Huge Agnes Tiger Wall vs. NEMO Hornet OSMO vs. MSR FreeLite

Fashions We Examined

We’ve additionally examined – and actually like – the 3-person variations of those tents. This information focuses on the favored 2-person variations, however many of the execs/cons stay the identical for the 3P fashions. If you happen to often backpack with a companion and like a bit extra inside area in your shelters, the 3-person variations of every of those tents are additionally glorious and are nonetheless very mild.

Scoring

We ranked the Huge Agnes Tiger Wall UL 2, NEMO Hornet OSMO 2, and MSR FreeLite 2 primarily based on a easy scoring system:

• 1 level for each part the tent wins
• 1 level for all tents if there’s a 3-way tie

The tent with the very best rating wins.

Value

The Huge Agnes Tiger Wall UL 2, NEMO Hornet OSMO 2, and MSR FreeLite 2 symbolize phenomenal worth for ultralight user-friendly shelters. These tents cater to hikers planning an extended trek or thru-hike however aren’t able to half with the comforts and middle-tier pricing of a double-wall tent.

There are extra reasonably priced double-wall tents available on the market, however they are usually fairly a bit heavier. There are additionally lighter shelters on the market, however they are usually single-wall non-freestanding tents that always use costly cloth like Dyneema Composite Cloth (DCF). These three semi-freestanding tents land within the center for pricing, however are nonetheless impressively mild, straightforward to make use of, and supply excellent climate safety.

Try the value comparability desk in our Greatest Backpacking Tents Information to see how these tents stack up towards the opposite high shelters available on the market. The Huge Agnes Tiger Wall UL 2, NEMO Hornet OSMO 2, and MSR FreeLite 2 are priced within the mid to low 400s, which locations them just under common for worth. They’re cost-effective for being so light-weight and feature-rich.

MSRPs

1. NEMO Hornet OSMO – $430
2. MSR FreeLite – $450
3. Huge Agnes Tiger Wall – $450

Winner: NEMO Hornet OSMO

The NEMO Hornet OSMO wins this class by $20, with a tie for second place. However we wouldn’t advocate making your selection primarily based on worth alone. As a result of these tent costs are so shut, take into account specializing in which tent options are a very powerful to you. On the finish of the day, an additional $20 shall be cash effectively spent if the tent matches your wants higher in the long term.

Packaged Weight

These tents are impressively mild. Check out the burden comparability desk in our Greatest Backpacking Tents Information to see how they evaluate to our different high picks. The Huge Agnes Tiger Wall UL 2, MSR FreeLite 2, and NEMO Hornet OSMO 2 are close to the entrance of the pack for weight. That’s why every one earns a spot in our Greatest Backpacking Tents Information or Greatest Ultralight Tents Information: they’re straightforward to hold for prolonged durations.

To match tents, we use their packaged weight. Packaged weight is the full mass of the tent because it’s offered by the producer. That quantity often consists of the tent, rainfly, stakes, and guylines. 

1. MSR FreeLite – Packaged Weight – 2 lb. 5 oz.
2. NEMO Hornet OSMO – Packaged Weight – 2 lb. 8 oz.
3. Huge Agnes Tiger Wall – Packaged Weight – 2 lb. 8 oz.

Winner: MSR FreeLite

The MSR FreeLite wins this class by three ounces, with a tie for second place. Three ounces isn’t nothing relating to backpacking gear weight, and that might issue into your shopping for determination. Nevertheless, understand that three ounces is only a bit extra weight than a snack bar, so selecting a tent with the options you need may simply be extra essential.

Inside House

We expect the Huge Agnes Tiger Wall UL 2, NEMO Hornet OSMO 2, and MSR FreeLite 2 typically work higher as solo shelters. As a result of all three tents prioritize low weight, we discovered their interiors had been small for 2 average-sized adults. If you happen to’re backpacking with a companion or a canine, we advocate sizing as much as the 3-person variations of any of those tents for extra room.

Inside area of the tents is measured as follows: L x W [head / foot] x H [peak]). Observe that the Tiger Wall and Hornet each are wider on the head and extra slim on the toes, so that they have two width measurements. The FreeLite is rectangular, so it has one.

Huge Agnes Tiger Wall – 86 x 52/42 x 39 in.

The Tiger Wall provides probably the most inside area of the three tents. It has the longest forehead pole, which pulls the edges of the inside mesh almost vertical. Meaning you’ll have considerably extra headroom than the FreeLite or the Hornet to sit down up and transfer round. 

Due to this spacious headroom, the Tiger Wall is the one tent on this listing we expect is cheap for 2 folks. It’s nonetheless a good area to share, however we discovered it was the least cramped of the three tents, particularly if customers are on the shorter or smaller facet. For extra space, take into account sizing as much as the 3-Individual model of the Tiger Wall.

MSR FreeLite – 84 x 50 x 39 in. 

