Hands-On Review
After 40 years of making some of the best winter tents on the planet,
Hilleberg jumped into the three-season market, creating a gigantic splash with the
Anjan 2 GT. Both tents blow the competition out of the water because of sturdiness. However, Hilleberg is not keeping up in the weight race and this tent is starting to become somewhat heavy when compared to its other competitors. This year, we chose to test the GT version of the Anjan, which includes an extended vestibule and weighs almost a pound less than the regular version of the Anjan.
Performance Comparison
This tent scored quite well in Overall Performance. This tent continues to be an award winner, year after year.
Comfort
This tent's tunnel design creates a good amount of space for its weight. The inner tent has a 39-inch peak height, which will allow one six-foot person to sit up by the door at a time, or two to sit hunched side by side. The
ALPS Mountaineering Lynx 2 had the highest peak height of any tent we tested, coming in at 46 inches. The inner tent slopes from the front to the rear, where it is 30 inches tall. This design allows two people to get in and out easily and provides enough space for moving around in the tent without feeling claustrophobic.
The interior floor is 51 inches wide at the front door, 41 inches at the rear, and is 86 inches long. This contender is not as spacious as tents with two side doors but of all the front door tents we've tested, it is the most spacious by far.
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.
The bright yellow interior walls add cheer. They also prevent you from seeing rain and wind hit the outer tent, which provides more of a homey indoor feeling. If you are taller than six feet you may have the experience of your feet/sleeping bag touching the end of the tent and getting wet from condensation. This is a common problem with tents of this shape that slope toward the back.
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 sq. ft. vestibule is far and away the largest of all single-door tents we've tested. While living out of the tent in campgrounds, our testers have fit two 60-liter backpacks, two 30-liter backpacks, and shoes inside the vestibule — there's a lot of space! This contender is luxurious compared to ultralight tents and shelters. This a significant advantage because it makes it more comfortable for car camping or base camping. Like all Hilleberg tunnel tents, the
Anjan 2 GT 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 contender uses a time-tested tunnel design that provides the ultimate blend of strength, comfort, and low weight. It's somewhat surprising, or perhaps disappointing, that the radical integrated hub pole designs of the last decade still can't beat the good old tunnel tent design.
The Anjan GT was relatively easy to set up, though it did require some previous know how, or for the backpacker to read the directions, thus earning a 7 out of 10.
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
Anjan 2 GT's design is very simple: two poles insert through sleeves, and tension from guy lines holds the tent upright (so it is not a free-standing tent). The tent pitches from the outside, which is both faster and better than tents that require the inner tent be pitched first because "outside first" keeps the inner tent drier during rain. One person can easily pitch the
Anjan 2 GT in cold and windy darkness with gloves on. Result: you're happier because you can get in faster. Other tents with separate flys like the
Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2 and the
REI Half Dome 2 Plus have flys that require a lot more tweaking. The
North Face Triarch requires some time to figure out its set up as well, but is equally straightforward eventually.
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.
Weather Resistance
The
Anjan 2 GT is the three-season version of
Hilleberg's Nallo. We give it a 10 out of 10 points (the only tent in the review to receive such a high score) for its weather resistance because it offers superb protection from all of the elements.
We have spent many hours sitting out storms — it's even made it through a pelting hailstorm with hail balls the size of nickels! It's a three-season tent with many features found on four-season tents. The extended vestibule of the GT version allows backpackers the opportunity to spread out and hunker down for any storm that's on the way, ensuring the ultimate storm proof tent, while still remaining cozy.
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 tent's bathtub floor that comes up higher than most others to protect from splashback and spindrift add to this tent's weather resistance. 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 like the
MSR Hubba Hubba NX or the
Eureka Midori 2.
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."
Durability
The
Anjan 2 GT is the most durable tent we've tested. This tent uses metal rings on the four corner guypoints to reduce wear on its already burly webbing loops. It uses strong plastic and metal hardware for friction adjustments and connection points, and its floor fabric is significantly more durable than the fly fabric. (Most "ultralight" tents use the same material for the floor and the fly.) All in all, the
Anjan 2 GT is a tent that's built to last. Yet Hilleberg also realizes that sh#t happens; they include an extra pole section and a pole sleeve for repairs, a unique and excellent feature that saves you from having to buy them.
Hilleberg uses Kerlon 1000 for the waterproof rain fly on this tent. This fabric is a silicone impregnated ripstop nylon that's impressively strong for a three-season fabric; its warp break strength is 22 lb/in. (For comparison purposes, the 15D polyurethane/silicone coated nylon used on the
NEMO Dagger 2 and
The North Face Triarch 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. Furthermore, its poles are the best available: 9mm DAC Featherlite NSL Green.
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.
Weight and Packed Size
This award winner is not the lightest tent in this review at 4 lbs 10 ounces, including stakes and poles, but weight savings doesn't seem to be where Hilleberg's focus is. We think the weight is well worth it for this very storm-worthy tent, complete with an extended vestibule for loads of activities and storage.
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.
Consider an ultralight tent that pitches with trekking poles for the fastest and lightest adventures, or the
Big Agnes Fly Creek HV or
Tarptent Double Rainbow, which are the lightest tents in our review. Or if you want the absolute lightest double-wall tent and are willing to sacrifice a bit of weather resistance and durability, check out the
Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2 (3 lbs. 1 oz.) or the
NEMO Dagger 2 (3 lbs. 12 oz.).
The
Anjan GT earned a 6 out of 10 for weight and a 7 out of 10 for packed size (6 x 19 in), while the
Tarptent Double Rainbow and
Big Agnes Fly Creek both earned the highest scores for packed size.
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.
