Gear Review: Hornet OSMO Ultralight Backpacking Tent By NEMO Equipment
Check out our review of the Hornet OSMO Ultralight Backpacking Tent by NEMO Equipment! This lightweight, durable tent is perfect for a huge array of adventures from deserts to mountains. Find out how we used it over hundreds of miles, and if it's a tent we plan to use in 2025.
In 2024 the tent I used the very most was the Hornet OSMO Ultralight Backpacking Tent by NEMO Equipment. This little backpacking tent was my shelter during months on end during my Sky Island Traverse trek. As I start to plan out big 2025 treks, the Hornet is sure to be a constant companion on trail!
I've found the Hornet OSMO Ultralight Backpacking Tent to be reliable. It's semi-freestanding and easy to pitch. This makes it ideal for very long days with lots of miles. It also makes it well-suited for an array of landscapes. This tent has a higher bathtub floor than the Hornet Elite, making is a great choice of ultralight tent if you are going to be backpacking through super wet terrain or dealing with monsoon rains.
Check out how Hornet OSMO Ultralight Backpacking Tent by NEMO Equipment performs on epic adventures below!
Quick Rundown of the Hornet OSMO Ultralight 2-Person Backpacking Tent By NEMO Equipment
- Available in 1 person, 2 person and 3 person sizes
- Packed weight for 2 person: 2 pounds 2 ounce
- 2 doors and 2 vestibules
- KickStand vents: opposing struts on the vestibule doors provide unrestricted cross-tent airflow for excellent condensation management without sacrificing weather protection
- High-volume pole structure has a swivel that provides well-distributed headroom without weakness
- Lots of pockets: three ceiling, two head, two side, one foot
- 10 external guy points and 2 perimeter pull-outs provide ample reinforcement
- Pre-installed spare zipper sliders on every zipper double the zippers' lifespan
- Interior height: 44 inches. Vestibule depth: 33 inches. Packed size: 6"x17"
- Comes with 10 stakes
My Experience with the Hornet OSMO Ultralight Backpacking Tent By NEMO Equipment
The Sky Island Traverse is a backpacking route in southern Arizona that is hundred of miles long with thousands of feet of elevation gain. It goes up and over many mountain ranges and the altitude changes are insane. In one day it's possible to go from 2,200ft to 9,400ft. Sonoran Desert valley floor to subalpine. This means the conditions change quickly! I did this trek in 2024 and the tent I used for the whole entire adventure was the Hornet OSMO Ultralight Backpacking Tent by NEMO Equipment.
I chose it because it's ultralight at under 2.5 ounds, while also being extremely easy to pitch and semi-freestanding. It really does pitch and break down super quick. Roughly two minutes to set it up. The inside of the tent is very spacious, with plenty of headroom. I brought along a lot of camera gear, so a 2-person tent is what I went with. This ensured my backpack and all my gear could fit easily inside the tent with me.
There are two doors on this tent, which is nice for camping with a partner. The vestibules are big enough to keep rain away while stashing gear outside the tent door if that's your thing.
The waterproofing on this tent is solid. When I dealt with monsoon season rains, it had no problems with leaking. The high bathtub floor ensures that lowkey flooding isn't going to enter the tent. The Hornet OSMO Ultralight Backpacking Tent has great airflow, and I have never experienced an issue with condensation while using it. The coldest temperatures I've used it in have been right around 20°f.
I'm supremely impressed by the durability of this tent. I have really abused it, especially in the desert valley. It's been attacked by cholla cactus too many times to count, and it's been beat up by great big storms with howling winds. It's not sustained any damage, not even snagging when a cholla got packed up in the mesh.
The Hornet OSMO Ultralight Backpacking Tent packs up pretty small, and I like the stuff sack NEMO provides. It's not a tight fit, so packing up with cold fingers is no problem. The tent poles are nice and light and fold up small enough to stash wherever you'd like in a backpack.
Overall, this is a solid little ultralight tent. It's not the lightest on the market, it's not the fanciest on the market. But it comes with NEMO Equipment's Lifetime Warranty and their OSMO fabric is made from 100% recycled yarns that are PFAS-free and meet flame retardancy standards without the use of added chemicals. NEMO also has super good customer service, which is especially useful if you're thru-hiking or setting out for a prolonged backpacking trip.
If you're looking for an ultralight tent that is reliable and made with great intentions, this is one to check out!
Hornet OSMO Ultralight Backpacking Tent By NEMO Equipment: Pros and Cons
The Hornet OSMO Ultralight Backpacking Tent by NEMO Equipment is an ultralight and well designed backpacking tent. Check out the pros and cons below:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy and quick to pitch | Does not shed moisture |
| Ultralight in all three of the sizes it comes in | |
| Super durable | The rainfly can be a little cumbersome to get just right |
| Great airflow to reduce condensation | |
| Good amount of headroom | |
| The green color is really nice for blending in with most environments |
Click here to learn more and purchase the Hornet OSMO Ultralight Backpacking Tent by NEMO Equipment for your next adventure!
My review is independent of the supplier and reflects my own opinions. Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission if purchases are made through those links at no additional cost to you.
