Best for weight- conscious, three-season users

660g / 2.9m²

At a glance
Plusses: A versatile and lightweight design, good value, comfortable.
Minuses: Could have bigger internal storage pockets, plastic fly/inner tent attachments, minimal venting.

Features: Freestanding, with twin vestibules, easy to pitch and with generous dimensions offering good inner space. The fly and floor fabrics are recycled. A ‘Landing Zone’ adds gear stowage to the vestibule.

Pitching: The Nemo is similar to the Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL and the MSR Hubba Hubba NX and utilises a proven design. It was quick to pitch and the fly tensioned firmly. Peg attachments on the fly are adjustable, which is useful to avoid rocks, or to fine-tune fly tension after pitching. The pegs are light but sturdy and suitable for a range of ground densities. Colour coding simplifies the process, as do plastic clips for linking poles to the corners of the inner and the inner to the fly, but I would have preferred to see a more durable option, such as alloy. 

Comfort: The width of the inner compares to other tents in its class, but the length is more generous, providing good storage and more comfort for tall people. The vestibules are generous too, meaning easier gear storage and cooking. The Landing Zone is a great feature. It’s a triangular-shaped ‘trough’ that attaches to the inner and fly and keeps gear not required inside the tent cleaner and drier. Near the top of the fly zip is a small ventilation strut which Velcros in place. This style of freestanding tent is vulnerable to strong winds at any time of the year, so wind-sheltered campsites are best. Guy lines are included. 

In use: The poles are pre-bent which allows for steep lower walls of the inner, which provides more headroom. I would have liked to see more internal storage pockets, as these make a big difference to a tent’s livability. As with most tents in this class, there is a lot of mesh used in the inner, and I’d prefer to see the tight-weave nylon (used to cut wind and maintain privacy) come higher up the wall. The floor fabric is very light and I would pair it with a footprint on anything but grass. 

Value: Compared to other tents in its class, and considering the Landing Zone and Nemo’s conscious effort to utilise recycled materials, it’s very good value. 

Verdict: A tried and tested design with some points of difference. A good choice for three-season backcountry use and cycle touring. Some aspects of the tent could be stronger, but, in most cases, not without increasing weight or expense.