The MSR FreeLite has extra inside area than the Hornet, however not as a lot because the Tiger Wall. One key distinction of the FreeLite is its totally rectangular ground, which provides extra space than the Tiger Wall or Hornet when mendacity down subsequent to a companion. We discovered the ground area of the FreeLite was just like heavier freestanding, 2-person backpacking tents. This design additionally offers extra space for inside gear storage.

Nevertheless, the FreeLite’s forehead pole is shorter than the one on the Tiger Wall (though longer than the Hornet). Meaning the FreeLite’s partitions slant inward, reducing out treasured headroom that two folks want for livable area in a shared shelter.

For that motive, the FreeLite is extra comfy as a solo shelter, relatively than sharing with a companion. It could work effectively for 2 smaller or shorter hikers who’re okay with much less headroom, and it’s a wonderful tent selection for solo use. 

NEMO Hornet OMSO – 85 x 51/43 x 39 in. 

NEMO’s Hornet has the least inside area in comparison with the Tiger Wall and the FreeLite. NEMO makes use of quick forehead clips as an alternative of an extended forehead pole, so the partitions are slim and are available almost to some extent on the ceiling. This design eliminates many of the potential headroom that the Tiger Wall and FreeLite supply.

The Hornet’s ground space is the most important of the three tents, which is ok whenever you’re mendacity down. Nevertheless, we discovered the slim partitions made it robust for 2 folks to sit down up with out brushing the facet of the tent or bumping into the opposite individual. You may match two folks in a pinch, however it’s tight.

Additionally, the Hornet just isn’t nice for backpackers over six toes tall. Our tallest hiker was 6’2”, they usually discovered the 2-person Hornet was too slim for consolation over an prolonged time, at the same time as a solo shelter.

We extremely advocate the 2-person Hornet for solo backpackers which might be below 6 toes tall. For taller hikers, we propose the 3-person model of this tent. In reality, we just like the 3-person NEMO Hornet OSMO a lot that we want it over the 3-person FreeLite or the 3-person Tiger Wall. 

Winner: Huge Agnes Tiger Wall

The Huge Agnes Tiger Wall is the clear winner of this part. Its longer forehead pole creates an even bigger inside area and provides considerably extra headroom than the opposite two shelters. The FreeLite is available in second place with a usable however narrower inside, and the Hornet is available in third resulting from an absence of headroom for 2 folks.

Ground dimensions alone aren’t an effective way to measure how roomy a tent is. The construction of the tent poles defines how a lot headroom there shall be. Nevertheless, the quantity of ground area remains to be essential. A beneficiant tent ground will present extra room for 2 folks when mendacity down, and as a bonus provides further inside area for storing gear. 

To search out the sq. footage of every tent’s ground, multiply the size of the ground by the width. The Tiger Wall and Hornet have a tapered ground form, that means they’re wider on the head and extra slim on the toes. The FreeLite is rectangular.

1. MSR FreeLite – 29 sq. ft.
2. Huge Agnes Tiger Wall – 28 sq. ft.
3. NEMO Hornet OSMO – 27.5 sq. ft.

Winner – MSR FreeLite

The MSR FreeLite is the champion relating to ground space. At 29 sq. toes, the FreeLite is a sq. foot larger than the Tiger Wall in second place, and a foot and a half larger than the Hornet in third place. The FreeLite’s rectangular ground form offers it a bit extra room than the opposite two, which taper from wider on the head to extra slim on the toes. Nevertheless, it is a small quantity of additional ground area and wouldn’t be sufficient to persuade us to decide on the FreeLite over the opposite tents.

Vestibule Space

The vestibule of a tent helps it really feel extra comfy and livable. Vestibules present a dry designated place to retailer smelly footwear, tools, and ponderous backpacks. It’s additionally important for offering climate safety by blocking wind, solar, and rain. A roomy vestibule lends extra versatility to a tent as effectively: it might probably present extra seating, act as a non-public area to vary garments and supply shelter when cooking and consuming.

1. Huge Agnes Tiger Wall – 8 + 8 sq. ft.
2. MSR FreeLite- 7.5 + 7.5 sq. ft.
3. NEMO Hornet OSMO – 7.1 + 7.1 sq. ft.

Winner – Huge Agnes Tiger Wall

The Huge Agnes Tiger Wall wins for the most important vestibule. It has the most important vestibule space of the three tents, with virtually a sq. foot greater than the Hornet in third place. Despite the fact that the Hornet’s vestibule area felt extra slim, these tents are all inside 6 to 12 sq. inches of one another. General, these tents supply average-sized vestibules for backpacking tents. We didn’t have hassle discovering area to retailer our gear. The Tiger Wall’s s further vestibule area is sweet, however the barely smaller vestibules of the opposite tents wouldn’t be a dealbreaker in our purchasing determination.

