REVIEW:

Naturehike CloudUp 1 is a compact one person tent that only weighs ca 1.5 kg (3.3 lbs). That was the first thing that caught my eye. The weight is a definite plus for a solo hiker! It’s also very simple to setup. It comes with (in Finland) a footprint, an inner tent, a fly, tent pegs, guylines and a tent pole. It takes me under 7 minutes to set it up which is convenient. We’ll come back to the setup later.

Measurements

This tent is suitable for one person. In the summer time I kept my shoes and 65l backpack in the vestibule. On bad weathers I could also fit the backpack inside next to me, but it makes the tent a bit more prone to claustrophobia. The height of the tent is 100 cm (ca 3’3”) which basically means that I can be up on my knees inside. It’s 110 cm (ca 3’6”) wide which gives enough space for 65 cm (ca 2’1”) wide sleeping mat and my 65l backpack laying on its side. The inside of the tent is 230 cm (ca 7’5”) long – plus the vestibule that is 65 cm (ca 2’1”). So the size of the tent isn’t half bad! But… it’s also something to consider when the days grow shorter here in the Nordics, because you might have to spend longer times inside the tent. And believe me, the walls will start to close in! Then again, there are also other factors why I wouldn’t recommend this for winter season, but more on that later on.

Materials

So far the tent has endured everything nature has thrown at it which is pretty impressive for this price range. And it hasn’t always been just sunshine! It has seen windy days at Käsivarsi Wilderness Area, thunder storm at Koli National Park and even some snow at Isojärvi National Park. The water column values of the silicone coated nylon fly and the bathtub of the inner tent are PU4000mm, which is pretty good. But it probably doesn’t hold against long constant rain like monsoons. The fact that there are no guylines on the sides of this tent to keep the fly tight raises doubts. If you’re not familiar with the term water column, you might want to check the video below. Otherwise than this the 20D ripstop nylon feels durable. Besides the bathtub the inner tent is made of B3 mesh, which keeps mosquitos and black flies out and makes for a pretty good air flow. The vestibule and the inner tent both have YKK zippers. The tent pole is made out of 7001 aluminum alloy. The V shaped tent pegs have so far been durable and easy to hammer into the ground.

Setup

It’s very quick to setup. I always spread the footprint first and attach it with the tent pegs. After that it’s easy, even if it’s windy, to attach the inner tent, assemble the the tent pole, snap it to the clips on the inner tent and before you know your tent has erected. Then it’s just the matter of attaching the fly and tying the guylines. Check out the video at the end of this review to see just how easy and quick it is! Although it is easy and quick, there’s a downside. The setup order. With some tents you can setup the fly first, which is very convenient when it’s, lets say, raining heavily. This is a problem with CloudUp, because the inner tent is mostly mesh and you have set it up first. So potentially the bathtub will become a fully functional bathtub.

Functionality

Let’s start with the sad excuse for a vestibule. Can you store some things under it? Yes, you can. But that’s about it. If you have your backpack and shoes under it and you want to tie your shoelaces before opening the vestibule, it’s gonna be nothing short of an act of acrobatics. Why would you want to do that, you ask. Well, it might be raining. And if it is, when you open the vestibule, it will rain straight inside the tent. Also the the rain water or snow that has gathered on the fly might fall inside the tent, because of the awkward design of the tent. Let’s move on to air flow. The tent has one clever ventilation hatch which works nicely. Most of the inner tent is also made out of mesh, so one could think that this should suffice for great air flow. Like with so many other things during the summer season it isn’t a problem. But when it gets colder, there’s some condensation and moist inside. Still, it could be worse. Inside the tent there are two mesh pockets for your bits and bobs. There’s also a handy little hook where you can hang your tent light. The guylines along with other attachment loops have a reflective surface, so they are easy to spot in the dark when using headlight. That’s about it. It’s simple and it works. Of course it could better! But for this price…

Summary

Let’s sum things up! I think I’ve seen somewhere that the Naturehike CloudUp 1 is a 4 season tent. I say bollocks! In the Nordics it’s a 3 season tent with shortcomings you need to be aware of. At least this model doesn’t have a snow skirt, that’s a very good reason to skip this, if you’re looking for a winter tent. Then there’s of course the issue with the vestibule, lack of guylines on the sides and the inner tent first setup, which are not the makings of a good tent for bad weather. I would’ve liked to see more storage room in the form of pockets and such. Other than these things, I can’t think of anything negative to say about this little fella! Naturehike has done a great job in manufacturing a quality budget lightweight tent fit for a solo hiker! Usually those words don’t fit in the same sentence. I have bought the MSR Hubba Hubba NX 2 person tent and will start using that during the dry season 2022. After I’ve gained some experience using it I will review it also.

3.5/5