Cheap vs Expensive Backpacking Tents! The Truth!

LOL what a biased review. First Nemo has been popped with the same supply chain issues your are implying naturehike has.

So they're cheaper because they don't say Nemo...

I had a naturehike cloud2 and it last 5 years of heavy use and the thing that failed was only the zipper so for a beginner that is not sure a naturhike is very good, now I have an Nemo Aurora2 and will try it out soon.

I have (had) three Naturehike tents:

Opalus 2 (nylon version) - Unbelievable tent. I've had this thing for years and it's seen an enormous amount of use. It has survived some of the worst weather you can imagine and is absolutely watertight and sticks to the ground like it's glued. I just took it out in tropical storm Ophelia the other weekend and it performed fantastically in wind and rain that was toppling whole trees. I call it my warhorse and prefer it over my very similar Big Agnes Blacktail Hotel 2. The Blacktail is a roomier tent, but it's heavy and the roof vents will drip in a heavy rain. The Opalus is MUCH lighter, sets up faster and doesn't drip a drop no matter what. To be fair, though, I have upgraded the stakes because the ones that come with it are, while really nice stakes, too small for such a large tent, and when I know the winds are going to be strong I double up the guy lines and stake them out in a V to keep tension on the poles no matter the wind direction. Without these modifications I doubt the tent would perform as well as it does in high winds.

Cloud Up 1 (nylon version) - My daughter's tent. Had it about a year and it sees a fair amount of use. Equally watertight, never had any issues with it, and she loves it.

Vik1 - This was a very well made tent, but it had a tear in the carry bag and another in the vestibule door, so I had to return it and bought something else instead (Sierra Designs High Side 1). It also had a tear in the plastic shipping bag in line with the one in the carry bag, so I think what happened wasn't a QC issue, but someone nicking it with a razor blade at some point after it left the factory.

We also have two Naturehike Moon Chairs. These are great chairs. Very high quality and only cost $50.

Where Naturehike, and probably other similar companies, falls off is customer support. It's virtually nonexistent. If you have a problem past the 30 day return window you're probably screwed, warranty or no warranty. Their products on the other hand, at least in my experience, are consistently high quality. I discovered their support issue with the Vik1. I sent them 4 emails, 1 Amazon seller message and made 2 chat attempts and they ignored all of it. Finally I contacted Amazon support and told them what was happening and they took the return themselves and refunded my money, which is why I replaced it with a completely different tent.

You really don't need to repeat yourself 10 times to make an exactly the same point.

Nemo products are simply over priced.👎

This is nothing but an advertisement for moosejaw.

No company can justify a $400.00 plus price for a 1-2 person tent. It's nothing but price gouging being hidden behind word vomit being used to confuse people.

Unless the tent is made of Platinum or gold, there is no 1 person tent that can justify more than a $200 price, and more than $300 for a 2 person tent.

Vic is a handy little tent. Had it out in storms and it did well. The zippers definitely suck though. One of the poles has also split a bit but is still usable. Great budget tent though! THAT said, I just unboxed my X-Mid Pro 1 and have zero doubt I will be much happier with it!!!

Have you looked into Decathlon tents they are a european firm with a good reputation and have been moving into the north american market. I am looking getting into camping and Decathlon price wise is very economical.

The thing is, you can get a well made tent for less. At least, you used to.

I bought the Ozark Trail 2P tent with full rainfly from Walmart about a dozen or so years ago. It's the one that (seemingly) inexplicably costs more than their 3P and 4P tents, around the $45-$50 range.

The thing was a tank. There was a lot of taffeta so it wasn't going to be the coolest tent on a warm night, but you were not worried about rain, wind, etc. And at 7-8#, it's not the "backpacking" tent they still call it

That said, at least a half dozen years ago the colors changed while keeping it at the same price point. I have no idea whether the materials, etc., changed with the colors. As much as I stand by that older model, I would be inclined to believe it's probably made more cheaply now.

Regardless, it was a solid option and not just budget - but CHEAP.

I upgraded to the Kelty Salidas 2P for my multi-day summit of Mount Whitney. Less taffeta (but still too much), full rain fly and it convinced me to never again haul a 4.5# tent up to about 14500. But, again, it's kind of a tank. It can still be found around $135. I'd consider that "budget" rather than cheap.

I'm not by any means saying that people are foolish to go higher shelf. I'm just saying that, in the right hands, a tent made of cheaper materials can still be a solid option as long as you're not logging huge miles with it. But you have to do your due diligence.


Take care.

Nemo is garbage. I used one in Olympic national park and was drenched the entire trip even when it didn't' rain. A little 20 mile an hour wind wrapped the entire tent around me like a wet blanket, poles and all. BTW Moosejaw is owned by Walmart so don't count on quality if you buy it there. Get any marmot or even REI tent instead.

