For eco-conscious car campers seeking a spacious and functional tent, the wait is over! The NEMO Impact, co-developed with L.L.Bean, is the first of its kind to be carbon-neutral, featuring recycled materials and PFC-free construction. This impressive shelter boasts ample space with steep sidewalls, multiple storage solutions, and excellent ventilation, making it a perfect companion for your next adventure.
Highlights
Capacity: 2P and 3P
Weight: 5 lbs. 7 oz. (2P)
Peak Height: 44 in.
Floor Area: 31.8 sq. ft.
Packed Size: 21.0 x 8.0 x 4.0 in.
Full Specifications
- Capacity: 2-Person/3-Person
- Season: 3-season (suitable for spring, summer, and fall)
- Minimum Weight: 4 lb 14 oz / 2.21 kg
- Packed Weight: 5 lb 7 oz / 2.47 kg
- Packed Size: 21.0 x 8.0 x 4.0 in / 53 x 20 x 10 cm
- Peak Height: 44 in / 111.75 cm
- Floor Area: 31.8 sq ft / 3.0 sq m
- Floor Dimensions: 88 x 52 in / 223.5 x 132 cm
- Vestibule Area: 9.2 sq ft + 9.2 sq ft / 0.9 sq m + 0.9 sq m (total of 18.4 sq ft)
- Freestanding: Yes (can stand on its own without needing to be staked to the ground)
- Door Quantity: 2
- Vestibule Quantity: 2
- Canopy Fabric: 68D Recycled Polyester Ripstop / No-see-um mesh
- Rainfly Fabric: 68D PU Recycled Polyester Ripstop (1200 mm waterproofing)
- Floor Fabric: 68D PU Recycled Polyester Ripstop (1200 mm waterproofing)
- Color: Gray Mist / Fortress
- Stuff Sack: Divvy Cube
Eco-Friendly Features
The NEMO Impact goes beyond just being a great car camping tent. It’s a leader in sustainable design, making it a fantastic choice for eco-conscious adventurers. This innovative tent results from a collaboration between NEMO and L.L.Bean, to minimize environmental impact. They achieved carbon neutrality through a two-pronged approach. First, the Impact is constructed with 100% recycled ripstop polyester for the fly and main cabin panels. This cuts down on waste and boasts an impressive 80% increase in tear strength. Additionally, they skillfully achieved industry-standard water repellency without resorting to harmful PFCs (perfluorinated chemicals) that can pollute waterways and wildlife.
But the eco-friendly features don’t stop there. The Impact minimizes its environmental footprint throughout its lifecycle. Even after NEMO has done everything it can to reduce emissions during manufacturing, they go the extra step to offset any remaining greenhouse gases. They achieve this by partnering with the AMC Maine Woods Initiative, a respected organization dedicated to preserving wild spaces. By purchasing verified carbon credits from this initiative, NEMO ensures their tent truly lives up to its name – leaving minimal impact on the natural world you love to explore.
Spacious and Functional Design
One of the car campers’ biggest concerns when choosing a tent is finding the right balance between weight and space. The NEMO Impact expertly tackles this challenge with a design that prioritizes both livability and portability. Striking vertical sidewalls create a surprisingly roomy interior, giving you and your gear ample space to spread out. This is a welcome change from tents that force you to feel cramped and uncomfortable.
But the Impact isn’t just spacious, it’s also functional. Two large vestibules flank the opposite sides of the tent, providing excellent gear storage and keeping your dirty boots or wet backpack out of the main living area. This thoughtful design ensures a clutter-free and comfortable interior, especially when the weather forces you to spend extended periods inside your tent.
NEMO also understands the importance of organization on car camping trips. They’ve included their innovative Divvy Cube stuff sack with the Impact. This unique feature allows you to split the tent and gear weight comfortably between two campers.
Additional Features
The NEMO Impact isn’t just about eco-friendliness and livability; it’s packed with additional features that enhance your camping experience. For those who value a clean and organized shelter, the Impact boasts a removable Landing Zone gear tub. This clever accessory attaches to the tent and provides a dedicated space for storing dirty shoes, wet clothes, or bulky gear, keeping the inside of your tent dry and comfortable.
