LIGHTEST FREESTANDING BACKPACKING TENT (2P) // Nemo Dragonfly Review 

CHECK IT OUT HERE ➡ geni.us/Dragonfly2P PackWizard Comparison: bit.ly/46aBv8p

Here is a cool tip that i discovered with my Dagger 2P (not OSMO) which is a fairly similar design. It lets you set up the tent and rainfly with ZERO stakes. I used to hate that the rainfly takes two stakes in order to be tought because in rocky terrain it can be impossible to get a secure stakeout. Here's the tip: If you hike with trekking poles, you can stretch a trekking pole between the rainfly stakeouts (where the door is) and put a heavy rock on top of the trekking pole. This keeps the rainfly fairly tight and you dont have to mess with any stakes. This probably isn't an ideal setup for very windy areas but it works for a quick pitch.

Very good review, I'm looking at this and similar specified tents for a trip to Scotland next year. Thanks especially for including metric measurements - this increases your audience (and hopefully your income) by a magnitude or more compared to some reviewers on YT! Looking forward to more reviews.

Justin, thanks for the video. At 5:13 you have the trail weight listed as 10 oz / 1.2 kg. I think that should be 2 lbs 10 oz / 1.2 kg. I really enjoy your channel!

With our puppy, we chose the Dagger 3p - a little more robust material for paw nails! But Dragonfly was definitely in the running. You know how to pick’em Justin 😊

You mention that both the tents compared with the Dragonfly on Pack Wizard weigh "quite a bit more" but, in fact, the Copper Spur HV is only 16g heavier at trail weight and only 8g heavier at packed weight. Heavier yes, but by quite a miniscule amount! Plus the Copper Spur can be pitched fly first (with the footprint) so it's quite a bit more rain-friendly while pitching. The Flash is, indeed, a little heavier still, by 78g (trail weight) and 68g (packed weight), but it's not going to be a deal-breaking difference for most lightweight hikers in the market for a free-standing tent. Plus, the Flash is considerably cheaper then the other two. In other words, I doubt anyone would decide between the three based on their weight difference alone, it would be more about feature preferences, or price.

Looking for a new tent upgrade, but after this review I don't think it will be this one. Thanks again for the review.

Ive been eyeing that tent. Seems like a good tent if you’re wanting a lightweight freestanding tent. The REI Co-op Flash 2 Tent has been discontinued btw.

Man Ive been watching you for years now. You deserve more subscribers. You made me hike and camp at Lake minnewanka lol

I have had this tent for three years, no regrets. Have looked at a trecking pole tent for lighter weight but having the breathability and ability to set up without outer shell when weather is dry is a bonus. I can actually set it up outer skin first but it is not easy to do. Yes two 25 wide will not fit at the foot but just overlap or use a 20 and a 25. I really use it as a one person tent with extra room.

Hi Justin, would you say that a 25 inch wide mummy thermarest neoair nxt and a 20 inch nemo quasar would fit in this tent?

Hi, I'm trying to decide on the Nemo Dagger 3p, Telos tr 3p and MSR Hubba Bubba. I just got into kayak fishing and looking to do overnight stays. The other is see is a AmoK hammock but all depends on having trees. I live in Ontario. What are your thoughts and raking on the above. Thanks Tim

Thanks Justin, what do you think of the dragonfly 2p vs the hornet 3p. For size and weight and if hiking with a partner

My head is spinning with tent options and after reading tons of reviews I think i'm going with the BA tiger wall 2p for my first UL tent. Hope i'm making the right choice!

5:14 the Naturehike Cloud Wings two person tent is 2.76 lbs which is only 1.9 ounces more than the Nemo Dragonfly. This is a discounted company (the rent is only $189) so who knows what the quality control or the material quality is for this tent. The Tarptent Double Rainbow, is evidently a freestanding 2-person tent with comparable usable space that weighs 1.16 kg. Perhaps you meant “mainstream” light-weight tent.

Just FYI - The floor measurements are incredibly generous. I would take ~5 in off length and width unless you want your pads riding up the sides. Still an awesome tent though!

I know it has the extra water repellency technology but it’s still only a very paltry 1500mm waterproofing on the fly. Do you think this is sufficient in wet conditions/rainy seasons when typically the tents usually have a 3000-4000mm waterproofing (like Xmid)? Does the advertised ‘3 x repellency’ actually equate to having an extra 3000mm waterproofing? Because the tent looks amazing but this water head column seems way too low for the category and price? Thanks so much Justin!

is it better than the Copper Spur?

I just returned the 2p dagger and got the dragonfly 3p for me and my gf. We like it so much better. The dagger two wasn’t very good. No overhead pockets etc. The dragonfly 3p has way better pockets all over and it’s roomier and lighter than the dagger 2p!!!

Would you say this tent works for a 20" wide pad and 25" pad - no taper? I always thought touching the sides was a no-no but I see it more and more these days. 45" in total makes finding freestanding ultralight tents a pain in the butt. Thanks!

