All-around
3 lbs. 2 oz.
88 x 50/45 in.
1P, 2P, 3P
Competitive dimensions in a lightweight yet durable design.
Interior space is compromised.
Sliding into Nemo’s lineup between their Dagger and Hornet above is the Dragonfly here. At $450, it’s immediately apparent that this is a top-shelf tent, touting a design that’s at once lightweight and livable. For 3 pounds 2 ounces (12 oz. lighter than the Dagger and 12 oz. heavier than the Hornet), you get two doors and two vestibules, 29 square feet of floor area that’s tapered at the feet, and a generous 41-inch peak height. Nemo’s pre-bent poles help to increase headroom, and a wide ridge pole creates a nice sitting space for one. And the Dragonfly also splits the difference between the Dagger and the Hornet in terms of durability, with a 20-denier floor and 15-denier fly.
The Dragonfly checks in at the same weight as our top-ranked Copper Spur HV UL2 above, and the two tents have relatively similar dimensions. But in practice, the Nemo is by far the more compromised design–we took it backpacking in the Grand Canyon and found it noticeably cramped for two. In contrast to the Dragonfly’s sloping roof, the Copper Spur’s pole structure creates steep walls throughout that make it a viable choice for a pair of sleepers. We had high hopes that the Dragonfly would amount to a budget-friendlier and slightly more durable alternative to the Big Agnes Copper Spur, but came away underwhelmed.