Pockets

Shelter storage and group are important when tenting. Nicely-designed tent pockets ought to differ in measurement and be strategically positioned all through the tent that can assist you keep organized. Pockets make it straightforward to shortly entry necessities whenever you want them, whether or not it’s a multitool or a map, and may maintain your shelter clutter-free whereas maximizing area. 

Huge Agnes Tiger Wall – The Tiger Wall has 4 complete pockets, probably the most of all three tents. It options two handy rectangular pockets close to the pinnacle of the tent, good for storing necessities like a headlamp or chapstick. It additionally has a large overhead storage pocket helpful for storing gadgets like a hat or cellphone.

What makes the Tiger Wall distinctive is the spacious loft pocket on the foot of the tent. It’s the one tent of the three that provides a pocket this large and on this location. The loft pocket is positioned within the foot space that isn’t used to sit down up, so we discovered this vast, stretchy storage is ideal for stashing jackets or different garments with out leaving them piled on the ground or in a vestibule. 

MSR Freelite – The Freelite has 3 pockets. It options two distinctive triangular pockets on the head of the tent for neatly storing gear you wish to maintain shut. The triangle pockets have a handy function: a gap on the backside to run a charging wire out of your energy financial institution to your cellphone. We discovered the pockets had been simply sufficiently big to stash nearly all of our small important gadgets. Nevertheless, if you happen to want extra room, the Freelite additionally has two generously sized overhead pockets which might be sensible for stashing bulkier issues like mild layers or stuff sacks. 

NEMO Hornet OSMO – The Hornet provides simply 2 medium overhead pockets. It doesn’t have low facet pockets like the opposite tents supply, so that you’ll have to search out elsewhere to place your sun shades, earplugs, and toiletries. As an alternative, the 2 small overhead pockets supply the one storage within the tent, however they’re simply inside arm’s attain. These pockets are made from a particular light-dispersing materials to transform your headlamp into an ambient tent lamp. We discovered this minimal pocket design supplied restricted room for a handful of things, however nothing else. 

Winner: Huge Agnes Tiger Wall

The Tiger Wall wins first place for a considerate pocket format that we discovered very handy and helpful. With 4 pockets of various sizes, the storage within the Tiger Wall assured we’d have ample room for organizing gear. We particularly appreciated the massive loft pocket to maintain jackets off the ground. MSR’s FreeLite pockets had been additionally purposeful and useful, however in third place, the Hornet was missing. Its minimalist storage choices left us wanting extra.

You’re sure to run into unpredictable and difficult climate when backpacking. Nevertheless, these tents will maintain you as protected and dry from the rain, wind, and even mild snow as any heavier freestanding shelter.

All three tents are constructed with ripstop, waterproof nylon blends and embody guylines to safe your shelter in excessive winds. All of them embody a further therapy of DWR, silicone, and/or polyurethane to shed water.

Semi-freestanding tents created from nylon do have some downsides. They’re extra vulnerable to excessive wind due to the minimal pole construction. As well as, all three tents are likely to sag in chilly and moist climate due to their nylon development. Basically, nylon doesn’t maintain form in addition to a DCF shelter, sil-nylon, or a thicker, extra sturdy materials. As a result of the nylon utilized in these three tents is thinner and the foot of the tent is staked out, you’ll probably have to re-tension your guylines and re-stake your tent as inclement climate strikes in and the fabric sags.

Huge Agnes Tiger Wall – The Tiger Wall excels in climate safety because of its full-coverage fly and lengthy forehead pole. The place the Hornet and FreeLite each have one facet the place the rainfly is lower out, the Tiger Wall’s fly extends to the bottom on all sides, guaranteeing moisture is stored at bay. The Tiger Wall additionally has six guylines, two greater than the others, for much more stability and resistance to robust winds. Due to Huge Agnes’ distinctive dying strategies, the Tiger Wall is UV resistant and received’t lose colour as shortly because the Hornet or FreeLite.

We discovered the fabric of the Tiger Wall sagged many of the three tents when it got here to chilly and moist circumstances. We had been by no means involved that the fabric would fail, and the tent was superior at preserving out moisture, wind, and the weather, however you might want to regulate the strain of the guylines as temperatures drop and the rain picks up. 

NEMO Hornet OSMO – The Hornet’s tent materials sagged the least. We discovered NEMO’s polyester and nylon cloth mix, referred to as OSMO, didn’t droop as a lot because the others in rain, snow, wind, or below-freezing temperatures. Just like the FreeLite, it provides 4 guy-out factors.

Sadly, the slim forehead clips on the high of the tent don’t present a lot protection from rain when getting out and in of the tent. Meaning the vestibules and inside tent are liable to getting sprinkled when doorways are open throughout a storm. The 4 guyline attachment factors are useful for preserving moisture out.

One other draw back is that just like the FreeLite, the Hornet has a single-wall part on the head of the tent the place the rainfly is lower out, turning simply the foot space right into a single-wall tent. We discovered this was a uncommon difficulty and the tent dried shortly, however in moist and chilly climate, this lack of rainfly protection drew extra condensation than the remainder of the tent. 

