What is the Nemo Aurora Ridge Three-Person Tent?
The Nemo Aurora Ridge is a versatile tent designed for backpackers and car campers looking for space and comfort. It's a three-person tent that provides plenty of room for the whole crew while keeping the setup light enough for backpacking trips. Whether enjoying a quiet night in the woods or setting up base camp, the Aurora Ridge offers comfort, weather resistance, and ease of use.
What is it made of?
The tent's primary material is breathable polyester taffeta fabric, which offers durability and ensures proper airflow, reducing condensation inside the tent. Its vertical sidewalls create a spacious interior while maintaining privacy, making it perfect for relaxing after a long day outdoors. The fabric also provides wind protection, helping to maintain a stable and comfortable environment.
Fly:The rainfly is made of a durable polyester fabric known for its strength, resilience, and lightweight properties. Polyester can resist stretching, shrinking, and wrinkling, making it ideal for use in varied weather conditions. Unlike other materials like nylon, polyester is naturally hydrophobic, meaning it repels water to some degree even before additional treatments are applied.
The polyester fabric is coated with a layer of polyurethane (PU) to enhance its weatherproof capabilities. This coating improves the fabric's ability to withstand moisture by adding a waterproof barrier. A 2,000 mm hydrostatic head rating means the fabric can hold up against a water column that is 2,000 millimetres (2 meters) tall before allowing any water to penetrate.
This level of waterproofing is well-suited for typical camping environments, providing sufficient protection during moderate to heavy rainfall.
In addition to waterproofing, polyester is also resistant to UV rays, which helps the fabric hold up longer under sunlight, preventing it from breaking down as quickly as untreated fabrics might.
Floor:The tent's floor is made from bluesign-approved PU-coated 100% recycled polyester (2,000 mm), offering excellent durability, puncture resistance, and waterproofing. Recycled polyester is made from post-consumer products, such as plastic bottles, which are broken down, processed, and spun into fibres. Repurposing existing plastic helps reduce the demand for new raw materials and minimises plastic waste that would otherwise end up in landfills or oceans.
In addition to its environmental benefits, recycled polyester retains the same high-performance qualities as virgin polyester. It is strong, moisture-resistant, and highly durable, perfect for rough outdoor conditions. The bluesign certification ensures that the recycled polyester is produced through responsible manufacturing practices that limit the use of harmful chemicals and conserve water and energy, further enhancing its eco-conscious profile.
Mesh:The canopy combines durable polyester with no-see-um mesh, a finely woven fabric designed to block even the smallest insects, such as midges while allowing air to flow freely. This combination maximises ventilation by promoting airflow throughout the tent, helping regulate temperature and reduce condensation build-up, especially during warm weather or multi-day hikes. The fine mesh also allows for clear visibility to the outside, maintaining a sense of openness while keeping you sheltered.
Poles:The Aurora Ridge uses a hubbed aluminium frame with 8.5 mm and 8.0 mm poles. Aluminum is a favoured material for tent poles due to its excellent strength-to-weight ratio. It is durable, resistant to bending or breaking under pressure, and can withstand harsh weather conditions like strong winds or heavy rain without compromising the tent's stability. Unlike fibreglass, aluminium is also corrosion-resistant, making it a long-lasting choice for tents in diverse environments.
The tent comes with the NEMO Elements hub, a custom-designed tent pole hub system that enhances the tent's stability and structural integrity. This hub acts as a central connector where multiple poles meet, creating a stronger, more secure frame that simplifies setup. By integrating the poles efficiently, the Elements hub allows the tent to maintain vertical sidewalls, which maximise interior space and create more headroom, giving the Aurora Ridge its roomy feel.
Footprint: The tent includes a PFAS- and FRC-free footprint, meaning it is free from harmful chemicals like per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often used for water repellence and flame-retardant chemicals (FRC), which can have negative environmental and health impacts. By excluding these chemicals, the footprint is a more eco-conscious choice while offering reliable protection. It shields the tent floor from rough and abrasive surfaces, extending its lifespan. It also enhances waterproofing and insulation by creating a barrier between the ground and the tent floor, providing added comfort during camping trips.
What are its features?
Entry:The Nemo Aurora Ridge has two oversized doors featuring convertible zippered panels. These doors provide convenient dual-entry access, allowing campers to quickly enter and exit the tent, especially when camping with a group. The large size of the doors simplifies movement, whether you're organising gear or sharing the space with others.
Additionally, you can partially open the door panels to adjust ventilation. This feature allows you to control airflow based on the weather, ensuring the tent remains comfortable across all seasons. In warmer conditions, the doors can be opened to maximise airflow and reduce condensation, while in cooler or windy weather, you can close them for added warmth and protection.
Space:With vertical sidewalls, the Nemo Aurora Ridge maximises interior space by creating more upright walls, providing more headroom than traditional dome-shaped tents. This design ensures the tent feels spacious and open, allowing up to three people to move around comfortably without feeling cramped. The vertical walls also create more usable floor space, making it easier to organise gear or stretch out for a more restful sleep.
Storage:The tent includes two awning-style vestibules, one on each side, which can be unzipped and propped overhead to create a sheltered space. These vestibules provide extra storage for your gear, keeping it protected from rain and debris, and also offer a convenient, covered spot to cook or relax.
The tent also includes the Divvy Cube stuff sack, which has a rectangular design for a better fit in backpacks. This helps to maximise packing space and improve organisation. It features an internal drawstring to compress the sack once the poles are removed, making sharing the load easier by allowing the gear to be split between partners.
Ventilation:Ventilation is optimised with a canopy and no-see-um mesh, allowing fresh air to circulate while keeping even the smallest insects out. This combination ensures excellent airflow and minimises condensation buildup, creating a more comfortable environment inside the tent.
Optional Extras: For added comfort and warmth, pair this tent with the Forte EP Synthetic Sleeping Bag, designed for excellent temperature regulation, and the Quasar 3D Lightweight Sleeping Pad that provides extra cushioning and insulation for a restful night's sleep during your adventures.
Features:
- Vertical sidewalls for extra interior space
- Convertible zippered doors for ventilation
- Awning-style vestibules for shade and rain protection
- PFAS- and FR-free footprint included
- Divvy Cube stuff sack for easy packing
- Two large doors and two vestibules