There are four shelter options for backpacking: tent, hammock, tarp, and bivy sack. Each makes sense in specific contexts and is wrong for others. Here is the product-level breakdown to find your system — and the products within each system that actually deliver.
The four systems compared
| System | Best For | Weight Range | Price Range | Requires | TrailCraft Pick |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tent | All conditions, all terrain | 1-4 lbs | $350-700 | Flat ground | Copper Spur HV UL2 |
| Hammock | Warm weather, forested terrain | 24-32oz system | $100-300 system | Two trees 12-15ft apart | Kammock Roo Single+ |
| Tarp | Ultralight, above-treeline | 8-14oz | $150-350 | Trekking poles + stakes | Zpacks Hexamid Tarp |
| Bivy sack | Emergency, summit bivouacs | 10-18oz | $50-250 | Any surface | SOL Escape Bivy |
Tents: the default for good reason
Tents are the right shelter for the majority of backpacking situations. Freestanding, work on any terrain, full weather protection including wind and rain, built-in bug protection. The trade is weight and cost.
For AT hiking, the three best tents at different price points:
Hammocks: the right choice for mid-Atlantic AT hiking
On the forested mid-Atlantic AT where trees are reliable everywhere, hammocks offer a genuinely better sleep experience for warm-weather camping: no hip pressure, natural airflow, no searching for flat ground on rocky AT terrain.
See the full hammock vs tent comparison. Product picks:
Tarps: the ultralight option
A silnylon or DCF tarp (8-14oz, $150-350) with trekking poles as ridgepoles is the ultralight option. No floor, no enclosed walls — weather protection only from the tarp. Best for hikers who are above treeline, in low-bug environments, or who have fully committed to ultralight systems where the tent's floor, poles, and bug netting weight is not justified.
The Zpacks Hexamid Tarp at $250 and 4.5oz is the lightest quality tarp for AT use. The limitation: no bug protection and limited ground coverage in wind-driven rain.
Bivy sacks: not a tent replacement
See the full tent vs bivy comparison. The short version: a bivy sack is not a tent replacement for multi-day backpacking. It is a sleeping bag cover for summit bivouacs and emergency situations, or a 10-18oz backup shelter for fastpackers.
The SOL Escape Pro Bivy ($100, 14oz) is the right emergency bivy — waterproof-breathable, durable, actually useful. The Mylar emergency bivy ($5) is for day packs only.
The decision framework
Choose a hammock if: Solo 3-season AT hiking in Virginia and Maryland where trees are reliable.
Choose a tarp if: You have a sub-12lb base weight and are comfortable with minimal shelter.
Choose a bivy if: You want a 14oz emergency shelter for day packs or a summit bivouac supplement to a tarp.