Reviews You Can Rely On

Marmot Tungsten 4 Review

A super simple, light, and open tent that is easy to pack and easy to store
gearlab tested logo
Marmot Tungsten 4 Review
Credit: Rob Gaedtke
Price:  $399 List
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Manufacturer:   Marmot
By Rob Gaedtke ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  May 3, 2023
77
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#6 of 18
  • Space and Comfort - 35% 7.0
  • Weather Resistance - 25% 8.0
  • Ease of Use - 15% 9.0
  • Family Friendliness - 15% 8.0
  • Quality - 10% 7.0

Our Verdict

The Marmot Tungsten 4 is a straightforward, high-end tent built for those looking to spend most of their time outside their tent but enjoy epic stars and open air at night (isn't that how it should be?) This tent can be set up and ready in less than 5 minutes with a helper and still under 8 minutes if you are solo. It is on the smaller end of the 4-person tents with a floor space of just 52.7 square feet, but thanks to the additional 36.6 square foot vestibule, it can still handle a good amount of gear. Our biggest complaints are the lack of included guyline stakes and the small storage options. But outside of these minor issues, at only 7.9 pounds, the Tungsten 4 is a quality choice for car camping and maybe even short backpacking trips. 
REASONS TO BUY
Lightweight
Can be pitched solo
Footprint included
REASONS TO AVOID
Not enough storage
No guyline stakes

Compare to Similar Products

 
marmot tungsten 4
This Product
Marmot Tungsten 4
Awards  Editors' Choice Award
Best Overall Camping Tent
Top Pick Award
Most Versatile
Best Buy Award
Best Bang for the Buck
Top Pick Award
Our Favorite Pop-up Model
Price $365.95 at Backcountry
Compare at 3 sellers
$486.97 at Amazon
Compare at 2 sellers
$375 List
$239.73 at REI
$244.99 at Amazon
Compare at 2 sellers
$360 List
$349.00 at Amazon
Overall Score Sort Icon
77
85
77
75
74
Star Rating
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Bottom Line Nice quality, no frills tent that could be used on light backpacking tripsIt's hard to imagine a better use of space at this price pointSmall but mighty, this tent will quickly be your go-to for short overnightsYou may have to sacrifice a little on quality, but this tent is fairly solid, cleans easily, and can sleep a platoon of kids and petsNo needling poles or clipping clips, just pull and pop and this tent is ready to go in seconds
Rating Categories Marmot Tungsten 4 The North Face Wawo... Mountain Hardwear M... Coleman Skydome XL 8 Gazelle T4 Hub
Space and Comfort (35%)
7.0
9.0
7.0
9.0
7.5
Weather Resistance (25%)
8.0
8.0
8.0
6.0
7.0
Ease of Use (15%)
9.0
7.0
9.0
6.0
8.0
Family Friendliness (15%)
8.0
9.0
7.0
9.0
7.5
Quality (10%)
7.0
9.0
8.0
6.0
7.0
Specs Marmot Tungsten 4 The North Face Wawo... Mountain Hardwear M... Coleman Skydome XL 8 Gazelle T4 Hub
Measured Weight 7.9 lbs 21.9 lbs 7.1 lbs 20.3 lbs 31.6 lbs
Max Inside Height 4' 4" 6' 4" 4' 0" 6' 1" 6' 5"
Floor Dimensions 7' 9" x 6' 10" 10' x 8' 7' 6" x 5' 8" 16' 2" x 7' 1" 7' 10" x 7' 10"
Floor Area 52.7 sq ft 86.1 sq ft 42.5 sq ft 114.5 sq ft 61 sq ft
Seasons 3-season 3-season 3-season 3-season 3-season
Windows Mesh top Mesh top Mesh top 2 8
Pockets 6 9 5 6 7
Number of Doors 2 1 2 1 2
Room Divider No No No Yes No
Vestibules 1 1 2 0 o
Vestibule Area (total) 36.6 sq ft 44.7 sq ft 37.5 sq ft N/A N/A
Packed Size 24.8" x 8.3" 10" x 32" 7" x 25" 28" x 11" x 11" 67.5" x 8" x 8"
Floor Materials 100% Polyester taffeta 150D polyester 68D ripstop polyester Polyester 300D oxford weave polyester
Main Tent Materials 100% Polyester, Ripstop 75D polyester 40D polyester mesh, 75D ripstop polyester Polyester 210D oxford weave polyester
Rainfly Materials 100% Polyester, Ripstop 75D polyester 68D ripstop polyester Polyester 210D oxford weave polyester
Number of Poles 3 4 2 4 Multiple
Pole Material Aluminum DAC MX aluminum DAC Pressfit Fibergblass Fiberglass
Extras Footprint included, color coded clips, poles, and fly Dual exits in vestibule, 3 pockets on back door Fly rolls back and secures halfway for stargazing, footprint included Integrated string lighting system Removable floor, fully assembled

Our Analysis and Test Results

The Marmot Tungsten 4 performed well in our review thanks to the easy setup, quality materials, and lightweight design. With 100% polyester and ripstop materials, aluminum poles, and an included footprint, this tent will handle whatever you throw at it. The fully open top and sides allow for great warm weather options, and the white tint on the mesh provides an additional layer of privacy without compromising views. The ability to pitch this tent alone and the comparatively lightweight package make it very versatile both for a family and a solo camper. 

