Marmot tent - anyone?

[Leo L.]

Our daughter seems to be starting a hiking career, and is picking gear piece by piece.
Since days she/we are searching for a decent tent.
It should be a lightweight free-standing 2-person 3-season in decent quality.
We found this one that seems to meet her needs quite fine:
https://marmot.com/equipment-tents-2...-tents#start=1
I don't know this manufacturer, so want to ask here if anybody knows Marmot tents, maybe even this specific tent?

[ScareBear]

Our daughter seems to be starting a hiking career, and is picking gear piece by piece.
Since days she/we are searching for a decent tent.
It should be a lightweight free-standing 2-person 3-season in decent quality.
We found this one that seems to meet her needs quite fine:
https://marmot.com/equipment-tents-2...-tents#start=1
I don't know this manufacturer, so want to ask here if anybody knows Marmot tents, maybe even this specific tent?

Marmot used to be a top-end gear and clothing maker. Then it got bought by K2, which was OK for a while. Then K2 got bought by Jarden, which was nothing more than a weird collection of small, but famous consumer products(Mr.Coffee). Jarden just got bought by....Rubbermaid. So, if you wondered why K2 and Marker gear has gone to ****E, there is your answer. Jarden.

Marmot has retained some of their core market in clothing. I'm not so sure about their gear. Their stuff used to be bomb-proof. I'm still using a Marmot stretch Schoeller soft-shell jacket. Bought it new in 03, it's skied on 3 Continents with me. No issues with it, except I have to wash in some DWR every 4 years or so....I would hope they make their tents the same way...

All that said, unless you are getting a great deal on it, at 4 pounds it looks like a 400 dollar brick to me. The width at the foot is barely 41 inches, so no way you are getting two people with pads in that tent. It looks like a Big Agnes Copper Spur2 in design, which is not a bad thing. it is small(29sqft) with decent vestibule space and heavy.

I just got the Nemo Hornet 2P for my birthday and it looks great for a "2person" tent that will never be used for two people. Just me or me and the dog. 2 pounds. With the REI 20 percent anniversary sale it came to 300 bucks. 370 without the discount. The Nemo is 2 inches wider at the foot, so theoretically you could fit two pads in there...16 square feet of vestibule space too....
https://www.rei.com/product/880476/nemo-hornet-2p-tent

If you are going to go up in weight, I'd take a look at the MSR Hubba NX2 for the same dollar as the Marmot. I trust MSR build quality over Marmot these days.... https://www.rei.com/product/863076/m...-hubba-nx-tent

If you could get the Marmot at a substantial discount over the MSRP of 400 bucks(like 1/2 off) I'd say go for it. Otherwise, I'd take a pass....JMHO...YMMV...

[PAHiker]

How about this one?

http://www.backcountrygear.com/coppe...FZtWDQodce8M9w

[HooKooDooKu]

How about this one?
http://www.backcountrygear.com/coppe...FZtWDQodce8M9w

If you're going to buy a "classic" tent from a typical retailer, then the Copper Spur UL2 is pretty much the standard by which other tents are likely judged. When I did a JMT thru hike last year, it was by far the most common tent seen on the trail (and what the one I carried).

So if a Copper Spur UL2 can be had for less money, that's the direction I would go.
I'm not saying that Marmot is a bad tent... actually I bought one a year ago for my kids to use when we go camping. But that tent was a 5 lbs tent that retails for more like $200 I picked up on clearance for about $125.

[Tennessee Viking]

Watch out on here. The gear heads love to give their honest opinions.

I would start off looking at what products are carried by REI. They carry some decent mid-range brands even their own REI brand. If you don't like it, it can be returned within a year.

I think Marmot is one of the better mid-range retail brands. I have a Tungsten 1P myself. A bit bulky but lighter weight than my previous tents. There definitely some higher quality and lighter weight tents but your shelling out the money for them. Sierra Design Big Agnes. Some hikers get their tents custom made.

[Sandy of PA]

The OP is in Austria, I am betting he does not have a local REI.

[Tennessee Viking]

REI.com is still a good place to research gear.

[Venchka]

TarpTent.com
TarpTent has a European distrutor. There are numerous videos online from Europe and Britain explaining the products.
I own and use both a 2 person MSR HUBBA HUBBA NX and a TarpTent StratoSpire 1. Both companies produce superior tents. I shopped for a long time and I am very pleased with my choices.
Wayne

[Kalaallit]

You can check out Trekkertent too. They're based in the UK, and they have the Phreeranger which could work. Not exactly freestanding and very expensive, but it is very lightweight at only 890 grams. The Drift 2 is a little heavier and a trekking pole tent (also non-freestanding), but is cheaper and probably easier to set up.
There's also Six Moon Designs, who have the Lunar Duo. Cheaper than anything from Trekkertent, maybe a little heavier, also non-freestanding. They have multiple dealers in Europe.

[BuckeyeBill]

I would suggest checking out Tarptent as well. All of their two person tents come in under the price listed on the tent in your link. Good Luck.

[Leo L.]

Thanks everybody for the answers.
Right, we don't have REI here in Austria, but have some equipment shops. Unfortunately they sell 95% fashion and only 5% real hardware.
There is one well sorted outfitter an hours drive away, we will visit on Friday. They have the Marmot tent on stock, so we will have a hands-on.
What I specially like about the Marmot is the Polyester rainfly, which should not sag when getting wet.
What I didn't realize that this Marmot tent has a narrow foot-end, thanks for pointing this out, we will take two Thermarests for a test with us.

