Marmot Tents?

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bitter1

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Mar 3, 2008
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I am in the market for a nice lightweight tent some thing like a 2 person tent for some solo camping or maybe to have my own tent when with other people. I have come across a Marmot Limelight 2 for a pretty good price, but how does Marmot compare to some of the other brands like REI, or Mountain Hardware or The North Face?

Thank you
 
I suppose everyone has their favorite brands. REI is a retailer, not a manufacturer. They have manufacturers make tents for them with their name on them.

Marmot, IMHO, is one of the top brands in quality outdoor goods. And this tent seems to be loaded with features at a decent MSRP of $189 with gear loft, fly and footprint (but can be found c.$130). However the carry weight appears to be five pounds, a bit on the heavy side for solo use. It is about the same weight as my Mountainsmith Sanctuary which I am going to reserve for companion hiking.

I am looking at several lighter tents for solo use, such as the Tarptent Moment and the Lightheart Solo which weigh 28oz +/- and $215/$245 respectivly. Is the weight savings worth the extra cost? Dunno just yet, but I need a lighter load if I am going to enjoy solo backpacking.
 
I was just wondering the same thing. From all that I have read about Marmot, they make good quality tents.

But, I still can't find very much in the way of reviews on either the Marmot Limelight or Earlylight (2P or 3P) tents. There are a couple of reviews on their website, and a few vids on Youtube, but there's nothing in depth on either one.

Does anyone on here own either tent? If you do, would you please comment on them? How are they with condensation inside these tents? Have you had any problems with anything tearing/breaking on them? Etc??

Thanks!
 
I'm not familiar with all of those models, but Marmot makes some solid gear. Keep in mind that single wall tents will always have more condensation problems than a double wall. You can set it up to take advantage of breezes and such, but it humid climates, it's hard to beat a double wall. Here in the south, single wall tents hardly ever sell because of condensation issues. Ultralighters tend to go with a tarp or hammock instead.

Those prices actually aren't bad. I'm about to pick up an MSR carbon fiber tent, which I am cringing about. :o
 
Both tents that I mentioned are of the double wall variety. I think they show them without the fly's put on them on Marmot's website.

Anyhoo, I did find a few more reviews on the Marmot Limelight on REI's website. And it seems to get good reviews all around from the folks that posted on there.

I think I'll buy one and see for myself. I really wished they made these tents in some other color than eye-searing orange. Would it kill Marmot to make a grey, tan, or soft green tent?? smh
 
Schuey2002 said:
I think I'll buy one and see for myself. I really wished they made these tents in some other color than eye-searing orange. Would it kill Marmot to make a grey, tan, or soft green tent?? smh
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No kidding, I harass my vendors about that all the time.
 
Well, I was going to order up the Marmot Limelight 2, but held out to see if I could find a good sale on tents.

And today I did.

I stumbled onto Sierratradingpost, and saw that they had the Marmot Titan 2-person tent on sale for $104 shipped! :eek:

So, I pounced all over it. While I would really like to have something that had a little less mesh and more semi-solid wall construction for wind protection, I couldn't pass up on this tent at this price. If anything else, it will make an excellent late spring/summer/early fall tent. I'll just have to pick something else to camp out in our colder (and wetter) winter season..
 
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Schuey2002 said:
Well, I was going to order up the Marmot Limelight 2, but held out to see if I could find a good sale on tents.

And today I did.

I stumbled onto Sierratradingpost, and saw that they had the Marmot Titan 2-person tent on sale for $104 shipped! :eek:

So, I pounced all over it. While I would really like to have something that had a little less mesh and more semi-solid wall construction for wind protection, I couldn't pass up on this tent at this price. If anything else, it will make an excellent late spring/summer/early fall tent. I'll just have to pick something else to camp out in our colder (and wetter) winter season..
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check it over good man. i love STP i buy stuff from there all the time BUT a lot of their stuff are seconds hence the much better price. so keep the receipt and check it out very very well.. esp the seems and the poles.

marmont makes a great quality product. REI has a few of the top of the line tent makers to make their tents and other products. REI stuff is usually pretty good for the price same goes for LL Bean... i have a 2 man North Face tent that is approx 8yrs old and it has survived many very very strong storms. in the mtns of NC we had a gusher that dropped 3-4 inches in 2 hours. it was insane. it was so bad a lot of the roads were washed out in the area. wanna know how much water was in my tent after all that rain? about a cup's worth in the corner. not too damn bad if you ask me.. love that tent. i think i paid around 200.00 for it
 
^^^

I just got an email saying that my new Marmot has shipped.

As soon as it gets here, I will look it over with a fine-toothed comb.. :D
 
STP gets more closeouts than seconds, so you should be fine. It would note in the product listing if it were a second. I've given them a lot of money over the years and have never had any problems. They have really solid customer service.
 
It was a closeout.

I figured for a little over a hundred bucks, I could take a chance on it.

I recently bought a Columbia fleece jacket from them that was also listed as a "closeout", and it was in fabulous minty-new condition...
 
