Choosing a Tent

Hiking the Appalachian Trail takes anywhere from 4 to 6 months, and since you can't go home every night, you'll need somewhere to sleep.  There's countless types of tents to choose from along with other options.

Everyone has different preferences, so here's a few things to keep in mind while shopping for tents:


How easy is it to set up?
How much does it weigh?
How many people are going to be sleeping in it?
How much space does it have?
What's the price?
Is it ventilated well?

Keep those things in mind while you consider all the options for shelter on the Appalachian Trail.

Shelters, Huts, and Lean-Tos:
There are hundreds of shelters, huts, and lean-tos along the trail.  They're basically the same thing, but with different names.  These are usually placed in areas that have a water sources close by, and there is usually an outhouse too.  Even if you're not staying in the shelter, there's always somewhere to tent.  Many hikers prefer to get a spot in the shelter, and not set up their tents.  However, you can't rely on getting a spot in the shelters every night during the first few hundred miles of the trail.  There's too many other people on the trail attempting thru-hikes, but eventually they will start to drop off.

Tarps:
If you can learn to tie a few knots and don't mind laying your sleeping pad on the ground, you can use a tarp as your shelter.  You'll be using cord to string the tarp up between trees.  Tarps are great because they're extremely light to carry and they don't take up very much valuable pack space.  Combine tarp carrying with sleeping in shelters, and you'll lower your pack weight but remain comfortable.

Free-Standing Tents:
Free-standing tents are just tents that stay up by themselves once you put the poles in.  You still have to stake them to the ground, so they won't blow away.  You can pay a lot of money for super lightweight tents, but in general this is the heaviest option.  On the plus side, they're easy to set up and are roomy.  You can set them up anywhere; you don't need trees.  They're very sturdy too; they don't blow around as much in the wind and harsh weather.  I've used a tent that was only partially free-standing, and it would always be caving in by morning and wasn't very sturdy.  Tying guy lines will help with this problem, but I really don't like the extra hassle and carrying extra stakes.  Some people don't mind though.  Prices vary anywhere from $100-$600.
REI is a good place to start looking for a tent.  They have a wide variety of brands and types of tents. 

Other Types of Tents:
There's a variety of semi-freestanding tents available.  You usually have to secure them with guy lines.  They weigh less because they require fewer (if any) poles for set up.  If you hike with trekking poles, there are tents that are designed to be set up with the trekking poles instead of carrying poles that only function for the tent.  Check out Tarptent for lightweight tents that start around $200.
Hammocks are also becoming pretty popular on the trail.  They have a rainfly that protects the netted hammock part.  You don't have to worry about finding a level area of ground or sleeping on a hard surface.  No poles, means less weight.  You wouldn't necessarily need a sleeping pad either.
As far as hammocks go, Hennessy Hammock is the way to go.  Prices start at $100.