Here’s our full review of the Mountain Warehouse Backpacker 3-person tent, also known as the Mountain Warehouse Trekker 3. This tent is perfect for budget-friendly camping and DofE trekkers – read more below.
Mountain Warehouse Backpacker 3 Tent Review
- Very roomy
- Lightweight
- Budget-friendly
- Minimal porch room
- Lower quality materials
- Occupancy: Three-person
- Weight: 2.7kg
- Internal dimensions: 2.4m (L) x 1.05m (H) x 3m (W)
- Suitable for: Backpacking, trekking, bikepacking
Mountain Warehouse Backpacker 3 Tent Review
If you’re heading out on a couple of simple camping trips this year and need a tent to suit, then the Backpacker 3 from Mountain Warehouse could be the perfect solution. This tent might be built to fit a low budget, but it has several features that make it a good choice for fine-weather adventures, DofE trekkers, and entry-level wild campers.
Weighing in at just 2.7kg, this tent has enough space for three inside and is super easy to pitch. If you already own the Mountain Warehouse Backpacker 3 and need help pitching it for the first time, we also have a full guide on this for you.
Our review of the Backpacker 3 will go into everything you need to know before purchasing this Mountain Warehouse tent. We’ll tell you how well it holds up in rainy weather, the features on offer to users, and how to keep it working at its best. Let’s get into it.
Important note: You may see the Backpacker 3 advertised as the Trekker 3 online. Don’t worry – they’re the exact same tent!
Backpacker 3 pitching guide
The Backpacker 3 is split into two parts – an inner sheet and an independent rainfly. Different from budget options like the Craghoppers Trevelyan 250, you will need to pitch each part of this tent separately.
Whether you see this as a positive or negative point entirely depends on you and your camping style. Many prefer an all-in-one tent for bad-weather pitching, while others prefer to keep each sheet apart. This allows for inner-only camps under the stars when the weather permits.
To pitch the Backpacker 3, insert the tent’s poles then prop up the body and start to peg the corners out. You can then connect the flysheet to the inner using handy ties, which help to keep the tent in place as you pitch. Peg out the fly sheet and untie the guy lines.
We found the guy lines to be set up incorrectly (as pictured) on our Backpacker 3, which meant they needed completely rethreading onto the tensioners. We recommend prepping these before heading out on your first camping trip with the tent – use this video from Nature Calls to help.
Outside the Mountain Warehouse 3-person tent
The Backpacker 3 is a spacious yet lightweight tent that packs into a 51cm x 20cm x 20cm bag. You will find this easy to store in a rucksack or car boot.
The outer tent is made up of a thin windproof membrane that uses taped seams to protect against moisture. The Backpacker 3 has a 2000mm Hydrostatic Head, so we’d recommend adding additional waterproofing to your tent before camping in rainy conditions.
Two lightweight aluminium poles and a set of tent pegs complete this kit. Mountain Warehouse tends the provide the exact number of pegs needed for pitching its tents, so we would always recommend packing spares. Don’t forget a basic camping mallet to make constructing the tent nice and easy.
You certainly won’t find quality materials with this tent, but at a budget-friendly price point, you can’t really go wrong.
Inside the Backpacker 3
Access the Backpacker 3 via doors at either side of the tent. Dual doors might not be the norm for tents of this size, but it’s clear this is a handy feature for those camping in threes. This also prevents climbing over your fellow campers’ sleeping bags and mats any time you wish to exit the tent!
We found this Mountain Warehouse tent to be extremely spacious, especially for pairs. While the Backpacker lacks porch space, it redeems itself with enough room for two to camp comfortably with all their gear stored inside. Make sure to keep your gear minimal if camping as a three.
The inner of this tent measures 300×240 cm, with 150cm of headroom. You certainly can’t stand up in this 3-person tent, but you should be able to move around and get dressed with few issues.
Ventilation on the Backpacker 3 is basic, but gets the job done. Follow our guide to prevent condensation in your tent – we always recommend keeping wet gear outside and ventilating the inner as much as possible. This tent has a mesh flysheet that allows you to do so.
Materials and Sustainability
It’s no secret that Mountain Warehouse creates cheap and cheerful camping gear, which means its stance on sustainability is a little lacklustre at this time.
The brand donates surplus products to the Newlife Charity and works with the reGAIN app to prevent your used products from going to landfill, but we would like to see more.
Mountain Warehouse does not offer pole replacement on its tents, which means a whole new product will be sent to you in the event of damage.
Overall verdict
The Mountain Warehouse Backpacker 3 is a great budget-friendly option for camping during the UK summer months. We love the huge amount of space on offer here, and the option to camp without the independent rainfly.
If you can commit to regularly waterproofing this tent to keep it weatherproof, you should come across no issues when camping with this Mountain Warehouse 3-person tent this year.
FAQ: Mountain Warehouse Backpacker 3 Tent
Have a question about the Mountain Warehouse Backpacker 3 Tent? Check out our FAQ below where we aim to answer the most popular questions.
The Backpacker 3 is a roomy three-person tent. This is perfect for couples who like a little more space for their gear when out on the trail, or DofE trekkers who’d like to split the cost of a simple tent for three.
We’ve found this tent to be much easier to pitch than other Mountain Warehouse options – just use our video guide above to get started. Make sure to re-thread your guy lines before heading out for the first time.
Yes, the Backpacker 3 was made with trekkers and backpackers in mind. This tent weighs just 2.7kg and packs down small, meaning you can easily carry it in your rucksack when out on the trail.
The Backpacker 3 has a 2,000mm Hydrostatic Head. We recommend regularly reproofing your tent to make sure it keeps wet weather conditions out.
Still not managed to find the answer to your question? Reach out to the Adventure Pending team over on our socials and we’ll get back to you with tailored camping advice!