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Hilleberg
Nammatj 3GT
Owner
Review by Seth Quisted
May 22, 2011
Personal
Details and Backpacking Background
Age:
37
Gender: Male
Height: 6' 2"
(1.88 m)
Weight: 176 lb (80 kg)
Email address: squistad at
hotmail dot com
City, State, Country: Zurich,
Switzerland
Backpacking Background: I spend most of my backpacking
time in terrain ranging from treks in the Alps, to Mediterranean
coastal trips, with the main emphasis being on family adventure
trekking. We always hike as three, with my wife and now 7-year old
son. That leads to a very special kind of ultralight backpacking,
where the emphasis is on light weight and full protection from the
elements.
Procuct
The
Hilleberg Nammatj 3GT(hereafter referred to as the Nammatj) is a
tunnel tent manufactured in Estonia by the Swedish tent guru Bo
Hilleberg. The GT suffix denotes an extended vestibule, practically
doubling the interior volume of the tent. The Nammatj also exists in
the standard, smaller vestibule version at a weight reduction of
approximately 2.2 lb (1 kg).
 Manufacturer:
Hilleberg the Tentmaker AB, Froson,
Sweden
Websites: www.hilleberg.com
Year
of manufacture:
2001
Year
of Purchase:
2001
MSRP:
currently $745
US/Eur 829
Length,
160in/405cm
Width,
64in/160cm
Height,
42in/105cm
Floor
area,
inner tent, 36.6 ft^2/ 3.4 m^2., vestibule, 30.1 ft^2/2.8
m^2
"Minimum
weight"
(inner and outer tents + poles), listed 7 lb 1 oz/ 3.2 kg, measured 7
lb 10 oz 3.45 kg
"Packed
weight"
(tents, poles, stakes, stuff sacks, instructions), listed 8 lb 10
oz/3.9 kg; measured 8 lb 5 oz/3.77 kg
I
purchased the Hilleberg Nammatj 3GT in 2001 after a large amount of
research (probably too much...) based on the following criteria:
I
was looking for a tent that would provide the highest amount of
livable space and all weather scenario protection for the lowest
weight for our family of three (at that time only 2 and a twinkle). I
wanted something light, but solid enough that I would not be afraid
of a toddler bouncing off the walls. There were at the time lighter
tents, and today this is even more so, but nothing in this weight
category for real four season protection and indestructible
design.
Brief
description
The
Nammatj is a hand-sewn tunnel tent. The manufacturer proudly states
that he does not seal the seams of the tent, since they are so well
sewn that they do not require sealing. My experience has justified
this claim, and I must admit that the tent is a thing of beauty. The
outer tent fly is constructed of Kerlon 1800, and comes in red or
green. My model is the red version, and while I prefer the quality of
light in the interior of the tent, it is less discreet, which may be
an issue for some. It has one side entrance with a second mesh door
for warmer weather. The door has been updated since my purchase. The
manufacturer describes it as "The
entrance on the GT's extended vestibule boasts a full no-see-um
mesh door (which can be zipped off completely), and a multi-slider
zipper door that can be opened from the top, side, or bottom." I have
seen the new door, and consider it to be an improvement.
The
Nammatj, as are almost all Hilleberg tents, is constructed in an "exoskeleton" style: structure is given to the tent by
poles inserted into sleeves in the outer
tent fly,
instead of on the inner tent. The inner tent is suspended from this
outer shell, leaving a 4 in (10 cm) gap between the inner and outer
walls. The inner tent is constructed of a breathable, DWR coated
fabric. In practice, this fabric effectively repels drops of
water that may have fallen from condensation, but will let the water
pass if I push up against it. The inner tent is suspended with a
4-inch space between the inner and outer walls, reducing the chance
for contact between the two. The entire front face of the inner tent
is a double fabric/ mosquito net door can be zipped open in various
configurations allowing various possibilities for entry, and
ventilation.
Field
use
Our
family has slept in this tent in a variety of situations ranging from
around 20 F (-7 C) to 80 F (27 C). We have woken up to snow during a
five-day trip in the Italian Dolomites, and set it up in a campground
near Naples at Pompeii. It has kept us dry during a week of rain on a
cycle tour down the Swiss part of the Rhone, and we were admittedly
sweating when we pitched it on the porch of a deserted house near a
mosquito-infested swamp in Thailand. We have not yet slept on solid
snow with it, but maybe this year...
