Review: Naturehike Spider Ultralight 1-Person Tent

The Naturehike Spider Ultralight Silicone 1-Person Tent is exactly what it says: a lightweight 1-person, 3-season tent.

Key Information

Price: R2399 (at time of writing)
Weight: 1618g (including the groundsheet)
Waterproof rating: Flysheet: 4000mm; Floor: 4000mm
Fabric: Flysheet and floor: Silicone coated nylon
Structure: Single pole system with two Y-couplings; freestanding
Poles: 7001 Aluminium

Design

The design is “fin-like”, which is both a strength and a weakness. Pitched correctly, the tent is very aerodynamic, but if it catches the wind side-on, it takes more of a hammering than a usual dome-shaped tent. Even so, the double-wishbone pole design provides good stability which, combined with a pegged-out flysheet and guy-lines, can stand up to strong wind.

What’s in the Bag

The tent is supplied in a neat carry bag with compression straps. Included are the tent inner, flysheet, pegs, poles, and a lightweight groundsheet — a great addition that adds value and longevity in my opinion.

The guy ropes supplied with the tent are unusually thick, but still very light and easy to handle.

Weight

The combined weight of the inner tent, flysheet, pegs, poles, and groundsheet is 1618g. Thanks to the ultra-thin silnylon construction, the tent packs down small and takes up minimal space in a backpack.

The groundsheet also has clips that allow the flysheet to be attached directly, creating an ultralight setup without the inner tent if needed.

Ease of Pitching

Pitching the tent is a breeze and takes about 8 minutes. The inner clips to the poles and the flysheet clips to the inner. One just needs to ensure the poles are properly seated at the hubs — a common consideration with this design, where the force is focused at the junction points.

Inside the Tent

The inside of the tent is comfortably sized for one person, with enough floor space to keep gear inside while sleeping. The measured floor space is 204cm x 93cm, but because of the internal angles, the usable length is slightly less. I’m 1.86m tall and have about 2–3cm of clearance above my head and below my feet when lying down.

Despite the sharp roof angles, there’s enough headroom to sit upright comfortably. A small triangular storage pouch is located at the head end, and there’s a light hook in the roof.

The vestibule is large enough to store a big backpack while still allowing easy entry and exit.

A 75L backpack fits comfortably under the vestibule, with a 105L pack possible at a squeeze.

Ventilation

The tent has one air vent at the head end and a fully mesh inner, apart from the floor, which provides ample ventilation. I did not experience any excessive condensation.

The full-mesh inner makes the tent less suitable for sub-zero conditions, as it offers little insulation, but for most South African hikes, this is a fair trade-off for its low weight and breathability.

Field Testing

I tested the tent on Stage 5 of the Rim of Africa — a spectacular ridgeline hike across the Langeberg Mountains. Every night, winds reached about 60km/h with stronger gusts. Despite the rough conditions, the tent held firm throughout the night.

Even when pitched on level ground, there’s some flysheet movement. In high winds, this can create noise or stress the material, but extending the peg points slightly with accessory cord helps to tighten the flysheet and improve aerodynamics.

Conclusion

If you’re after a lightweight 1-person tent but can’t justify the steep price of an MSR Hubba, the Naturehike Spider Ultralight Tent is a worthy alternative. At roughly a quarter of the cost and only about 300g heavier, it performs exceptionally well in challenging conditions. As Keith Bontrager famously said about bike parts: “Strong. Light. Cheap. Pick Two.” This tent somehow manages all three — light, strong, and affordable. Incredible value for money.

This tent can be purchased from Naturehike’s online store.