The shape and cross-over pole design of the Abisko View 2 makes for a very stable tent and we had no issues with its water repellency, either. One thing we particularly loved was that you can roll the porch fabric away entirely, allowing you to make the most of the views in nice weather. There is also very limited porch space to get your bags in, so you’ll have to make do with them at the bottom of the tent, providing neither of you are 6ft plus. However, there is a good amount of ceiling height at the head end of the tent, meaning I could sit up with ease (I’m 5ft 6in). In a line: The Terra Hogan 2P stands up to the elements well and has some great features. Mountain Hardwear Ghost UL 2 The Vapor 2P is quite a stable tent, and with a couple of guy ropes helping to secure it, it stands up well against adverse weather. In a couple of places the flysheet runs quite close to the inner tent, which may be an issue when the wind is blowing, as condensation could come through to the inner, but hopefully the ventilation will help mitigate this. Once pitched, you can move the tent around as it is freestanding, so there should be no issues finding the ideal spot. I really enjoyed using this tent and would happily call it a home from home while on a multi-day trip, so long as I could split the load with a friend.

Like some of the other tents on test, the Marmot Vapor 2P pitches inner first. But, it’s worth noting the pitching of this tent doesn’t take much time at all, so even if it was raining while you were setting up, the inner of the tent shouldn’t get too wet. The only thing that took a little bit of time to get exactly right was the tension of the flysheet. The Coleman Kobuk Valley 2 is a heavy-duty tent that has quite a retro feel about it. It was simple to erect, with two poles that simply clip into place and provide the dome structure to this tent. It pitches inner first, so you’ll likely get the inside a bit wet if you’re pitching in the rain. There were enough tent pegs provided to put the tent up, however, I was only left with one remaining peg, so I was unabe to able to peg out the guy lines, which isn’t great when things get particularly windy. In a line: The Terra Nova Starlite 2 tent is incredibly lightweight, yet it doesn’t sacrifice on space. Fjällräven Abisko View 2 The tent pitches either flysheet first, or all as one, which means you won’t be crawling into a soggy tent if it is raining. It’s simple to pitch, as well, which is in part thanks to the colour-coded poles. The tension straps at the bottom of the tent help pull the flysheet taut, and the user-friendly guy lines help increase this and add stability. Although it is a tunnel tent (which can sometimes be unstable in high winds), the tapered profile helps shed off wind, and we didn’t experience any issues with this in use. You’re going to need to be friendly with your tent companion in this tent, because it is a little tight for space.One of the most frustrating things about putting up a tent is getting the flysheet taut, but there were no issues here, and the Elixir 2 was very easy to pitch. The tension straps on each corner are a great help in this regard and the pegs certainly seemed to be strong enough. It’s worth noting that the tent pitches inner first, so if you’re in a downpour, things could get sodden. This isn’t a deal breaker, though, as it also means you can use the inner on its own in warm, dry conditions.

As well as being snug, it’s worth noting there is only one entrance to the side of the tent, which unfortunately means you’ll have to delicately clamber over your tent buddy during the night if you need to pop to the loo. Hopefully, they won’t mind.

The Snugpak Journey Duo is an easy tent to erect, but it’s worth noting that it pitches inner first, which means it’s going to get wet if you’re putting the tent up in the rain (it’s handy for warm, dry conditions, though, where you can just use the inner to enhance ventilation). There are three colour-coded poles that help make light work of putting it up, and when it’s pitched, it’s easy to tighten the flysheet so that it’s not flapping in the wind. Why let the adventure stop when you hit the hay? Camping is such an incredible way to feel connected to nature, and if you don’t want to venture off by yourself, going with an adventure buddy in a two-person tent is a great way to spend a weekend or week away outdoors. But with so many different makes, models and features available, where on earth do you start? Well, to help narrow things down a bit we’ve tested 12 of the best two-person tents on the market, to see which are worthy of your heard earned cash. Coleman Kobuk Valley 2 The tent is incredibly easy to pitch, and we’re pleased to report that it pitches all in one, so if you’re erecting your tent in the hammering rain, the interior is probably not going to get drenched. The flysheet (3,000m hydrostatic head rating) and ground sheet (6,000mm HH) both have impressive waterproof stats and are durable thanks to the 70 denier polyester fabric.

