Gear Guide 2012: NEMO Obi Elite 2P Tent
This tent for two is designed to increase ventilation, durability and interior elbow room.
[two-door featherweight]
Like the idea of a two-pound tent for two, but want two doors as well? Instead of cutting such conveniences, NEMO designers exploited weight-saving fabrics: The three-season shelter uses wispy 10-denier nylon for the fly and 20-denier for the floor, but their high tensile strength makes these fabrics as tough as some heavier materials—testers had no durability concerns after months of use.
Setup is simple, using one Y-shaped, hubbed pole. The fly features deep cutouts that shave weight and improve ventilation. Meanwhile, the bathtub floor reaches higher than most to block windblown rain and sand. “No condensation accumulated, even on humid nights,” reports our Washington tester, who used it in North Cascades National Park and the Pasayten Wilderness. Strong gusts never rocked the Obi, though rain does drip inside when the vestibule is fully unzipped for stormy exits.
With no brow pole*, two 5’9”, 190-pound testers found the 28-square-foot interior cramped. But this tent is for those who care more about weight. $480; 2 lbs. 3 oz.; nemoequipment.com
*BROW POLE A short segment at the tent’s apex, often running perpendicular to the main poles, that pulls the walls out, increasing stability and interior elbowroom