What’s the biggest tent you can realistically backpack with for a group (not car camping)? I’m looking at trips with 6-8 people where we’d love one big shared shelter for sleeping and hanging out during bug/rain spells, but I’m worried about the practical limits once you leave the trailhead.
A few things I’m trying to figure out:
- Weight and volume: What total shelter weight/pack volume starts to feel unreasonable if it’s split across 6-8 folks? Is 1-1.5 kg per person a reasonable ceiling for a “big tent” setup?
- Design type: For truly big shelters, are floorless pyramid/mid or tipi/hot-tent styles the only realistic options on trail? Any freestanding or semi-freestanding designs that don’t become a sail or a pain to pitch?
- Wind/snow handling: Is there a realistic size limit (e.g., 12×12 mid) before wind loads get sketchy above treeline? What pole diameters, guyline layouts, and stake counts matter most as size goes up?
- Condensation and airflow: Single-wall + many humans = drip city? Are there large shelters with genuinely effective venting for 6-8 sleepers, or do you run dual doors + apex vents and accept some moisture?
- Footprint vs campsites: In alpine or heavily used backcountry, how often do you actually find pads big enough for an 8-12 person tent? Any tricks for siting a giant footprint without violating LNT?
- Modular approaches: Are there systems that connect two smaller shelters (zip-in vestibule links, tarp “hallways,” shared flies) that work better than one huge tent? Pros/cons vs carrying a separate communal tarp + smaller sleep tents.
- Poles and pitching: If the shelter needs a tall center pole, what’s the best packable option? Trekking pole extenders vs collapsible aluminum/carbon center poles? How do you manage setup in high wind so it doesn’t kite during the first minutes?
- Bugs and floors: For floorless giants, what’s the beginner-friendly way to add bug protection and a durable groundsheet without the weight going off the rails?
- Regulations: Any park rules or common group-size limits that effectively cap how big a single shelter can be, even if you can carry it?
If you’ve actually backpacked with an 8-12 person shelter (e.g., big mids/tipis like Redcliff/8-man, Ultamid 4/6 with inner(s), MLD SuperMid/XL, etc.), what worked and what didn’t? Would you do one huge tent again, or split into two mediums plus a shared tarp? Real weights, pack volumes, and wind/condensation experiences would be super helpful.