Proper ventilation is crucial for preventing condensation buildup, especially in humid environments. The Impact tackles this issue with strategically placed strutted vents in the fly. These vents allow for optimal airflow, minimizing condensation and ensuring a comfortable night’s sleep. NEMO understands the importance of setting up camp quickly after a long day on the trail. That’s why they’ve designed the Impact with an intuitive structure that allows for fast and easy setup, even for first-time campers. But the convenience doesn’t stop there. The Impact also features a Light Pocket made with a special light-diffusing fabric. This innovative pocket lets you hang a headlamp inside the tent, casting a soft, even glow throughout the interior.
User Experience
While technical specifications are important, a tent’s true value lies in how it performs in the field. Our users share their initial concerns about setting up the tent based on video instructions. However, after overcoming a slight learning curve, they were thoroughly impressed with the spacious interior and excellent ventilation. The user highlights the ease of entry and exit provided by the two large doors, even if managing them does require two hands. While they haven’t yet experimented with keeping the vestibule flaps open, they express confidence in figuring out the system with some additional exploration. Overall, this user found the NEMO Impact to be a significant upgrade from their previous tent, praising its intuitive design and comfortable living space.
Performance in the Field
Another user ventured out with the 3-person Impact and its footprint for a camping trip on the shores of Badin Lake. Faced with the challenge of setting up the tent at night under strong, frigid winds, the user was impressed by Impact’s intuitive design and straightforward setup process. The footprint is easily attached to the tent poles, further streamlining the process. Despite the harsh conditions, the Impact performed exceptionally well, deflecting the wind and keeping the occupants warm even in 26-degree weather. The fly proved equally effective, successfully repelling light to moderate rain. Most notably, the user reported zero condensation inside the tent – a testament to the Impact’s excellent ventilation system. This experience solidified the user’s confidence in the NEMO Impact’s ability to handle various weather conditions and provide a comfortable camping experience.
What I like about this tent
- Eco-friendly: Made with recycled materials, PFC-free construction, and carbon-neutral lifecycle.
- Spacious and functional: Steep sidewalls create a roomy interior, two vestibules offer gear storage, and the Divvy Cube stuff sack facilitates weight distribution.
- Additional features: Removable Landing Zone gear tub, excellent ventilation with strutted vents, intuitive and fast setup, Light Pocket for diffused light, and flame retardant properties.
- Performance: Wind and rain-resistant, excellent ventilation minimizes condensation, performs well in various weather conditions (based on user experience).
- Easy setup (once learned): Intuitive design allows for quick setup even for beginners.
What I don’t like about this tent
- Learning curve for setup: Initial setup based on video instructions might be challenging for some users.
- Vestibule door management: Requires two hands to open and close the large doors, and keeping the flaps open might require some exploration to figure out the system.
- Weight: While not the heaviest tent, there might be lighter options available for backpackers.
Final Verdict
The NEMO Impact Tent is a strong contender for eco-conscious campers seeking a spacious and functional shelter. Here’s the final verdict:
Highly Recommended for:
- Campers who prioritize sustainability with recycled materials, PFC-free construction, and carbon-neutral commitment.
- Campers who value a comfortable living space with ample headroom, steep sidewalls, and two vestibules for gear storage.
- Users who appreciate thoughtful features like the Divvy Cube for weight distribution, the Landing Zone gear tub, and the Light Pocket for diffused lighting.
Consider if:
- Ease of setup is a top priority: Initial setup based on video instructions might require some patience.
- Weight is a major concern: While not the heaviest, there might be lighter options for backpackers.
Overall:
The Impact offers an impressive combination of eco-friendliness, livability, and functionality. Its intuitive design ensures a comfortable camping experience, and its performance in various weather conditions is commendable (based on user experience). While there’s a slight learning curve for setup and the weight might not be ideal for ultralight enthusiasts, the Impact stands out for its commitment to sustainability and its well-rounded features. If these aspects resonate with you, the NEMO Impact Tent is definitely worth considering for your next adventure.
