
The North Face
Wawona 6
Spacious vestibule, strong in storms, but rainfly tricky solo.

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Hi all, I have been out of the tent-shopping game for a long time, but my Nemo Losi 3P has finally started to leak, delaminate and come apart on me, so I’ll be prowling Black Friday deals for a new 3+ season tent (or two, given the circumstances). The Losi 3P was my “all-rounder” - backpacking, bikepacking, car camping, etc. It wasn’t super light, but it was “light enough” and it proved durable and had a lot of “cool” features I liked - like the rolling tent bag, interior hanging pockets, big vestibules, etc. The 3P slept 2 6ft+ dudes comfortably with room for gear. 3 was uncomfortable, but survivable the one time a situation called for it. It looks like the Nemo Dagger might be their current closest equivalent? - Does anyone have first hand experience with the new “Osmo” material? It sounds very environmentally conscious but I’m primarily concerned with durability/longevity. I’m curious how it holds up. I’ve also had 2 kids (7 and 4) since I bought the Losi, that will be camping with me soon, along with my wife if I can convince her! I’m guessing this puts me in the realm of a 4+ person tent which opens up a whole array of choices I’m not familiar with. I’d love a tent that can: - stand up to the abuse of young kids - sleep 2 adults and 2 kids - still pack down small/light enough that it could serve as a backpacking tent I realize I might be hunting a unicorn but any suggestions would be appreciated. I expect I may ultimately wind up needing to figure out a “car camping/kids” tent, and a separate backpacking tent to get the job done… If that’s the case, I’d love everyone opinions on their favorites in both categories (bigger car-camping tents, and 3P backpacking tents). In both cases, weight isn’t my primary concern (4-6lbs seems reasonable) - my biggest ask is longevity and durability of the materials/waterproofing.
This thought had crossed my mind, though I know in reality (at least now) that would mean my wife in one tent, with both kids, and me in the other! Generally speaking, I'm rarely solo - even when I go backpacking, I hike with friends so we're almost always two adults to a tent (which is why I tend to lean toward 3P's) but a 2P and 3P would potentially cover all bases (very expensively). I was bummed to see the newer Nemo 3P offerings are actually significantly smaller than my Losi. That said, I also like the "livability" of a tent you can stand up in, from a family standpoint. I'd also consider a nicer 3 person backpacking tent (for me) and a cheaper 4-6 person tent that I won't care as much about if the kids destroy it! My biggest concern with "cheap" tents is generally the quality/logevity of the waterproofing. In past experience, it seems like that seems to be a differentiator between a cheap coleman tent and a more expensive family tent...
I have a 3 person Nemo and it’s a pain in the ass with only 2 people in it. Our Nemo Tensor mattresses slide around all over the place because of the extra width. Honestly, I’d take the 2 person if I could go back in time.
Got a Nemo 3p tent a couple years ago then wife broke her ankle. Finally just used it the first time and it’s great. 3 person is def the way to go for 2 people.
I’ve got a Nemo 3 person that realistically fits 2 people and some gear. It’s super packable and lightweight, fits well on the bike. I’m just above 200 cm and I fit well.
Nemo tents pack pretty small and are light. The new dragonfly seems like a good option. If it’s just you and another person a 2 person might be more than enough space.
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.

The North Face
Wawona 6
Spacious vestibule, strong in storms, but rainfly tricky solo.

Gazelle Tents
T4 Hub Tent Series
Fastest setup, durable, but bulky and awkward door.

Durston
X-Mid 2
Ultralight, spacious 2P, but not for very strong winds.

Durston
X-Mid 1
Budget ultralight 1P, spacious, but large footprint.

Naturehike
Mongar 2 Backpack Tent (Nylon)
Budget 2P, spacious for price, but not for 4 seasons.

Ranked #1
Durston - X-Mid 2

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Gazelle Tents - T4 Hub Tent Series

Ranked #1
Gazelle Tents - T4 Hub Tent Series

Ranked #1
Durston - X-Mid 2

Ranked #1
The North Face - Wawona 6

Ranked #1
SlingFin - Portal 2