Our comprehensive review will give you a strong sense of how each of these tents excel and in what ways they may fall short. This information will be invaluable in making a wise purchase, but as you read our article, there are several additional considerations you should make to zero in on the most suitable tent for your next outdoor adventure.
Keep the following questions in mind. Will you be hauling your tent the old-fashioned way (on your back) or will you have access to a car that can do that for you? Will you need space for just yourself or several traveling partners? What kind of weather do you expect to encounter on your trip, and will it require high ventilation or insulation? Are you prioritizing low weight or protection against the elements? Is it important to you that setting up your tent will be quick and easy? Will you need space for storage?
As you can see, there is a great deal to consider. However, asking yourself these questions will ultimately save you from the misfortune of realizing you have the wrong tent when you are hundreds of miles away from the nearest store carrying tents. So, without further adieu, here is our review of the renowned Hilleberg tents and those of their competitors.
Top Picks: 5 Best Hilleberg Tents
What Are Hilleberg Tents?
Hilleberg tents have been a mainstay in the market for nearly 50 years. Hilleberg the Tentmaker specializes in building backpacking and mountaineering tents, paying careful attention to the balance of weight, durability, and comfort.
The man behind Hilleberg tents is Bo Hilleberg, a professional forester who founded the company in 1971. Originally, the company had a primary focus on forestry equipment. However, as a lifelong lover of the outdoors, Bo found himself constantly disappointed with the quality of tents on the market. He was frustrated with tents that needed to be pitched before being covered with loose, and practically useless, rain flies. This frustration led him to create a tent that had its outer and inner tents pitched together at once.
This new design was revolutionary and quickly formed the foundation in what has set Hilleberg tents apart from the rest to this day. In this review, we set our sights on one particular tent: the Hilleberg Nammatj 2 Person Tent, which uses this creative design and represents the best of what Hilleberg tents can offer.
Product Specs
The Hilleberg Nammatj 2 Person Tent features high-quality Kerlon 1800 outer tent fabric which, in combination with the tent’s 10mm poles, provides optimal stability. This tent is designed to be versatile and highly customizable. In its base form, pitching is quick and easy, requiring as few as four pegs. Campers willing to go through a slightly more involved setup process, though, have the option of using an additional peg and guy line points to further enhance the tent’s stability. The tent comes with strong Spectra guy lines attached to the vestibule and back wall vents and at two points on all pole sleeves. The Hilleberg Nammatj offers a spacious interior with full sitting height in its vertical inner tent entrance, its near-vertical sidewalls, and most of the inner tent. Its design includes a single entrance and vestibule, allowing easy access and ample room for storage. At 8.16 pounds, the Hilleberg Nammatj strikes the perfect balance between weight and sturdiness. Its dimensions are 37.4 by 110.2 by 47.2 inches.
Pricing
As a popular brand, Hilleberg tents are widely accessible. You should be able to find them in many stores carrying outdoor equipment, such as REI, Cabela’s, Bass Pro, Field and Stream, Camp Mor, and similar establishments. You can also buy them online, on sites such as Amazon.
Top 4 Hilleberg Tents Review
We picked a few similar products available on the market to see how they compare.
1. Hilleberg Nammatj 2 Person Tent
The Lotus Belle 16ft Hybrid Deluxe tent is one of the best selling tents in the US. It comes with a thick, heavy-duty canvas that is eco-friendly, durable, and waterproof. The mesh windows with zipping and PVC windows allow you to control interior temperature. Bigger roof vents, mesh windows, mesh doors, and the canvas door increase internal ventilation, making it one of the most breathable tents available. The groundsheet includes Velcro flaps to keep bugs away.
This tent offers 60% more space than most other tents. The unique design of this tent creates a spacious interior for maximum comfort. Its shape makes it ideal for glamping, social gatherings, yoga, weddings, camping, music festivals, and other uses. The Lotus Belle tent is a lifetime investment, built to last. It comes with a one-year manufacturer’s warranty and lifetime support.
- ease of use
- assembly time
- design quality
- warranty
Even the most novice campers will have no trouble pitching and using the Nammatj 2 Person Tent. It is relatively lightweight at around 8 pounds, making it an easy tent to haul around. It has a spacious interior, meaning you will not need to waste time and energy trying to create storage space.
Setting up these Hilleberg tents is a quick, easy task. In the Nammatj’s base form, pitching only requires four pegs. Any campers who want extra stability, though, can use an additional peg and guy line points (the design includes 14) to give the Nammatj a firmer setup.
Hilleberg tents are famous for their ingenious designs, and the Nammatj 2 Person Tent is no exception. Its Kerlon 1800 outer tent fabric makes it one of the most stable tents on the market. It comes with Spectra guy lines attached to its vestibule, back wall vents, and at two points on every pole sleeve. The tent’s interior is remarkably spacious, allowing plenty of room for you, your partner, and both of your belongings. The Nammatj Two-Person Tent has one entrance and vestibule, both easy to access and sturdy against the elements. The tent is strong enough to stand up to the strongest winds, snows, and rains.