Performance Comparison


marmot tungsten 4 - the marmot tungsten 4 is a simple and lightweight alternative to the...
The Marmot Tungsten 4 is a simple and lightweight alternative to the bigger tents in our lineup.
Credit: Rob Gaedtke

Space and Comfort


The Tungsten 4 has a 52.7 square foot main living space and a large 36.6 square foot vestibule providing ample comfort for both beds and gear. The full mesh top and sides make for great warm-weather options, and the dual vents allow for good airflow when the fly is on. But with a max height of only 4' 4", plan on changing clothes being a little difficult, and while there are six pockets throughout, they are pretty small.

Four people, including a 6-foot tall teenager, and two dogs was a pretty tight fit, but still extremely doable.
Credit: Rob Gaedtke

The white mesh is a nice change from the typical black, as it provides an additional layer of privacy that is surprisingly good. We also found the vestibule to be large enough for a chair or maybe a kiddo's personal space — both work.

marmot tungsten 4 - the vestibule on the tungsten 4 fits a kid or two, but they wont...
The vestibule on the Tungsten 4 fits a kid or two, but they wont stay in there long.
Credit: Rob Gaedtke

Weather Resistance


As with most well-built tents that sit lower to the ground, weather isn't too much of a concern here. The poles and connections are all high-quality aluminum, and the stakes are well-made and bite into the ground. Unfortunately, Marmot felt like only including enough stakes for the tent and rainfly and didn't include enough to fasten down the guylines. We would recommend bringing four extra stakes so you don't find your tent in the trees should a big gust come through.

The pole system on the Tungsten 4 is very well thought out. Typically hub setups have plastic parts and are cumbersome to set up. But this system is simple, light, and 100% aluminum. Even the connectors for the side poles are made from machined aluminum. The result is a super light structure that can handle a beating.

marmot tungsten 4 - machined aluminum clips are a quality touch from marmot.
Machined aluminum clips are a quality touch from Marmot.
Credit: Rob Gaedtke

Ease of Use


Thanks again to the pole system, this tent went up for us in 4:48 minutes and came down in half that. The oversized carry bag means you can be a little lazy in your rolling without worrying about everything fitting back inside. Loading and unloading this tent is also a breeze, weighing, as it weighs in at less than 8 pounds. At that weight, we could see this tent making it on a few short backpacking trips as well.

Color-coded poles and clips add to the ease of use of this tent as well as the hub pole that provides the ability to pitch alone. Needless to say, Marmot nailed ease of use with the Tungsten 4. We can't emphasize enough how great it is to have a 4-person tent that is 7. 9 pounds and a packed size of only 24.8" x 8.3". This tent weighs less than most people's luggage.

marmot tungsten 4 - the hub system allows for the tungsten to be pitched solo with very...
The hub system allows for the Tungsten to be pitched solo with very little frustration.
Credit: Rob Gaedtke

Family Friendliness


This is a smaller, lower, 4-person tent. Packing two adults, some kids, and some dogs will be snug. Should the weather cause everyone to be in the tent for an extended period, this will not add to the joy.  Realistically, you can fit three singles or a twin air mattress in here with enough room for some storage — any more is going to be a bit much for this tent. The large size of the vestibule does help, especially if your dogs (or kids) are good at sleeping on the dirt. We were able to fit a small chair and table, but things were snug.  

marmot tungsten 4 - while not very tall, the interior of the tungsten 4 is still nicely...
While not very tall, the interior of the Tungsten 4 is still nicely sized.
Credit: Rob Gaedtke

Quality


From the stakes to the bag, the poles to the snaps, everything used on the Tungsten 4 is quality. Even the clever door tie-downs are high-end. Aluminum poles, an included footprint, smooth zippers, great stakes, and robust materials show that there wasn't a corner cut when designing this tent.

Should You Buy the Marmot Tungsten 4?


If you value quality and ease of use over size, the Tungsten 4 is an amazing choice. The materials mixed with a simple and intuitive setup put it above many. Then add that all this comes in a super lightweight package, and you have the most versatile 4-person tent in our lineup.

What Other Camping Tents Should You Consider?


If you want to get a little more height without compromising on quality, give the MSR Habitude 4 a look. If you are looking to get even smaller and lighter, you could also consider the Mountain Hardwear Mineral King 3.

Rob Gaedtke