MSR FreeLite – The FreeLite makes use of “rain gutters” on the rainfly. These are flaps positioned subsequent to the zippers that run from the highest of the tent to the underside of the rainfly to assist information moisture away. This is able to be particularly useful when opening the tent after a storm since water nonetheless on the rainfly doorways would roll in the direction of the zipper and into the vestibule. 

On paper, it is a nice function. In observe, we didn’t discover that the rain gutter was any extra environment friendly at shedding water than the Tiger Wall or Hornet.

Just like the Hornet, the FreeLite additionally has 4 guy-out factors and a single-wall part on the foot of the tent the place the rainfly is lower out to save lots of weight. We discovered this space gathered extra condensation than the remainder of the tent, however it wasn’t a major difficulty. The FreeLite stored out rain and blocked wind.

Winner: Three-Approach Tie

It is a three-way tie. We discovered all three tents had been comparable and really dependable in rain and wind. They every stand out for a distinct motive: the Tiger Wall has a full-coverage rainfly, the Hornet sags much less in chilly and moist climate, and the Freelight provides a gutter designed to assist shed water. These tents have stored us reliably dry, and our gear protected within the vestibules, it doesn’t matter what the circumstances had been exterior.

These tents prioritize low weight over sturdiness. The Huge Agnes Tiger Wall UL 2, NEMO Hornet OSMO 2, and MSR FreeLite 2 aren’t burly by design: they use slim aluminum poles and skinny cloth to supply main weight financial savings for ounce-conscious backpackers. 

Denier is a technique to measure not solely how thick or dense a cloth is, however how robust it will likely be. When a denier quantity is excessive the tent cloth is stronger, tougher to see by way of, and heavier. At decrease denier values, cloth is lighter, extra clear, and fewer sturdy.

All three tents use 10 and 15 denier ripstop nylon (or a coated nylon mix) for the ground and rainfly, and polyester for the mesh. 15D is simply barely extra sturdy than 10D, however each are ultralight and impressively weather-resistant. It’s value noting these supplies are as mild and skinny as you’ll be able to probably go with out sacrificing all sturdiness, and 10D and 15 materials are customary on most ultralight tents.

It’s true {that a} motivated critter may chew by way of the fabric on any of those tents to succeed in a late-night snack in your shelter. We’ve additionally discovered {that a} rogue department or sharp rock can do some actual harm if you happen to don’t choose a transparent campsite. We extremely advocate buying the coordinating footprint or a sheet of Tyvek residence wrap for all three fashions so as to add an additional layer of safety between you and muddy, moist, or tough terrain. If you happen to’re arduous in your gear or on the lookout for an excellent sturdy backcountry shelter, these tents will fall quick. 

Nevertheless, we’ve discovered that with common upkeep and preventative care, all three tents can and can final a few years. To increase the lifetime of your shelter, see our information How To Care For Your Tent: Cleansing, Restore, & Storage Suggestions.

MSR FreeLite – The FreeLite felt safe in all climate because of a thicker tent materials. Just like the Tiger Wall, it makes use of 15-denier nylon for all elements of the tent:  rainfly, partitions, and ground. That is an incremental distinction in materials thickness that provides a bit extra sturdiness.

The FreeLite additionally options 4 guylines, one for every nook, so as to add stability in excessive winds. Moreover, MSR makes use of steel grommets for the tent pole ends to nestle, whereas the Hornet and Tiger Wall use plastic. We’ve by no means had a difficulty with plastic grommets, however it is a small ingredient that might add longer life to the FreeLite.

NEMO Hornet OSMO – The Hornet is sturdy because of its proprietary OSMO materials. It is a mix of polyester and nylon that outperformed the FreeLite and Tiger Wall in moist and chilly climate. The ten rainfly and 15D inside OSMO cloth held its form the perfect and sagged the least of those three tents, making it really feel extra sturdy and reliable in storms. Just like the FreeLite, the Hornet additionally has 4 guyline attachment factors. Just like the Tiger Wall, it makes use of plastic grommets for the tent poles. Plastic grommets work effectively and sure save an incremental quantity of weight, however in concept, plastic is extra prone to break or deteriorate than steel.

Huge Agnes Tiger Wall – We discovered the Tiger Wall’s materials was the least sturdy of the three tents.  Huge Agnes makes use of 15D ripstop nylon, which needs to be similar to the FreeLite for efficiency in chilly temperatures and rain. It has 6 guyline attachment factors for further safety throughout storms. 

However in our expertise, the Huge Agnes cloth sagged the many of the three tents throughout moist climate. We had considerations that the rainfly – which is sort of see-through – was too skinny, however it nonetheless carried out effectively towards moisture and wind. We’d extremely advocate a floor material or footprint so as to add longevity to the Tiger Wall specifically. Although it nonetheless labored effectively in all climate, we query the long-term sturdiness of The Tiger Wall’s materials.

