Marmot Limestone 4 Review
Compare prices at 3 resellers Pros: Large vestibule, simple, excellent weather resistance, classic design
Cons: Low ceiling height, could use more interior storage
Manufacturer: Marmot
Our Verdict
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Marmot Limestone 4 | |||||
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| Awards |  |  | |||
| Price | Check Price at Backcountry Compare at 3 sellers | Check Price at Backcountry Compare at 3 sellers | $269.95 at Amazon | $159.99 at Amazon | $69.99 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Large vestibule, simple, excellent weather resistance, classic design | Spacious, great layout, durable, very family friendly, high value | Spacious, easy to pitch, great views, inexpensive | Super easy set up, good views, very nice price | Simple, very cheap, lightweight |
| Cons | Low ceiling height, could use more interior storage | Not the easiest to pitch, only one door, odd bag | Fiberglass poles, small pockets, lack of ventilation with the rainfly on | Low headroom, poor overall construction | Too simple, cheaply made, not durable |
| Bottom Line | This is a high-quality tent with a simple design that will be familiar to experienced campers | This tent has one of the best uses of space we have ever seen, a great choice for families or campers with lots of gear | Wherever this tent falls short in quality, it makes up for it in size, features, and overall value | This tent is fast, easy, and inexpensive, though it falls short in some key areas | A starter tent that works for those looking to get into camping on the cheap |
| Rating Categories | Marmot Limestone 4 | The North Face Wawo... | Kelty Wireless 6 | 4-Person Cabin with... | Coleman Sundome Dome 4 |
| Space And Comfort (35%) | |||||
| Weather Resistance (25%) | |||||
| Ease Of Use (15%) | |||||
| Durability (15%) | |||||
| Family Friendliness (10%) | |||||
| Specs | Marmot Limestone 4 | The North Face Wawo... | Kelty Wireless 6 | 4-Person Cabin with... | Coleman Sundome Dome 4 |
| Weight | 11.3 lbs | 21.9 lbs | 17.2 lbs | 18.2 lbs | 9.8 lbs |
| Max Inside Height | 5' 3" | 6' 6" | 6' 4" | 4' 11" | 4' 11" |
| Floor Dimensions | 8'4"x7'2" | 10' x 8'6" | 9'10" x 8'10" | 8' x 7' | 9' x 7' |
| Floor Area | 59.7 sq ft | 85 sq ft | 86.9 sq ft | 56 sq ft | 63 sq ft |
| Seasons | 3-season | 3-season | 3-season | 3-season | 3-season |
| Windows | 1 | 2 | Mesh top | 3 | 2 |
| Pockets | 8 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 1 |
| Number of Doors | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Room Divider | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Vestibules | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vestibule Area | 21 sq ft | 44.7 sq ft; 21 sq ft | 28 sq ft | N/A | N/A |
| Packed Size | 27.5" x 10" | 9.5" x 16.5" x 25.5" | 27" x 8" x 8" | 39.5" x 8" x 8" | 6.75" x 6.75" x 23.75" |
| Floor Materials | 150D polyester | 75D polyester | 68D poly 1800mm | 150D polyester | Polyethylene 1000D-140g/sqm |
| Main Tent Materials | 40D polyester/mesh | 150D polyester taffeta | 68D poly 1200mm, 40D No-see-um mesh | 150D polyester | Polyester mesh 68D |
| Rainfly Materials | 68D polyester taffeta | 68D polyester | 68D poly 1200mm | Polyguard 2X | Polyester taffeta 75D |
| Number of Poles | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Pole Material | Aluminum | 14 mm aluminum | Fiberglass | Aluminum | Fiberglass |
| Extras | Hidden key/phone pouch on fly | Internal dry lines, hang loops, Velcro lantern loop | Pole pockets for easy setup | Integrated rainfly protection | E-Port |
Our Analysis and Test Results
As the strongest and lightest 4-person tent in our lineup, the Marmot Limestone 4 is a force to be reckoned with. You get great weather options, outstanding durability, and set up and tear down are a breeze. However, what the Limestone gains in low weight and superior weather resistance are lost when it comes to headroom and comfort. Coming in with a max height of just 5' 3", a footprint of 59.7 sq ft, and a 21 sq ft vestibule, this tent is relatively small.
Performance Comparison
Space and Comfort
The Limestone 4 wasn't built as a leisurely family tent. It was built for serious campers who have different expectations of space and comfort. You can sneak in a full and twin air mattress with a little extra room for bags, and the vestibule is big enough to easily store extra packs, shoes, and dirty dishes. But neither affords enough space to make things as comfortable as other contenders in this review.
The Limestone does have great pockets scattered throughout the tent, with probably the cleverest being a waterproof pocket on the rainfly, accessible from outside the tent. It's a great feature for stashing car keys and phones.
Weather Resistance
Now we enter the real strength area of the Limestone. This tent is built to handle the weather, and we put it to the test in Joshua Tree National Park. While other tents were flapping in the 50+ mph wind, this one held firm and strong. It comes with smaller, backpack-style stakes, but with the structure and shape of this tent, they did their job perfectly. The rainfly also fully wraps the exterior and extends to the ground --meaning rain will have a hard time finding its way into the tent unless you allow it.
The Limestone also excels in hot weather. The main tent structure has a full mesh roof, and about half of the sidewalls are also mesh. This not only allows for great ventilation but also superior views. With the rainfly on, heat will escape out of the top vents as well as from the sides (if you guyline the rainfly) and under the vestibule.
Ease of Use
This is another top-performing area for the Limestone. Color-coded clips and poles, a low profile, smooth sliding pole sleeves, and a lightweight overall design make this tent super easy to use. It went up in 4 minutes and 46 seconds and without any frustrations or missteps.
The Limestone 4 weighs in at 11.3 lbs and because of its size, packing and carrying this tent is lighter and easier than some air mattresses. Likewise, tear down, rolling, and packing scored high, and fitting the tent back into the bag wasn't a struggle in the slightest.
Durability
The materials on this tent are of superior quality. A 150D polyester floor, 68D polyester taffeta rainfly, and thick, pre-curved aluminum poles give it high points in durability. The mesh is a 40d 100% polyester No-See-Um material — basically, a super tight micro-mesh that looks and feels as cool as it sounds. This is the same style found in some of our very top contenders.
Because the included stakes are a lightweight style, we did have to knock off a point. These stakes easily bent while pounding them in with a rock, the official way of staking for our testing. The bag, while strong and simple, could also use some cinching straps to help keep the profile down if your roll is a little on the loose side.
Family Friendliness
Not a great score here for the Limestone. While the additional top two poles do add room to the ceiling, this tent simply isn't very tall. Unless you are 5' 2", don't plan on changing while standing up. The vestibule size makes doing anything in a downpour for more than one or two people a little rough, and because of the vestibule's height, you will still have to sit inside the tent to take off your muddy shoes. Outside of height, the Limestone does have some great family-friendly features, though, including eight storage pockets, an external quick-access pocket, and solid material ready to take on a family with pets.
Value
As a value grab, the Limestone fares well. With superior quality and great weather resistance, this is a great buy, especially if you put more importance on quality and build than space and comfort.
Conclusion
Quality construction, simple and easy to set up, and built to withstand some weather, the Marmot Limestone 4 is a great tent. Where it falls short is its size, both in height and vestibule area. However, the mini halo, the exterior pocket, and the great-looking stance add both value and functionality. If you are looking to maximize quality and don't need to stand up or bring too much gear, this might be a good choice.
— Rob Gaedtke