Hilleberg tents and shelters come with a lifetime warranty against defects in material and craftsmanship. Should you notice any failures or defects in either of these regards, you can send it back in to be repaired or replaced at no additional cost. Damages that arise from poor handling, accidents, or general wear and tear, however, are not covered by this warranty. Hilleberg has a generous repair policy, so while the warranty does not cover damages due to improper handling, accidents, and general wear and tear, you can still send any Hilleberg tents back in for repairs at a small price.
PROS
- The Nammatj 2 TwoPerson Tent is easy to set up
- Hilleberg holds its own against various types of weather
- Hilleberg is breathable enough to use in warm weather
- This allows for a high degree of customization
- It is exceptionally stable
- It comes with a lifetime warranty
CONS
- It is expensive, but if you can afford it, it should serve you well
2. Two Person Backpacking Tent with Footprint
The Hyke & Byke Zion Two Person Backpacking Tent with Footprint is an affordable, lightweight offering. This “Amazon’s Choice” product has been designed to provide the perfect balance between weight and durability. It features ultra lightweight no-see-um mesh walls and a free standing setup, and it comes equipped with 12 7000 Series aluminum alloy stakes, reflective guy lines with tension lock cord adjustments, and a proprietary stake presser.
Using one pole with Clip-pole attachment, it is easy to set up for campers of all experience levels. It comes with a PU 5000 footprint and a mesh detachable ceiling loft pocket. This tent is waterproof with its PU 5000 rain fly, bathtub floor, and taped floor seams. Its design includes two doors, corner pockets, and two vestibules.
- ease of use
- assembly time
- design quality
- warranty
The Hyke & Byke Zion Two Person Backpacking Tent with Footprint is a highly accessible product. Most campers will have no problems using this tent. Its pole system is basically one unit, and it snaps together quickly and easily. Our one complaint is that getting the tent back into its bag can be tricky, especially the first few times you do it. The bag is small, so you really need to be perfect in how you roll your tent up.
While getting the tent back into its bag can be a challenge, setting the tent up is an easy task that should take you fewer than 10 minutes.
The Hyke & Byke’s design is impressive. It is lightweight, warm, and durable. Inside, it is spacious enough for anyone, even those over 6 feet. We will say, however, that the tent is small for two people.
This tent comes with a lifetime warranty that covers manufacturer defects. It does not get much better than that.
PROS
- It is very affordable
- Setting it up is easy
- It is highly waterproof
- It is stable against the elements
CONS
- It is small for two people
- Rolling the tent back into its bag is difficult
3. Wenzel Pine Ridge 5 Person Tent
The Wenzel Pine Ridge 5 Person Tent is made of polyester and can fit between four and five people. Its design includes a two-room family dome, and with its Weather Armor construction, it can hold its own against the strongest elements. It has two mesh doors, one mesh window, and a mesh roof. It uses shock-corded fiberglass poles and a grommet attachment system for easy setup.
- ease of use
- assembly time
- design quality
- warranty
The tent has been designed to suit families, especially novice families. Mostly, it is easy to use. However, the entrance is cumbersome to get through with its two zippers.
We found the assembly time to be just about average. Most campers will not encounter any major issues.
Overall, the tent’s design is fine, aside from two issues. First, the tent is too small for 5 people. Second, it is not as waterproof as we expected, mostly due to its zippers.
It comes with a 10-year warranty.
PROS
- Wenzel can handle most types of weather, including rain storms
- It is mostly waterproof
CONS
- It is too small to fit five people
- The zippers are a major hassle and get snagged frequently
4. Wader Two-Person Waterproof Camping Tent
The Wader Two-Person Waterproof Camping Tent is made of polyester and comes with an aluminum alloy pole. Its design includes two doors and two mesh windows. It features quick release buckles, and a durable, watertight tent floor. It measures 82 inches long, 64 inches wide, and 46 inches tall. At just 4.4 pounds, it is a lightweight option, perfect for backpackers.
- ease of use
- assembly time
- design quality
- warranty
With its relatively standard construction, anyone with experience using tents will figure it out. It is mostly self-explanatory, so even novices should have no issues.
Pitching the tent should present no issues. You can expect to be done within 15 to 20 minutes.
At this price, you can do no better. This tent is waterproof, sturdy, and versatile enough to handle 3 seasons.
Warranty is where this tent falls short. You will need to request it from customer service.
PROS
- It is the most affordable tent on our list
- It is spacious enough for two twin air mattresses, with some storage space left over
CONS
- Considering the price, we cannot fault this tent in any regard
Conclusion
After comparing the Hilleberg to its competitors, we awarded the tent an exemplary score of 5 stars. It is an expensive tent at around $800 to $900 , though its exceptional design and quality make it well worth the price. If you are expecting rough weather, you can do no better than Hilleberg.