Winner – MSR FreeLite

The winner for sturdiness is the MSR FreeLite. Its barely thicker 15D nylon development and use of steel grommets put it forward of the competitors, guaranteeing an extended lifespan within the outside. The Hornet is in second place and the Tiger Wall is in third.

When it boils right down to sturdiness, none of those tents are an ideal selection. Their light-weight design and high-performance supplies aren’t constructed to final for many years. However the place you sacrifice sturdiness, you achieve portability, and these tents are as mild because it will get.

Versatility

A flexible tent enhances a variety of outside adventures. It’s not straightforward to discover a shelter that retains you simply as comfy within the wild backcountry in a single day as a reserved frontcountry website. Semi-freestanding tents straddle the road between freestanding and non-freestanding choices on this regard.

Freestanding tents – Freestanding tents are probably the most versatile for sleeping close to an alpine lake or subsequent to your automotive bumper. The load of most freestanding tents makes them purposeful sufficient for backpacking, particularly when splitting the burden with a companion, however feature-rich sufficient for automotive tenting because of ease of use and pace of setup.

Non-freestanding tents – Non-freestanding tents are the least versatile. They’re designed so simple as doable for backpacking, which is strictly what you want for a low base weight. However for tenting virtually anyplace else, you sacrifice comforts like pockets, headroom, and sturdiness. Non-freestanding shelters don’t make sense anyplace besides the backcountry: they’re costly, probably the most time-consuming and difficult to pitch, and are recognized to fill with condensation in a single day. Additionally they have a big footprint, since all man traces should be staked out, to allow them to’t be arrange in as many places. 

Semi-freestanding tents – Semi-freestanding tents land in between the 2. Like freestanding tents, their small footprints and few guylines make them straightforward to arrange anyplace there’s room. In frontcountry and automotive tenting conditions, they received’t present as a lot sturdiness, consolation, or inside area as a typical freestanding tent, however they provide comparable options like pockets, headroom, and climate resistance for versatility past the backcountry. Semi-freestanding tents are straightforward to make use of due to their easy pole construction, so that they’re quick to arrange for a first-timer. And like non-freestanding tents, they provide very low weight. 

Winner: Three-Approach-Tie

The Huge Agnes Tiger Wall UL 2, NEMO Hornet OSMO 2, and MSR FreeLite 2 are designed at the beginning for light-weight backpacking, however they’re additionally versatile sufficient for the frontcountry. Due to their distinctive mix of low weight, wealthy options, and ease of use, every tent is flexible sufficient to deal with probably the most punishing months-long thru-hike, however would additionally thrive close to a picnic desk and a fireplace pit.

For ease of use, semi-freestanding tents are the right stability between freestanding tents and trekking pole tents. 

Freestanding tents are virtually all the time the quickest and best to pitch since they are often arrange on most terrains. Freestanding tents use acquainted designs and have handy options like color-coordinated buckles and clips that make the shelter setup a breeze.

Trekking pole tents are probably the most tough and time-consuming to arrange. They don’t have a devoted framework of tent poles and depend on your trekking poles because the assist level. Meaning the steps to realize the “good” pitch with guylines and stress may be complicated and sluggish relying on the slope, obstacles, and area out there.

Semi-freestanding tents are quick to arrange since they require being staked out on the foot of the tent. Like a freestanding tent, the uncomplicated pole construction is straightforward to grasp, and the rainfly attachments are intuitive for quick setup or tear down. Not like Trekking pole tents, you’ll be able to pitch semi-freestanding tents in additional places because of the smaller footprint. 

Winner – Three-Approach Tie

It is a three-way tie. We discovered the Huge Agnes Tiger Wall, NEMO Hornet OSMO, and MSR FreeLite tents had been remarkably straightforward to pitch. Semi-freestanding tents nonetheless require selecting a campsite rigorously, particularly when they’re ultralight like these tents, however their small footprint, easy design, and minimal stakes make them nice for each newcomers and seasoned campers.

Having a tent that packs small is essential for portability. The much less area your tent takes up, the extra room you have got for different necessities. Plus, a smaller backpack profile is extra comfy and maneuverable. The Huge Agnes Tiger Wall, NEMO Hornet OSMO, and MSR FreeLite tents pack down very small. If packed measurement is your high precedence, any of those tents may work.

NEMO Hornet OSMO – 12.5 x 7.5 x 3.5 in.

The Hornet packs down the smallest. At a mere 12.5 inches, the Hornet’s pole segments fold into considerably smaller sections than the 18-inch poles of the Tiger Wall or FreeLite. Most tent poles are too lengthy to be packed contained in the backpack, so they’re saved on the skin whereas mountain climbing – however not the Hornet. It packs so small, we match the whole tent and poles simply inside our backpacks. All the package deal matches effectively horizontally and vertically.