 Pitching
As
stated earlier, the Nammatj is a tunnel design, meaning that it will
not stand on its own, but requires a minimum of 4 attachment points
(normally stakes, but I have also used rocks, trees and even the leg
of a picnic table) to the ground. While I was initially skeptical of
the limitations inherent in this design, I have yet to encounter
problems when pitching the tent. It would be difficult to pitch on a
sheer rock. The “exoskeleton” design of the Nammatj makes
pitching a simple, two step affair of inserting the poles into the
sleeves and then staking it out. All three poles are identical,
adding to the simplicity. I have found in practice that to get a very
nice taut pitch, 6-8 stakes are required. When guyed out to its
maximum of 20 stake points, the tent is firmly anchored in place, to
put it mildly. The Nammatj is very stable in wind, especially when
pitched in the direction of the wind.
A
great benefit of the Nammatj design, and implicitly other Hilleberg
tents, is that by pitching the whole tent at once, the inner tent
stays dry even in severely wet conditions.
One
issue to take into consideration is that the tent is quite long (159
in/405 cm), making pitching in very tight situations a little
creative. But it was a big tent I wanted...
Ventilation
The
Nammatj has two large vents, situated about 3/4th
of the way up the each end of the tent These both have a screen and a
closure flap, adjustable with zippers. In addition, the inner tent
has a rear triangular vent linked to the rear outer tent vent with a
similar screen and closure system. The complete front entrance to the
inner tent is vent-able or close-able depending on the weather and
personal preference. The venting works well when pitched into the
wind, and when there is wind, but we have had several occasions with
quite a bit of condensation on the inside. Sometimes the problem has
been inadequate venting on our part, but sometimes there is nothing
we can do about it. A morning wipe down seems to be about the only
solution, which can take quite a bit of time considering the surface
area of the tent. Another possibility is to remove the inner tent and
pack it separately, but that is also relatively labor
intensive.
Comfort
In
practice, I have found that the simplicity and attention to detail of
the Nammatj make it a pleasure to use.
The
actual sleeping area is sufficient for three adults, but not
luxuriously big. For our family of three it is perfect. The end of
the sleeping area does angle down, leading to occasional problems of
a wet sleeping bag foot where I have pushed up against the outer tent
in the night, collecting condensation. This has not affected my wife
or son, since they are not so tall. Hilleberg himself recommends
solving this problem by zipping a rain shell over the foot of the bag
at night. I have found this an effective solution.
The
tent is also very warm, making a very noticeable difference in cold
weather. The warmth can be regulated by adjusting the vents.
For
me, the vestibule is the crowning glory of the Nammatj 3GT. It allows
us to to change clothes, cook, eat and live, while keeping the inner
sleeping area clean. With a small child, this was especially helpful.
In addition, the inner tent can be unlinked from the outer to create
a very large space. In wet conditions we often will push the inner
tent, complete with sleeping bags and (not fully inflated)
mattresses, into the back corner, keeping our sleeping area very
clean and dry while providing a very large space for cooking, and
generally lazing around. I have at one point pushed the vestibule
back (see photo), seated 7 people comfortably inside, and cooked
dinner for them all in the center with room to spare.
Long
term
After
close to ten years of using this tent, I am still extremely happy
with it. The tent looks and functions pretty much like it did when I
first received it. It has made a good shelter for a week in the
Tetons, (Wyoming USA) in Thailand, as a base for exploring Italy's
coastal regions, and of course for numerous higher altitude
expeditions in the Alps. It is really a tent that can function in
every situation. It does have some condensation issues, although I
have never slept in a tent without some condensation, and it is not
the lightest tent available. It also has a large footprint, and
requires staking out. However all of these issues are inherent
in the type of tent, not only with this actual Nammatj.
As
a summary I would like to briefly list my perceived pluses and
minuses of the Nammatj 3 GT.
I
like:
The
all weather protection
The
beautiful construction
The
vestibule
The
cozy secure feeling that I (and my wife and son) have when sleeping
in it.
I
like less:
The
condensation issues
The
price (although I would definitely buy another)
The
weight, although very light for what it provides, is still a little
high.
On
the whole, I would without hesitation recommend this tent to anyone
who wants one tent to do everything, and does not mind a small weight
penalty (compared to some of the ultralight offerings out there) in
exchange for true four season protection and a cavernous vestibule.
Read more reviews of Hilleberg gear
Read more gear reviews by Seth Quistad
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