Review: Naturehike Hiby Tent

Intro

The Naturehike Hiby is a fairly lightweight and versatile 2- to 3-person, 4-season tent. It offers a bombproof structure and a large vestibule, but this is not a tent for tall people.

Key Information

Price (at time of writing): R4 399
Weight: 2 900 g (including the groundsheet and stuff bag)
Waterproof rating: Flysheet – 4000 mm; Floor – 4000 mm
Fabric: Flysheet and floor – 20 D silicone-coated nylon
Structure: 3 poles with 4 intersections; freestanding
Poles: 7001 aluminium

Design

The tent pitches fly-first, with the poles running the full length of the tent structure through external sleeves on the flysheet.

This full-length pole structure has two major benefits:

• Better tension and stability: By tensioning the entire flysheet through the pole structure, including the vestibule, no part of the flysheet is reliant on pegs for structural integrity. The perfectly sized poles leave no slack, resulting in impressive fly tension that inspires confidence in heavy weather.
• Spacious vestibule: Because the vestibule forms part of the pole structure, it gains extra height and volume. The Hiby offers one of the most liveable vestibules of any semi-geodesic hiking tent.

A 105L and 75L backpack inside the vestibule and still more than enough space to cook and get in and out of the tent.

Because the tent pitches fly-first, it can be set up in the rain without the inner getting wet — a major bonus for summer hiking in the Drakensberg. The inner attaches to the flysheet with toggles that are easily removed, so the tent can also be used without the inner as a quick shelter or lightweight camp option.

It is essentially a single-entry tent, but the vestibule opens on either side, allowing flexibility in wind direction or full opening in warmer conditions.

The vestibule zippers can be opened from the top, allowing for sheltered cooking while maintaining ventilation.

What’s in the Bag

The Hiby comes fully equipped with pegs, poles, guy ropes and a groundsheet that adds years of durability to the tent floor. All elements are supplied in a neat stuff sack.

Weight

Weighing in at 2 900 g, the Hiby is attractively light — even as a 2-person tent, which is likely its most practical configuration given its interior dimensions.

Ease of Pitching

Pitching the Hiby is best done by two people. Because the poles run the full length of the tent through sleeves, they are long and slightly tricky to handle alone. For solo hikers, this is not the easiest tent to set up. However, pitching fly-first keeps the inner dry in bad weather.

Inside the Tent

The inner walls are fabric up to halfway and mesh above, keeping drafts out while allowing good ventilation. Storage is limited to three triangular pockets — one at the back and two in front — but the generous vestibule compensates for that.

You could potentially squeeze three small people in there, but it’s going to be tight…

The Hiby is marketed as a 2- to 3-person tent, but realistically it’s better suited for two. At 1.86 m tall I fit comfortably, though my head and feet touched the ends, so taller hikers may feel cramped. In contrast, the tent’s height allows you to sit upright — a huge advantage during long rainy spells.

Ventilation

Three air vents point toward the back of the tent for maximum airflow when pitched with the vestibule facing away from the wind. With two people inside we experienced minimal condensation — none inside the inner tent.

Weather Resistance

During testing we experienced medium winds and light rain, but the design suggests it can comfortably handle 80 km/h gusts. With 9 ground points, 6 guy lines, and 3 intersecting poles, the Hiby is exceptionally stable. The elliptical shape further reduces wind resistance, giving it an edge over standard dome tents.

Conclusion

If you’re under 1.86 m tall, this tent is an excellent 4-season option with a very liveable vestibule for waiting out bad weather or opening up on warm evenings. It’s fairly lightweight, bombproof, and versatile.

This tent was provided by Naturehike for review purposes and can be purchased from their online store.