I easily belive that the Cooper Spur would be a perfect choice, but unfortunately this shop doesn't have them, and we are very hesistant to blind-order online.
For myself I have the Hubba Hubba NX and really like it. But you know grown-up kids, they insist on doing different than the parents.

[zachzz12]

I love our 4p marmot limelight. It feels bomb proof. The fabric has held up despite our hurricane of a husky puppy jumping in, through, and over it. The rainfly fabric is the best part, stuff is tough! I found it on craigslist for a steal, but also feel like REI regularly has 2p marmot tents at a better price then other comparable tent's.

[ScareBear]

Thanks everybody for the answers.
Right, we don't have REI here in Austria, but have some equipment shops. Unfortunately they sell 95% fashion and only 5% real hardware.
There is one well sorted outfitter an hours drive away, we will visit on Friday. They have the Marmot tent on stock, so we will have a hands-on.
What I specially like about the Marmot is the Polyester rainfly, which should not sag when getting wet.
What I didn't realize that this Marmot tent has a narrow foot-end, thanks for pointing this out, we will take two Thermarests for a test with us.

I easily belive that the Cooper Spur would be a perfect choice, but unfortunately this shop doesn't have them, and we are very hesistant to blind-order online.
For myself I have the Hubba Hubba NX and really like it. But you know grown-up kids, they insist on doing different than the parents.

Unreal as it may seem, there are TWO TNF stores in Austria. One in Wien(Vienna) and one in Innsbruck! I suppose you could check out their tents as well? I assume they carry tents, but those may just be poseur clothing stores...

If she is really going to use it as a 2P tent, she'd better be VERY comfortable with her partner...just sayin...

[cmoulder]

Yes, nowadays if you want an actual 2-person tent you'd better get a 3-person.

I had a Limelight 3 and it had enough room for 2 adults. Any smaller and it would have been very tight.

[Leo L.]

@ScareBear:
Thanks again!
Unfortunately, both places are about 2.5-3hrs drive from here, a distance I'd not like to drive for just a tent.
But we postponed the purchase a bit anyway and agreed she should use other tents we have at hand (and we have many) for the first short hikes to get used to all this a bit.
She's pretty strong and can handle some extra weight, I think.

@cmoulder:
All she really would need is a 1p shelter. But then, most 1p tents are so tiny its really difficult to handle the typical chores when raining. Plus, she hopes my wife and one or another friend might joing her on her trip for a week or two, so she thinks there would be good use for a 2p tent.
While I dont buy the idea of carrying a 2p shelter for just a random guest, I'd still go for a (UL) 2p tent, for the luxury of space for 1p.
If the Marmot is of good quality, it would fit her need quite perfect.

[HooKooDooKu]

I easily belive that the Cooper Spur would be a perfect choice, but unfortunately this shop doesn't have them, and we are very hesistant to blind-order online.

I can understand that... because you simply CAN NOT believe the specifications tent manufacturers put out.
My anecdotal evidence is that when a tent manufacturer quotes the dimensions of its tent, it's quoting the dimensions of where the tent poles hit the ground rather than actually AVAILABLE space inside the tent.

Two quick examples:
1. The specifications for a Copper Spur indicates that I can comfortably place my WIDE pad and a STANDARD size pad inside the Copper Spur UL2. When when I tried it with my Copper Spur, the two pads overlap.

2. When I was looking for a tent for 3P (me and both my sons), I went to see in person a Mountain Hardware tent quotes as being 66" wide. Given that my WIDE pad is 25" wide, and my kids standard pads are 20" wide, I would only need 65" of space. But when I tested this tent that was on display at the local equipment shot, I found it impossible to put a wide and two standard pads inside the tent. Even if I turned the pads to take advantage of their mummy shape to squeeze them tighter together, the pads simply would not fit.

So my general advice if you need to "blind-order" a tent is to assume the usable space inside a tent is 5"-6" narrower than quoted size of the tent.
Of course my general advice would be to look for a 3P tent to be used by 2P. That way, minor discrepancies in tent dimensions won't be a deal killer.

So if you're looking for a tent for two, I wouldn't hesitate to "blind-order" a Big Agnes Copper Spur UL3.

[Venchka]

I had a BA CS 2 and an MSR Hubba Hubba NX side by side in a shop. I counted enough faults in the CS 2 to make me buy the Hubba Hubba NX. The lack of symmetry was a big one for me. I'm glad I bought the MSR tent.
Wayne



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[cmoulder]

I had a BA CS 2 and an MSR Hubba Hubba NX side by side in a shop. I counted enough faults in the CS 2 to make me buy the Hubba Hubba NX. The lack of symmetry was a big one for me. I'm glad I bought the MSR tent.
Wayne



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It annoys the crap out of me when they call it a '2-person tent' and yet the foot tapers down to the point that 2 rectangular 20" wide air mats will not fit.

[HooKooDooKu]

It annoys the crap out of me when they call it a '2-person tent' and yet the foot tapers down to the point that 2 rectangular 20" wide air mats will not fit.

What do you mean they don't fit? The specifications indicates that the tent tappers from 52" wide down to 42" wide. Shouldn't they fit with room to spare? [/Sarcasm=OFF: See post #16]

[Venchka]

It annoys the crap out of me when they call it a '2-person tent' and yet the foot tapers down to the point that 2 rectangular 20" wide air mats will not fit.

Yep. The roof tapers, slopes also. The Hubba Hubba walls are wider and there's a lot more volume. Look at interior VOLUME folks. That's what makes a tent livable.
Flimsy fabric and less of it, smaller diameter poles and the "open door on the floor" convinced me to run from the Copper Spurs. All of them.
Wayne


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