Gear Review: Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL2 vs NEMO Hornet 2P

Posted by Dan Goodman on 30th Sep 2020

There's more to choosing an ultralight backpacking tent than finding the lightest one and calling it a day.

When searching for a new tent, plenty of backpackers find themselves torn between the Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL2 and the NEMO Hornet OSMO 2P. Both have recently been updated with new, more sustainable fabrics from their respective brands, and both remain proven shelters from companies that have earned great reputations in the outdoor community. While they look similar on paper, a few key details will make your decision easier.

Quick Answer
The NEMO Hornet OSMO 2P is the lighter, more budget-friendly option built around NEMO's new OSMO fabric, which is fully recycled and PFAS free. The Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL2 offers slightly more floor space, considerably more vestibule storage, and comes in more size and use-case variations, all wrapped in Big Agnes's new HyperBead fabric. Weight-focused solo trekkers and bikepackers will find more options in the Tiger Wall lineup, while two-person teams who want the simplest possible packing system will like the Hornet OSMO 2P.

Livability

Comfort is king, as they say. It's safe to say that although "they" weren't talking about backpacking, the saying still applies to backcountry pursuits. Your tent could be the lightest, most packable design ever, but if you don't have enough room, you're in for a long trip.

Both tents land at a 39 inch peak height, but the Tiger Wall UL2 edges out the Hornet OSMO 2P on floor area, offering 28 square feet compared to 27.5 square feet. It's a small gap on paper, but every half square foot counts when you're crammed in next to your partner and neither of you has showered in a week.

Vestibule space is where the difference becomes obvious. The Tiger Wall UL2 has two vestibules at 8 square feet each for 16 square feet combined, while the Hornet OSMO 2P lists 7.1 square feet of vestibule area. That's a meaningful amount of extra covered storage on the Tiger Wall for stashing boots and packs outside the sleeping area.

Advantage: Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL2

Weight

While weight shouldn't be the only factor in your choice of backpacking tent, it should definitely be a consideration. The difference between these two ultralight tents is only a few ounces, but every extra gram counts when you've got to carry it for hours at a time.

The Tiger Wall UL2 comes in at a trail weight of 2 lb 3 oz and a packed weight of 2 lb 8 oz, with a fast fly configuration dropping to 1 lb 11 oz. NEMO lists the Hornet OSMO 2P's minimum weight at 2 lb, putting it a few ounces ahead of the Tiger Wall on paper.

Whether or not a few ounces makes or breaks your trip is entirely up to you, but when push comes to shove, a lighter tent means a lighter pack.

Advantage: NEMO Hornet OSMO 2P

Durability And Weather Protection

Both brands recently overhauled their fabrics with sustainability and weather resistance in mind, and both landed in a similar place. NEMO's OSMO fly and floor fabric is a fully recycled nylon polyester blend that's PFAS free and Bluesign approved, rated to offer roughly four times greater water resistance and three times less stretch than NEMO's previous materials. The fly carries a 1500mm rating and the floor a 1200mm rating.

Big Agnes answered with HyperBead, a recycled 15D nylon ripstop fly and floor fabric that's also PFAS free. Big Agnes states HyperBead is roughly 6 percent lighter, 25 percent more waterproof, and 65 percent tougher than its previous standard tent fabrics.

Both fabrics are backed by real engineering improvements from their respective brands, so this category comes down to a toss-up. Either tent should hold up well to a season of regular use in Utah's Wasatch and Uinta ranges.

Backpacker setting up a NEMO Hornet tent at camp

Advantage: Tie

Unique Features

Both tents share plenty of thoughtful details, including dual sliding door zippers, dry-entry doors, and interior pockets for keeping small items organized. But each brand also brings something distinct to the table.

