meter, so you have about 0.5 sq m of floor fabric (roughly 0.5 – 1 oz) and then the fly and poles are slightly smaller too, which might save another ounce. All else being equal, it would save 1-2 oz.

The upside to tapered floor is this 1-2 oz of weight savings and a smaller footprint. The downside is that you lose space, the tent won’t fit 2 wide rectangular pads, and you have a tent that looks very similar at both ends, but actually is not, so you have to put in more thought when you pitch it.

Myself, MSR, and quite a few others are of the view that tapering isn’t an improvements, so we use floors that maintain their width for the full length.

“The X-Dome 2 isn’t ruled out – it’s a very, very nice tent. (Just pricier than others thus far, by a wide margin.)”
The X-Dome 2 shouldn’t be pricier. With the premium carbon version, the price is roughly $50 lower than competitors with aluminum poles (e.g. MSR Hubba, Big Agnes Copper Spur, Nemo Dagger). You  could find them on sale for less sometimes, but the more comparable X-Dome 2 is the aluminum pole version, which is quite a bit less and still should be lower than a sale price on those others.

Durston X-Dome 2 (Aluminum): $459
Durston X-Dome 2 (Carbon): $519
MSR Hubba 2: $549
Big Agnes Copper Spur 2: $599
Nemo Dagger 2: $599

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