Gear Review: Nemo Hornet Elite 2P
In the past year and a half I’ve accumulated about 2,500 miles under my belt and the Nemo Hornet Elite 2P has been there for over 1,500 of them. What’s funny is that this tent wasn’t even on my radar until I moved into it… literally. I met Legs while thru-hiking the A.T. last year and we began hiking together with about 1,000 miles left. I held onto my REI Quarter Dome for about a month until I felt confident with our ability to be good “roommates”. Legs was equipped with the Nemo Hornet Elite 2P so luckily there was plenty of space for me to make the move. It sheltered us through Ver-mud, the White Mountains of New Hampshire, the 100-mile wilderness of Maine, and recently accompanied me on my solo thru-hike of the Colorado Trail. So let me tell you exactly why I continue to mooch this incredible tent off my very patient partner.
The Highlights
The Weight. At a mere 27 ounces, this is one of the lightest free-standing tents on the market. The tent that I started hiking with, the REI Quarter Dome, comes in at 39 ounces and was a single person tent (and a cramped one at that). That may sound like a huge difference, and it is. The ultralight appeal of this tent is one of the main reasons it has remained a staple in both of our packs for so many miles.
The Space. As a two-person tent, this model offers plenty of space. There were many nights that Legs and I found ourselves unable to hang out outside of the tent for various reasons; bugs, weather, exhaustion, ect. The two of us could comfortably navigate around each other and each other’s gear in the tent for up to 12 hours at a time. The dual doors and vestibules help us keep most gear outside of the tent but still safely contained. Our two sleeping pads fit comfortably next to each other and we still had room at our feet for particularly precious gear. For a solo hiker this tent is even more spacious. This tent spoils solo hikers with more space than you know what to do with. But because the weight is still so reasonable, even as a two—person tent, it is worth the carry.
The Ease of Set Up and Tear Down. Who doesn’t love an easy set up and tear down? I can have this tent up by myself in about 5 minutes and down in even less time. This has proved especially valuable after particularly exhausting days and during bad weather. The tent has a unique design and only has one pole which especially helps with the ease of set up. If you happen to prefer a “no-rain, no-fly” approach to your tenting experience, the “No-See-Um” mesh on the tent really works; you could stargaze for hours and have a clear view of the night sky (weather providing).
The Durability. Personally I have put over 1,500 miles on this tent and Legs has put on another 1,000 on top of that. This tent has remained in almost the same condition from the first night I slept in it, and that’s saying something. Especially on the Colorado Trail, the weather was incredibly unpredictable and the storms were severe. I went through a couple of storms in the Nemo Hornet Elite, the kind of storms that make you assume lighting-position in your tent at midnight, and it held up beautifully. The tent currently only has two minor blemishes, a small tear on the outside zipper flap near the top of the tent vestibule and a pole that has a small crack near the joint that we have easily mended with a simple pole cover. Not that our fix matters much because Nemo also guarantees this tent with a Lifetime Warranty.
Volumnizing Guyouts. Yes, I had to look up the name of the little plastic hooks that tie the inner netting of the tent to the fly because they are THAT GOOD. The guyouts are little pieces of thin rope with plastic clips that expand the inner wall of the tent out towards the fly. They add a surprising amount of space to the inside of the tent and makes it much more comfortable to sit up inside.
Things to Note
The Cost. Depending on your trip’s price tag and the desire you have for really quality gear, this tent may or may not make your pack. It comes in at $500 which is significantly higher than my REI Quarter Dome which totaled around $275. It was a fine tent while I used it and I could have easily finished the trail without switching to the Nemo. However, if I had known what a significant difference the weight and extra space would provide I would have just gone for the higher price point for the higher quality gear.
Setting Up Taught For Rain. Something I noticed with this tent is that if you skimp out on setting up the stakes properly you may regret it. During a particularly bad rain storm I realized that I had not tightened the fly appropriately and the rain fly quickly sagged against the top of the tent and sprayed me with misty-droplets until the storm passed. Be intentional and pay attention to the set up before you crawl in for the night and you will be just fine (and stay dry).
The Verdict
This tent served me exceptionally during the hundreds of miles that I traveled with Legs on the A.T. as well as solo throughout the entire Colorado Trail. As far as the biggest selling point for this tent is concerned, the ultralight status and durability for that weight class is incredibly high. Whether you’re interested in this tent for you and your partner, you and your dog, or solo, I entirely recommend it!