NEMO Equipment - Hornet 2P (2019 Model)

I have used that tent family (the Hornet and Hornet Elite) for years in backcountry camping in all kinds of weather including blowing rainstorms. I have never gotten wet. It is a three season tent and it is optimized for "ultralight," it's relatively fragile fabric-wise, especially the Elite, which does not mean it's a bad option for backcountry—I have put hundreds and hundred of miles on mine! It's my go to—but it does mean it's not a good choice if you know you are going to be regularly facing punishing weather eg very high winds and constant rain. TLDR the "bathtub lip" of the tent body is higher on that side to compensate. It's a weight savings. The downside of this design is that you can't use it with only the fly and no tent body in wet weather; I've never done that with any tent (use only poles, fly, and probably a ground cloth) but it's a thing. It's worth noting this tent has gone through multiple product generations now, most recently to the OSMO fabric, without ditching this design. I personally I think the new OSMO versions are the best version that's been made (I have used three generations, I think all of them).

Btw the other consequence of this being optimized for weight is that it's small… especially if you're used to car camping! Sometimes I'll take the 2P just for myself, if given my itinerary I'm willing to trade the weight for the comfort. The 1P version also only has a door on one side, which makes site selection less flexible.

Nemo hornet is a semi free standing tent not a free standing tent. I have the 2p version and love it.

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.

I have a hornet 2p and while I liked it (I def wouldn’t go with the hornet 1p) I didn’t like the way it sagged when wet. Note the hornet is semi free standing so still an issue on rocky ground. I’ve since used a Durston Xmid pro 2 as it’s so light and roomy but it’s also pricy and needs a lot of space to pitch. My next tent will be the Durston Xdome 1+. Doesn’t sag, has lots of room but less than the Xmid , proper freestanding and a good price. I’ll use that for a while before decide whether or not to sell the Xmid.

I tested the Nemo Hornet 2p and 1p tents and kept the 1p tent. The 1p rainfly does not go up that high. The 1p is longer and has room for my backpack inside the tent at the foot. With 1p, if all the guy lines are connected and pulled taut, even condensation under the rainfly will not drip onto the tent when it runs down to the edge of the rainfly. I’ve used the tent in 2 hours of heavy rain and moderately strong wind and it held up fine (site selection is critical). I have the older silnylon material and it did sag but barely touched the inner tent since I pulled all guy lines taut. The newer model silpoly material won’t sag but is heavier by a few ounces. Your concerns about getting wet is valid.

I have a Zpack duplex and a Nemo hornet 2p tent both are great but the Zpack is expensive but I think only 14 ounces

Used Nemo horrnet. I see them in the return bin at rei from people who decide they are too small

Yea agree I should have specified the 2p version.

I was very happy with my Hornet as well. Slightly lighter than Durston even with poles for a 2P. Easier to pitch in tighter spots. Nice to be able to shake it out in the morning. And you don’t have to fiddle with your pole lengths if you aren’t just the right height for the XMid set up. Nemo is more expensive, and the vestibule doors are nowhere near as easy to hold back. I thru’d the AT with a 2P Hornet in ‘21, and it is still in good shape. I bought an XMid Pro 1P for the CDT this year. I’ve used it in the Midwest and one short trip to the Olympic Penisula. Did experience condensation much more than the Hornet, albeit more humid and cooler conditions. I’d be a bit torn as to which one I’d use if I was redoing the AT again. The XMid is half the weight, but smaller and condensates more. I think if I was NOBO I’d take the Nemo, as I would probably not use shelters until the bubble attenuated. If SOBO as I was before, I’d take the XMid, because I’d spend more nights in shelters. You can get a Nemo right now at REI. I notice that at at REI Outlet they have a BigAgnes Fly Creek 2P for $200. Same weight as the Nemo more or less. No experience with them, but that brand has a good rep and is used a lot on the AT.

Having used so many tents over the years (for work), 37" is probably the lowest ceiling of all the tents I've ever tried out. Part of what's great about having access to all these tents is being able to compare between them all. Most any trekking pole tent will have a higher peak ceiling. Since I hike with 120cm poles that's going to be what I'm have for a ceiling, but many trekking pole shelters are spec'd to be at 130cm (time to get some flat rocks!). 120cm comes out to 47", and 10 inches more compared to the Osmo is not small. Having two peaks for tents that use two trekking poles (or even a ridge of approx the same height between), and that most of these tents are made for one person and not two, you can see where I'm feeling the Elite 2P feels constrictive. I just measured myself sitting straight against my door: 35" tall. Next time you set up your Osmo Elite, measure floor to ceiling, it could be a few inches lower than spec'd. The non-Elite Hornet 2P is spec'd at 39", but I've only measured it at 36" tall. I can only guess they're referring to the peak of the apex of the tent pole, and not the ceiling of the inner mesh. And you're right, when I'm moving fast all day and once I've finally stopped, I'm sleeping. But I'm also bringing a shelter that weighs much less than the Elite's 2lbs. I'm OK with the compromise of claustrophobia for that feeling of, "did I even pack this thing up back at camp"?

I too carried a nemo hornet 2p and slept diagonally in it and had one quarter for gear* and the other for cooking. Superb comfort all around. It was 1kg so really doable since we had relatively light packs anyway cuz i learned to shed off unnecessary weight constantly