Friday, January 24, 2025
Tents: Compare
Now comparing
Price
Report Card Grade
Pros
one of the most spacious 3-person tents on the market; good ceiling height and storage space for its category; easy to set up with DAC® Jake's Feet system; good ventilation; good weather/water resistance; multi-pocket organizer panel is a step up from just normal tent pockets; reflective guy lines for nighttime visibility; NEMO Equipment, Inc. makes a huge effort to be a green company
exceptionally lightweight 2-person tent; stable, "bombproof" design that performs extremely well even in severe weather conditions; features improved ventilation system compared to other tents in the Quasar series
relatively inexpensive family tent; lots of interior space and room to stand; good ventilation; very easy for 1 person to set up; tent color easy to spot in crowded campgrounds; skylight window provides light during the day and the opportunity to star gazing at night; reflective guy lines for nighttime visibility; lightweight compared to other tents in the family camping category
Cons
relatively expensive; it's on the heavier side for tents in this category; some reviewers thought it was really difficult to get the poles to release during takedown
very expensive; inner first pitching could be problematic in wet conditions
some complaints about the tent's water resistance and the fly not fully protecting it during heavy rain; tent body is polyester mesh, which isn't ideal if you want privacy or plan on camping in cooler weather; some customers didn't feel there were enough stakes and guy lines on the tent and had to buy more separately; welcome mat is cute but necessary and hard to clean; high cost of necessary accessories for the tent
Seasonality
3-season
4-season
3-season
Ideal Activities
Backpacking
Backpacking/Mountaineering
Family, car, or base camping
Capacity
3-person
2-person
6-person
Price
$381.95 -$449.95
$699.95
$279.99 - $359.95
Warranty
Limited lifetime warranty
Limited lifetime warranty
Limited lifetime warranty
Interior and/or Vestibule Space
It has a 50 ft² sleeping room and two 12 ft² vestibules.
It has a 32 ft² sleeping room and two 10.8 ft² vestibules.
It has 90 ft² of interior space.
Interior Height (max.)
4'
3' 5"
6' 3"
Weight
6 lbs and 13 oz
6 lbs and 5 oz
13 lbs and 15 oz
Design Type
Freestanding, dome style tent
Freestanding, geodesic style tent
Freestanding, dome style tent
Frame
Four DAC 9/9.6 mm Featherlite Aluminum Poles
Four 8.84 mm DAC Featherlite poles
Three DAC Combi Shockcorded lightweight aluminum poles with PressFit connectors.
Tent Body Materials
30D nylon rip-stop with 1500 mm waterproof polyurethane coating
Nylon rip-stop with 7000 mm waterproof polyurethane coating
Polyester rip-stop
Rainfly Material
30D nylon rip-stop with 1500 mm waterproof polyurethane coating
SilNylon rip-stop with 6000 mm waterproof polyurethane coating
Polyester rip-stop with 1500 mm waterproof polyurethane coating
Floor Material/Design
30D nylon rip-stop with 5000 mm waterproof polyurethane coating (one-piece bathtub style design)
Nylon rip-stop with 7000 mm waterproof polyurethane coating (one-piece bathtub style design)
Polyester with 1500 mm waterproof polyurethane coating (one-piece bathtub style design)
Mesh Material
Lightweight no-see-um mesh
Unknown Mesh
Lightweight polyester mesh
Ventilation
Fly can be opened on both ends for cross ventilation. In warm, dry conditions, you can remove the outer fly and just use the mesh inner tent.
Features mesh doors that allow for adjusting ventilation when necessary.
Tent body is almost entirely mesh.
Doors
2 doors (protected by vestibules)
2 doors (protected by vestibules)
2 doors
Packed Dimensions
22" x 6.5" dia.
21.26" x 7.09" dia.
4" x 14" x 26" (briefcase style carry bag)
Vestibule/Storage
Tent is designed with two 12 ft² vestibules and it also has a multi-pocket organizer panel ("Gear Caddy"). A Gear Loft is available and sold separately ($25).
In addition to the two 10.8 ft² vestibules in the front and rear of the tent, it is also designed with interior storage pockets.
It is designed with 12 interior mesh floor pockets and has gear loft loops if you want to purchase the Big Agnes Trapezoid Loft that is sold separately ($22). A 64 ft² vestibule is also sold separately ($110).
Set Up
One person can quickly and easily set up the tent in under 10 minutes because it features the DAC® Jake's Feet corner anchor system. Basically, it uses ball and socket attachments that lock in the main poles and then act as levers to keep the tent corners grounded while the rainfly is pulled over the top of the tent. DAC® J-Stakes are also available if extra stability is required in windy conditions.
It does not have a fast pitch option, but it can be easily set up in about 15 minutes since it has color-coded poles and continuous pole sleeves on the four poles. The inner tent must be pitched first, and then the flysheet and enhanced guy line system with titanium pegs help secure it to the ground.
One person can easily set up the tent in 10-15 minutes because it has color-coded webbing and buckles. It is a freestanding tent, but Big Agnes includes 14 superlight aluminum stakes that you can use if it is particularly windy.
Extras
Tent features the LightPocket™, which holds your headlamp and has a diffusing fabric to provide even lighting in the tent.
This is an updated version of the popular tent and features a redesigned inner tent that is lighter and better ventilated.
Attached welcome mat helps keeps dirt outside of the tent.
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