The Best Thru-Hiking Shelters for Couples (2023 PCT Survey)
Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail as a couple can be a huge test of a relationship. An important consideration is which tent or shelter to use as a couple.
Will you sleep together or separately? Who will carry what part of the tent? Will you use a two or three-person tent? Will you bring no shelter and cowboy camp every night until it rains and then have a huge, relationship-ending fight?
As part of the PCT Survey, I may ask which gear couples split between one another (e.g., if they only carried one stove). If you’re a prospective couple planning to hike the PCT and are looking for more data beyond the PCT Gear Guide, leave a comment below or get in touch and let me know what you think.
Notes on the data
- This year’s survey has 110 completed surveys by hikers who reported hiking the PCT as a couple (I guess at least one member of one couple failed to complete the survey).
- All ratings listed are the average (on a scale of 1 to 10) from each hiker who rated the gear.
- I’ve only included shelters used by at least five couples.
- More detailed posts focused on data from the PCT Survey are always in the works; to be notified of new surveys, click here.
Tow vs. Three-Person Shelters
One consideration couples hiking the Pacific Crest Trail need to make is whether to bring a two-person shelter or a three-person shelter. Typically, if you want more room, you’ll bring a shelter made for one more person than you have sleeping in it. For example, if I know I will (potentially) spend a lot of time in my shelter during a trip, I will bring a two-person shelter to use alone.
Two people and all their gear can get crowded in a two-person shelter, and sometimes, having the additional space of a three-person shelter is a welcome weight penalty. That said, three-person shelters have rather large footprints, and campsite selection can be more limited for a couple carrying a three-person instead of a two-person shelter.
Here’s the breakdown of two versus three-person shelters on the Pacific Crest Trail in 2023.
PCT Couples’ Shelter Size
- 65.3% – Two-Person Shelter
- 34.7% – Three-Person Shelter
Interestingly, among the most-used shelters where the two-person and three-person versions were represented on the trail, the three-person version always received a higher overall rating than the two-person version.
Couples’ Shelters
| # | Shelter | Rating | Price | Weight | Floor | Freestanding | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Durston X-Mid 2P | 9.22 | $280 | 2.4 lb | 1.085 kg | 33.2 ft² / 2.1 m² | No | 2 |
| 2 | Zpacks Triplex | 7.20 | $799 | 1.37 lb | 622 g | 37.5 ft² / 3.5 m² | No | 3 |
| 3 | Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL2 | 8.80 | $500 | 2.62 lb | 1.188 kg | 38 ft² / 3.53 m² | Semi | 3 |
| 4 | Zpacks Duplex | 8.33 | $699 | 1.19 lb | 539 g | 28 ft² / 2.6 m² | No | 2 |
| 5 | Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL3 | 8.75 | $580 | 3.63 lb | 1.65 kg | 41 ft² / 3.8 m² | Yes | 3 |
| 6 | Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL2 | 8.38 | $450 | 1.88 lb | 853 g | 28 ft² / 2.6 m² | Semi | 2 |
| 7 | Durston X-Mid 2P Pro | 8.33 | $654 | 1.31 lb | 595 g | 28.75 ft² / 2.7 m² | No | 2 |
| 8 | Big Copper Spur HV UL2 | 6.60 | $530 | 2.69 lb | 1.22 kg | 29 ft² / 2.69 m² | Yes | 2 |
| 9 | MSR Hubba Hubba | N/A | $550 | 3.25 lb | 1.47 kg | 29 ft² / 2.69 m² | Yes | 2 |
Highest-Rated Shelters
The Durston X-Mid 2 was the highest-rated shelter among couples on the Pacific Crest Trail this year. It’s a two-person, side-entry, non-freestanding shelter (i.e., you use trekking poles to set it up) that weighs 2.4 lb / 1.085 kg. This year, it was also the most common shelter among couples on the PCT. It’s also available in a Pro version (made with lighter materials) and a “plus/+” version with more space (so that two people can sleep orientated the same way).
Most Common Shelters
The Durston X-Mid 2 was the most common shelter among couples on the Pacific Crest Trail this year. It’s a two-person, side-entry, non-freestanding shelter (i.e., you use trekking poles to set it up) that weighs 2.4 lb / 1.085 kg. This year, it was also the highest-rated shelter among couples on the PCT. It’s also available in a Pro version (made with lighter materials) and a “plus/+” version with more space (so that two people can sleep orientated the same way).
Wrap Up
Although couples on the Pacific Crest Trail share other gear, shelters are the only thing that differs materially from solo hikers. Double-wide sleeping pads and sleeping bags aren’t too popular among long-distance backpackers.
If you have any questions, suggestions, concerns, or awe-inspiring statements to make regarding the data here (or the data in the PCT Survey Gear Guide), then leave a comment below!
I used an XMid Pro, a Copper Spur, a Half Dome and a Triplex before my wife and I switched to an off-set Treo. It is our favorite so far.
Never used one – I’ll have to check it out!