Nemo Meta 2P

[Miguel Arboleda]

While it is a Backpacker Magazine review and many people here are skeptical of their reviews, this video does give you a good idea of how the tent sets up.

[Alex Gilman]

But the GF loves the Airbeams in the Morpho as well as the size/shape of it. So I'm "stuck" with the extra weight. Though I can't complain about the set up/take down.

[Will Newton]

Alex, is your Morpho a 2009 or 2010 version, and can we finally get a realistic assessment of Morpho condensation? The retailer site reviews are all over the place.

I increasingly suspect this thread was started as a ruse to get the apostate BPL Nemo users to out themselves… :)

[Alex Gilman]

Will, I've been open aout being a Nemo fanboy for a while. I have the Andi, 09 GoGo LE and the 09 Morpho.

I have not had any condensation in any of my tents.

I've spent a few nights in the GoGo with my 70lb pitty and I could almost swear we had the inner temp 10 degrees higher that the outside temp with 0 condensation.

Honestly, the Morpho is BIG. I've been in it with my GF and dog and no issues. I can't picture 2 people ever "fogging" it up naturally. It is a matter of science though I'm sure I'm going to have nights where condensation is unavoidable. Which is fine,I always have a small camp towel to wipe the walls down.

I did follow the condensation article on BPL regarding condensation very carefully. I try to point the vents in to the wind etc. But the wind shifts and at night I'm so cozy and too lazy to move it. One trick I use on very cold nights is wearing my bandana over my face bank robber style. This is more of a "comfort" thing for me. I hate having a cold nose. Though, I'm sure it helps quite a bit with condensation

[Alex Gilman]

My tents are made of OSMO the Meta are not so I'm sure its a bit differet.

[George Geist]

> is your Morpho a 2009 or 2010 version, and can we finally get a realistic assessment of Morpho condensation? The retailer site reviews are all over the place.

Hi Will,

I have camped in both the 2009 and 2010 Morpho 2P. Where I live the humidity is so high that every tent (and I mean every) gets some condensation. I found that the 2010 Morpho has less condensation than the 2009. Neither had very much – just a light dampness to the inside tent body – no drips.
The 2010 version has two additional high vents and a more breathable OSMO fabric (so claims Nemo – I can't confirm that part).

As mentioned earlier the Morpho 2P is very large inside
and the vents are large, which helps keep condensation issues down. One reason that I like the tent where I live.

[Will Newton]

For what it's worth, I tried out a Meta 1P last night and was disappointed. In general it seems like a sloppier pitch than the 2P; to really get the walls taut and maximize interior space you need 10 stakes (4 corners, fly, rear vent, and four guylines from the fly tiebacks), 2 more than the 2P.
Even with the fly fully open, condensation seemed noticeably worse than the 2P on a still night, particularly at the head end of the tent — good airflow from the rear vent to the front door, but the difference in width between the door and the rear vent creates a pocket at the head and foot where your breath can collect.
I'm pretty broad-shouldered, and while the 1P wasn't uncomfortably tight, I'd kinda doubt Alex is going to be able to comfortably share it with his dog.
Space vs weight, I think I may just stick with the 2P even on solo outings.

@Alex, I envy your experience of the GoGo — I love the airbeams and tried out a GoGo LE last year, but woke up soaked after a MI summer night. I may just put out more vapor than the average person. Maybe the 2010 OSMO would make a difference. I also can't help but think that the Nemo crew are capable of coming up with some better solution to the swallowtail than the suggestion to find a stick. Another place a longer Tenshi vent style velcro prop might help?

@Rob, Q-tips do indeed work as props for the inside 2P vents; they place a little stress on the fabric but it doesn't look critical.

@Al, thanks for the Morpho update… after two more overnights it looks like the 'slight dampness' is a defining characteristic of the 20D OSMO. Better than drips, certainly.

[David Ure]

Thanks for the review Will.

Question: how are both shelters with respect to length? Would a 'long' bag fit in either? It seems to me that the greater slope of the Meta 1P might cut into usable space….

[Will Newton]

David, I would try your bag on a floor model if you can; I think it will depend on the height of your pad, especially on the 1P. My NeoAir is okay; a DownMat would put the wall uncomfortably close. The 2P definitely feels longer because of the wall angle.

[Anthony Weston]

I took a look at the Nemo Meta 2p just because it's 43 inches high, and has two doors and good ventilation.
However I'm used to using a gossamergear spinshelter tarp so the size and weight of Nemo were stumbling blocks for me but I thought in the rain if it had a lot of space, then maybe.
But I found the backpacker gear of the year video to be misleading. You can't sleep in this tent with your head out the door and if you sleep across the tent then foot of your sleeping bag will get wet from the side of the tent.
This is a regular size sleeping bag in a meta 2p.