The Tiger Wall UL2 pairs its dual dry-entry doors with a low vent in each vestibule to fight condensation on humid nights, plus an oversized 3D bin pocket that keeps gear up off the tent floor. Big Agnes also built in a new Cross Pole socket for a more secure single-pole setup, and the whole thing packs into an EZ Pack stuff sack with a long, zippered opening that makes stuffing the tent back in far less of a fight.

Backpacker inside a NEMO Hornet tent

The Hornet OSMO 2P counters with NEMO's Flybar clips on its DAC Featherlight NSL pole, which volumize the interior for more usable headroom than the pole count alone would suggest. NEMO's Divvy Cube stuff sack has a roll-top closure, letting you split the tent body and poles between two packs without needing a separate sack for each. A Nightlight Pocket also turns a headlamp into an ambient lantern that lights up the whole canopy, a small feature that makes a real difference on long nights in camp.

Advantage: Tie, depending on what you value most

Packed Size

Sure, if you're the type to carry a 100 liter pack for a weekend trip, you don't have to worry too much about the packed size of your tent, but for the rest of us, it starts to matter a lot more.

The Tiger Wall UL2 packs down to 18 x 5.5 inches, a long, narrow roll that slides easily along the side of a pack. The Hornet OSMO 2P's Divvy Cube sack packs to a more compact 12.5 x 7.5 x 3.5 inches, a shorter, boxier shape that some backpackers find easier to slot into a top lid or side pocket. Neither shape is objectively better. It comes down to how your particular pack is set up.

Advantage: Tie, depending on your pack's layout

Variability: More Ways To Fit The Tiger Wall To Your Trip

One of the biggest differences between these two tents has nothing to do with the two-person versions themselves. It's how many other ways you can buy them.

NEMO currently builds the Hornet OSMO in two sizes, the 2P covered above and a Hornet OSMO 1P for solo trekkers. The 1P trims weight to 1 lb 13 oz trail weight with a single door and single vestibule, but the construction, fabric, and features carry straight over from the 2P.

Big Agnes takes the Tiger Wall lineup considerably further. Solo backpackers have the Tiger Wall UL1, a single-door, single-vestibule version at 1 lb 14 oz trail weight. Big Agnes also offers the Tiger Wall 2 Platinum, a step up in weight savings that swaps to a 7D HyperBead fabric and drops trail weight to 1 lb 15 oz for a two-person tent, at the cost of some fabric durability.

Bikepackers get their own dedicated builds too. The Tiger Wall UL1 Bikepack and Tiger Wall UL2 Bikepack both swap to a 12 inch Shortstik poleset that shortens the packed length enough to mount to a handlebar or frame, and they ship in a waterproof dry bag stuff sack with integrated Big Hitch straps instead of the standard EZ Pack sack.

If you already know you want a Tiger Wall style tent but the standard two-person layout isn't quite right for your trip, there's a good chance Big Agnes already built the version you need. NEMO's Hornet OSMO lineup is simpler by design, which is its own kind of appeal if you just want to pick between one person and two and move on.

Tiger Wall UL2 vs Hornet OSMO 2P Comparison Table

Spec	NEMO Hornet OSMO 2P	Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL2
Capacity	2 Person	2 Person
Season	3	3
Trail Weight	2 lb (minimum weight)	2 lb 3 oz
Packed Weight	Not listed separately	2 lb 8 oz
Doors / Vestibules	2 / 2	2 / 2
Vestibule Area	7.1 sq ft	8 sq ft + 8 sq ft
Floor Area	27.5 sq ft	28 sq ft
Floor Dimensions	85 x 51 to 43 in	84 x 52 to 42 in
Interior Height	39 in	39 to 18 in (tapered)
Packed Size	12.5 x 7.5 x 3.5 in	18 x 5.5 in
Fly Fabric	OSMO recycled nylon polyester blend, PFAS free, 1500mm	Recycled 15D nylon ripstop, PFAS free waterproof coating
Floor Fabric	OSMO ripstop, PFAS free, 1200mm	Recycled 15D nylon ripstop, PFAS free
Pole	DAC Featherlight NSL with Flybar clips	1 DAC Featherlite NFL (8.7mm)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between the NEMO Hornet OSMO 2P and the Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL2?