When the weather isn’t quite as kind, the flysheet has a high waterproof rating (a hydrostatic head of 4,500mm), so it should shed water well. As it’s a dome-style tent, it doesn’t cope quite as well with winds as others on test. Ventilation was OK, with two small vents, but the materials weren’t the greatest for allowing airflow, so condensation could be an issue. The guy lines are reflective, which should aid you a little when it comes to not tripping over them in the night, and they’re incredibly tough as they are made from Dyneema, which is said to be three times as strong as standard guy lines. Unfortunately, there aren’t quite enough tent pegs to be able to peg them all out. I always think tent manufacturers skimp out on tent pegs and often find I have to buy additional ones. I thought the porch opening was slightly strange, as the slim entrance doesn’t make it the easiest to get in and out of. There’s not much in the way of a porch space either, so you’re going to have to keep your bags inside the tent with you, which might be a bit of a squeeze, and a massive pain if your kit is wet.I could have definitely used more tent pegs, as I used all that were provided in the bag and there was no room for error. In fact, there were none left to peg out the guy ropes. While it felt stable and the flysheet was easily pulled tight, in very strong winds it would have been nice to have that ability to peg out the guy ropes for peace of mind. It’s pretty simple to pitch the tent (instructions are available online), with a simple design and colour coded poles to help you along. It’s freestanding, so you can easily move the tent to the best spot when it is up and you only need six pegs to secure it to the ground. This freestanding nature also means it’s good on mixed terrain (hard or soft). Once pitched, tension straps on all corners of the tent (and the sides) allow you to ensure the material is taut. We found the frame design (with a cross pole) to be stable in varied weather, while the flysheet (3,000mm HH) kept water at bay. There’s only one porch, which means you might wake up your friend if you get up in the night for the loo, but it’s of a good size, so at least you’ll be able to exit swiftly. The inner door doesn’t feature a two-way zip, but it does have a half mesh ventilation panel, which is great for getting some extra air in without letting any pesky midges in.

Well, the Terra Hogan 2P isn’t quite the simplest of tents to pitch, but if you’ve put up a few different styles of tents in your time, you should be fine (it pitches all as one, which we like). Having said that, the instructions are helpful, and once you’ve put it up successfully once, you shouldn’t have any trouble. The design, with two poles almost forming a T-shape before being bent over, provides a good amount of stability for the tent, and the flysheet is naturally quite taut once pitched, especially when the guy ropes have been pegged out. Speaking of which, we would have liked a few more pegs, as we didn’t have enough to peg out all of the guy ropes. The Fjällräven Abisko View 2 tent pitches outer first, which is fantastic, as it means the inside of your tent won’t get wet while you’re faffing around trying to pitch it. It’s simple to erect, with two main poles that slide into the pole sleeves and clip in, before needing to be pegged out. Then it’s a case of clipping in the inner tent and, hey presto – the tent is up. We were particularly impressed by the space on offer inside the Scafell 200. Although it’s a tunnel tent, I could happily sit up and it will comfortably take two and some gear. There is also ample space in the porch for any extra kit or muddy boots. The doors are nice and large too, so you don’t have to be a contortionist to make a graceful entrance or exit. verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ Where the tent doesn’t stand up to some of its more expensive competition is how it’s not the easiest to get the flysheet really taut. This means that in high wind and rain, the flysheet could be pushed against the inner tent, thus transferring any condensation into the living area. It’s also worth noting that, as the Scafell 200 is a tunnel tent, it is going to be less stable in high winds when compared to geodesic and semi-geodesic tents, but it does a pretty good job.In a line: If you don’t mind inner-pitch first, this is a brilliant option for you. Marmot Vapor 2P In a line: A very lightweight tent that would be ideal for ‘close’ friends due to its compact nature. MSR Elixir 2 In a line: An incredibly lightweight tent, but it does sacrifice on space and weather protection. Terra Nova Starlite 2 The flysheet offers a respectable hydrostatic head rating of 4,000mm and there is also an additional footprint included, which is a really nice extra as it helps protect the bottom of the tent. Due to its low profile, it performed well in windy conditions, and there was still just enough room for you to sit up straight.