As we proceed to take a look at the outcomes of the 2025 Appalachian Path survey, we arrive at tents and shelters. First, we’ll have a look at the categories and sizes of shelters hikers are selecting, how many individuals share tents with different people and canines, after which dive into the highest manufacturers and fashions we noticed on the path this yr.
This yr, we acquired 279 responses from the AT Class of 2025. If you happen to’re utilizing this as a useful resource to assist plan your 2026 AT hike, make sure that to enroll to take the survey your self subsequent yr! Hit the button under to be notified when the 2026 AT Via-Hiker Survey opens for submissions so you’ll be able to assist the Class of 2027 of their path planning.
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Shelter Kind
Tents are nonetheless the preferred shelter selection by a large margin, with 88% of this yr’s survey individuals selecting a tent of some form. Hammocks had been a distant second at 9% of hikers, although it must be famous that using hammocks almost doubled from 5% in 2024 to 9% in 2025. The usage of tarps and relying solely on shelters and hostels alongside the best way remained unpopular.
Freestanding tents stay the preferred shelter selection, utilized by two-thirds of hikers in 2025, whereas this yr we noticed a small lower within the utilization of trekking pole tents to 24% in comparison with 30% in 2024). The expansion in hammock utilization seems to largely account for this distinction.
READ NEXT – The Prime Tents and Shelters on the AT in 2024: 2024 AT Via-Hiker Survey
We requested hikers in the event that they changed their shelter alongside the best way and, if that’s the case, whether or not they caught to the identical mannequin or modified to one thing else. The overwhelming majority (80%) of respondents didn’t change their shelter system throughout their hike, and most hikers who did change opted for a completely new mannequin and even shook it up completely with a brand new kind of shelter.
Many hikers who switched shelters cited points with customer support, sturdiness, and availability as causes for altering. Some solutions we heard had been:
“Problem reaching MSR when tent poles broke.”
“REI tent didn’t maintain as much as put on and tear like different manufacturers.”
“Needed a Durston Mid X Dome however it was not obtainable. Will change quickly.”
Shelter Dimension
Once we have a look at shelter sizes, 54% of this yr’s respondents used a 1-person shelter and 39% used 2-person shelter. Solely 7% of hikers selected to hike with a 3+ individual shelter.
Nonetheless, of these few hikers who opted for a 3+ individual shelter, over 90% shared the area with a minimum of one different occupant (both human or canine). Equally, about three-quarters of two-person shelters on this yr’s survey had been solely occupied by one individual. 100% of hikers staying in 1-person shelters this yr had been the one occupants in that area (i.e., nobody was die-hard sufficient to attempt squeezing one other individual or pet right into a one-person tent with them).
That is much like what we’ve seen in earlier years, with many people and, particularly, {couples} selecting to measurement up their shelter for extra room. Ultralight backpacking tents are infamous for being cramped within the identify of weight financial savings: the typical two-person shelter sometimes presents simply sufficient room to suit two sleeping pads.
If area and livability are vital to you, this yr’s outcomes reinforce the notion that you simply would possibly need to take into account going up one tent measurement, particularly when you’ll be sharing the area with somebody. In distinction, when you’re mountain climbing solo and are extra involved about weight effectivity, then, just like the slim majority of this yr’s class, you could be effective with a one-person shelter.
10 ft x 12 ft tarps had been the preferred tarp measurement once more, as they’ve been the previous few years. A number of hikers additionally opted for an 8 x 10 ft tarp, although the pattern measurement of tarp customers was sufficiently small that these numbers aren’t significantly insightful. Only a few folks selected tarps 12 x 14 ft or bigger.
Fashionable Manufacturers and Fashions
Lastly, we requested hikers to listing their favourite manufacturers and fashions they used. Durston was the preferred model this yr, as soon as once more upstaging longtime champion, Huge Agnes. Manufacturers that had been reported by fewer than two folks had been aggregated into the “Different” class.
Huge Agnes held their second-place spot, whereas ZPacks remained a extra distant third.