I am a beginner backpacker and bought this for my first tent at REI without knowing anything about it. I finalized my kit just recently and have only taken it out for a test run (just an overnight at a local lake with a small hike to get there). There was 30+mph winds, ~20F, and snowing, quite the night for a first time. This tent took me about 2 minutes to setup without having any knowledge on how to do it and kept the wind out incredibly and stood strong, I was thoroughly surprised given its lightweight and vented setup. Slept like a baby with a 20F bag and knitted wool blanket. I am only watching reviews now because I want to know how to pack it up properly, it packs up so small and light without having to separate the rods! Wont be getting any other tents..

They are great tents. Love my Dragonfly Bikepack for the same reasons you touchedcon. But symmetrical tents are easier to pitch, get the fly on, and provide more floor space. My only complaint with the Dragonfly is the high canopy head side and high arched fly, finding it less breatheable than more conventisl fly and canopy designs.

What about kuiu

5:26 wait a second! The Tarptent Double Rainbow is way less weight then, since the 1.165 kg weight advertised weight includes stakes and guidelines.

Kind of concerning the cut out section of the fly…….driving rain will get in surely as there’s not that much space before the mesh?

Is the cutout in the rainfly a problem in terms of weather resistance? Great for avoiding condensation i presume, but what about rain getting in there when it’s windy?

Exactly same weight as Copper Spur 2p, according to REI (Packaged weight of Dragonfly or copper Spur: 3 lbs 2oz)

I love the NEMO Dragonfly 2P tent but it's not wide enough for 2 rectangular NEMO Tensor Wide pads. My husband and I had to buy another NEMO but we settled on the OSMO Dagger 3P since both of us are tall and are side sleepers. They're both great tents but for 2 people who want extra room for gear, we found the 3P tent just the right size, especially with the landing zone giving even more space for wet gear and packs. Justin, have you considered going to a 3P tent like the Dagger for 2 wide rectangular pads? The tent is very lightweight for the features it has! One more thing that I forgot to mention: the doors have 2 zippers so you don't have that annoying rounded bend which can hang up and eventually break with a tough guy trying to open it quickly, LOL! 🤣

Darn! I saw the Snow in some of your shots, however... these both seem to be 3-Season tents. I need a 4-Season. Am I mistaken?

Reminds me of the Quarter Dome SL2

5:14 here you’ve got the weight spec on the upper right, major typo at “10.4 oz / 1.2 kg” since 1.2 kg is actually 42.3 ounces.

Can you please compare hornet and HUBBA HUBBA 2p tents

Unfortunately everyone I know has full rectangle pads

Rei pad is only 24 inch wide.

The downside of this tent is a groundsheet doesn't cover vestibule area which in case of wet ground increases amount of wet inside the tent. Other brands specifically make to cover vestibule ground but Nemo decided to save a few grams here I guess.

The Tarptent Double Rainbow is lighter weight 1.165 kg (including stakes and cord), has larger interior dimensions (rectangular floor is 88 in x 50 in and the ceiling height is 40 in) and (at $389 regular price) is 30% less expensive.

The Big Agnes literally weighs 0.3 ounces more than the DragonFly.... personally, I don't think that 0.3 Oz justifies the statement, "Both weigh quite a bit more." Justin must have made that comment without previously looking at the weights for reference. 0.3 Oz is practically nothing when comparing tent to tent. Especially with the additional features of the Copper Spur

They should have made this tent a full rectangle now if I want my daughter to go with me I have eto get the 3p

The Exped Mira 2 hl is lighter, and it has a fly that is full to the floor

This is the Osmo Dragonfly, not the old verson Dragonfly. The old verson is lighter. The Zpacks Free Duo is also freestanding which is way more lighter than this one.

Where is it made. I'm looking for a tent that's not made in china.

I just see every single video about these x mid style tents saying if you just bump the wall you’re gonna get wet. Do these hardcore people just accept that ?? It’s making it so hard for me to choose my new tent. I wanna go trekking pole but I just don’t see how constantly worrying about being soaked is worth the hassle

I'm sure you're very well aware this isn't even close to the lightest freestanding tent. There's the Zpacks Duplex with Freestanding Flex Kit (without trekking poles) or the Tarptent Double Rainbow (with trekking poles). $500 also seems way overpriced to me. You can get the Double Rainbow for less than half that.

You had me until showing it has to be set up inner first. Stupid idea! 🤷‍♂️

How is a 3 lb 2 person tent the lightest freestanding tent? Someone could make a 1 person tent with the same materials and lop off 20 or 25 percent of the weight

Not the lightest. Zpacks and Tarptent make much lighter 2p tents. Zpacks has a 2p freestanding that’s much lighter.

So it is not a completely free standing tent...

As you said... Can't putch fly first or borh at the same time... That to me is a BIG NO NO here in Scandinavia!!!! I would NEVER use a tent like that...