A quality ground tent that’s lightweight and well engineered can be an excellent alternative for vehicle-based adventures and is a necessity when backpacking the remote wilderness
“Light is right!” That’s the sentence that many backpackers say to themselves as they are packing for any backpacking adventure. Weight is always an issue because that weight will strain one’s back! Pounds and ounces are counted and possibly, left behind. Weight is critically important. A tent can be the heaviest item a backpacker packs and is why NEMO’s new Dragonfly Osmo Tent (3-Person) is an excellent choice for not only weight, whether on a backpacking adventure or requiring a small footprint while exploring in your vehicle, but also function.
On a recent excursion, I threw a few final items into my backpack before I heaved it over my shoulders then loaded into my Land Cruiser. I was headed to the desert of Utah. I was on an adventure to Robber’s Roost country in south central Utah. This area features numerous red rock canyons where outlaw cowboys of yesteryear hid from the law, think Butch Cassidy and Blue John. Today, Robber’s Roost’s outlaws are gone, but what remains is a backpacking paradise.
NEMO is no stranger to designing and engineering high-quality outdoor equipment. Cam Brensinger founded NEMO in 2002; and 22 years later, NEMO is a company that continues offering award winning designs and “pushes the envelope” for highly engineered equipment with the adventurer in mind.
Dragonfly’s mesh/screen covers the upper half, while nylon encloses the bottom half of the tent.
The Dragonfly Osmo Tent weighs a little over three and half pounds, which is outstanding for a three-person tent. The tent’s weight allows it to be used for multi-day trips without “breaking” one’s back. The tent’s rainfly and floor are made from recycled fabric. The interior space offers room for three. Honestly, similar to many tents I have used, the Dragonfly three-person tent is comfortable for two, three if necessary. I would rather carry a little extra weight of a three-person tent to have more room when my wife and I are backpacking.
Zippers are easy to open and close and seem robust for a backpacking tent.
The many gear pockets in the tent provide space for a phone, head lamp, and magazine (a copy of OutdoorX4 is always a good idea when traveling remote). The upper two thirds of the tent are mesh which offers excellent ventilation. However, on my trip, I wanted warmth, so I placed the rain fly over the tent to preserve the tent’s interior temperature. Vestibules on both sides of the tent offered a place to stow my shoes and pack while sleeping. The tent itself packs efficiently to the size of roughly two Nalgene water bottles, which made storing the tent simple and increased overall pack space. My wife and I separated the tent, which resulted in both of us carrying less than two pounds for a sleeping solution-awesome!
Enclosed tent stakes function well.
Exploring the backcountry can be tough enough. Make it easier, get lighter, and purchase the right gear. The Dragonfly Osmo tent might be just that. Pricing ranges betwen $499-620 depending on which Osmo size tent you choose and you can learn more by visiting www.nemoequipment.com.
Likes:
- Overall Weight
- Interior Storage Pockets
- Color-matched poles and tent attachments
- Ample room for two sleepers
- The earth-toned rain fly
Considerations for Improvement:
- Ground tarp should be included. Not a separate $80.00
- At over $600 for the largest variant, price point may be a concern
OutdoorX4 – Promoting responsible vehicle-based adventure travel and outdoors adventure