We don’t advocate storing poles inside your bag long run to forestall damaging different gear, however having the choice opened up beneficial exterior storage that’s devoted area for the FreeLite and Tiger Wall. This type of measurement versatility is exclusive to the Hornet and an enormous benefit for backpackers.

MSR FreeLite – 4.5 x 4.5 x 18 in.

The width of the FreeLite when packed is 4.5 inches, however it’s tied with the Tiger Wall for the size of poles at 18 inches. You may scale back it much more with a distinct stuff sack and the poles saved individually.

Huge Agnes Tiger Wall – 5.5 x 5.5 x 18 in.

The Tiger Wall has the most important packed measurement of the three tents, measuring an inch wider than the FreeLite.  Think about using a distinct compression sack and storing the poles on the skin of your backpacks to cut back the quantity of inside area used.

Winner – NEMO Hornet OSMO

The NEMO Hornet OSMO handily takes the prize for the smallest packed measurement. We’re impressed with how small the Hornet can get, making it probably the most versatile for carrying in your backpack or storing at residence. With poles virtually six inches longer, the FreeLite is available in second, and the Tiger Wall is third as a result of it packs the widest. Nevertheless, we expect all of those tents supply a remarkably small packed measurement and would complement most backpacking kits.

We want tents with two doorways. Whether or not mountain climbing with a companion or exploring trails solo, tents with two doorways are useful for coping with restricted campsite area, orienting to a particular view, and providing another exit in an emergency. Two doorways also can enhance air flow by permitting air to maneuver by way of the tent. Twin entrances make a tent extra livable and versatile for sharing area with a tentmate and organizing gear.

For the Doorways and Zippers class, we ranked exterior rainfly doorways and inside tent doorways individually to find out the winner.

RAINFLY

MSR FreeLite – We discovered the FreeLite’s rainfly doorways had been straightforward to open with a single zipper and easy to maneuver by way of. The medium-sized forehead bar helps maintain the door flaps off of the inside tent, so lingering rainfly condensation by no means leaves the vestibule. The FreeLite’s rainfly tie-backs are in an intuitive and purposeful location that maintain the doorways out of the way in which and permit somewhat extra air flow.

NEMO Hornet OSMO – The Hornet’s giant rainfly doorways additionally function a single zipper. We like the location of the Hornet’s door tie-backs over the Tiger Wall, however lower than the FreeLite. The tie-backs are positioned low, which generally causes condensation to drip on us or gear whereas attempting to pin the door again. The Hornet’s doorways may additionally flap into the vestibule and towards the inside of the tent, a difficulty when the doorways had been moist with condensation or rain. We just like the triangular form and measurement of the rainfly doorways for ease of use.

Huge Agnes Tiger Wall – The Tiger Wall is available in final place due to the placement of the door tie-backs and clasps: they’re very low on the tent. This uncommon design means if you happen to’re inside attempting to get the rainfly flap out of the way in which to exit, you’re prone to brush towards condensation or a soaked rainfly, dousing each you and your gear. We additionally discovered the door design was too low. We needed to duck rigorously when getting into the tent to keep away from brushing or bumping our heads on the tent. The Tiger Wall rainfly doorways have two-way zippers, the one tent of the three that provides this configuration. Two-way zippers may also help with air flow, however this wasn’t sufficient to maneuver the Tiger Wall out of third place.

Winner – MSR FreeLite

The MSR FreeLite wins for the perfect rainfly door. A mixture of well-placed tiebacks and good design put its giant doorways on the high. The Hornet is available in second, and the Tiger Wall in third.

INTERIOR DOORS

Huge Agnes Tiger Wall The Tiger Wall has two zippers on inside “L”-shaped doorways. One zipper runs vertically, the opposite runs alongside the bottom, they usually meet on the nook. This design makes for straightforward, one-hand door opening and offers the flexibleness to entry the vestibule by simply opening the zipper on the backside, even whereas mendacity down. The Tiger Wall additionally has the most important inside doorways. The inside door tieback is about excessive, which retains it fully out of the way in which to make getting out and in straightforward.

MSR FreeLite – The FreeLite’s inside door is triangular and L-shaped, however the is smaller and at a sharper angle than these of the Tiger Wall. Tiebacks are intuitively positioned in the midst of the door and maintain again the tent materials. Just like the Tiger Wall, the FreeLite additionally provides two zippers that meet on the nook for straightforward open-and-close with one hand or accessing gear exterior.

NEMO Hornet OMSO – We discovered the Hornet’s doorways had been extra cumbersome and fewer purposeful than the opposite two tents. The Hornet’s inside doorways are a half-circle form and solely have one zipper. We discovered the doorways are arduous to open with one hand due to their form and the design of the tent. With out utilizing two arms, cloth bunches up and prevents a clean zip. The tiebacks are lengthy and positioned effectively to maintain the door out of the way in which when wanted.

Winner – Huge Agnes Tiger Wall

The Huge Agnes Tiger Wall has the perfect inside doorways of those three tents. They’re large, straightforward to open with one hand, and the 2 zippers are handy and purposeful. The FreeLite is available in second and the Hornet in third.

