Hilleberg Anjan 2 GT Review
Cons: Heavy for backpacking, difficult to pitch, expensive
Manufacturer: Hilleberg
Our Verdict
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Hilleberg Anjan 2 GT | |||||
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| Awards |  |  | | |  |
| Price | $875 List | Check Price at REI Compare at 2 sellers | $450 List Check Price at REI | $499.95 at Amazon | $279 List Check Price at REI |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Extended vestibule, highly weather resistant | Excellent balance between weight and features, many storage pockets, large vestibules | Two large double doors, good headroom, excellent balance of interior space and weight | Lightweight, good lateral headroom, large side doors, large overhead pocket | Spacious, affordable, included footprint |
| Cons | Heavy for backpacking, difficult to pitch, expensive | Tapered foot, pockets are high up | Expensive, delicate materials | Small vestibules, tapered footprint reduces interior space | Heavy, bulky poles |
| Bottom Line | A great backpacking tent with a large vestibule that withstands extreme weather conditions | A superior tent that balances light weight with excellent features | Our favorite tent for all your backpacking needs | A comfortable, lightweight tent for up to three people, that's great for a weekend or a week | This inexpensive tent is spacious enough for laid-back car camping and light enough for short to moderate backpacking trips |
| Rating Categories | Hilleberg Anjan 2 GT | NEMO Dragonfly 2 | Big Agnes Copper Sp... | Big Agnes Copper Sp... | REI Co-op Half Dome... |
| Comfort (25%) | |||||
| Weather Resistance (25%) | |||||
| Weight (20%) | |||||
| Durability (10%) | |||||
| Ease Of Set Up (10%) | |||||
| Packed Size (10%) | |||||
| Specs | Hilleberg Anjan 2 GT | NEMO Dragonfly 2 | Big Agnes Copper Sp... | Big Agnes Copper Sp... | REI Co-op Half Dome... |
| Packaged Weight | 4.75 lbs | 3.16 lbs | 3.09 lbs | 3.88 lbs | 4.82 lbs |
| Floor Area | 30.1 sq ft | 29 sq ft | 29 sq ft | 41 sq ft | 35.8 sq ft |
| Packed Size | 19 x 6 in | 19.5 x 4.5 in | 19.5 x 6 in | 21 x 6 in | 7 x 20.5 in |
| Dimensions | 86 x (51 x 43) x 39 in | 88 x 50 x 41 in | 88 x 52 x 40 in | 90 x 70 x 43 in | 92 x 56 in |
| Vestibule Area (Total) | 27 sq ft | 20 sq ft | 18 sq. ft | 18 sq ft | 22.5 sq ft |
| Peak Height | 39 in | 41 in | 40 in | 43 in | 42 in |
| Number of Doors | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Number of Poles | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Pole Diameter | 9 mm | 8.7 mm | 8.7 mm | 8.7 mm | 2 mm |
| Number of Pockets | 2 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 6 |
| Gear Loft | No | No | No | No | No |
| Pole Material | DAC aluminum | DAC featherlite NFL | DAC featherlite NFL | Aluminum | DAC featherlite NFL aluminum |
| Guy Points | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Rain Fly Material | Kerlon 1000 | 20D nylon ripstop | 15D 1200mm silicone nylon ripStop | proprietary patterned random rip-stop nylon with 1200mm waterproof polyurethane coating | 40-denier ripstop nylon/20-denier nylon mesh |
| Inner Tent Material | Fine-gauge mesh | 15D nylon ripstop | [Body] 10D polyester mesh, [Floor] 20D nylon ripStop | proprietary patterned random rip-stop nylon with 1200mm waterproof polyurethane coating | 40-denier taffeta nylon |
| Type | One door tunnel construction | Two door freestanding | Two door freestanding | Two door freestanding | Two door freestanding |
Our Analysis and Test Results
This tent excels at keeping out the elements and providing ample storage for all our gear in its extended vestibule. What you get in weather protection, you pay for in weight. It comes with the territory though, so if you want an all-star storm chaser, this is for you. Because of its excellent weather resistance and durability, the Hilleberg Anjan 2 GT is one of the top tents in this review.
Performance Comparison
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 is a tight fit for a 6-foot sleeper. The inner tent slopes down from the head to the foot fairly steeply. 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, but it is no doubt meant to feel cozy, and it does; the low ceiling keeps heat close to the sleepers.
The massive 27 square foot vestibule takes up more than a third of the total footprint of this tent. 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. In nice weather, a third person could even conceivably sleep in it. This tent also comes with an adjustable clothesline inside, which we found useful for socks and hats. The two side pockets are not huge but are convenient for keeping small items like gloves or a watch close at hand, so you know where to find them in the middle of the night.
Ease of Set-Up
This model features a tunnel design that differs significantly from a traditional freestanding design. Consequently, it takes a few times to get used to it and quite a bit of time to set up. The concept is simple enough: three 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.
However, it also requires a lot of dexterity, which can be especially difficult in cold weather. The guylines come pre-attached, which is a big plus, but there is just a lot of cord to manage.
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.
Key points like the reinforced vestibule zippers and the bathtub floor protect from splashback and spindrift. In fact, we found the floor to be just about waterproof on its own without a ground cloth. 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 terms of ventilation, this model is a little bit of a mixed bag. Because of the shorter dimensions of the interior, you may have your sleeping bag touch the end of the tent and get damp from condensation. However, there is a fairly substantial swatch of mesh at the foot end, at the mesh door vents into the vestibule, which provides a lot more volume for moisture to disperse.
Durability
The Anjan 2 GT is one of the most durable tents that we tested. 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, and the zippers are robust. 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. Our only word of caution in terms of durability is because of the nature of the hoop-style pitch, it is important to 'push' the poles out of their sleeves on the outside of the tent, rather than 'pull' them, otherwise, you run the risk of tearing the fabric or breaking the elastic pole cord.
The stakes included with the Anjan 2 GT are oddly ultra-lightweight. Normally, we would say this is an advantage, but they somehow don't match the gravitas of the rest of the tent. We found them to be serviceable, but since this tent requires stakes and a good pitch to stand upright, if you have already invested the chunk of change in the tent, you may as well pick up some stakes that you know you can trust to hold in the snowpack.
Weight & Packed Size
At four pounds, 12 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.
This model isn't blowing anyone away with its packability. If you are looking for faster and lighter, there are plenty of other options out there, but they come with the tradeoff of reduced durability.
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.
Value
We think the Anjan 2 GT 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 is a great pick for tough weather. 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.
— Ben Applebaum-Bauch