Lightest that fits drop bars

What's the lightest shelter you can actually carry on a drop-bar bike?

How this is ranked

Minimum weight, among shelters whose poles fold to 350mm or less.

The usual 'lightest tent' list is useless on a drop-bar bike, because the lightest options often have the longest poles. Filtering to what fits first, then sorting by weight, gives a list you can actually buy from.

We don't field-test shelters. Weights, dimensions and capacities are the manufacturer's published specs, and where a maker doesn't publish a number we leave it out rather than estimate it — with one stated exception: a pole length marked from packed size is the packed bag's long dimension standing in for a figure the maker never published. On a conventional single-sack tent those are the same measurement.

The ranking

3 of these 16 rank on a price or weight nobody has checked against the manufacturer yet. They are marked, and they still rank — dropping what we have not verified would turn “unchecked” into “not an option”.

  1. 1
    Nordisk Lofoten 1 ULWprice unchecked

    220mm poles · sleeps 1

    Manufacturer publishes 22 cm total packed length and says ultra-short pole segments, but not exact packed pole length. Practical handlebar carry is excellent by packed-size evidence.

    490g
  2. 2
    Outdoor Research Helium BivySpecs unchecked

    311mm poles · sleeps 1

    Single DAC pole, but packed pole length is not published. Very small shelter volume and no vestibule; condensation management matters despite passive vents.

    511g
    $300
  3. 3
    NEMO Hornet OSMO Ultralight 1PSpecs unchecked

    320mm poles · sleeps 1

    NEMO publishes packed size but not packed pole length. Floor tapers from 990 mm to 750 mm. OSMO fabric helps reduce wet sag.

    822g
    $459.95
  4. 4
    Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL1 Bikepack

    305mm poles · sleeps 1

    907g
    $499.95
  5. 5
    MSR Hubba Hubba Bikepack 1

    300mm poles · sleeps 1

    930g
    $499.95
  6. 6
    NEMO Hornet OSMO 2P

    320mm poles · sleeps 2

    948g
    $579.95
  7. 7
    Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL2 Bikepack

    305mm poles · sleeps 2

    964g
  8. 8
    Tarptent Double Rainbow Short Pole Option

    305mm poles · sleeps 2

    1018g
  9. 9
    Big Agnes Copper Spur UL1 Bikepack

    305mm poles · sleeps 1

    1050g
    $549.95
  10. 10
    Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL3 Bikepack

    305mm poles · sleeps 3

    1276g
    $549.95
  11. 11
    Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL2 Bikepack

    305mm poles · sleeps 2

    1332g
    $549.95
  12. 12
    MSR Hubba Hubba Bikepack 2P

    300mm poles · sleeps 2

    1400g
    $579.95
  13. 13
    Sea to Summit Telos TR2 Bikepack

    300mm poles · sleeps 2

    1508g
    $699
  14. 14
    Big Agnes Copper Spur UL3 Bikepack

    305mm poles · sleeps 3

    1644g
    $699.95
  15. 15
    Sea to Summit Alto TR2 Bikepack

    300mm poles · sleeps 2

    1648g
  16. 16
    Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2 Bikepack

    305mm poles · sleeps 2

    1673g
    $649.95

Filter all 42 shelters yourself

The finder checks every shelter against drop or flat bars and tells you plainly which ones we can't answer for.

Open the Tent Finder

Other ways to rank these

Shortest packed poles

Which shelters fold down short enough to sit across drop bars?

Lightest shelters with no poles to carry

If you'd rather not fit a pole set on your bike at all, what are the options?

Freestanding, double wall, and fits drop bars

Which shelters ask nothing of the ground and still go on your bars?

Longest inner, for taller riders

Will I actually fit in this, lying down?

Two doors, lightest first

What does a second door actually cost me in grams?

Most covered storage per kilo carried

Where do my bags go when it rains, and what does that space cost?