All of our contenders. From left to right: NEMO Galaxi, Alps Lynx, REI Half Dome 2 Plus, Eureka Midori, Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight, Big Agnes Copper Spur HV, Hilleberg Anjan, NEMO Dagger, Tarptent Double Rainbow, Kelty Salida 2, and Marmot Catalyst.
Colors
Like all Hilleberg's "Yellow Label" tents, the
Anjan 2 GT is available in two colors. Choose from bright red or stealthy green. We tested the
Anjan 2 GT in red and green, and our testers prefer green for three-season trips because it's stealthier and congruent with Leave No Trace principles. Red looks better in photos, but green can increase your safety when traveling near urban areas, especially in foreign countries. We did find the inside of the green
Anjan 2 GT a bit dark feeling, but the sunny yellow inner tent helped brighten things up. We also like the light airy feel of the gray
MSR Hubba Hubba NX and think gray is a relatively stealthy color for somewhere like the granite-filled High Sierra.
Limitations
Hilleberg's 40 years of experience building four-season tents for arctic and mountaineering expeditions is immediately apparent in the
Anjan 2 GT's design. By most standards, the tent is overbuilt for three-season conditions. This is a good thing. Of all the backpacking tents we've tested this is the only one that has no significant drawbacks. It represents what we believe to be the ultimate balance between weight, comfort, strength, and durability.
Like all other tents tested in this category, people over six feet tall will find that the toe of a lofted sleeping bag brushes against the inside (and sometimes wet) rear inner wall of the tent. This is common with all backpacking tents and is more problematic, i.e. wetter, with lighter tents that shave off the bottom ends of the outer tent, such as on the
Marmot Catalyst 2 and the
Kelty Salida 2. Staking out the
Anjan 2 GT's center rear guy loop can help to reduce splashback on the inner tent wall and help to keep the bottom of a sleeping bag drier if you're taller than six feet.
Hilleberg omits a waterproof cover for the
Anjan 2 GT vestibule zippers. Despite numerous serious rain events, no water entered the vestibule much more than it would normally — sometimes small droplets seep through the zipper. The vestibule design is such that a very small amount of water falls on the zipper area, and water from other areas runs down the center of the vestibule, far away from the zipper. So, even though we would prefer a waterproof flap over the zipper, we don't believe the tent's omission of this feature is a significant drawback.
The tent has four reflective points: two on the front pole sleeve and two on the back or the rear pole sleeve. Adding more to each pole sleeve would make the tent more visible at night. The stakes included with the
Anjan 2 GT are arguably the tent's greatest drawback. The
Anjan 2 GT ships with Tri-pegs, or triangular "shepherd's hooks," that are relatively heavy, have low holding power, and are harder to use when compared to the other top stakes we've used. For example, the top of the stake has a small surface area, which makes it harder to push into the ground with your shoe.
There's no hole to add a loop of cord, which would make it easier to pull the stake out and help to prevent you from losing it. The stake's small diameter provides less holding power than larger tubular or Y-shaped stakes. We believe that the included stakes are only suitable for use in compact soil, so we usually carry different stakes. Good stakes are very important; in our experience testing tents, we've found that most damage results from a staking problem. Hilleberg could address the
Anjan 2 GT's weakest point (its stakes) by including a lighter and stronger stake, like their V Pegs.
Hilleberg could address the Anjan's weakest point (its "Tri Peg" stakes) by including a lighter and stronger stake like their "V Pegs". Shown here MSR's Groundhog stakes (left) and Hilleberg's "V Pegs" and a bent "Tri Peg".
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 our top choice. We might even take it on short, fast winter adventures if we're in a pinch.
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.
When going light on a strenuous trip or when insects are gone for the season, our testers often use a floorless tarp because it weighs less than a tent with a fixed floor and 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.
The
Anjan 2 GT and the
MSR Hubba Hubba NX are the only three-season tents we've tested that can be pitched as a floorless tarp shelter, without buying a separate footprint. Unhook the inner tent (takes about two minutes) and leave it at home to save 21 ounces.
The Hilleberg Anjan (left) and the Hubba Hubba NX (right) are the only tents that pitch in a floorless configuration, which increases versatility and reduces weight, and is much stronger, lighter, and more weather resistant than "fast pitching" with a footprint.
For numerous reasons discussed in our
backpacking tent buying advice, we believe this design is far superior to "fast-pitching" with a footprint. One reason is it allows you to quickly create a floorless covered space, which we find useful when entering the tent soaking wet from walking in the rain all day. 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. We love the
Anjan 2 GT's adaptable design because it has so many incarnations (see video below); this is yet another critical feature that gives it an edge over the competition.
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.
Value
The
Anjan 2 GT is $785. We think that for the right person and application, this tent is a good value, particularly if you're looking for a decent amount of space, combined with exceptional durability and weather resistance capabilities. The extended vestibule Anjan GT adds value (which is dependent upon the adventures you go on) and costs $95 more than the original Anjan. This tent is by far the most expensive option in our review and is ideal for backpackers that plan on spending time in inclement weather, want the extended vestibule option, or want the best of the best for durability and weather resistance.
Conclusion
The
Anjan 2 GT earned our Top Pick Award due to its strong performance in extreme weather and exceptional level of durability, particularly in harsh storms. While there are less expensive tents, we consider the $785 (or $690 for the original version) price a good value for the quality of tent provided. If we were to recommend just one tent to friends and family who want to stretch their tent to the limits of the seasons, it would be this one. Whether your interests include backpacking alone or multiple activities like car camping, bike touring, or kayaking, the
Anjan 2 GT is one tent that can cover your needs through all three seasons.
