The North Face Stormbreak 2 Review

We've logged months with the Stormbreak 2 and our entire review team all agreed this is an excellent budget tent. While there are a few setbacks, it's half the price (or more) of other high end shelters and is well worth your consideration as long as you don't demand the lightest shelter.

Comfort

Comfort is one of our favorite aspects of the Stormbreak 2, with some of the most spacious dimensions we've yet reviewed in a two-person tent. While we would still recommend going to a 3-person for extended trips if needing to put more gear inside the tent, the Stormbreak 2 offers some easy living and some nice features that we loved.

The interior space of the Stormbreak 2 is one of the best amongst the two person tents we tested. Even with a combination of various sleeping pads and sleeping bags, we were able to fit two backpackers inside with minimal shoulders or sleeping bag overlap. The lighter colored fly offered nice lighting that was pleasant to hang out in during rest days and waiting out storms, and the unique vestibule construction stood out with more versatility than more traditional builds. We generally preferred the center flap of the vestibules to be rolled up in pleasant weather and during hotter temperatures, though it was easy to use the side zippers on the vestibule if wanting to stay drier when going in and out of the tent.

Weather Resistance

For a budget model, the Stormbreak 2 performed very well. While we'd steer you elsewhere if deliberately voyaging into harsh environments, this is great for light to moderate rains, especially if the precipitation is on the shorter duration side.

The North Face uses 75 denier polyester taffeta in the fly of the Stormbreak 2, which is also treated with a DWR finish that held up throughout our field testing period. In those light to medium intensity storms, the water beaded up and easily traveled down to the ground, though there was a slight bit of rain that made its way through the stitching in the middle of the fly. We were also big fans of the polyester taffeta canopy in the body of the tent. While other models only have mesh, The North Face put in a 75 denier fabric above the head, atleast offering some improved weather protection if water does sneak through the fly.

Space to Weight Ratio

At 5.88 pounds, this is certainly not a lightweight tent. Fortunately, you get plenty of space, especially when comparing the Stormbreak 2 to other 2 person tents on the market, but there is simply no getting around how heavy this wallet-friendly option is.

While the more average space to weight ratio isn't ideal, this tent packed up smaller than others of similar weight. As is the case with any tent, you can somewhat improve the packability of the Stormbreak 2 by separating the body, fly, and poles and packing them along the bottom and sides of your backpack around harder items like a stove or sleeping bag. If you do choose to go without the storage sack, make sure no sharp zippers or gear can rip the tent fabric, especially the mesh, and pack it so the thicker denier fabric is what's touching other clothes or the backpack.

Ease of Use

If you need an intuitive tent to set up and use for shelter, the Stormbreak 2 is a great choice. It offers a classic dome-style design but includes two shorter cross poles that help improve interior head room, and can be set up quickly.

The Stormbreak 2 doesn't have many unique features, but the vestibules were a crowd favorite, with a two zipper system that allows you to have two different types of vestibule depending on which part of the tent you stake. For a larger opening and more airflow, our team preferred using the center fabric section of the vestibule, but for stormier nights we opted to use the side section with a smaller opening. The tent also has reliable pole clips that took minimal effort to snap on or off.

Construction Quality

For a budget model, the Stormbreak 2 was thoughtfully made by The North Face with fairly rugged materials that competed with tents much pricier.

As previously mentioned when discussing weather resistance, the Stormbreak 2 uses a 75 denier polyester taffeta in multiple locations, including the fly, tent body floor, and tent body canopy. While this was great for weather resistance, it was even nicer for construction quality, handling rougher ground and abrasive rock slabs much better than some of the ultra light competition. The poles held up well to wind, but if you're needing something that can handle extended blustery nights, there are heavier duty options that we'd steer you towards instead.

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Should You Buy The North Face Stormbreak 2?

If price is a higher priority than weight, the Stormbreak 2 should be on your finals list. This hefty tent isn't the best for thru-hiking quests where every gram is counted, but for friendlier missions on the shorter side, this comfy 2 person tent might be all you need.

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