The North Face Sequoia 4 Review

The Sequoia 4 is a spacious warmer-weather tent that's mostly straightforward to pitch after getting the hang of it. The rainfly offers some cool features, including two side windows, two vents, side guyline attachments, and door clips. And, if you bring your trekking poles, you can make an awning with it too. Lots of mesh makes for good views and air circulation, though this lessens privacy considerably. While not the best in inclement weather, this 4-person tent is open, well built, has a clever and useful rainfly, and would make a great addition to anyone's camping gear.

Performance Comparison

A stout and beautiful looking tent made of high-quality material.

Photo: Rob Gaedtke

Space and Comfort

The Sequoia 4 feels spacious. A 6'3" height profile and a larger than normal vestibule make the 58.1 sq ft footprint feel grand. And when you prop up the awning, it feels even better. However, the tent's dimensions don't allow for much more than a full and twin air mattress, leaving only a foot or so for standing. If you plan to pack a family of four in this tent, be sure to pack light and leave the dogs in the vestibule. Nine pockets can be found inside the tent; two are quite large and are found above the back door. The included footprint also has an extended area that extends past the door, a perfect place to take off your shoes before entering.

One queen and one twin air mattress take up most of the floorspace, so get ready to be cozy.

Photo: Rob Gaedtke

Part of being comfortable is privacy, and while you will have plenty of privacy with the rainfly on, the large mesh front leaves everything exposed once it's removed. Something to keep in mind if you are car camping in hot weather near other folks.

While the sides of the tent are covered, the massive front door is 80% mesh. Great for viewing out, but also for others seeing in.

Photo: Rob Gaedtke

Weather Resistance

The Sequoia 4 is a hot weather machine. Even with the rainfly on, you have two vents and can roll up the sides to expose two large windows. With the rainfly off, you are free to stare into the sky and enjoy an evening breeze. When the weather turns, this tent will need to be fully staked and guylined. This is true for all tents, but with the Sequoia, the large side profile tends to catch more wind than it deflects. Additionally, you can feel the wind coming inside because the rainfly only comes down partially on the sides.

Rain is also another factor to watch out for. Though the material used on the Sequoia is exceptional, there simply isn't enough rainfly coverage over the mesh to avoid some moisture sneaking in with heavy winds. To put it bluntly, if you are looking for a bad weather tent, look elsewhere. But if you are looking for a breathable, shade-happy tent, the Sequoia 4 is hard to top.

Sunshade, dual vents, side windows, and a large back window all keep air flowing throughout the tent.

Photo: Rob Gaedtke

Ease of Use

Color-coded poles and large sleeves make setting up the Sequoia 4 fairly straightforward. The fly is a bit harder to figure out due to its odd shape and tight connection points, but the tent still pitches in a little over nine minutes — on the longer side compared to other options in our review, but still mostly frustration-free.

Teardown is much faster than setup, though the tent does hold air while getting rolled up, and stuffing it into the included bag is a little tight. As we've seen with other North Face tents, the bag is more of a tote than a proper tent bag. The Sequoia weighs in at 13 pounds, and its packed size will leave plenty of room in the trunk for other essentials.

Getting the tent to fit nicely in the included bag is a struggle as is keeping the top closed tightly.

Photo: Rob Gaedtke

Durability

The North Face makes exceptional tents, and the Sequoia is no different. Most of the materials used are high quality; the poles are aluminum, the mesh and windows are 40D polyester, the rainfly is 75D polyester, and the floor is 150D. All of the interior seams are sealed and appear well made. On the flip side, the generic stakes are a bit weak (we bent them on our first pitch), and many of the pole tips pop out during tear down.

Family Friendliness

For a 4-person tent, the Sequoia is pretty large. The height of the tent makes changing easy, though privacy is non-existent without the fly on. The included footprint with attached doormat is a nice clean touch, and if your camp spot doesn't include shade, the awning feature will keep everyone cool. With the awning down and sealed, the vestibule is fairly large and can cook a snack if you are caught in a storm.

The storage options in the Sequoia 4 are plentiful. With nine storage pockets, two that are oversized, every house member can have their own. The large vestibule also allows for extra gear storage. The extra back door is a nice addition though it is fairly small and renders the three pockets on the door useless.

When the storage on the window/door is used, going in and out is a bit difficult and your gadgets quickly end up on your bed.

Photo: Rob Gaedtke

Value

The price point on this tent is a little steep for what you get and is only a bit cheaper than its much bigger sister, the Wawona 6. However, you do get quality materials, clearly good craftsmanship, and decent design. The color scheme and general aesthetics of the tent are awesome and add to overall value. That said, the good build, flaws, and quirks of the Sequoia 4 simply don't match the price.

Conclusion

The North Face Sequoia 4 is a sound 4-person tent, perfect for warm weather and lots of sun. It's tall, roomy, and capable of housing a family comfortably. With nearly a third of the top being mesh, sky views and star gazing are totally doable while protected from bugs. The vestibule is a great addition, able to hold lots of gear and usable as an awning on hot days. The included footprint is a bonus, though not quite the right size. If the rainfly covered the windows just a bit more and the shape was a bit less vertical, this tent would be a bit more intriguing. Add in the cheaper stakes, strange door storage, odd bag, and poles that pop out of place, and it falls just a little short. Still, all things considered, this is a quality option for casual camping.

Beautiful breezy views from the Sequoia 4.

Photo: Rob Gaedtke