The Hornet Elite is a very lightweight 1-person tent best for 2 season use, with impressive environmental credentials. The fabric is a relatively new blend of nylon and polyester, 100% recycled and free from PFC’s and PFA’s. The brand say it stretches less and takes on less water than traditional fly fabric.
David Lintern’s verdict
It’s a really comfortable tent to use in the right conditions, but I had concerns about the groundsheet, which suffered abrasion after my first night out in the shelter.- Ultra-lightweight
- Good environmental credentials
- Price
- Poor groundsheet
| Quick specs | |
|---|---|
| Price: £520 Weight: 846g (tent, poles and bags 713g, pegs 133) Pitching: As a unit, semi freestanding Flysheet: 0D OSMO Ripstop, 1200 mm Hydrostatic Head. Inner: No-See-Um Mesh Groundsheet: 0D OSMO Ripstop, 1200 mm Hydrostatic Head. Poles: 1 Y shaped Aluminum DAC Featherlite® NFL 8.7mm pole Pegs: 6×4” Y pegs Porches: 1, 60cm deep x 1.5m useable Inner Dimensions: 86cm wide at head, tapers to approx 80cm at foot, 100cm high, 220cm long. nemoequipment.com |
The Hornet Elite is semi freestanding (the porch is pegged out) and pitches inner first. The inner clips into a single, Y shaped DAC pole, with the fly suspended over. It’s quick and easy to pitch. The fly is kept away from the inner by a paddle shaped piece of plastic at the crown of the tent. The bathtub floor of the inner is high, and the fly does not reach the ground. As a result, ventilation is excellent but windblown and splashing rain can be an issue. Both the porch and the rear of the shelter can be prone to blowing in during very high winds, simply by virtue of the single Y pole frame, so it’s better suited for spring and summer conditions.
There are 4 guys supplied, but not attached, and there are no pegs for these. I’d have liked to have seen both guys and rear pegging points fitted with line locks for adjustability. However, the 6 supplied pegs are 4”, Y shaped and very robust.
Inside, the living space is generous and well thought through, with lots of headroom. A single overhead night light pocket can be used to diffuse a head torch, and there are extra clips for a drying line, to pull the inner out and to hold doors in place. The porch is quite small and with a single, one-way zip would feel compromised if cooking in the rain. Anything stored in the porch may also get wet.
It’s a really comfortable tent to use in the right conditions, but I had concerns about the groundsheet, which suffered abrasion after my first night out in the shelter, while pitched on relatively soft woodland ground. An additional footprint is recommended, or the floor needs to be thicker if the shelter is to last. Sustainability is equally about durability, especially at this price point.