[Chris Roane]

Anthony,

I used this a few weeks ago on a trip, and I did find the side of the tent got close to my sleeping bag. But I was able to get around it by putting my head more close to the other side of the tent. Next time I am going to make the side lines more taut and see if I can make a little more room.

With that said, I love the overall space in the tent and the vestibules. I am going on another trip in the next few weeks and hope to get a better feel in how to best setup this tent.

[Miguel Arboleda]

Thats two photos now with the Meta 2p with very loose fly. Is it difficult to get the fabric taut?

[Will Newton]

Anthony, I could swear I had at least another inch on each end in my Meta with a regular Montbell Spiral Down Hugger #3… will have to get it out and measure. I also use my poles as fully extended as they'll go and really crank on the stake loop/guyline tighteners for a drum-tight pitch, which may be bad for the tent but might get you an inch.

Space/weight it's an impressive tent from a mainstream mfr. That said, I'm demoing an Andi, which is a pound heavier but uses 30D OSMO rather than the Meta's 20D PU… condensation is much improved, even factoring in the Meta's superior ventilation. If Nemo made a Meta out of OSMO, it might be close to perfection. Nemoteers, if you're lurking, take note.

[David Ure]

Sadly, my long version Marmot Helium will touch an end in the Meta 2P, even with the side guyouts.

However, this is one very well made tent – very feature rich and noticeably more robust than say a comparable UL version (obviously given the weight).

[David Ure]

Miguel – re: tautness – no issues for me. Sets up quite bomber, actually.

[Kyle Meyer]

I've had this tent out five nights now, in the rain and in light winds. I've found if it's staked loose and I adjust my poles to 125, it'll lift the ends of the tent up enough when the guylines are tightened to provide an adequate amount of room at head and foot of the tent, keep the walls taut, and give enough headroom for me to sit up straight in the peak of the tent (I'm 6'). That said, the footbox of my sleeping bag inevitably hits the wall at some point in my wild flailing at night.

The first night, I had it pitched all wrong and was bummed at spending so much money on what I thought was a piece of crap. After more nights in it, and figuring out the pitch, I rather like it. The vestibules are seriously massive.

[Alex Gilman]

I can see why Nemo wants to do the 20D Meta 1P and 2P but I think they're on to a good thing with OSMO. I'd love to see a Meta 2P out of OSMO.

[Hikin’ Jim]

I appreciate everyone's input and experience. I took the "plunge" last night when Sierra Trading Post offered a 40% off coupon. Hopefully the Meta 2P will be a good one for me and my daughter when we backpack together. My one man Big Agnes Seedhouse SL 1 is getting a little tight.

The Meta 2P weighs roughly the same — with a lot more room.

HJ
Adventures In Stoving

[David Ure]

I've used one and it is really well designed. Great price, BTW.

[Hikin’ Jim]

Cool, and good to know.

It came to $191.97 (not including tax and $2.25 shipping) with my 40% off coupon. Not bad for what it is. MSRP is $350.

HJ
Adventures In Stoving

[JJ Willcoxon]

I was a little nervous about this tent, after reading many reviews that talked about it "raining inside from condensation". I just don't understand what the heck they were talking about. Eight nights in the Montana Highcountry and I didn't experience ANY problems with condensation.

We got some rain and had several nights where it cooled from around 80 in the day to around 30 at night, and I didn't see a drop inside on any of the mornings. All the moisture remained on the outside of the tent and a quick shake of each end removed the droplets that formed on the outside of the tent.

I did fully utilize the ventilation options that Nemo built in and a few times left the outer flap of one of the vestibules half unzipped to let in more fresh air. But, the way the vestibules are on these tents, no rain got in when I did so. Additionally, I used a trick that I saw in a review to add additional height to the head and foot ends by putting a stick under the guys on those ends to raise the angle of the guy line. It adds several inches to each end and left plenty of room between my nose and the tent fabric.

Beware of taking it anywhere that you can't drive stakes and be wary of using it in super windy, above treeline areas though. The guy lines are critical to the pitch and loosing the wrong stake, during the night, would definitely be a bummer. I used MSR Groundhogs and didn't have any such problems. But, I only spent two nights above treeline and they were mellow, compared to some that I have endured.

I have to say that, of all of the mass produced lightweight and/or trekking pole supported "factory tents" that I have used, this is one of the best. For its weight, unless you want to deal with the drawbacks of sil-nylon, or spend a small fortune on cuben, you could do a lot worse.

[Steven McAllister]

I am always weary of people who write reviews complaining about condensation.

My experience on the trail has shown that when people experience heavy condensation it is either from user error or that conditions are such that condensation can't be avoided.

Of course, I have also heard a lot of people complaining about their tents leaking, only to find out it was condensation caused by them closing or blocking up all the vents.

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