Marmot Limelight 3 vs MSR Elixir 3 vs Nemo Galaxi 3

[kenc87]

Alright, so my wife has finally agreed to do some section hikes and we are looking for a new tent that will be comfortable for both of us. I know the weights on these tents aren't UL but they wont be used for any crazy long trips at this point. I am going with a 3 person tent so my wife doesn't feel cramped while we are out as well as the future possibility of car camping with this tent if we bring our dog. So the question is, which of the tents in the subject line would you recommend for durability, weather capability, and all around quality?

[SWODaddy]

My wife and I have a Nemo Losi LS 3P which we've used on short trips and it's fantastic. I'd imagine the Galaxi 3 is great too, but made with heavier materials.

Look at the Dagger 3P - it's more expensive, but a lot lighter (just over 4lbs) and you can split the load a lot easier between 2 people.

We also have the 2p predecessor to the Marmot Limelight and it's well made, but stuffy and heavy.

[kenc87]

I'd really love the Losi but they just updated it and there aren't many reviews yet. Does your do well in regards to weather and eliminating condensation? The weight isn't a huge issue for us given that our pack weights will easily be under 30 lbs otherwise including food/water.

[Cheyou]

I would at least look at tarptents. If u got tired of it they are easy to resell.

[kenc87]

I have looked at tarptents and while they are a great option for some people they aren't for us. My wife is new to this whole process and i am trying to ease her in with trying to make the experience enjoyable and comfortable as possible.

[Cheyou]

http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Backpa...ot-Limelight-2 I am sure u have checked this out .

[Venchka]

I have looked at tarptents and while they are a great option for some people they aren't for us. My wife is new to this whole process and i am trying to ease her in with trying to make the experience enjoyable and comfortable as possible.

Which model TarpTents did you look at at TarpTent.com?
If your wife knew that TarpTents can be set up in the rain without the interior getting wet she might request one. If she also knew that the TarpTents were also lighter than the Big Box brand tents she might demand one.
Investigate the StratoSpire 2. Compare the maximum floor dimensions and vestibule size to the 3 person tents on your list.

Wayne

[Venchka]

I just checked the weights of these 3 tents. 6-7-8 pounds. YIKES!
Which would you rather share? 3-4 pounds or 6-8 pounds?

Wayne


Sent from somewhere around here.

[kenc87]

The width of the tarp tent mentioned is not large enough to accommodate both of us as well as possible friends who may come. In addition I'm not super concerned with weight given we won't be going any great distance on our trips. Also, being former military a 30lb -35lb pack is not that heavy to me.. I've carried heavier far further. We want a tent that can be multi purposed.

[heatherfeather]

My boyfriend and I use a copper spur ul3 for our trips together, and share it with two dogs. It is a huge tent. Both of us are tall, and our dogs are not small, and there is plenty of room inside for gear. I think two side entries is a must.

The one main downside to having a big honkin tent is the large footprint. It can severely limit your choice of campsite.


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[Mr. Bumpy]

What heatherfeather says.
CS3 is a great two person plus gear tent that deals well with rain and high wind. Over the past several years I have switched back from using tarps and hammocks to full tents and have used CS 2 and 3 and couldn't be happier. I find myself enjoying the overall comfort and reliability that a tent provides worth more then the versatility of a tarp setup. The CS3 for two people is lighter than both people taking tarps and hammocks also.
The only issue like said above is that the CS3 does have a big footprint.

[kenc87]

whats the durability of the cs3?

[Mr. Bumpy]

whats the durability of the cs3?

You could get 1000 answers to this question.
I have a Toyota with 250,000 miles and it is a great vehicle, while a friend has nearly the same truck with many less miles and it is a pos. So how do you treat your stuff?
My opinion after using a CS2 and CS3 each of which have probably around 25 nights in various conditions is that I'm not going to have to replace either for a while. BA stands by their stuff and you don't have to look too far to hear about them being more than fair regarding warranty claims and repairs.

[kenc87]

fair enough, I take care of my stuff but do not want to replace to anytime soon.. another reason i was leaning toward a slightly more robust fabric tent.

[Mr. Bumpy]

Then if you take care of your stuff you won't have to replace any time soon. I'm not trying to be a wise guy at all. In you OP you imply that you don't care about UL (which these days CS series most wouldn't consider it UL) because you are not concerned about crazy long trips. You will never regret saving a 2-4 pounds and the bulk of a heavier fabric.

More directly to your question, I expect to get more than 100 nights out of my BA tents - easy. If one gets a hole I'll repair it. If something more happens I'll call up the company, explain what happed, and will assume that I will be getting a great deal. Outdoor companies tend to have excellent customer service. For the handful of times I've called up somewhere and asked for help I have always come away with the thought that I have been treated more than fairly.

Enjoy your new hobby.

[Cheyou]

Tarptents made in the USA . When Trump is pres all tents will b made in the USA. Well after the wall Mexico is paying for.

[martinb]

Can you expand on how soon you expect to replace it? Marmot is on sale at Backcountry, can't go wrong with it as a break-in tent. Make sure you maximize venting to prevent condensation.

[Franco]

"another reason i was leaning toward a slightly more robust fabric tent."
Heavier and more robust are not synonyms.
In fact in tent materials it often works the other way, up to a point.
The 68D ripstop Polyester is used on those tents because it is less expensive and does the job however, for example, if you asked MSR wich is stronger ,their 68D Polyester or the 20 D ripstop nylon (Mutha Hubba) I'm sure they will tell you the tear strenght of the 20 D nylon is superior.
But I see that MSR now is using 7D on some of their tents, at that level I'm not too sure...
(Tarptents use 30D silnylon) the CB3 with liner is close to what you describe .
About half of the weight of the type you are looking at but you need to like it, not me...
https://www.tarptent.com/store/cloudburst3
cloudburst3-.jpg
franco@tarptent

[SWODaddy]

I'd really love the Losi but they just updated it and there aren't many reviews yet. Does your do well in regards to weather and eliminating condensation? The weight isn't a huge issue for us given that our pack weights will easily be under 30 lbs otherwise including food/water.

No complaints about the tent. We've had it in downpours...no condensation issues either. The updates mostly reduced the weight and added more privacy with the fly off. We use it when camping with our two little girls because there's enough room for two 25" and one 20" pad inside. The girls are small enough that they share a pad.