Marmot Tungsten 4 Tent Assessment

Backside Line

The Marmot Tungsten 4 is an intriguing tent that straddles the road between automobile tenting and backpacking. Its major objective is as a front-country automobile tenting tent, however its smaller packed measurement and comparatively low weight means it may well work as a backpacking choice in a pinch. Though it felt a bit cramped for our household of 4, it’s a cushty match for 2 campers. The Tungsten is easy to pitch, even for solo campers, and packs down simply for transport.

When it comes to climate resistance, it carried out admirably throughout testing in Colorado’s mountains, dealing with heavy rain and even early-season snow simply. Its dome-style design and low peak peak additionally helped it maintain regular in reasonable winds.

Nonetheless, the tent has some drawbacks. Air flow is poor with the rainfly connected except the fly is totally guyed out, and sadly, not sufficient stakes are included for this setup. The inside storage, whereas practical with 4 facet pockets and two ceiling “Lampshade” pockets, may gain advantage from a extra considerate design.

All in all, the Tungsten 4 is a strong, versatile choice for campers in search of a crossover tent that balances automobile tenting consolation with some backpacking functionality. In case you’d wish to discover extra of our favourite tents, try our full gear information on the Finest Tenting Tents of 2024.

Consolation

The Tungsten 4 is extra appropriate for 2 campers somewhat than 4, which is frequent for smaller crossover tents. That’s to not say it may well’t match 4 folks—it may well—however you’ll don’t have any room for gear inside. As a substitute, you’ll must retailer your gear within the two exterior vestibules. We examined the tent with two adults and two young children, and whereas it labored, we’d have appreciated extra space. Youngsters may theoretically take up much less room, however once you issue of their collected knickknacks and treasures, they shortly occupy as a lot area as an grownup.

For backpacking, the tight match might not be a major concern, however for front-country tenting, two campers will discover the Tungsten way more snug. The 2 vestibules, which add roughly 36 sq. toes of extra cupboard space, are useful, however you’ll must hold a part of them clear for straightforward tent entry and exit.

The tent physique options loads of mesh, offering refreshing air flow on clear nights with the fly off. Nonetheless, with the rainfly deployed and the vestibule doorways totally zipped, air flow is noticeably decreased. Whereas the one kickstand vent and totally guyed-out fly enhance airflow considerably, the tent can nonetheless really feel stuffy in sure circumstances.

Sturdiness

After thorough testing, we will confidently say that the Tungsten 4 is a well-built and thoughtfully designed medium-duty tent. Whereas Marmot doesn’t present many specifics on the supplies used, our years of outside expertise and testing numerous tents lead us to imagine this tent is made with strong, sturdy supplies. The poles are Velocity HD aluminum, which, whereas heavier than fiberglass, provide higher power and longevity. The cover and rainfly are product of Ripstop Polyester, and the ground is crafted from Taffeta Polyester. Sadly, the denier ranking isn’t supplied.

Proper out of the field, the supplies really feel heavy-duty, and after our testing, we really feel assured this tent can stand up to repeated use. With correct care and upkeep, it ought to final for years to return.

Our essential concern, if any, is the plastic clips that connect the fly to the tent physique. These clips are uncovered to the weather, which might probably be a weak level. Whereas we haven’t encountered any points throughout testing, it’s one thing to bear in mind for long-term sturdiness.

Climate Resistance

Marmot has been a trusted identify within the out of doors trade for years, identified for producing tents which might be each reasonably priced and sturdy. We discovered the Tungsten 4 to carry out effectively in difficult climate, together with prolonged and typically sideways driving rain. The rainfly has wonderful protection, and the place it doesn’t totally lengthen, the massive bathtub flooring offers extra safety.

We examined the Tungsten within the Colorado mountains, the place we principally skilled basic bluebird days and chilly nights. Nonetheless, we did face a 36-hour stretch of heavy rain, which transitioned into graupel and ultimately snow, earlier than melting as soon as the solar hit the tent. Regardless of the extreme climate, we remained dry and didn’t expertise any leaks.

