Hilleberg Anjan 2 GT Review

We have used this tent from Maine to Washington State, on bike trips down Mexico's Baja Peninsula, backpacking trips in the Sierra and Montana, and through India and Nepal. It hasn't let us down yet. It excels at keeping out the elements and providing ample storage for all our gear in the extended vestibule. What you get in weather protection, you pay for in weight. It comes with the territory though, so if you want to an all-star storm chaser, this is for you.

Performance Comparison

Because of its awesome weather resistance and durability, the Hilleberg Anjan 2 GT takes a top 10 spot in this review.

The Hilleberg Anjan GT afforded us a decent amount of space, providing us with above average comfort - 8/10, with plenty of living and storage space.

Comfort

For all of the praise that this tent receives, its interior sleeping area is not the most comfortable. Though its tunnel design does create a decent amount of space for its weight, the 39-inch peak height of the inner tent allows one six-foot person to sit up at a time. The inner tent slopes down from the head to the foot.

The interior floor is 51 inches wide at the front door, 43 inches at the foot, and is 86 inches long. This contender is not as spacious as tents with two side doors. The bright yellow interior walls add cheer and the fabric obscures rain and wind, which we felt like made for a much cozier experience.

Looking inside the Anjan 2 GT from the roomy vestibule. This tent provides enough space for two people to sleep comfortable, especially with the extra storage found in the extended vestibule.

The 27 square foot vestibule is the largest of any single-door tents we've tested. While living out of the tent in campgrounds, our testers managed to fit two 60-liter backpacks, two 30-liter backpacks, and shoes inside the vestibule. The Anjan 2 GT also has an adjustable clothesline.

The vestibule space on the Hilleberg Anjan 2 GT backpacking tent was by far the largest of all tents we tested and allows for extra storage, leaving more room in the tent.

Ease of Set-Up

This model features a tunnel design that varies from the hubbed pole skeletons of most other models in this review. It is not a freestanding tent.

Hilleberg Anjan 2 utilizes a classic tunnel design. Two poles insert fast and easily into sleeves from the outside and guy out with with quick adjust self equalizing spectra guylines.

If you are not used to pitching tunnel tents, it will take you a few times to get the hang of it, but once you know what you need to do you will be able to do it quickly.

The concept is simple enough: two poles slide through sleeves on the exterior of the tent. Tension from guy lines holds the body upright. This "outside first" approach keeps the inner tent drier if you are forced to pitch during a storm.

The Hilleberg Anjan, Rogen and MSR Hubba Hubba NX are the only tents that pitch in a floorless configuration. This increases versatility and reduces weight - perfect for insect free areas or solo use with a water resistant bivy. Floorless is much better than "fast pitching."

Weather Resistance

This tent receives top honors for its weather resistance because it offers superb protection from all of the elements.

We have spent many hours sitting out storms — it even made it through a pelting hailstorm with ice balls the size of nickels! It's advertised as a three-season tent with many features found on four-season models. The extended vestibule of the GT allows backpackers the opportunity to hunker down and spread out while waiting out a storm.

The Anjan 2 held up well in a sudden Sierra hail storm and kept its occupants dry when the snow melted into a puddle below the tent.

Key points like the reinforced vestibule zippers and the bathtub floor protect from splashback and spindrift. Similarly, the inner tent is made primarily of a solid nylon fabric that blocks blowing sand and snow, and better sheds condensation that drips from the roof — a significant advantage over most backpacking tents that have mesh inner tent walls.

In dusty, windy areas like in eastern Washington State, shown here, the Hilleberg Anjan's mostly solid nylon interior walls and high bathtub floor helps to block blowing sand. The Anjan is more comfortable and warmer than tents with all mesh walls.

One downside we will point out is the ventilation factor. If you are taller than six feet you may have your sleeping bag touch the end of the tent and get damp from condensation.

Durability

The Anjan 2 GT is the most durable tent we've tested as well. In fact, by most standards, the tent is overbuilt for three-season conditions. This tent uses metal rings on the four corner guy points to reduce wear on its already burly webbing loops. It uses strong plastic and metal hardware for friction adjustments. Its floor fabric is significantly more durable than the fly. All in all, this is a tent that is built to last.

Hilleberg uses Kerlon 1000 for the waterproof rain fly. This fabric is a silicone impregnated ripstop nylon that's impressively strong for a three-season tent; its warp break strength is 22 lb/in. For comparison, the 15D polyurethane/silicone coated nylon found on some of the "ultralight" models in this review breaks at 7 lb/in.

Charlie the dog comes to investigate the rain that has dripped into the tent from the opening in the vestibule door. Luckily the Anjan 2's floor is very durable and can withstand his nails.

As far as we can tell, Anjan 2 GT employs the strongest fabric used on any backpacking tent we've tested. This means that the fabric is less likely to be punctured and, if it is punctured, it's less likely to tear — both good things.

Hilleberg Anjan features: metal friction adjustments and metal stake rings increase strength and durability (left), and the red toggle (right) relieves stress on the vestibule zipper. No other tents come close to matching Hilleberg durability.

The stakes included with the Anjan 2 GT are arguably the tent's greatest drawback. The Anjan 2 GT ships with tri-pegs that are relatively heavy and don't have the holding power to match the gravitas of the rest of the tent.

Weight & Packed Size

At 4 pounds, 10 ounces, this award winner sacrifices weight for all of its weather-resistance and durability features. However, we think the bulk is well worth it if you know you will find yourself in an early or late season snowstorm.

The REI Half Dome 2 Plus, HIlleberg Anjan, Big Agnes Copper Spur, NEMO Dagger, Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight, and Tarptent Double Rainbow - the award winning line-up.

If you are looking for faster and lighter, there are plenty of other options out there. The Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2, NEMO Dragonfly 2, and NEMO Dagger 2 will all drop at least a pound from the Anjan 2 GT (with reduced durability as well).

The Anjan 2 GT's packed size.

While still earning above average scores, there were other contenders in our fleet that did outperform it in this metric; however, it's necessary to consider what other metrics are important to you, as well as what adventures you're planning to embark on.

Best Application

Many other backpacking tents and ultralight shelters are designed for a very specific end use. The Anjan 2 GT is just the opposite; its strength lies not in its ability to excel at one specific activity, but rather in its capacity to perform at a high level for just about every activity. If we were to have one tent for all types of three-season activities, from car camping to backpacking, climbing, bike touring, and kayaking, the Anjan 2 GT would be it. We might even take it on winter adventures so long as blizzards aren't in the forecast.

The Anjan 2, shown here, was tested during last year's update, and does not include the extended vestibule that the GT has. The GT version weighs about a pound more than the original Anjan.

Value

The Anjan 2 GT is $835. Yikes. We think it will be overkill for most folks, but this tent is a good value for the user who requires exceptional durability and weather resistance. It is one of the most expensive options in our review and is ideal for backpackers that plan on spending time in inclement weather, want the extended vestibule, or want the best of the best for durability and weather resistance.

Conclusion

The Hilleberg Anjan 2 GT earns our Top Pick Award for its strong performance in extreme weather and its exceptional durability. If we were to recommend just one tent to friends and family who want to stretch their tent to the limits of the seasons (and price was not a factor), this would be the one. Whether your interests include backpacking or multiple activities like car camping, bike touring, or kayaking, this model has you covered through all three (and a half!) seasons.

The Anjan's design allows you to use the fly as a partial shelter while keeping the inner tent out of the way. Unhook the first portion and roll it back to create an area to hang out, dry off, and perhaps make dinner. Just clip it back in when you want a floor and bug protection.