Yeah and moosejaw is sold at Walmart. So I'm not sure if you understand the difference between high quality and budget/cheap.

I can carry a 5lb 4oz tent for $100 or a 5lb tent for $350. Call me cheap bur I'm up to carry the 4 Oz. Anyone who brags over the 4 Oz first off probably wouldn't be camping with me anyway, but is just trying to prove they have a .... umm... lighter tent! Probably doesn't know what they are doing anyway.

The Vik is a great wee tent. If you are just heading out for a summer camp backpacking and the weather is fair the Vik is great. It’s so light and easy to put up.

Maybe, just maybe, you should start your video by stating that it's sponsored by a sales site. Otherwise gullable people (like myself) might think that they will be watching some kind of independent and impartial video about camping tents. 🤣🤣

“Ethical” lol. Everybody talks about the environment and the ethics and “sustainable”. All granola sales terms. At the end of the day, I want my tent to stand up to wind, rain, dust, and provide an amazing nights sleep for years in end. I don’t care if it’s made from unobtainium on the dark side of the Moon, by enslaved aliens.

Sorry I'm not going to trust my life to anything owned by Walmart. What your leaving out is actually creating and buying American without the copout of the manufacturing doesn't exist here. Of course it doesn't, it's moved to China and third world countries. I'm about supporting my own country and not communism

Would love a full review of that new Dragonfly Osmo! There aren’t many out there yet, so I’d really appreciate your perspective.

Lol $200 for a tent

I do not have the DO RE MI to get a good quality tent. I do know what seam sealer is and lube for the zipper is.

My Moosejaw experiences have always been fantastic.
Just one persons opinion.

The nemo dagger 2 is the best ever made imo

Never had a problem with my NatureHike tent after several years of thunderstorms and severe weather.

The other downside to buying stuff from China is that it's directly funding their military expansion to prepare for war with the US soon. So, quality and not funding the WWIII opposition is a win win!

The simpler system is always superior. A tarp is better for light weight back packing. It cost less and takes up less room. If it gets destroyed, it is cost effective to replace.

So I used cheap tents and now I have the 529 dollar Nemo Dagger OSMO 2p tent. I can tell you that you really notice the major differences in the tents. The cheap tents will work and I use them for car camping trips. However, when you are considering backpacking across dirt trails then you need a good tent you can rely on if the weather kicks in. Can't really run into your car and fix the issue later.

If you cannot afford the more reliable tent now then save for it, get a small loan, borrow gear from your friends or family. You don't have to rush, I have kept saying I wanted to go hike camping for over two years, only recently have I gotten the money now to get the gear and I don't regrate waiting.

Would you put the Paria Bryce 2p tent in the “not the best” category?

I have Budget tents.. If I was going to walk 2600 miles , most definitely I would dive into more expensive UL tents. But having a budget tent lets me know what I want or don't want. I have a Lan Shan.. I like the tent, but I don't like setting up trekking pole tents. I like setting up my free standing tent. Right now I have a Bryce 1p. Lots of room for me and my 30lb dog.

Do you know the weight differences with these 2 tents specifically? I appreciate this video, i use the nature hike and have been thinking about upgrading

Worst video you have done ever. Whole video has a strange agenda. Also strange to compare a single skin exoskeleton tent with a double skin tent. Btw Nemo wasn't the first to create that design tent you show. Nemo is produced in Asia, same place where most other companies do too.

Great video. Devin What are the best places in Utah to backpack as a beginner???

Nemo and others will offer lifetime warranty! You pay more once and lasts longer!

The price between say Nemo or zpacks is getting closer

My experience: I went on a ten-day hike on GR20 (Corsica Island, France) with a Zajo Litio UL2 tent (European brand). The cost of the tent was 140€. At the campsite, there were a number of various tent brands and there was also someone with NEMO Dragonfly. At the highest peak, Monte Cisco was a wind gust of 180 km/h, my tent was with a very minor tear and is still in the use but the Nemo was completely torn and literally blown away. Tents are "a tool" to me as I am most of the year outdoor (work) so I am from my GR210 experience only with tents that are with the wind resistance specification. Right now I use a tent with 200 km/h wind resistance official brand claim (European brand Robens Chaser 2). My thought is that as mats use the R-value standard there should be also a wind resistance standard for tents. Here in Europe, the wind is a big issue when camping.
My other experience is the use of Nylon based tents...light, right? But after the rain Nylon is soaked with moisture and became heavier than polyester. It is not a coincidence that the old traditional European tent brands are with the polyester... experience.