The preferred mannequin additionally went to the Durston X-Mid, which swept the sphere with greater than 50 folks selecting some variant of that tent. Most hikers most well-liked the one-person model.
One hiker reported beginning with an X-Mid earlier than making the change to the X-Dome over midway by means of.
Huge Agnes had a way more various exhibiting on the path this yr. The Copper Spur 2-person tent took first place, adopted by the Tiger Wall 2-person tent. Once we group all of the sizes of their tent variations, the Copper Spur is by far the preferred, adopted by the Tiger Wall, with the Fly Creek trailing as a distant third.
Zpacks additionally noticed a transparent frontrunner of their fashions: the Duplex was by and much essentially the most reported mannequin, particularly as soon as we consider variations such because the Duplex Lite and the Duplex L (a model of the tent for taller people).
Listed under are the highest manufacturers after which the highest fashions by capability, together with a abstract desk exhibiting the general rankings of every mannequin.
Prime Tents on the AT by Model
Prime Tents on the AT by Mannequin
The desk under reveals the general reputation of every of the highest tent fashions. Customers had been total pretty happy with these fashions, which is mirrored in the truth that most hikers didn’t exchange their tents throughout their hikes.
Prime One-Individual Tent Fashions
1. Durston Gear X-Mid 1 (20) – Common Satisfaction: 9.45 / 10
2. Durston Gear X-Mid Professional 1 (13) – Common Satisfaction: 8.92 / 10
3. Gossamer Gear the One (13) – Common Satisfaction: 7.62 / 10
4. Copper Spur HV UL 1 (3) – Common Satisfaction: 9.00 / 10
5. Zpacks Plex Solo (3) – Common Satisfaction: 7.33 / 10
Prime Two-Individual Tent Fashions
1. Zpacks Duplex (25) – Common Satisfaction: 8.56 / 10
2. Copper Spur HV UL2 (18) – Common Satisfaction: 9.06 / 10
3. Durston X-Mid 2 (16) – Common Satisfaction: 9.13 / 10
4. Huge Agnes Tiger Wall UL2 (14) – Common Satisfaction: 8.54 / 10
5. Durston X-Mid Professional 2 (13) – Common Satisfaction: 8.38 / 10
6. Nemo Hornet Osmo 2P (11) – Common Satisfaction: 8.55 / 10
Prime Three-Individual Tent Fashions
1. Huge Agnes Copper Spur HV UL3 (7) – Common Satisfaction: 8.86 / 10 
2. Huge Agnes Tiger Wall UL3 (5) – Common Satisfaction: 7.20 / 10
3. Zpacks Triplex (3) – Common Satisfaction: 9.50 / 10
Prime Hammock Manufacturers and Fashions
Solely about two dozen hikers reported utilizing a hammock this yr — lower than 10% of respondents. The highest manufacturers reported had been Warbonnet and ENO hammocks. There weren’t sufficient responses to achieve any significant insights into the fashions of hammocks used from every model.
Abstract
The vast majority of hikers use tents as their shelter; trekking pole tents use was down from earlier years.
These mountain climbing with a canine or important different are much more doubtless than common hikers to decide on a 2+ individual tent.
Points with sturdiness and customer support had been widespread feedback hikers made about their tent fashions.
There weren’t many hammock or tarp customers this yr, however the most typical tarp measurement was 10 ft x 12 ft.
The preferred tent model was Durston Gear, with the Durston Gear X-Mid 1 being the preferred total tent mannequin.
Thanks!
Congratulations to all of the Appalachian Path hikers this yr — and an enormous thanks to all of you who took the time to fill out the survey! Upcoming posts will element AT hikers’ backpacks, shelter methods, sleeping luggage, and stoves/filters.
To remain updated on the most recent survey posts, make sure that to subscribe to our e-newsletter and, if this survey helps you propose your 2026 thru-hike, make sure that to register now to reply the survey on the finish of your hike!
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Featured picture: Graphic design by Chris Helm.
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