How to Choose a Backpacking Tent
Mountain Hardwear Nimbus UL 1 Tent
This product is not available. Good news: we have a newer version.
Heavy packs are no fun—neither is getting soaked by rain or bitten by bugs. The Mountain Hardwear Nimbus UL 1 tent solves the dilemma for solo trips with a light design and protective sil-nylon fly.
Shop newer version- 20-denier nylon rainfly is impregnated with silicone on both sides, increasing waterproofness, strength and durability, while decreasing weight
- Nylon fly is made with no fabric dye, significantly reducing the use of water and chemicals in the manufacturing process
- DAC Featherlight™ NFL poles provide a superb combination of high strength and light weight
- Pre-bent pole design improves headroom and interior space
- All pole sections are pre-connected via hubs for simple setup and takedown
- Unique G-hook canopy-to-pole attachment system reduces weight and improves compressibility
- Front mesh door with dual sliders and quick stash allows easy exit and entry
- Front dry-entry vestibule with dual sliders gives you a place to store gear
- 3/4 mesh canopy lets you look at the stars while the solid lower canopy helps keep dust out and block wind
- Reinforced webbing corners reduce tent weight
- High-quality aluminum DAC J-Stakes included
- Tent comes packaged in 2 separate stuff sacks—1 sized for the tent body and fly and 1 for the poles—so you can easily divide the tent up for efficient packing
- This tent is free of flame-retardant chemicals and may not adhere to CPAI-84
Imported.
View all Mountain Hardwear Backpacking Tents| Best Use | Backpacking |
|---|---|
| Seasons | 3-season |
| Sleeping Capacity | 1-person |
| Minimum Trail Weight | 1 lb. 11.8 oz. |
| Packaged Weight | 1 lb. 14.6 oz. |
| Packed Size | 5 x 12 and 2.5 x 15 inches |
| Floor Dimensions | 86 x 38/28 (L x W head/foot) inches |
| Floor Area | 19.7 square feet |
| Vestibule Area | 3.9 square feet |
| Peak Height | 38 inches |
| Number of Doors | 1 door |
| Number of Poles | 1 |
| Pole Material | DAC Featherlight NFL |
| Pole Diameter | 8.7 millimeters |
| Canopy Fabric | 15-denier nylon mesh and 15-denier ripstop nylon |
| Floor Fabric | 30-denier ripstop nylon with a 1,500 mm coating |
| Rainfly Fabric | 20-denier ripstop nylon with a 1,200 mm silicone/silicone coating |
| Footprint Included | No |
| Ultralight | Yes |
| Design Type | Semifreestanding |
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Sierra Lion Dog
Tahoe area
Excellent tent
3 years ago
I bought the 2 person, which is really 1 1/2. True full weight 2lbs. 8 nights in Wind River Range and 6 in the Sierras. This is the first “non-freestanding” tent I’ve had, and was worried about set up in the the rocky terrain. No problem, and you could use a trekking pole to guy out the foot end. The white fly gets very dirty. Has some new approaches to set up, so make sure you rehearse before your trek. I am very happy with this tent.
Yes , I recommend this product
Originally posted on mountainhardwear.com
Peaches_hikes
Philadelphia, Pa
Wish I waited for the restock to the BA
4 months ago
Good enough, but a pretty uncomfortable tent, not a lot of protection from the elements, not very sturdy. Pretty pricey for the quality.
Age:35–44
Weight:150–175 lbs.
Height:5'4"
No, I do not recommend this product
no nickname
Norcal, CA
Good all around tent
2 years ago
This tent is great for normal backpacking conditions. Very light, very easy to set up and perfect for 1 person. I have slept 2 inside and it can be done but there is NO space left. This is not a good tent for any sort of sustained wind. The center pole spine that runs along the top will slide down one side or another making it a little crammed inside. A simple loop or additional velcro straps would fix that problem without adding weight. Still holds up great and survived the storm just fine. One other thing that happened right away is the top rain cover gets dirty quick and does not clean up very well. After 2 or 3 trips it looked like I had this tent for years...
Age:45–54
Weight:175–200 lbs.
Height:6'0"
Yes , I recommend this product
TheLastLebowski
Yellowstone,WY
Tough enough for Yellowstone weather
3 years ago
I purchased this tent in the spring of 2022 as my first one-person, ultralight tent. Previously I had an ultralight two person tent and had used a one person tent by the same brand on several occasions. Im not going to name names, but my Mountain Hardwear Nimbus UL 1 is superior. I like the head-entry vs the side-entry style of this tent vs my previous tents. It allows me to open the full vestibule or half of it on clear nights and get great airflow. On an evening with light rainy drizzle, I pitched half of the vestibule into the wind and it kept me almost completely dry while allowing lots of fresh air, keeping condensation down. I have one tip for really inclimate weather though- buy a few extra stakes and use them to stake out the tent and fly separately from each other, and don’t bother using the little clips on the sides of the fly to attach it to the tent. By staking out everything separate it allows you to get better coverage over your feet when the fly fabric stretches out as it dampens. It also allows you some extra room for gear at the sides, if you feel like you need it. My first night in the rain with this tent I did not do that, and my sleeping bag got a little wet at the feet. Staking it all out separate also seems to help with cross ventilation too. I found the storage in the vestibule and inside the tent to be adequate. The organization inside is good, two pockets (one above the head and one by the floor near the entry) and there are loops to run a cord inside on the ceiling which I like for a clothesline. Being in bear country, I wish Mountain Hardwear would make a bear spray pocket near the head. Just a long sleeve that anyone else could use to store sunglasses in overnight. R&D - you folks can have that one for free. The tent is very light, and the fabric they use throughout makes it FEEL light too. I wish Mountain Hardwear would do the tent some justice though and pack it in ultralight stuff sacks. The tent and fly fit into a featherweight 5L stuff sack I already have though. I like that the tent frame breaks down into small sections. They are smaller than my previous tents frame sections. This has allowed for easy packing for bike-packing as well. Overall great tent in all sorts of conditions, and I like the added versatility in that it packs well on my bike-packing bike. Remember, choosing a good tent location and allowing good airflow are important in any tent to prevent condensation. And- always get a ground cloth. Also- remember to have fun.