The best budget tent hands down is the north face stormbreak 1 and 2

I’ve got a nature hike cloud up 3. It handled strong winds that lasted 2 whole days with gusts up to 90kph. I’m impressed, didn’t expect it to survive but it held up no prob.

Well of course a lot of the well-known' manufacturers can afford to bump their prices up simply because they are well established or bank on nationalism (made in the USA or Made in the UK etc.) and they also have large marketing budgets to cover and sponsor shills (no judgement - not claiming that here!) to promote their gear.
BTW quite a few of the big name brands have their tents manufactured in China, some in the very same factory (there are some top notch factories there). These manufacturers are the ones that obfuscate on their websites with regard to the country of manufacture.
As to performance - go on the UK wild camping forums and see reports of how the cheaper tents perform (and how many of the big name brands - even Hilleberg - have failures in UK conditions). Of course there will be failures - any product whether it's Apple or Ferrari have a percentage of manufacturing defects - however in general, unless you find yourself in a severe Summer storm (which you won't if you've done your research before heading out), those budgets tents hold up well for 2.5 - 3 seasons (even if they don't have all the mostly unnecessary frills or designs or use expensive materials, that increase the ticket price). If you are looking for a 4 season tent - or one for places such as Ireland or Scotland - then you undoubtedly need a better tent, designed for the conditions, but that should go without saying.

I just watched review of Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 tent. The internal floor dimensions where 4 inches narrower than stated size and that is apparently within tolerance.
So much for high price high quality.

Used the Vik1 for 5 years in Norway and Iceland , spring to late Summer . In Mountains. It lasted long until my pole broke . Was always dry and satisfied :) i own the Tarptent Double Rainbow Lithium now but still Grab for the Vik1 alot of Time, i did buy it again . Love the freestanding Option and its cheap :)) great Tent also at 2lbs pretty light. And just 160usd . Im from germany i got the Vik1 for 120euro but spend 750usd plus 50 Shipping plus 180 Euro Import taxes on the Double Rainbow Li xD
And i use the Vik1 alot more ...

Well said Devin!
The one thing I tell new campers is that whatever tent one chooses, it MUST protect you from the elements because that is its basic function.
If the tent leaks, that in itself can either be an inconvenience, or life threatening depending on the temperatures.
The old saying "you get what you pay for" definitely applies.
Do your research - watch unbiased reviews and save up to buy the best that you can afford!
If you can borrow or rent, try it out in your backyard to see if it fits you, your gear and the way you plan to camp (backpacking, car camping, etc).
The other thing about tent manufacturers is that the tents are USUALLY not big enough to actually hold the amount of people as advertised (i.e. a 2 person tent is better for 1 person, or 2 people will be really close)!
Being single, my favorite shelter is a Warbonnet Blackbird XLC hammock, that I modified to use on the ground as well.

The question lies with the difference in price
Does it make a difference
Naturehike and 3lul tent
are excellent beyond reproach for your average weekend warrior
Both in weight and quality
Unless you are a very committed backpacker and the difference matters
The rest is marketing hype

I have the older Dragonfly and the Dagger. I had taken either of them (I have one that is the bikepack one) every week. It rained EVERYDAY for 4 months here in Anchorage. No leaks. Not on the top nor bottom. It was in the 40's some early summer nights. It was not muggy inside. Plus it was spacious and luxurious. They are light and strong. The design is great. Its not a rectangle with a tarp on it. If your tent is not made in a sweatshop you will probabley sleep better. I have some inexpensive tents like one from Pariah, which is very well made. You need to do so searching before you buy an inexpensive tent....Great video.

Good video. A lot of the times it comes down to "gotta pay to play," in a sense.

You forgot one of the key benefits of a higher priced tent...the lifetime warranty. I know that my Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2 is backed by a lifetime warranty and is good for life...or as long as Big Agnes is still in business. I've already used it too. I had a tear in my tent mesh and BA replaced the entire tent with the newer version!

Rip stop nylon worked great for many years for me and still does. All of my sil nylon tents have been sold long ago and my 2016 Hubba Hubba is still my go to tent. The osmo fabric is an excellent product . Sil nylon was a fad in the pan.

Anyone who's ever slept in storm conditions will NOT regret paying what a well made tent costs.

You can get 4 Vik tents for the price of one Nemo tent. It’s a personnel choice as you mentioned . Thanks for taking the time to create these videos 👍

In my opinion, 99% of the reason to spend over, say, 150$ on a tent is because you dont feel like a good camper/backpacker unless you have good gear in the same way that mediocre guitar players will spend 1500$ on a guitar that doesn't make them sound any better. Differences in actual real-world functionality are marginal between those price points and only fairly specific needs would justify a price tag above 200$. Just shop smart and you'll be ok.
Unless you have several hundred dollars burning a hole in your pocket, in which case go crazy.