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Backpacking Gear Lists Car Gear Circumstantial and Miscellaneous gear Cooking Supplies Mosquito Net Tent Mosquito net tents Snow Camping Summer Backpacking Gear List Ten Essentials The Big Three Uncategorized

What’s in my Summer Backpack

Some hikers ask me, “Do I hike in the summer?” Yes. Despite my focus on winter backpacking and my dislike of mosquitoes and hot weather, I try to get out year-round, even in the summer and early fall when there is minimal or no snow. The goal is to camp on snow whenever possible even in July and sometimes in August. This usually means going farther and higher up, but it allows our group to experience some excellent views. It also provides a comfortable clean surface and allows us to leave no trace where we stay.

Snow camping in late June
If I can, I will always camp on snow to reduce my impact on the wilderness and because it is cleaner and more comfortable.
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4-Season Tents Backpacking Tents Big Sky Chinook 1 Leipen Air Raiz 1 MSR Advance Pro 2 Snow Peak Lago 1 X-frame tent design

Four-Season Tents 2023 Update

If you have been looking around for a four-season tent, you have probably already discovered that the best lightweight versions, such as the MSR Advance Pro 2 costs around $800 and the Big Sky Chinook 1 cost around $600. The Chinook 1 is really the only light solo 4-season tent available on the US market that has a double-wall construction to mitigate condensation. However, there is a way to get the Leipen Air Raiz (Air Rise) tent from Japan, which is the most affordable double-wall 4-season tent.

4-season tents
4-season tents on a frozen alpine lake. Photo courtesy of Nancy Yu.

The Leipen Air Raiz 1

I have long maintained that the 4-season tent most ideally suited for backpacking in PNW winter conditions is the Snow Peak Lago 1, once made by Snow Peak and originally designed for mountain climbers. The good news is that there are other companies in Japan making a similar tent, one of which, the Leipen Air Raiz 1, that can be shipped to the USA.

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3-Season Tents 4-Season Tents Backpacking Backpacking Tents Expedition Tents Hammocks Tent Stakes Tents Ultra-Light Tents Wind Protection Gear Winter Backpacking Gear Winter camping Winter Tents X-frame design

3-Season vs. 4-Season Tents

Will a 3-season Tent Work in Pacific Northwest Winters?

The short answer is yes. I’m not going to do a detailed review of particular tents, but I want to mention a few models that I see often on our trips. I’ll also discuss a few pros and cons of using 3-season tents in the Pacific Northwest winter conditions and some of the best 4-season options available. In context, I’ll be referring to small and light tents for backpacking rather than tents that are used for basecamps and long stays in one location.