Nemo Aurora 3P Tent Review

Nemo only got into the outdoor market in 2002 and despite being a latecomer, has made a name of themselves by making some incredible products.

Their motto is ‘a commitment to adventure – to the fearless pursuit of uncharted paths’ and through this have made some of the best tents, pillows, sleeping bags, and tents to have you camping comfortably in the wilderness. 

One of their top tents is, without a doubt, the Nemo Aurora 3P Tent as it fills a gap between being a light backpacking tent and having more than enough space for 3 people, something that isn’t too easy to do. 

Join me as we take a deep dive into the details of our Nemo Aurora 3P Tent Review so you can see if it is the perfect 3-person tent for you. 

 

Materials & Durability

When shopping for tents, you have to be aware of the durability vs weight payoff. The lighter the tent, the thinner the materials, and the less durable they are.

When it comes to the Nemo Aurora 3P Tent, it is all looking pretty good and it will handle the wear and tear of the trail. Let’s look at the details…

Materials

The materials that make up the Nemo Aurora 3P Tent are all pretty solid.

The internal no-see-um mesh is made from 30-D Polyester and is excellent at stopping insects from getting inside and it makes a thin thermal layer with ventilation too.

The floor is built from a thicker 68-D polyurethane polyester and this is ideal as the floor sees most of the wear, especially if you camp out on the rough ground.

The full-coverage rainfly is built from the same 68-D polyurethane polyester and it does a great job of handling the elements so you have a comfortable night’s sleep.

The aluminum poles are super lightweight while ensuring you’re sleeping under a strong structure. They will flex with the high winds but stay strong to keep you safe on a windy night plus they are a breeze to carry around.

Durability

So how do those materials add up when it comes to durability? Well, it is all about understanding the D (Denier) rating. The higher the D, the thicker the material.

Considering some lighter tents are made with 15-20D materials, like the Nemo Dragonfly 2, and the Nemo Aurora uses 30 and 68D materials, it also comes with a footprint included.

This means it is a durable tent that can handle whatever the wilderness might throw at it.

The aluminum poles are also excellent and will last a long time. Just be sure to slot them together properly as they can suffer when not joined correctly.

Portability & Pitching

Having covered that the durability of the Nemo Aurora 3P Tent is up to the challenge, how does it perform when it comes to weight, packed size, and ease of setup?

Does it pack down small enough, is it lightweight, and is the setup simple?

Weight & Packed Size

With a minimum trail weight of 5 lbs. 5 oz and a packed weight of 6 lbs. 8 oz., the Nemo Aurora is pretty lightweight when you consider that it is a 3-person tent.

The lightest one-man tents are around 2lbs, so if you split the weight of the Aurora between 2 or 3, you will end up carrying around 2-3 lbs each. That is pretty good going and won’t add too much weight to your pack.

When packed in the stuff sack, it is just 23 x 7.5 inches and you can happily slot it in a backpack or strap it up to the base of it without it sticking out like a hazard.

You can also split the pieces up to share the weight with your camping buddy but you might need an extra sack to do this.

Pitching

The Aurora is simple to set up as t has a color-coded system and a freestanding design.

By being freestanding you can have the tent up before you have to stake any part of it down.

This lets you move the tent around to find level ground before securing it down and you can avoid rocky parts the tent stakes cant handle.

The color-code design links the poles to the fly clops and the corner holders so you are always putting the right bits in the right places. There are only two poles to put together and it connects easily to all other parts.

After that, stake it out along with the double vestibules and you are good to go.

If you’re practiced at pitching a tent, you’ll have the Aurora up in a matter of minutes, and if you’re not that used to it, after some practice time, you’ll have it down.

Weather-Resistance & Breathability

The whole idea of a tent, no matter what, is to keep you warm and dry while camping out in the wilderness.

The Nemo Aurora is rated as a 3-season tent for use outside of the winter months, but how does it stand up to adverse weather? Find out how it does with wind resistance, water resistance, and ventilation below.

Wind Resistance

The Aurora uses Nemo’s DAC Featherlite NFL pole system which is designed to flex with the wind while still holding itself together. The poles also have great shape retention, so once the wind has passed, they return to their original shape.

What happens while you’re sleeping inside? Well, in strong winds you’ll see some movement of the tent’s structure as it manages the force of the wind, and once the gales stop, it will return to its original shape.

The fabric is also designed to block the wind from the outside so you stay warm. Just close the vents if it is getting too much!

Water Resistance

The Aurora has a waterproof rating of 1200mm on its floor and rainfly. What does this mean? This means that it’ll endure up to a 1200mm, or a 1.2m column of water coming down on it before the water breaks through.

Waterproof ratings range from 800-10000 mm so it is not at the top of the ladder but it will keep you dry through prolonged rainfall. The seams are well-sealed and the full-coverage rainfly provides great protection.

Ventilation

The Aurora features an inner mesh canopy and ceiling vents. These ensure that you have enough airflow so that condensation doesn’t build up inside and drip on you during the night.

When it gets warmer, you have the option of opening up the two vestibules and even removing the rainfly completely. This will ensure you don’t overheat on hotter nights.

Livability & Storage

The Nemo Aurora is made for backpacking and you could end up staying in it for multiple nights on those longer adventures into the wilderness.

So, how does it do when it comes to livability, will you be comfortable?

Interior Space

The Aurora provides you with 44 square feet of living space and s long enough for tall people to lie down flat without their noses touching the canopy.

The peak height of 44 inches provides more than enough headroom for everyone to sit up without touching the ceiling. This makes changing, stretching, and hanging out in poor weather no problem.

The walls of this tent are also near vertical so it feels very roomy and spacious inside.

Accessibility

Being able to get in and out of your tent, especially when sharing with others, makes life so much easier and it becomes very obvious on longer trips.

The Aurora has two doors, one on each side, so when you need to relieve yourself in the night, you can do so without clambering over your buddy and waking them up.

The doors are big and this makes it really easy to hop in and out. They aren’t the easiest to reach through and they can catch the rainfly so be careful when opening them up.

Storage Space

The Aurora is one of the best tents when it comes to storage as it comes with lots of internal pockets and a light pocket that diffuses your headlamp for easy reading and organizing.

For any gear that doesn’t need to be inside the tents, you have two huge vestibules. Each vestibule is 9.2 square feet where you can easily store 3 backpacks along with some firewood too.

Value For Money

The Nemo Aurora 3P Tent is a super light and high-performance tent and these don’t come cheap. The materials and quality are all high end and this reflects the price point.

The Aurora costs around $340, which certainly isn’t cheap. But, when you factor in all the great things about this tent and its lifetime warranty, I think it’ll pay itself off with value in next to no time thanks to its comfortable, light, and durable design.

Rating

With a score of 84, the Nemo Aurora has nailed almost every category in our rating system.

There are hardly any cons to this 3-person tent and the only actual negative is that a zipper catches and is inconveniently placed.

The Aurora really is the perfect mix of space and comfort in a lightweight package.

Verdict

Overall, would we recommend the Nemo Aurora? Without a doubt!

This a tent that won’t weigh you down, keeps you comfortable and warm, plus you can share it with your buddies too!

Built from durable materials, with awesome gear storage, two doors, two vestibules, roomy living space, and it’s freestanding for pitching perfection.

 

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