I have the Early Light 2P. It's fairly rugged and I've had no tears or rips. I've only used it in spring to autumn conditions and I haven't had any condensation issues. I've also had no mildewing (Although I'm generally careful about drying it out when I get home). It's pretty quick and easy to erect and pack up.
It's a great tent, but I wouldn't want to backpack with it. It's pretty bulky and heavier than I would like to carry on my back. When I'm solo tenting, I generally like to use a tarp and a bivy or hammock.
 
storl said:
STP gets more closeouts than seconds, so you should be fine. It would note in the product listing if it were a second. I've given them a lot of money over the years and have never had any problems. They have really solid customer service.
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true and they to indicate if they are seconds.. however i have about a 85-90% success rate with them.. seems like the clothes are the ones you may have to send back. the equipment is usually pretty good but check it over good none the less.... they do have great customer service.

btw a tip on shopping at that site, READ THE CUSTOMER REVIEWS. they are very helpful.

btw STORL , keep up the good work. if you guys keep kicking this much ass your foot will turn purple :thumbup:
 
I think my advice is pretty sound in this department, as I worked in wilderness therapy in the Uinta mountains in Utah, and let me tell you, those conditions can get to be severely polar opposites throughout the seasons. During my time living there, I worked 8 days on in the wilderness outside of Duchesne in the Uintas, and 6 days off, camping (living) next to and out of my Jeep in Moab. I have been and am still a year round camper/hiker/surfer/rock climber/survivalist/primitive skills practitioner/etc. Here are the tents I would suggest as absolutely the best tent for the dollar for most purposes:

Marmot Aura 2P 3 Season
MSR Hubba Hubba 2P 3 Season
Nemo Losi 2P 3 Season
Nemo GoGo 1P Solo tent w/ airbeam technology

To answer your question, Marmot is a FANTASTIC tent, and is in my opinion far superior to REI and TNF, and as good or better than Mountain Hardwear. They are on the level with MSR, and the only tent company I would suggest above Marmot and MSR is maybe Nemo, a relative newcomer who is outdoing the others in technology faster than many can keep up. They are more expensive, but their products are remarkable.

The tents I mentioned are worth their weight in gold, and their weight is surprisingly little for the amount of interior room they afford when set up. They pack down reasonably small, and with the exception of the Nemos, can be found on sale most times during the year on one site or another. I would suggest trying Mountain Gear, Moosejaw, and Backcountry for your outdoor shopping needs. If you're looking to go broke one AMAZING deal at a time, keep SteepandCheap.com in your open tabs on your browser at all times, and you will score deals that will make your friends hate you.

Whatever you get, know that quality is very important when it comes to a night's sleep in the backwoods, so I personally don't suggest skimping too much when it comes to your shelter. There are better areas to skimp. If you have any other questions, I'm happy to help in any way.

-Ape
 
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bitter1 said:
I am in the market for a nice lightweight tent some thing like a 2 person tent for some solo camping or maybe to have my own tent when with other people. I have come across a Marmot Limelight 2 for a pretty good price, but how does Marmot compare to some of the other brands like REI, or Mountain Hardware or The North Face?

Thank you
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Marmot is good stuff. All major brands are pretty reliable. You just have to choose the features you want. I used a tarp and bivy a lot. The MH Lightpath, BD Lighthouse, BD Firstlight, Bibler, Nano etc etc are all good.

Best thing to do is try one in person see if it fits the way you camp. Do you cook inside, are you really tall, do you like a lot of shoulder room, do you pack lots of crap and like to keep it on the tent etc. Next is to put it up and tear in down a couple of times in the store.

If you like the Marmot and it has the features you want go for it. It looks fine to me, just a little heavy at 4+ pounds
 
Tomcrx, I love a tarp/ultralight shelter too. I like just building a simple A-frame or lean-to with one. Nor real walls, the open environment all around. We did that more than anything else in Utah. In fact, a tarp was our year-round primary shelter. It's amazing how you can sleep comfortably and protected on -30 degree nights with just the right sleeping bag and pad, and just a nice tarp over your head.

Sadly, it seems most people don't share our enthusiasm for simplicity...
 
I generally prefer to use some kind of tent when camping/backpacking around these parts. Mainly due to bugs more than anything..

Once you stop hiking, you immediately get chewed on by every flying insect in the county. And while I have used a mosquito net around my face while sleeping under a tarp, I still don't get much sleep with those buggers flying around my face all night long.

I realize that this Marmot that I bought is really a bit heavy (at 5 lbs. 5 oz.) for a backpacking tent. Sure, it would work in a pinch, but I would really prefer something under 4 pounds in weight. I think my new Marmot Titan will be something that I leave in my truck for camping, or as an emergency shelter.

I'll pick up something lighter for backpacking down the road, when the funds become available...
 
Schuey2002 said:
I generally prefer to use some kind of tent when camping/backpacking around these parts. Mainly due to bugs more than anything..

Once you stop hiking, you immediately get chewed on by every flying insect in the county. And while I have used a mosquito net around my face while sleeping under a tarp, I still don't get much sleep with those buggers flying around my face all night long.

I realize that this Marmot that I bought is really a bit heavy (at 5 lbs. 5 oz.) for a backpacking tent. Sure, it would work in a pinch, but I would really prefer something under 4 pounds in weight. I think my new Marmot Titan will be something that I leave in my truck for camping, or as an emergency shelter.

I'll pick up something lighter for backpacking down the road, when the funds become available...
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Life is full of compromises. Having pursued a Tarptent Moment for some time to no avail, I gave up. Tarptent is a cottage industry and production is sold out months in advance, so I bought a substitute, a Eureka Solitaire ($60+ on sale). It is like a cross between a bivy and a tent.

But this week I struck a deal to trade a custom knife I don't use for a Big Agnes Seedhouse SL1 (MSRP $250+/-). It is a bigger (true) tent with features missing in the little Eureka like a vestibule for my boots and pack, room to actually sit up, aluminum poles with clips instead of sleeves, and a carry weight of sub-three pounds. I'll still pick up a Moment if and when I run across one, but in the meantime, I won't have the excuse of my tent being too heavy (like the Mountainsmith, which I love for space), or too small (like the Eureka which was a good deal). Plus, it isn't bright yellow or orange!!!

nnpdlh.jpg
 
Can you dye/paint a rainfly another color? Have any of you done that before? Or, have you heard of someone who has?

I have a feeling that the bright orange color that my new Marmot comes in, is going to drive me nuts. I sure would love it if this came with a light green or grey fly instead...
 
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