The NEMO Hornet OSMO 2 is an ultralight double-wall semi-freestanding tent that’s extremely packable for bikepacking and backpacking, extra so than a tent made with Dyneema DCF as a result of it’s made with typical materials that stuff extra compactly. Weighing 34 oz, it has the 2 doorways and two vestibules crucial for {couples} tenting however remains to be light-weight sufficient that it may be used for solo tenting when you solely wish to personal one tent. It’s exceptionally nicely designed with quite a few options that improve its efficiency, with a stealthy coloration scheme that can guarantee privateness when you prefer to camp off the crushed monitor.
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Specs at a look
- Kind: Double-wall
- Structural: Semi-Freestanding
- Minimal Path Weight: 33 oz/936g
- Minimal Path Weight Precise: 34 oz/964g
- Doorways/Vestibules: 2
- Precise Internal Tent Dimensions: 49.5″ large on the head finish tapering all the way down to 42″ on the foot finish, 84″ lengthy, with a peak peak of 39″ Be aware: Most tent producers measure their dimensions primarily based on the rainfly; we use the internal tent as an alternative since that’s the greatest reflection of livability.
- Tentpoles: 1 with a most phase size of 12″
- Seam-Taped: Sure
- Minimal variety of stakes to pitch: 6
- Rainfly: 0D OSMO Ripstop (1200 mm)
- Internal Tent: 0D OSMO™ Ripstop (1500 mm); 15D Nylon Ripstop/ No-See-Um Mesh
The NEMO Hornet OSMO 2 is a double wall, freestanding tent which means it has an internal tent and an exterior rainfly and has one finish (the foot finish) that have to be staked to the bottom. Nothing particular there, till you look carefully on the design of this tent which is extremely refined when it comes to its livability, quantity, air flow, materials, packability, and accent decisions. NEMO has all the time made well-designed tents, however the Hornet OSMO 2 actually takes the cake when you’re on the lookout for a light-weight tent that’s optimized for self-powered journey (backpacking or bikepacking.)
Internal Tent
The Hornet’s internal tent requires a single hubbed pole to arrange. It has two doorways, so that you don’t should climb over your accomplice to get out and in, if two are you might be utilizing the tent. The higher a part of the tent is made with white and darkish insect netting (the latter turns into clear for stargazing from the within) in addition to strong panels nearer to the ground to scale back the cooling impact of the wind and restrict mud from blowing inside.
With a view to improve inside area and livability, NEMO makes use of a volumizing pole clip on the ceiling they name a FlyBar, which serves to extend the angle of the partitions creating extra inside quantity. It’s completely hooked up to the internal tent so you possibly can’t lose it. Different firms use a perpendicular cross pole hooked up to the principle lengthwise pole to realize the identical impact, which may be simple to lose or creates extra bulk, making their tents heavier and fewer compact.
The tent’s hubbed pole is particular as a result of the longest phase is a mere 12″ lengthy making it simple to pack in a body bag on a bicycle or horizontally in most backpacks. Some tent producers, like Huge Agnes, make separate tents for backpacking and bikepacking, so it’s good that you should use the Hornet OSMO 2 for each (on alternating weekends).
The Hornet’s single pole slots into two jakes toes on the head finish corners, which is only a particular sort of nook connector that may maintain an internal tent and a rainfly with only one stake. That very same pole suits right into a connector positioned in the course of the foot finish. You continue to should stake out the 2 entrance corners which connect to the internal tent in two locations, creating sufficient nook peak to type a tub flooring with out the necessity for further {hardware}, just like the struts that Tarptent makes use of. This retains the Hornet very packable.
The inside of the internal tent is a bit comfortable on the horizontal dimension and also you’ll in all probability wish to use tapered mummy pads when tenting as a pair as an alternative of large pads (49.5″ on the head finish and 42″ on the foot finish”). However the size of the internal tent gives extra cupboard space on the ends in addition to headroom above (84″ lengthy and 39″ excessive). For single-person use, the Hornet 2 is an entire palace.
Rainfly
The Hornet 2 Rainfly is made with a proprietary waterproof nylon/polyester mix that NEMO calls OSMO. Sure, it actually does stretch lower than typical PU-coated or Silnylon rain flies when it will get moist. The rainfly cloth is sort of skinny and it doesn’t have a very excessive hydrostatic head (simply 1200 mm), however man is it light-weight. It’s additionally actually packable, as is this whole tent. It’s actually ample to be used in additional protected check websites, significantly in forested terrain. However I’d go for a fabric that’s heavier, thicker, stronger, and extra waterproof when you intend to camp out within the open above the timberline or unprotected tent websites which have the potential for top wind and heavy rainfall.
The doorways have one-way zippers, not two-way, so you possibly can’t go away them open on the prime for extra airflow. I didn’t discover that that mattered that a lot for the reason that airflow by the tent is so good. The zippers are coated with flaps, in order that rain will keep off them and never pour throughout you, type of like a gutter if you must open up the tent at evening for a pee break. The perimeters of the tent are lower in catenary curves to save lots of weight, present a taut pitch, and for higher aerodynamic resistance when it will get windy.
That mentioned, you possibly can solely tie again half of the vestibule, which does restrict views as a result of you possibly can’t open the facet all the way in which for an image window view which is usually attainable on a trekking pole tent. This additionally requires that you just be considerably deliberate in the way you orient the tent with the closed facet into the wind in order that it doesn’t change into a sail if the wind picks up at evening. The cupboard space below the vestibule can be considerably cramped in case you have a bigger backpack and don’t wish to lean it in opposition to the internal tent to maintain it upright at evening. None of those are showstoppers, however they exhibit a number of the tradeoffs inherent within the dimensions and design.
Packability
With all of the emphasis lately are backpacking gear weight, one dimension that’s incessantly neglected (until you bikepack the place cupboard space is so constrained) is the packability of a tent or shelter, and it is a place the place the Hornet OSMO 2 actually excels.
Personally, I discover it a bit of mind-boggling simply how small the Hornet OSMO 2 packs up. It’s actually simply barely bigger than a yoga block. Not solely are the pole segments brief (see photograph above), however the cloth folds up very compactly, and rather more so than most Dyneema 2-person tents that are cumbersome compared. Higher packability means you can carry a smaller and lighter-weight backpack or carry extra provides so you possibly can journey farther.
Suggestion
The NEMO Hornet OSMO 2 is an ultralight double-wall semi-freestanding tent that weighs simply barely over 2 kilos. It’s a really well-designed tent that’s optimized to be used in well-protected tent websites positioned beneath treeline, together with the tenting situations you’ll discover on the Appalachian Path and all through the Jap United States. Whether or not you bikepack or backpack or each, the Hornet 2 OSMO is a tent nicely value consideration for {couples} tenting or solo use. Along with its light-weight, it packs up extremely small making it a wonderful alternative if weight and cupboard space are at a premium in your packing system.
Disclosure: NEMO donated a tent for evaluation.
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