In this video we compare two popular tents, the Nemo Hornet Osmo and the Big Agnes Tiger Wall.
These are both ultralight tents, great for backpacking, hiking, and bike-packing.
They are easy to carry, designed for three people to be used during three seasons – Spring, Summer and Fall.
Nemo Hornet 3 Person, 3 Season Tent
- High-performance, proprietary OSMO…
- Generous doors and vestibules for each…
- New Divvy Cube rectangular stuff sack…
- Patent-pending Flybar volumizing pole…
- Triangulated volumizing guyouts at…
Big Agnes Tiger Wall 3 Person, 3 Season Tent
- BIKE-PACKERS REJOICE!- Our lightest…
- TRAIL READY – Don’t hesitate to get…
- ULTRALIGHT STRENGTH – We use…
- BELLS & WHISTLES – Stash oversized gear…
- TECH SPECS & WARRANTY – All Big Agnes…
Key Features Comparison
In this article, we compare key features like internal space, trail weight, fabric, vestibule area, poles, ventilation, and price.
Tent Design
The Nemo Hornet and Big Agnes Tiger Wall are both semi-freestanding tents. What that means is that they have a pole that keeps them upright, but the body still needs to be staked out.
The advantage of a semi freestanding tent is that they are lighter, and they’re great for backpacking because they’re easier to carry, such as the tiger wall.
The downside of a semi freestanding tent is that it may not have as much interior space as a completely freestanding tent.
Also, they may not perform as well in rain and wind because they’re reliant on secondary pole support.
Internal Space
Nemo Hornet Osmo Dimensions:
- Length of 7.3 feet, width tapering from 5.6 feet to 5.5 feet, and height of 3.6 feet.
- Has a bit more space than the Big Agnes Tiger Wall.
Big Agnes Tiger Wall Dimensions:
- Length of 7.3 feet, width tapering from 5.5 feet to 5 feet, and height of 3.5 feet.
- Has a bit less internal space compared to the Nemo Hornet.
Trail Weight
- Nemo Hornet Osmo: Weighs 2 pounds, 13 ounces.
- Big Agnes Tiger Wall: Slightly lighter at 2 pounds, 10 ounces.
Fabric
Nemo Hornet Osmo Fabric:
- Made out of Nemo’s proprietary Osmo fabric, which is a blend of polyester and nylon ripstop.
- More weather resistant, with a waterproof rating of 1200mm for the rainfly and 1500mm for the floor.
- Canopy made of 15 Dernier nylon ripstop and no-see-um mesh.
Big Agnes Tiger Wall Fabric:
- Made of a blend of nylon and polyester, treated with silicon for water resistance but not waterproof rated.
- Canopy made of ripstop nylon mesh.
- Floor and rainfly also made of ripstop nylon with a polyurethane coating.
Vestibule Area
- They both have two doors and two vestibules, so it’s great for easy entry and exit for everybody inside the tent and vestibules for storage.
- The Nemo Hornet has bigger vestibules.
Poles
Big Agnes Tiger Wall:
- A single 9. 3mm Y shaped pole, with a tip lock buckle to secure the pole and rainfly.
Nemo Hornet:
- A singles 8. 5mm hubbed pole with a fly bar, which adds interior volume.
They both have one pole made of DAC Featherlite NSL Aluminum. This materials is thicker and stronger than plain aluminum.
DAC is also more environmentally friendly because it’s made without nitric and phosphoric acid.
Ventilation
Nemo Hornet Osmo:
- No See Um mesh body, no vents in the rainfly.
Big Agnes Tigerwall:
- Low vents on the vestibule door, with vents in the rainfly. This tent has better ventilation.
Price
Nemo Hornet Osmo:
- Priced around $499.
Big Agnes Tiger Wall:
- Priced around $449, approximately $50 cheaper.
Conclusion
Which tent should you choose?
If you’re planning to go camping in rainy, windy weather, you may want to go for the Nemo Hornet because of its waterproof-rated tent fabric.
However, if you’re hiking long distances or you want to conserve on your budget, the Big Agnes Tiger Wall is the way to go because it’s lighter and cheaper.