In this article I will review the river country products trekker 2.2. The tent has very good reviews and it’s a very cheap option for a lightweight backpacking tent. However, is this tent actually any good? Let me save you some time: Yes the river country trekker 2.2 is a good option for those of you who are on a very tight budget. That said, there are still better alternatives out there if you are willing to spend a little bit more.
Quick summary of the River country trekker 2.2
Let’s start with a quick summary. The trekker 2.2 is a very cheap backpacking tent. I’m always skeptical when I find a tent that is this cheap. Remember, good reviews are not always trustworthy. Therefore, I decided to do some in-depth research and find out whether or not this tent is actually a solid option for backpackers and hikers. I have to say, this tent doesn’t look that high-quality, but it actually is a surprisingly good tent!
Note that this tent is a trekking pole tent, this means that this tent does not come with tent poles. Instead, you can use your trekking poles as tent poles. This tent is considered very easy to set up. If you don’t hike with trekking poles, you can buy separate tent poles. However, this would increase the overall weight – and we don’t really want that. You could also use branches (as you can see in the first image), but this would be at your own risk. Also, if you want to sleep above the treeline, this will be an issue.
The river country trekker 2.2 packs down to the size of a football and weighs only 3 pounds (1.36 kg). It’s very remarkable that a tent of this price is this lightweight. This has obviously something to do with the fact that this tent does not have tent poles.
This tent is very waterproof, acceptably breathable (not too many condensation issues), and is mediocre when it comes to space and convenience.
The latest price can be found on amazon: River country trekker 2.2.
Waterproof
As I already mentioned, this tent is very waterproof. No compromises were made when it comes to the waterproofing. That said, reapplying DWR from time to time is never a bad idea!
This tent has been tested multiple times in bad weather conditions and I don’t know a single hiker who had any negative comments about the waterproofness of this tent. You can be pretty certain that you will stay dry in the river country trekker 2.2, even during a storm.
This tent might look as if it will fall apart with a little bit of wind, but it actually performed surprisingly good in windy conditions. In the more extreme conditions I would obviously recommend a more expensive tent, but for the price, I was pretty happy with the wind/storm resistance.
Breathablity
The breathability has been largely improved with the 2.2 version of the trekker tent. It’s still not as breathable as some of the more expensive options, but all in all it performed pretty good.
Some condensation will probably still occur, especially if you will sleep with 2 persons inside the tent.
I also have to mention that there isn’t a single tent -that I know of- that does not have any kind of condensation. A condensation-proof tent sadly doesn’t exist. Some tents simply perform better than others. Once again, for the price, the River country trekker 2.2 actually performs pretty good.
Space/Convenience
Last but not least, let’s talk about space and convenience. If you are going to use this tent as a solo tent, this tent is absolutely great when it comes to space. You will have plenty of space for your gear and for sleeping. Also, tall people really like this tent because it’s longer than most of the lightweight alternatives (7 feet/213.36 centimeters long).
If you are planning on using this tent as a 2 person tent, you should keep in mind that there will probably not be enough space for 2 persons + gear for 2 persons. One of the downsides of this tent is that it does not have vestibules. So keep in mind that you will either be pretty tight or your gear will have to stay outside when sleeping with 2 persons in this tent.
Another downside -at least in my opinion- is that you can only enter the tent from the front. I prefer the double side entrance.
River country products trekker 2.2 vs trekker 2.0
As you may or may not know, the river country trekker 2.2 is a newer version of the river country trekker 2. I personally really like the improvements, but there are some hikers who still prefer the trekker 2.0 over the 2.2.
The main difference between these version is that the 2.2 has improved a lot when it comes to breathability. The trekker 2.0 was pretty well-received overall, but the main issue was condensation. By improving the breathability, the biggest condensation issues were dealt with.
So why do some people prefer the 2.0 over the 2.2? Well improving the breathability and dealing with the condensation issues came with a cost. The cost of an additional 4 ounces… The river country trekker 2 weighs only 2 lb 12 oz while the 2.2 weighs 3 lb. For most hikers -including myself- the additional 4 ounces are worth it.
Unless you don’t care about condensation, or you really care about the 4 ounces, I would always recommend the 2.2 over the 2.0. I feel like the additional ventilation really makes your life more comfortable on the trail.
Trekker 2.2 tent alternatives
By now, you should already know that the river country trekker 2.2 is a great bang for the buck. However, if you can afford to spend a little bit more, I would still suggest going with an alternative.
My main reasons for going with an alternative are the lack of convenience/space for backpacks. Having a vestibule -preferably 2- is pretty important for me, because this allows you to store your gear nice and dry. Also, if it’s raining, you can cook in the vestibule – it will probably be very uncomfortable, but it can be done.
Also, being able to get in and out a tent from the sides is something I can really appreciate.
Another argument would be an improvement when it comes to surviving a storm. Sure, the trekker 2.2 performed a lot better than I initially expected in a storm, but there are still better alternatives. Especially if you are expecting very bad weather conditions, I would feel more comfortable with a higher-quality tent.
So what tent would I recommend as a solid alternative? Well, the Zpack duplex is pretty nice. But this tent costs a whopping $600… Instead, I’m going to recommend the budget copy of the Zpack duplex, the MIER Ultralight Tent 3-Season Backpacking Tent. It’s a bit more expensive than the trekker 2.2, but it’s still a rather budget-friendly tent. This is also a trekking pole tent – and it’s even lighter than the trekker 2.2.
For more information, I would like to redirect you to my other article about trekking pole tents. In this article, the MIER was actually my first recommendation and the trekker 2.2 was my recommendation for hikers on a very tight budget. If you are interested in checking out the latest price, this can be found on amazon.
Verdict
In the end, the river country trekker 2.2 is a very solid option for those who are on a very tight budget. It’s not going to win a reward for the best looking tent, but when it comes to value for money it does score very good.
If you can afford it, I would still recommend the MIER Ultralight 3-seasons Backpacking tent because it has an even better overall quality, and it’s more convenient/practical. This option is more expensive, but it’s still considered a budget-friendly tent.
Even on long distance hiking trails I would not advise against the trekker 2.2. Multiple hikers have tested this tent on long distance trails and overall the reactions were pretty positive!
Not sure about whether or not to get a trekking pole tent? This article gives you a great overview of different kinds of 2 persons hiking tents, both trekking pole tents and regular tents: Best lightweight 2 persons tents.