The Hornet OSMO 2P is a few ounces lighter, while the Tiger Wall UL2 offers more vestibule storage and slightly more floor space. Both are 3 season, 2 person ultralight tents built with updated, PFAS free fabrics.

Which tent is lighter, the Hornet OSMO 2P or the Tiger Wall UL2?

The Hornet OSMO 2P has a minimum weight of 2 lb, a few ounces lighter than the Tiger Wall UL2's 2 lb 3 oz trail weight. The gap is small enough that most backpackers won't notice it on the trail.

Which tent has more room inside?

The Tiger Wall UL2 has a slight edge in floor area at 28 square feet versus 27.5 square feet on the Hornet OSMO 2P. The bigger difference is vestibule space, where the Tiger Wall's 16 combined square feet outpaces the Hornet's 7.1 square feet.

Is the NEMO Hornet OSMO 2P waterproof?

Yes. The Hornet OSMO 2P's fly is rated to 1500mm and the floor to 1200mm, and NEMO built the OSMO fabric to resist sagging after sustained rain.

What is HyperBead fabric?

HyperBead is Big Agnes's updated recycled nylon ripstop fabric used across the current Tiger Wall lineup. Big Agnes states it's lighter, more waterproof, and tougher than the fabric it replaced, and it's PFAS free.

Does the Tiger Wall UL2 come in other sizes?

Yes. Big Agnes also builds a Tiger Wall UL1 for solo trips, a Tiger Wall 2 Platinum with an even lighter 7D fabric, and dedicated Tiger Wall UL1 and UL2 Bikepack versions.

Is there a one person version of the NEMO Hornet OSMO?

Yes, the Hornet OSMO 1P, which trims trail weight to 1 lb 13 oz with a single door and single vestibule.

Which tent packs down smaller?

It depends on your pack's layout. The Tiger Wall UL2 packs into an 18 x 5.5 inch roll, while the Hornet OSMO 2P's Divvy Cube sack packs to a shorter, boxier 12.5 x 7.5 x 3.5 inches.

Conclusion

As is often the case with backpacking gear, the right piece of gear depends on what features you value and what you're willing to trade off. Weight, livability, and how many size options you need are all valid considerations, and even small differences in design can matter a lot to the person carrying the pack.

If you want a little more room inside and out and you like knowing Big Agnes builds the Tiger Wall in several sizes and use cases, the Tiger Wall UL2 is the tent for you.

If you're weight focused above all else and want the simplicity of a two-size lineup, the NEMO Hornet OSMO 2P has you covered, built with premium, sustainably minded fabric and well thought out organizational features.

Shop The Full Lineup

Here's every tent covered above, from the NEMO Hornet OSMO to the full Big Agnes Tiger Wall family, including the solo, Platinum, and Bikepack versions.

About Campman

Campman is an outdoor retail store located in Salt Lake City, Utah, that specializes in gear and equipment for camping, skiing, backpacking, climbing, and everything in between. We understand that the difference between a bad memory and the adventure of a lifetime can come down to the gear you take with you when you head outdoors, and we want our customers to have the best experiences possible. When it comes to getting outside, we get it, and we'll get you the gear you need to get there.

Questions? Feel free to contact us by phone at (801) 999-8117 or by email at sales@campman.com.

About the Author

Dan Goodman

Most of the year, Dan can be found chasing the best climbing conditions he can get his hands on, and in the dead of winter, he'll settle for chasing powder on his snowboard. He's constantly seeking out better gear, testing new climbing shoes, backpacks, sleeping bags, and more to make his life in the outdoors a bit more comfortable. When he's not outside putting his gear to good use, he's writing about the products that he knows best.

Share on: