NEMO Equipment - Dragonfly 2 Tent

Slingfin Portal 2. I’ve been using it for the past two years and it’s lightweight, roomy, freestanding and bombproof in bad weather. I made a ridiculous spreadsheet comparing almost 20 tents and it was the winner. I rented a Nemo Dragonfly 2P last week. It was fine but a little smaller on the inside. Good luck with your search, there’s so many options

Go with two backpacking tents, and then you don’t have to share with the kids! The Nemo dragonfly is on sale at REI, I’d go with the 2p for the kids and 3p for you and the wife. The 2P also makes a great 1 person for when you’re solo. If you want to save a bit, Featherstone, Paria Zion and the Naturehike Mongar are all similar 2p white label tents for around $150 or so.

The X-Dome is commonly recommended because it’s the lightest freestanding tent on the market when equipped with the carbon poles while still being spacious. Their 2P actually fits two, so you’d have to compare that with many other 3P tents which makes the weight really stand out. Personally I’m not a fan of Carbon poles as they seem more fragile than aluminum and am ok with a little extra weight. Fortunately Durston sells the tent with aluminum poles now. The 2p is still about 6-7oz lighter then the Nemo Dragonfly 3P with aluminum poles but a bit more expensive then the current sale price of the Dragonfly. Personally I’d go with the Dragonfly since it’s on sale. Also the OSMO fabric is supposed to have very long lasting waterproofing. It’s too new to be sure (came out in 2022 I think) but I’d guess these tents will go 10+ years typically before re-waterproofing. The fabric is also a big reason why I’d choose that over MSR, BA etc. I hate tents that sag and most manufacturers use nylon which sags. Nylon also absorbs water which makes packing it up really messy if the fly is still wet. OSMO and Poly fly’s (Durston uses poly, as does Mountainsmith) can be shaken dry before you put it away.

I was caught in a 12 hour downpour on my last trip. The OSMO was flawless, it’s really impressive how quickly water beads off. It feels like no other material I’ve come across on a tent, it’s almost slippery. The only complaint I’ve read is that some people don’t like the fly cutout on the head end. I’d imagine in heavy humidity you might get some condensation because it technically should act like a single wall tent on that panel. Personally I haven’t had that issue or maybe I haven’t noticed it, but even if I did, only my pillow that touches that area. Maybe if you are tall and had a sleeping bag with a hood that touches that panel it might be an issue at times. If that’s a deal breaker look for the Dagger 2p which has a full fly, or wait for the the 2026 Dragonfly which doesn’t have a cutout. If you don’t think you’ll be backpacking for a while it might be worth waiting and just get the Mountainsmith tent for the fam.

Regarding Hyperbead vs OSMO, there’s some big differences but basically Hyperbead claims to be permanently waterproof so if you camp a ton, like 30+ nights a year this might be very useful. OSMO has a very high quality waterproofing and should last many years (probably 10+ for the average camper, but likely less if you camp a ton) but it’s big advantage is that it doesn’t sag or absorb water. Hyperbead is made from nylon so I suspect they’ll be some stretch and water retention. If you’ve ever packed away a soggy tent, this is a pretty easy choice. Both brands should be storm worthy enough assuming you use the 4 season tent in really nasty weather. You do have to be more cautious with the Hornet, it has the lightest materials and there is only a single pole on one end so it’s the least wind resistant. The Tiger Wall has essentially the same design so that applies as well. Personally I feel the extra weight of full free standing tents is worth it for the peace of mind in windy conditions. Plus the option of not needing stakes on blue bell days is nice. With a dog always use caution, these are lightweight tents and should be treated with the same care you’d take with an Airmat. Keep a barrier between the claws and the tent and you’ll be fine. You height won’t be an issue. As you’ve heard the NEMO warranty is the best in the industry. I’m not sure what you mean in your last question about the Hornet body panel. Do you mean the fly scoop? The Dragonfly has this as well. Total non issue for me and a big plus in warm weather. If you hate that design, the new generation coming out next year doesn’t have scoops. Personally if you can get a sale now I wouldn’t wait, the updates are similar to what they did on the Dagger, slightly more head space and no more fly scoops.

If it’s legit dude that’s insane. Nemo will be awesome for lighter packing, I’m not sure where you are but where I am (British Columbia, Canada) it’s like the gold standard, that or durston.

That type of tent is not what you are looking for at all. The key selling point is that it's extremely lightweight and that's important to those who are carrying this as their shelter for weeks or months at a time. The reason you see so many influencers recommending them is that the "influencers" are compensated in one way or another to do so. Tons of downside though: * Dyneema is a very strong material, but its abrasion resistance sucks. If you aren't extremely careful you will wear a hole in it either from setting it up on the ground or packing it incorrectly. * Their tents are all single-wall, which is fine if you are prepared for potential condensation issues but it's very common to be packing up a wet tent even if it didn't rain. If it does rain then there's a high likelihood of the condensation causing some rain inside the tent too. Again, this is a compromise made to save weight. * The price tag is simply insulting and there are a number of other manufacturers making similar tents for less money. Look for a tent made of out of a more traditional material (sil-nylon or sil-poly) and understand that many lightweight and ultralight tents also cut weight by making the tents ridiculously small. I have a 2P Nemo ultralight tent which is perfect for me alone, but would be nearly impossible for two people unless one was a small child. Nemo and Big Agnes both make good lightweight tents that offer good durability and local store convenience. Tarptent also makes an excellent product in a wide variety of shapes and intended applications. I have a couple of their ultralight tents and am very pleased with them. If they're still making it then the Double Rainbow DW (double wall) is an excellent option and a great compromise between weight, durability and moisture control.

Used my nemo 45 nights this past summer, still looks new.

Doesn’t help when you’re on top of the mountain in the pouring rain :) Edit this sounds a bit harsh. NEMO makes good tents I’ve owned a couple. These days I just prefer something a bit heavier.

My wife and I have had the 2p versions of the BA Copper Spur, BA Tiger Wall, and Nemo Dragonfly. I didn;t like the Tiger Wall, and the Dragonfly had less head room than the Copper Spur and was heavier (this was an older generation). We still have the CS2P but two years ago we switched to the Hornet 3P w/ Osmo. Love that tent, and I don't see where we'll be switching to anything else. Really spacious, yet quite light for a DW. I've used various 1P Hornet's going back 10 years, and currently have the "Elite" 1P in Osmo. It handles weather really well. Osmo fabric is great. In your shoes, I'd definitely go with the Hornet 3P.

I’ve been using a 2p NEMO dragonfly for several years. Retails around $475 but I think I picked it up for $400 back in the day. It gives me peace of mind in storms or bad weather knowing the tent has good construction. I also have peace of mind knowing I can email the company for a replacement if I lose or break a part—I had to order a new ridgepole once. With how many times I have used this tent, the cost per wear probably comes to less than $10/night in costs. It has a trail weight less than 3 lbs. 

Nemo makes great tents. i have two, one has been with me since 2012 and still works great. i got another one last year with more room cuz i have more dogs. i like that they sell internal floors to keep dogs from making holes with their paws. i also love how easy they are to set up, and how durable the materials seem to be.

I have a Nemo Hornet 2P, and I love it, though I have only used it solo. It would work for two people but would be a tight fit. The Nemo Dragonfly is a similar design but with a little more space. I think it’s a little more expensive than what you’ve mentioned though.