Basically, semi-freestanding tents don’t supply nice air flow in comparison with freestanding fashions. The Huge Agnes Tiger Wall UL 2, NEMO Hornet OSMO 2, and MSR FreeLite 2 don’t supply luxurious options typical of freestanding tents like kickstand roof vents or adjustable rainfly heights that may assist mitigate condensation even higher. The mesh uppers of the inside tent actually assist with airflow, however air flow is restricted as soon as the tent is totally zipped up.

Because of the lack of air flow, condensation can construct up in a single day in all three of those tents, particularly throughout moist and chilly climate. We’ve by no means discovered condensation to be a significant difficulty as a result of the double wall design manages this moisture effectively. Not like a non-freestanding tent, the air hole between the inside mesh and the rainfly successfully retains condensation away from you and your gear. These tents are made with skinny efficiency materials that maintain a shocking quantity of moisture however dry shortly within the solar.

Huge Agnes Tiger Wall – The Tiger Wall provides two zippers on the rainfly, so you’ll be able to open the highest part of the fly for airflow whereas sustaining some privateness. Nevertheless, this isn’t sensible throughout moist climate. Just like the FreeLite, the inside tent additionally provides two zippers, permitting campers to go away one open for a bit extra air flow.

NEMO Hornet OSMO – On the foot of the Hornet, the rainfly is lower out. This protects weight, however it creates a single-wall part on the tent. Despite the fact that this space is liable to condensation as a result of it creates a big nylon part as an alternative of mesh, this single-wall part of the tent helps with breathability.

MSR FreeLite – Similar because the Hornet, the FreeLite has a single-wall part on the foot of the tent the place there’s no rainfly. This helps incrementally with air flow. 

Winner – Huge Agnes Tiger Wall

The Tiger Wall’s double zipper on the rainfly and double zipper on the inside tent supply only a bit extra air flow than the FreeLite and Hornet. It’s value noting that it is a small quantity of additional airflow. All three tents use skinny, breathable materials, however are finally missing in air flow options.

Eco-Pleasant

The out of doors business may be extremely wasteful. Manufacturing tents usually requires uncooked supplies like petroleum to provide artificial materials and aluminum for tent poles. The method of producing textiles is resource-intensive, creating monumental quantities of water waste. As well as, Cloth therapies use chemical coatings and sealants that may be dangerous to the atmosphere. Transporting merchandise all around the world provides to carbon emissions.

It’s a paradox: the very gadgets we use to benefit from the outside can hurt the atmosphere throughout their manufacturing. Firms that target sustainable materials sourcing, recycled materials, accountable and humane labor practices, home manufacturing, and utilizing much less power and water could make a constructive influence on the native and international atmosphere.

Huge Agnes Tiger Wall – In 2021, Huge Agnes modified the way in which it dyes all of its tents with a technique referred to as answer dying. It dyes supplies earlier than they’re processed, as an alternative of afterwards. This dying method reduces power consumption by 80% and water use by 50%. Meaning the Tiger Wall is produced with as few carbon emissions and chemical compounds as doable. And, its tent poles are totally recyclable.

Huge Agnes services run on 100% electrical power. The corporate doesn’t use any flame retardants in its merchandise, makes use of licensed Accountable Down Customary for sourcing down, and prioritizes 50-100% recycled insulation to be used in its jackets and sleeping baggage. Huge Agnes has additionally diminished its variety of poly baggage for gadgets like furnishings and stakes. Try its lengthy listing of eco-friendly initiatives.

NEMO Hornet OSMO – The Hornet makes use of OSMO cloth, a mix of polyester and nylon that’s free from without end chemical compounds like hearth retardants, PFAs, and PFCs. The tent is Blue Signal authorized and assured freed from poisonous supplies.

NEMO pledges to chop its emissions in half by 2030. Their workplace runs on 100% renewable power. NEMO provides a lifetime assure and repairs, so when your Hornet wants a recent zipper or the ground requires greater than only a patch, you’ll be able to restore your tent as an alternative of including it to the landfill. NEMO has launched quite a lot of 100% recycled and recyclable merchandise. The corporate launched its Limitless Promise Program, which is a dedication by the corporate to make gear extra recyclable and scale back waste with a closed-loop system: recycling, repairing, and reselling supplies and merchandise.

MSR FreeLite – Each the nylon cloth and aluminum of the FreeLite are created from recyclable supplies.

MSR’s manufacturing and workplace services are powered by a minimal of 25% renewable power. All merchandise are freed from BPA, PFAs, and harsh chemical compounds. MSR sources all packaging supplies native to its US-based manufacturing services. Home manufacturing makes their environmental footprint a lot decrease versus producing internationally. It additionally has a sturdy restore program for its tents, backpacks, and a few garments, and boasts an 85% or increased charge of restore for all merchandise returned to them for fixing. Learn extra about their dedication to sustainability. 

