SMD Haven Tent: A 4500-Mile Couples Tent Review

Looking for the best couple’s tent for thru-hiking? Consider the Six Moon Designs Haven Tent, an ultralight two-person tent for backpacking.

The Haven Tent is a backpacking palace and still lighter than many other 2-person backpacking tents.  It offers two vestibules AND both people can sit up at the same time.

My partner Karma and I have put the SMD Haven Tent to the test on 3 thru-hikes, covering a total of 4500 miles. This extensive use has given us a deep understanding of its performance and durability. 

The Haven Tent is very versatile depending on the weather: you can set up just the tarp, just the bug net, or both.  Moreover, you pitch it using one set of hiking poles, eliminating the need for dedicated tent poles!

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SMD Haven Tent Tech Specs

Before I dive into my experience with the Six Moon Designs Haven Tent, here it is by the numbers. 

Full disclosure: I am a Six Moon Designs Ambassador and was given this tent. However, this review is not sponsored and is my own honest opinion.

What Trails We’ve Used the Haven Tent On

Karma and I have put the Six Moon Designs Haven Tent to the test on 3 different thru-hikes.

We used it on the Continental Divide Trail (CDT), Grand Enchantment Trail (GET), and the Desert Winter Thru-Hike (DWTH).

All three trails are brutal on gear.  Between the three, we faced nasty thunderstorms, large hailstorms, atmospheric river rains, 60+ mph winds, desert heat and cacti, and snow (the forecast said 5 inches, and it dropped a foot).

Full transparency: Is it the same tent for all 4500 miles? No.  Our first gray Haven Tarp did the CDT and GET, and we got a green one for the DWTH.  Then, our first Haven Bug Net lasted for the CDT, and the second lasted for the GET and DWTH.

SMD Haven Tent Pros and Cons

Every piece of gear has pros and cons. The best way to determine whether you’ll use it or not is if the pros outweigh the cons.

After extensive use of the Haven Tent as a 2 person tent for backpacking, here is my list:

Pros

• We can both sit up at the same time.
• It’s easy to split the weight between us.
• We can set up just the net tent, just the tarp, or both.
• If it’s raining for setup, we can set up the tarp over our backpacks and then set up the net tent from underneath the tarp.
• If it’s raining for breakdown, we can take down the dry net tent from underneath the tarp and keep it dry.
• It’s more budget-friendly because it’s Sil Nylon instead of DCF.
• You can usually set it up with 6 stakes. In high wind, you’ll need 8, or you can get creative with rocks.
• It’s comfortable to wait out storms in.
• If you pick your campsite carefully, it can withstand large atmospheric river rain, hail storms, and strong winds.

Cons

• Slightly heavier than DCF tents.
• Needs a secondary cinch after it gets wet from rain to stay taught.
• The corner guidelines will eventually strip and need to be replaced.
• It does not come seam-sealed.  You can do it yourself or pay a small fee + wait time for SMD to seam seal it for you.

Haven Couples Tent Setup Tricks

Over the last three years, Karma and I have found a few small tricks go a long way regarding comfort.

First, choose a campsite where the tent’s head side faces the wind. Because that side is steeper and, thus, shorter, it holds the wind better than the foot side.  If you’re prepping for a windy night, adding the extra hiking pole and staking out the head side helps a lot. (We usually only do this if we’re prepping for 30+ winds.

Second, if it rains between setting up and going to sleep, on your last bathroom run, cinch all the guidelines again.  The Sil Nylon slackens when wet, so to make it work better, give it a secondary cinch.

Third, Six Moon Designs marks the head-side corners with a very small piece of yellow webbing. We removed the foot-side guidelines on both the tarp and net tent and replaced them with green guidelines. This made it blatantly obvious when we needed to set up super fast.

Expected Wear and Tear

Thru-hiking is hard on gear.  My overall rating for a piece of gear is great if it will last for one of the big three trails (AT, PCT, or CDT) or their equivalent mileage.

You should expect to see some wear and tear on your Haven Tent after thru-hiking, and that’s normal. 

One area we notice wear and tear is the zippers. Let me preface this with: we’re careful with zippers and use two hands to guide them as much as possible. However, the zippers might need to be replaced before the tent. Six Moon Designs has a tutorial on that on their website here.

Long-Term Maintenance

To keep your couple’s backpacking tent in tip-top shape, don’t forget to clean it!

You should clean your Haven Tent:

1. After your thru-hike.
2. At the end of your hiking season before prolonged storage.
3. Before storing for a month or more.

You’ll want to purchase Nikwax Tech Wash and Nikwax TX Direct. Find a tub and follow the directions on each bottle. The tech wash will clean it, and the TX Direct will help re-waterproof it.

If you notice the seam sealing starting to peel or loosen, you may want to consider re-seam sealing the tarp.

Tent Cleaning Tutorial

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Who is the Six Moon Designs Haven Tent For?

The SMD Haven Tent is for:

• Couples
• Two friends
• One person with a dog
• One very tall person

Any of the four options above will work great with this 2-person tent for backpacking. 

For reference, I’m 5’2” and Karma is 5’9”, and we can both sleep comfortably inside the Haven Tent with our backpacks inside at our feet.  We can both sit up on top of our NeoAir sleeping pads at the same time.

Should YOU try the SMD Haven Tent?

IMO, yes! You should definitely try the Six Moon Designs Haven Tent. 

Personally, I will not buy a freestanding tent with dedicated tent poles again.  I vastly prefer tents like the SMD Haven, where my hiking poles can become multipurpose.

I loved having the tarp and net tent separate on the CDT where we frequently pitched the tarp mid-afternoon to take shelter from a raging thunderstorm. 

Then, on desert trails, I love that we can pitch just the bug net to see the stars at night and be protected from snakes, scorpions, and spiders.

Final Thoughts

If you’re in the market for a budget-friendly, ultralight 2-person tent for backpacking, then the SMD Haven Tent is for you. 

It’s one of the best 2-person tents for camping, backpacking, and thru-hiking—yes, even car camping! If you have a more packable tent, consider how much food and entertainment you can bring. 

If you’re on the fence about a Sil Nylon tent versus a DCF tent, consider how often you need zeros on the trail.  Those zeros can really weigh into your budget…and sometimes getting the more affordable tent will allow you greater flexibility on trail.

If you have any other questions, drop them in the comments!