In reasonable winds, the Tungsten held up effectively. With the tent totally guyed out, it did seem to bend in on itself a few times, but it surely by no means felt like a severe concern. General, the Tungsten 4’s climate resistance proved to be strong, providing peace of thoughts even in unpredictable circumstances.

Ease of Setup

We discovered the Marmot Tungsten 4 to be extremely simple to arrange. Even when pitching it solo, we had the tent totally assembled in beneath eight minutes. The colour-coded poles and webbing make the setup course of simple and hassle-free. The design is fashionable and environment friendly, just like many backpacking tents, utilizing hooks to connect the poles to the tent physique as a substitute of the standard pole sleeves. We favor this technique, because it eliminates the frustration of snagging the poles contained in the sleeves throughout setup.

The decrease peak peak additionally contributes to the benefit of meeting, as you don’t should be notably tall to connect the final clip within the middle of the tent. It is a function we actually appreciated, because it avoids pointless stretching or awkward maneuvers.

Attaching the rainfly can be easy. The colour-coded webbing and plastic clips guarantee a safe match with minimal effort, making the method fast and intuitive. General, the Marmot Tungsten 4 provides a user-friendly setup expertise. iIt is a wonderful selection for each novice and skilled campers who desire a tent that’s simple to pitch and could be executed shortly, even with no second individual.

Options

The Tungsten 4 is comparatively middle-of-the-road with regards to options. We respect the color-coded poles and webbing for straightforward setup, and we love that the footprint is included with the tent. The 2 vestibules are an incredible addition for additional gear storage. Nonetheless, we discovered the inner storage to be missing.

It’s not that the Tungsten doesn’t provide any inner storage—it does—however general, we discovered it much less practical than it could possibly be. If we had been backpacking the inside pockets would probably suffice. Nonetheless, when tenting with a household, we’d wish to see bigger, extra helpful pockets. The present ones are inclined to sag when loaded with something greater than a headlamp and aren’t giant sufficient to retailer objects {that a} household may want, like child wipes, diapers, or tablets.

That stated, the 2 overhead “Lampshade” pockets are a pleasant contact for headlamps, as they diffuse gentle, however they don’t have a lot capability for the rest. We’re effective utilizing the vestibules for gear, however some campers could favor extra inside storage choices.

Ought to You Purchase the Marmot Tungsten 4 Tent?

The Marmot Tungsten 4P Tent is a wonderful crossover-style choice at an reasonably priced value. It’s preferrred for individuals who want a tent for front-country automobile tenting but additionally need the flexibleness for brief, much less intense backpacking journeys with out buying two separate tents. Whereas it’s giant sufficient to sleep a household of 4, it could really feel cramped, and if you happen to plan to backpack, it’s possible you’ll wish to distribute the burden amongst a few hikers.

With its storm-worthy construct and high quality supplies, the Tungsten 4P is a dependable choice for these unsure about how they’ll use their tent. In case you’re particularly in search of a devoted car-camping tent or solely plan to backpack, there are higher choices out there. Nonetheless, for these searching for a flexible choice that bridges each wants, the Marmot Tungsten 4P is a strong selection value contemplating.

What Different Tenting Tents Ought to You Take into account?

For extra choices, please see our full information to the greatest tenting tents.

REI Half Dome SL 3+ – The REI Half Dome SL 3+ is one other crossover-style tent value contemplating if you happen to plan to camp with a bunch of two or three, particularly if one among them is a toddler. The SL 3+ leans extra towards the backpacking facet of issues. It’s $50 dearer however considerably lighter. Nonetheless, the inside is smaller than that of the Tungsten 4, so don’t anticipate quite a lot of additional room.

Mountain Hardwear Mineral King 3 – Once more, leaning extra towards the backpacking facet, the Mountain Hardwear Mineral King 3 is a light-weight, rock-solid choice for teams of two trying to do extra backpacking than front-country automobile tenting.

Kelty Wi-fi 6 – If automobile tenting is extra your factor and also you desire a bigger tent that also provides nice climate safety on the similar value level, the Kelty Wi-fi 6 is a unbelievable choice. It comfortably sleeps a household of 4 with loads of room to spare.