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Marmot Hypno

rated 4.5 of 5 stars

The Hypno has been discontinued. If you're looking for something new, check out the best three-season tents for 2024.

photo: Marmot Hypno three-season tent

This is a prelim review based on one setup in my backyard. I'll follow thru with another review after it has a half doz gnarly nights. Lotsa floor space after 10 years in a nutshell. The "Knee poles" add alot and were one of the reasons for purchase i.e. the bottom 24" of the walls are almost vertical, which makes the already generous floorspace feel even more so. The nutshell had that feel as well for about 18".

Great pockets and lots and lots of them. A webbed (I will call) sock holder for airing those smelly things, far from my nose, is welcome. Having a webbing pocket high on the inside for getting things that you have to get to quick from outside the tent is a nice touch...you can retrieve things easily from the outside while standing up! It has three webbed loops on the ceiling for hanging candle type lanterns, two to the front, one towards the back that are off center so you don't have to bang your head on them coming and going.

Seems to have much bigger D doors than my son's REI Half Dome making entry/egress and general gaping a tad easier. I measured 44" at the ceiling right over head and about 80" in length. On the con side it has the irritating new practice of fixing the Hypno foot print on the pole end grommet straps (ala REI Half Dome) rather than to the tent (ala nutshell) where the front two attachments are falling off as you attempt to fix the rear two.

I finally just zip tied the tent and the footprint ends together and that problem is solved. The door sill is a tad high (6") which could be good or bad depending. Its pricey but I bagged it on the REI div 20% off deal and used my div check so it was FREE (kinda sorta).

This thing has the typical Marmot fit and finish and excellent size/weight. Colors are cheerful and not as "bright" as shown on the web site.

June 29, 2014 Update:

Sleeps: 2
Ease of Setup: easy
Weight: 7ish with footprint
Price Paid: $280

This is the followup to my first initial review. It is a great roomy tent and has had plenty of rain and high winds and I have no complaints. Well thought out and typical Marmot fit and finish. Nice vestibules and works well "gaping" out the doors while boiling that first cup o joe.

Design: 3 season free standing 2 door
Sleeps: 2
Ease of Setup: medium
Weight: 6ish
Price Paid: $280 on sale

I used this tent in the Tetons for four days in mid June '04 and in the U.P. of Michigan for five days in late August '04. There was plenty of rain on both trips and the tent never leaked a drop.

My only complaint, albeit small, would be that during one particularly soaking downpour I had the head of the tent facing into the wind which resulted in rain blowing up under the fly and soaking the inside wall of the tent. This was not a major inconveniece because there was no pooling of water...only the side wall got wet.

Other than this, I have been completely happy with its performance. I think the vestibules are best suited to the smaller size of ultralight packs. I carried a Granite Gear Nimbus Ozone and my girlfriend an Arc'teryx Bora 65. Each vestibule covered our respective packs, boots, and a few other small items. My scale weighed the Hypno in at just under six pounds for the tent, fly, and poles.

One other positive comment I would like to add is that it was very stable in mountain winds and bluff side winds which at times seemed almost gale force! I would recommend guying it out in these conditions. Other design high points worth noting are: roomy interior space for two, excellent interior storage, typical high quality Marmot construction (built to last a long time), and fast and easy set-up/take-down.

One final thought I would like to pass on is that I select gear based on company reputation and how the company stands behind its products. In my opinion, Marmot is as good as it gets!

Design: Three-season freestanding dome
Sleeps: 2
Ease of Setup: intuative
Weight: 5lbs. 14oz.
Price Paid: $270 w/ground sheet

Great for a beginner. Maybe not quite three-season.

Pros

  • Easy setup
  • Light weight

Cons

  • Not quite three-season

Setup: Easiest tent to set up. Takes less than five minutes by yourself (quicker after practice).

Stability: Stayed secure in 30+ mph winds

Weather: Bathtub base keeps you dry in any wet conditions.

Ventilation: Excellent, zero condensation issues with mesh top. But maybe too much when the temp drops.

Storage: Rainfly extends to cover each side door, pack, boots etc fit nicely.

Packabilty: Compact. Had more than enough room left in pack.

Have never had any issues until a pole broke, repair kit fixed until I got home. Manufacturer replaced promptly at no charge.

Have used in NM mountains (had sleet @9000' and was fine) and NY Adirondacks for almost seven years, and I purchased it used!

Source: bought it used
Price Paid: <$150 US

Bought this used for an upcoming trip to Philmont Scout Ranch. Used on several "trial" hikes. Works great.

Pros

  • Ease of setup
  • Light weight

Cons

  • None
  • Appears to be discontinued????

This has the easiest setup...quickly goes up in about three minutes by yourself, slightly quicker with two people. Last set up in the dark with only a flashlight.

Recommended.

Source: bought it used
Price Paid: $125

Let's see. First time I took it out I tore the stitching while staking it it out! I called Marmot and bitched and they covered the shipping and fixed my tent for free.

Since then I've literally put the tent through hell. I love it. Although it is a bit heavier than I'd like, at night when I pitch it up I'm always happy to see that I'll be sleeping in a nice tent and during the summer the open roof makes for a great view of the night sky.

If only it weighed about 3 lbs. I'd be completely satisfied.

Design: 3-4 seasons depending on the hiker/ free-standing dome
Sleeps: 2
Ease of Setup: less than 5 minutes
Weight: 5+ but worth it
Price Paid: $180

I absolutely love this tent! It is very easy to set up, and very strong, too. Lots of room on the floor for extras like books, clothes, water, etc. and plenty of headroom at BOTH ends of the tent.

The biggest downside is the total weight. I weighed the tent, fly, footprint, poles, and stakes, and it was almost 8 pounds. That's a far cry from the recent trend of ultra-light gear. As always, weight is a tradeoff for comfort and ease of use.

Design: three+ season freestanding double door
Sleeps: 2
Ease of Setup: very easy
Weight: 6.75 pounds (8 pounds with footprint)
Price Paid: $350

I'd rate it 4.5 stars. Why not a 5?

Two reasons:

1. Opening the doors or fly in the rain or on a dewy morning results in getting wet.

2. Orienting the head and foot of the tent with the rain fly in the dark is difficult.

Otherwise it's a completely dependable, quality piece of gear.

Design: Three pole, three season
Sleeps: 2
Ease of Setup: see #2 above
Weight: not super light but acceptable for two persons splitting the weight.
Price Paid: $249

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Price Historic Range: $179.99-$299.00
Reviewers Paid: $125.00-$350.00

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