Yes , I recommend this product
Originally posted on mountainhardwear.com
JohnnyBeerFace
Pennsylvania
Pretty Deece UL Tent
3 years ago
I have no idea how the managed to make a UL tent of this quality, at this weight, and at this price. My best guess is sorcery. If it comes back in stock and you're looking for a one-person UL backpacking tent, this is it. if you have a coupon or member rewards, use them. my first two nights with this tent were during thunderstorms in the Dolly Sods. I stayed dry and cozy.
Age:45–54
Yes , I recommend this product
Rose
California
Great 1 person tent, stake correctly to stay dry
1 month ago
Just finished JMT (25 nights) with this tent and it held up quite well. I had one big storm (3 separate intervals of hail) at Rae Lakes and stayed dry, though I had to carefully stake it to ensure the tent mesh didn't contact the fly. I like that the bathtub is pretty high, it prevented anything from splashing in. My only criticism is that the white rainfly got stained with dirt almost immediately--not evenly but in splotches--and the tent itself looks pretty grungy. I know it's going to get dirty but a different color would look less grungy.
Age:25–34
Weight:150–175 lbs.
Height:5'10"
Yes , I recommend this product
akeene
San Diego
amazing 1P tent
3 years ago
For reference, I’m a 6ft tall female. This tent is perfectly sized with even some extra room to spare. I can sit up and get dressed, and lay down on my stomach extending my feet out as far as possible without hitting the end. Well thought out design and incredibly compact and lightweight! Took this tent on the Lost Coast Trail recently and used for 3 nights in varying weather. -First night was windy and very cold. Trees were losing their branches and one even hit my tent. No damage! Tent stayed put and had no issues. The guy lines ARE reflective, as are the zippers (I saw a review here that said they aren’t, so I had to clarify that they are). -Second night was camping in loosely packed gravel/sand with 50mph gusts. Hardest part was setting up the tent in the wind, to be honest. Had to use some large rocks to support the stakes, as the ones the tent comes with are not suitable for that type of ground. I would recommend that you get some beefier stakes if you’re camping in anything other than soil. Tent stayed put all night- I highly doubted it would too given how strong the winds were. -Third night was perfect weather and camped in soft sand. Used the tent without the rainfly and the views of the stars were incredible. Use the guy lines to make more space of the tent floor (see photo). Overall: Loved the tent. Have not used in rain, but have used in high winds and cold weather. Would recommend different stakes if you’re going to be in anything other than soil. Plenty of space and able to sit up, store my pack under vestibule, and sleep comfortably.
Age:25–34
Weight:125–150 lbs.
Height:6'0"
Yes , I recommend this product
Aidan Goldie
Colorado
Incredibly light!
4 years ago
This is a stupendous tent for ultralight backpacking. The only way to make a tent in this class lighter is to turn it into a tarp. This is as good as tents come and is incredibly well constructed. I am a backpacking guide out of Colorado and this is the perfect tent to take along to have my own tent with clients. This would also be a great tent to bring along on a thru-hike. The tent pitches quickly and easily, with efficient use of guylines and stakes. One door in the front and enough space for a single person and some gear.
Yes , I recommend this product
Originally posted on mountainhardwear.com
Brian L.
Colorado
If the weather isn't perfect forget it.
4 years ago
I took this on a 2 day backpacking trip in Colorado. First night the weather was perfect no wind no rain tent held up just fine.Second night I camped near a lake and it was a windy night. The wind blew sand and dirt under the fly. I woke up in the middle of the night with a face full or and dirt. I was literally wiping dirty off my face, eye lids. The fly does not have and velcro to secure it to the tent poll so it offers no support to the tent. The tent poll is also really flimsy I stayed up for part of the night just to see if the wind would take down my tent. The guy lines on the fly are not reflective so at night you might trip over them. The guy lines on the fly do not have a tensioner. Great materials, super light weight but poor design. Sent it back for a refund.
No, I do not recommend this product
Originally posted on mountainhardwear.com
Conrace
Las Vegas, NV
Super light, super small, super compact
4 years ago
I want to be different from the norm... so i chose this over BA. Its lighter and a margin cheaper than the competitors. I dont have any problems with this tent so far. I went to Big Pine Lakes for 3 nights.. its easy to packed in and out.. it kept me warm inside the tent.
Age:35–44
Weight:175–200 lbs.
Height:5'5"
Yes , I recommend this product
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