If you’ve followed my hunting journey for any amount of time, you probably know by now that I’m a big fan of First Lite clothing and Nemo Equipment. I’ve tried other stuff in the past, but these two companies have constantly impressed me and gave me confidence in the field. In tandem, they have been with me on more than a few adventures and in a multitude of different conditions. It isn’t often that two exceptional companies like this join forces. When I heard that First Lite and Nemo Equipment were going to team up on producing some high quality gear for backcountry hunting, I was ecstatic. Seeing the list of products they were releasing had me counting down the days until availability. I just knew the gear was going to be killer. An item that caught my eye immediately after looking at the specs was the Recurve 2p tent.
So, what is the Recurve 2P tent? It’s a very unique design that I was honestly a little concerned about. Instead of a more traditional backcountry shelter design like the Nemo Hornet 2P, this is more of an A-Frame design with a single wall and pole in the center. The pole is a T-Bar set up and gives the user ample head room to sit up. On each side of the tent you’ll find a vestibule and a door. This is nice, especially with 2 people. The shelter takes one stake per corner, plus one for each vestibule. On each corner, there is a carbon fiber corner strut made to give more room on the inside of the Recurve. The Recurve is made of ultralight fabric(Nylon Ripstop) and treated with silicone water repellents. That word right there, ultralight, is where the Recurve really stands out. Coming in at only 1 pound 11 oz, it is one of, if not the lightest 2p shelter on the market.
I will admit that I was slightly hesitant to bring the Recurve into the backcountry with me. Just the odd design of it had me wondering if it would hold up to high winds and inclement weather. In light of that, the Nemo Hornet 2p was waiting for me back at the truck, just in case.
Obviously, the number 1 thing that I was psyched about with the Recurve was the weight. At a mere 1 pound 11 oz, it comes in just a few oz shy from the Nemo Spike 1p! That alone was impressive and a welcomed addition to my gear list. Speaking of that, it also packs down super well and fits great in my pack.
I had the Recurve out on a backcountry hunt for mule deer in the high country of Colorado above 11,000 ft. We expected weather and it was a great opportunity to see what this bad boy of a shelter could handle. After spending 6 days back there with it, I can say that I’ll definitely be using it in the future. This shelter has a ton of room on the inside and allowed me to even bring my backpack inside. The pole in the center was a concern, but that concern vanished once sleeping in it. Those carbon fiber struts really help out with providing extra room. Instead of the corners getting smaller as they near the stake, they don’t shrink at all, which is nice. It keeps the shelter both off of your head and your feet.
Weather was something that I knew we’d experience in Colorado and the Recurve held up great. We ended up getting rain, hail, and some pretty good wind. The unique design had me worried, but the thing held up. I didn’t experience any leaking on the inside either and no holes from hail. None of the stakes came undone in the wind as well. This shelter also gets great air flow, which helps pretty much eliminate condensation. Overall, it performed great and I have much more confidence in it now.
While for the most part, I really enjoyed spending some quality time in the Recruve 2p tent, there are some flaws of it. The first one that comes to mind is setting it up. It definitely doesn’t take a rocket scientist to do this, but it does need to be done just right, or the tent wont sit right. This makes set up time a tad longer trying to get everything nice and taut. Another downside is the vestibules. I really wish these were larger and came down farther to the ground. These will work, but that is one of the reasons I had my pack in the tent with me. Then there is the pole in the center. Now, this isn’t a deal breaker, but I think it would be pretty cool if the pole wasn’t there at all. It’s RIGHT where you want to be and forces you to sleep on one side of the shelter. Again, not a deal breaker, but maybe something to improve on with future designs. Lastly, in order to set this up, you’ll need a bigger area to do so. With the carbon struts and strings with stakes, this shelter takes up quite a bit of real estate when compared to others.
Pros
Cons
So, what are my final thoughts on the Nemo x First Lite Recurve 2p tent? It’s super lightweight, takes up minimal space, LOOKS GREAT, and holds up to the elements. Not to mention, it’s made by two of the top companies in our industry. Overall, I say the Recurve is a keeper and one to do well for early season hunts where snow isn’t a concern. Once the snow arrives though, I might think of something else. The Recurve just seems like it would cave from snow. Aside from that it’ll do the job just fine and I’m stoked to get it out in the field more and more come archery deer season. Backcountry hunting is something that is near and dear to my heart. Each time I get home from a hunt, I’m always looking forward to the next, or how I can improve my system. This new Recurve 2p tent definitely improves it and I’m glad to have it. You can learn more about this shelter and others in the lineup over at First Lite x Nemo Collection. Like always, if you have any questions or concerns, please drop them below. Other than that, good luck out there!
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