Chris Townsend tests the Snugpak Journey Duo as part of his two-person tent review in the May 2021 issue of The Great Outdoors
The Journey Duo is a semi-geodesic tent, which makes it very wind-resistant when pitched with the rear into the wind. The fabrics are tough, with high hydrostatic heads. A footprint is provided. This adds another 335 grams to the already quite high weight but isn’t really needed in my opinion. There are much more expensive tents with thin groundsheets with much lower hydrostatic heads where a footprint has to be bought separately.
Pitching is inner-first with the poles attaching via mesh sleeves and clips, and it can be done quickly. Eight guylines add to stability. This really is a tent designed to withstand storms.
The inner is quite roomy, with good headroom at the front. It tapers to the rear in height and width – two mats just overlap here. There’s a mesh panel at the top of the inner door and a covered mesh vent at the rear of the flysheet matched by a small mesh panel at the end of the inner. This allows for some ventilation but when the main door is closed there’s not a great deal of airflow, so condensation occurs more quickly than in airier designs. Against that the Journey Duo really does keep out the weather. The porch is quite spacious, and being at the front means that neither occupant has to climb over the other to get in or out.
The Journey Duo is the least expensive tent tested, and it’s good value for money. It’s also the heaviest, though, and not as roomy as some that only cost a little more. It’s only available in bright orange too so you do have to like to be seen.
Read more: Best two-person tents for backpacking