Hey Guys,
I nabbed a Nemo Obi 2P at REI today. It is light at 2lbs, 14.8oz for tent, fly and poles. Nice over-all design, but it is SMALL. Nemo says 27sq feet and I'd say that is being generous. I set it up in the backyard and laid in it with my 5 1/2 year-old daughter, and honestly there just isn't much shoulder room, even while lying down. Two adults would really be pushing it, and they better be comfortable with snuggling (For reference, I'm 5'9" tall with an athletic but lean build. I wear size Medium in shirts. My daughter is 48lbs and normal height for a kindergartener). Head room in the Obi is acceptable in the front by the doors, but even with a bunch of fancy canting in the mesh walls, the tent body still narrows considerably as you move towards the back, and the floor tapers such that two 20" sleeping pads nearly over-lap at the foot of the tent. There are clips on the fly that attach to the tent just behind the doors to help increase the internal volume at about shoulder level while you are seated. They help somewhat, but the tent is still on the narrow side. The vestibules are also very small, barely big enough for a pair of boots and a weekend backpack. Good thing you get two of them! I guess space is the bane of all uber lightweight tents, and Nemo unfortunately did not buck this trend. Really I'd call this a 1+, not a 2P. At this price, I was hoping for a bit more.
Nemo did manage to include one side pocket and their nifty light defusing material into a ceiling pocket so that your headlamp can nicely light your tent. There are also several attachment points inside to hang an optional gear attic and corner snaps to accept their optional paw print, which is a fleece-like floor insert to keep your tent clean if you have pets or messy tent mates. I suppose it might also provide some level of comfort on hard ground and possibly help keep the floor warm in cold weather. Not sure. There are also vents on each side of the fly above the doors that you can deploy while inside to help with ventilation.
The one-piece pole setup is a bit of a pain to assemble/dis-assemble, but I suppose they are no worse than any other of their type. The clips work well, but I like the ones used by Big Anges (Fly Creek) and REI (Quarterdome T2) better, as the ones on the Obi are a bit cumbersome to remove. Maybe in a terrible storm, this would be a plus. The Jake's Foot setup is pretty slick in that it allows all components (Tent, Fly and Footprint) to function as a single unit. When you tighten up the fly, the Jake's Foot literally bends and pulls the tent body down and out, thus assuring for a really tight pitch and flat floor, making the best of the small internal volume. The fly and foot print can be removed from the Jake's Foot while the tent is still staked down. They clearly offer a mechanical advantage, and are most likely critical to helping the Obi get a good pitch, but in all honesty, I think I'd like plain-old grommets better. Once used several times, however, I'm sure that feeling might wear off. Ventilation seems adequate, but not great.
Anyway… the Obi 2P is a nice tent, easy to pitch, looks great and is very light for a double-wall, but I'm torn. I was honestly hoping for more internal volume than it offers, and as much as I want to keep it, I will most likely be taking it back. Hmmm… the Big Agnes Fly Creek 3P looks like it might be a better solution?
The pic is not at the foot, but at the head of the tent at it's widest point. These are 20" Therma Rest pads. There is about an inch of space between them on the inside and maybe 2 inches or so each on the outside. Nemo Specs 50" but the max width seems to be no more than 46" or so in reality. It seems a great single person shelter, but again, for two, you better be side-sleepers or have no issues with cuddling.