Winner – Huge Agnes Tiger Wall

The Tiger Wall is the winner for eco-friendliness due to its Resolution-Dyed Cloth. The dramatic discount in sources used to provide such a top quality tent, mixed with Huge Agnes’ dedication to decreasing emissions throughout all services and merchandise, makes it distinctive. 

However none of those firms are slacking relating to excited about their environmental footprint. Huge Agnes, NEMO, and MSR have all made vital strides during the last decade to cut back power consumption, give attention to recyclable merchandise, and transition to eco-friendly dyes, chemical compounds, and manufacturing practices. Every firm has its personal academic initiatives and conservation partnerships. Huge Agnes, NEMO, and MSR are on the forefront of the dialog round the right way to reuse or repurpose out of doors merchandise as an alternative of sending them to the landfill.

Winner

Our winner within the comparability of the Huge Agnes Tiger Wall, MSR FreeLite, and NEMO Hornet OSMO tents is the Huge Agnes Tiger Wall.

1. Huge Agnes Tiger Wall – 8 factors
2. MSR FreeLite – 7 factors
3. NEMO Hornet OSMO – 5 factors

General Winner – Huge Agnes Tiger Wall

Backside Line

The Huge Agnes Tiger Wall, NEMO Hornet OSMO, and MSR FreeLite tents are among the greatest ultralight tents out there. All three tents are tied for excellent climate safety, versatility, and ease of use. We expect every tent provides a reliably dry and protected shelter in moist climate and excessive winds. They’re exceptionally mild, easy to arrange, and versatile sufficient for many tenting conditions. 

Huge Agnes Tiger Wall – The Tiger Wall is our favourite tent total due to its roomier dimensions and beneficiant pocket construction. Inside area issues in a backpacking shelter, and the Tiger Wall provides probably the most headroom. It’s the one possible possibility on this listing for 2 campers. The Tiger Wall additionally has the most important vestibule area and largest inside door, and we like that the rainfly covers all sides of the tent. Its distinctive loft pocket makes it straightforward to stash cumbersome gear like jackets. Huge Agnes’ dedication to eco-friendly initiatives is a bonus.

The Tiger Wall’s cloth doesn’t really feel as sturdy because the Hornet or the FreeLite as a result of it sags probably the most in chilly and moist climate. Its rainfly door design may very well be improved by placing tiebacks in a greater location. It additionally packs the most important of the three tents. Nevertheless, the Tiger Wall provides virtually every part we would like in a semi-freestanding and ultralight tent, making it the winner.

MSR FreeLite – The FreeLite works greatest as an ultralight solo shelter. It weighs the least of the three tents however nonetheless has handy pockets. It feels probably the most sturdy because of the mixture of steel grommets and 15 nylon materials. We just like the rainfly on the FreeLite due to its intuitively positioned tie-backs that maintain the doorways out of the way in which. It provides probably the most ground space to unfold out gear and get comfy on its vast, rectangular ground and stayed in second place amongst these tents for packed measurement, inside area, and vestibule measurement.

The FreeLite has much less headroom than we wish. Its rain gutters are a pleasant function, however they don’t appear to assist shed moisture higher than the opposite tents. We discovered the triangular pockets are purposeful, however not as spacious or dynamic because the Tiger Wall.

NEMO Hornet OSMO – The Hornet is a superb possibility for single hikers below 6 toes tall who need an ultra-packable, no-frills tent. We like that the quick pole sections, at ⅔ of the size of the Tiger Wall or FreeLite, make the tent so small that we may stash the whole shelter and poles in our backpacks. The Hornet is comfy and units up shortly. We’re impressed that the fabric doesn’t sag as a lot because the FreeLite or the Tiger Wall in chilly and moist climate. The Hornet can be probably the most reasonably priced of those three tents.

However the Hornet is available in third place resulting from an absence of pockets and inside area. Two ceiling pockets aren’t sufficient to remain organized and declutter the tent, particularly in comparison with the Tiger Wall or FreeLite. The Hornet additionally has the smallest vestibule area, ground area, and inside of the three tents. The slim headroom and a good pole construction are small for 2 folks. Additionally, the inside door form and single zipper aren’t as straightforward to make use of as the opposite tents.

All three semi-freestanding tents are distinctive, feature-rich shelters. They’re extra reasonably priced than a trekking pole shelter however lighter than a freestanding tent. The Huge Agnes Tiger Wall UL2, MSR FreeLite, and NEMO Hornet OSMO 2 are on our Greatest Backpacking Tents Information for the fitting causes.

When the competitors is that this stiff, take into account your private priorities. Whether or not you’re after the tiniest packed measurement, the most important doorways, or probably the most headroom, considered one of these tents is tailored to your subsequent backcountry journey. Regardless of the place you’re headed subsequent, these shelters will maintain you protected, dry, and comfy – with out the additional weight.