Our Verdict
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NEMO Dragonfly Osmo 2 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards | Best Upgrade | Best Lightweight Tent for Two | Your First Backpacking Tent | Best Value for Beginners | |
| Price | $550 List Check Price at REI | $650 List Check Price at REI | $600 List Check Price at REI | $399 List Check Price at REI | $260 List Check Price at REI |
Overall Score ![]() |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | This feature-rich, lightweight tent can be a great option for a solo camper but is a tight squeeze for two | Whether you're a group of two or three, this is the ideal backpacking tent, offering an unmatched balance of space, weather resistance, weight, and packed size | If weight is the most important aspect of your backpacking equipment, this tent should be on your shortlist | This jack-of-all-trades tent gets the basics right, making it an excellent choice for first-time backpackers | This affordable tent is one of the largest we tested, which makes it a comfortable option for anyone just getting into backpacking |
| Rating Categories | NEMO Dragonfly Osmo 2 | Big Agnes Copper Spu... | Big Agnes Copper Spu... | REI Co-op Half Dome 2 | The North Face Storm... |
| Livability (35%) | |||||
| Weather Resistance (25%) | |||||
| Weight (15%) | |||||
| Packed Size (15%) | |||||
| Durability (10%) | |||||
| Specifications | NEMO Dragonfly Osmo 2 | Big Agnes Copper Spu... | Big Agnes Copper Spu... | REI Co-op Half Dome 2 | The North Face Storm... |
| Listed Size | 2 person | 3 person | 2 person | 2 person | 3 person |
| True Capacity | Comfortable for one person and gear; Fits two people with a moderate amount of gear |
Very spacious for two people and gear; Fits three people with a small amount of gear |
Comfortable for one person and gear; Fits two people with a small amount of gear |
Very spacious for one person and gear; Fits two people comfortably with moderate amount of gear |
Fits two people very comfortably with gear; Very tight for three people with very little gear |
| Measured Minimum Trail Weight | 2.80 lbs | 3.28 lbs | 2.56 lbs | 4.83 lbs | 6.20 lbs |
| Number of Doors | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Footprint Included? | No | No | No | Yes | No |
| Measured Packaged Weight | 3.32 lbs | 3.81 lbs | 3.10 lbs | 4.95 lbs | 7.10 lbs |
| Measured Floor Area | 29.0 sq ft | 41.0 sq ft | 29.0 sq ft | 31.8 sq ft | 39.7 sq ft |
| Measured Packed Size | 20.5 x 6 in | 21 x 5 in | 19.5 x 4 in | 22 x 7.5 in | 22 x 8 in |
| Measured Peak Height | 40 in | 43 in | 40 in | 42 in | 46 in |
| Measured Vestibule Area | 10.0 sq feet on each side | 9.0 sq ft on each side | 9.0 sq ft on each side | 9.2 sq ft on each side | 10.8 sq ft on each side |
| Number of Pockets | 5 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 4 |
| Gear Loft? | Yes | Sold separately | Sold separately | No | No |
| Number of Poles | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| Pole Diameter | 8.5 mm | 8.7 mm | 8.7 mm | 8.7 mm | 8.5 mm |
| Pole Material | Aluminum | DAC Featherlite NFL, NSL and pressfit poles | DAC Featherlite NFL, NSL and pressfit poles | DAC featherlite NFL aluminum | Aluminum |
| Number of Guy Points | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Rain Fly Material | Osomo Ripstop | Proprietary HyperBead fabric; 15D nylon with 20D solution dyed ripstop and 1500 mm waterproof rating without intentionally added PFAS | Proprietary HyperBead fabric; 15D nylon with 20D solution dyed ripstop and 1500 mm waterproof rating without intentionally added PFAS | 40D ripstop nylon, 20D nylon mesh | 75D polyester taffeta |
| Inner Tent Material | Polyester, no-see-um mesh | Breathable 15D nylon with 20D solution dyed ripstop, and 15D polyester mesh | Breathable 15D nylon with 20D solution dyed ripstop, and 15D polyester mesh | 40D taffeta nylon | 75D polyester taffeta |
Our Analysis and Test Results
Likes
Sitting on the edge of ultralight territory, you'll hardly notice the NEMO Dragonfly Osmo 2 when you're carrying it on your back. We weighed the tent at 3.32 pounds, but it's really only 2.8 pounds if we count only the tent body, rainfly, and poles (the often advertised "minimum trail weight").
NEMO could have gone all in on making this an ultralight tent, but they decided livability matters, too. You want to be comfortable at your campsite, so they included extras, like five internal storage pockets, a light-diffusing nightlight pocket, and an absolutely massive gear loft.
The updated tent includes stronger pole hardware, taller doors, and a new crossbar to increase internal tent space. One of the more innovative extras is the waterproof 'Landing Zone' tub that'll protect your gear from splashback under the vestibule. These extras add ounces, but they also give the Dragonfly OSMO 2 oodles of character.
Dislikes
Our biggest gripe is the tapered floor design, which starts at 50 inches wide at the head and shrinks to 45 inches wide at the foot. While two 20-inch pads fit fine, you can't lay two 25-inch pads side by side. This is particularly interesting because NEMO offers nearly all of its pads in Wide, 25-inch versions.
We found the ball-and-socket corner hardware at the pole ends difficult to operate, especially with only one hand. It takes a bit of effort to pop the tent pole ball into the tent body corner socket, and it's even harder to separate them. But, to be fair to the Dragonfly Osmo 2, we're really nitpicking here.
Should You Buy the NEMO Dragonfly Osmo 2?
The newly facelifted NEMO Dragonfly Osmo 2 is a lightweight, funky tent with lots of little extras that make it a joy to use. We appreciate the fun features and practical upgrades, but the real price you pay for it all is in your wallet. This is an expensive two-person backpacking tent that may more realistically be called a one-person and a dog backpacking tent.
What Other Backpacking Tents Should You Consider?
You can shed a few by upgrading to the ultralight Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2. It's not as feature-rich as the Dragonfly OSMO 2, but it weighs less and packs down smaller. If you want more comfort at camp, the REI Co-op Half Dome 2 offers enough room for two adults to fit comfortably, and costs less than either of these other two tents.









