Nemo Kunai 3P Tent Review

Outdoor gear has come a long way in the past several decades, and tents in particular have seen a lot of innovation. Nemo’s Kunai 3P is a nice reflection of this progress: Billed as a 3- to 4-season tent, the Kunai offers dependable protection for everything from spring ski traverses to fast-and-light objectives in mild to moderate winter conditions while checking in at a very competitive weight. We took the three-person model camping on several backcountry trips in Strathcona Park on Vancouver Island, in the Mount Baker Wilderness, and even on mild coastal outings. Our verdict: Nemo did a great job balancing conflicting priorities, resulting in a very enticing balance among weight, protection, and breathability. Below we outline our experiences with the Kunai. To see how it stacks up to the competition, check out our articles on the best backpacking tents and best 4-season tents.
 

Table of Contents

• Weather Protection
• Livability and Interior Space
• Weight and Packed Size
• Build Quality and Durability
• Ventilation
• Storage
• Set Up and Take Down
• What We Like/What We Don't
• Comparison Table
• The Competition

Performance

Weather Protection

Nemo labels their Kunai as a 3- to 4-season backpacking tent, meaning it offers better assurance and stability than most 3-season designs but falls short of true mountaineering tents when it comes to all-out protection. We’ve taken the three-person Kunai on multiple snowy backcountry expeditions, alpine camp-outs, and sea-level trips in high-humidity conditions and have been overall impressed with the tent’s performance. Below we break down some of our most telling experiences in wind, snow, and rain.
 

Wind
With three pre-bent aluminum DAC Featherlite NSL poles, the Kunai 3P feels like a small fortress when fully erect and has held up exceptionally well to winds exceeding 25 miles per hour. While testing MSR’s similarly intentioned Access, we often built our tent platform a foot or so beneath the snowline to avoid spindrifts and strong gusts entering through the gap between the tent floor and rainfly. This hasn’t been an issue with the Kunai: The bathtub floor sits more than 11 inches high in spots and is tucked well under the rainfly, effectively blocking drafts and blowing snow. For added assurance in truly blustery weather, Nemo included nine guy-out points for securing the tent. There are both mid-level and higher attachment points, and four of the guylines attach directly to the tent through a small sleeve, adding extra rigidity and peace of mind.
 

Snow
On one backcountry outing, we awoke to several inches of snow accumulation and were pleasantly surprised to find that it did not cause the Kunai to sag. After poking and shaking the tent to knock off snow didn’t work, we donned our mittens and easily brushed it off (the Kunai’s relatively steep walls helped). The crisscrossing pole layout was easily able to support the heavy load, and all of the fabrics (which we cover in “Build Quality and Durability” below) are very strong for their weight. Taken together, the Kunai has shown no signs of weakness in mild to moderate winter conditions.
 

Rain
While we haven’t experienced much rain while camping in the Kunai, it has been exposed to its fair share of sleet and heavy mist off the ocean. While camping along the Juan de Fuca Trail, we were hammered with heavy winds and ocean spray, and we remained perfectly cozy as we watched the moisture bead off the tent. The rainfly has a silicone coating for repelling water, and the tall bathtub floor also helps keep moisture from trickling in at the base while still allowing adequate ventilation between the tent body and rainfly. We'll report back if any issues crop up once we experience a true deluge in the tent, but all signs point to the Kunai being a very weather-worthy design—and a noticeable step up from most standard backpacking tents.
 

 Livability and Interior Space

Nemo recently updated the Kunai with a more ergonomic entry, a higher-volume vestibule, and more generously sized mesh panels along the walls. All of this contributes to the tent’s impressive livability. In fact, after spending a few days in the tent in the Mount Baker Wilderness, it’s easy to see how it would be comfortable for longer stints or while waiting out inclement weather. The three-person model that we tested boasts 43.4 square feet of interior space and a 45-inch peak height, resulting in a very roomy—verging on luxurious—feel for two adults plus our 50-pound dog. The peak height is particularly noteworthy, making the Kunai among the tallest designs to make our 4-season tent round-up this season. The ceiling has a slight peak, so headroom is reduced along the sides, but as we mentioned above, this allows snow to easily slough off the exterior rather than accumulate and lead to sagging. And importantly, we had no issues sitting up side by side (although adding a third person would have likely involved some hunching over).
 

However, while the Kunai 3P’s interior is quite generous, those over 6 feet tall may find it a little cramped lengthwise. In terms of dimensions, the interior measures 84 inches long and 70 inches at the widest point, tapering down to 60 inches at the foot end. My husband’s long sleeping bag often brushes against the wall of the tent, which isn’t ideal when you add condensation in the mix (although thankfully, the tent is very well ventilated for such a weather-worthy design). Nemo also only equipped the tent with a single door and vestibule, which detracts from overall convenience. As much as we try to avoid exiting the tent in the night, staying hydrated during the day often leads to at least a couple requisite bathroom breaks. While it's hard to sneak out of any tent, it's far less disruptive when you don't have to crawl over your tent mate. Thankfully, Nemo positioned the door at the end of the tent rather than the side, requiring minimal gymnastics to get in and out.
 

Weight and Packed Size

With a packaged weight of 5 pounds 10 ounces, the Kunai 3P lands pretty much right in between most 3-season tents and true 4-season designs. For reference, MSR’s Access 3 (which is also labeled as a 3- to 4-season tent) checks in at a comparable 5 pounds 1 ounce, while Big Agnes’ Copper Spur HV3 Expedition (intended for 3+ season use) is heavier at 6 pounds 3 ounces all in. Again, you can shave considerable weight with a standard backpacking tent like Nemo’s own Dagger Osmo 3P, which clocks in at 4 pounds 7 ounces, but the Kunai handily wins out in stability and weather-worthiness. It’s also worth noting that we could have stepped down to the two-person Kunai, which weighs 4 pounds 5 ounces, although we’re almost always willing to deal with the added weight penalty of the three-person model (when available) for the boost in interior space.
 

In terms of packed size, the Kunai 3P measures 19.5 by 6.5 inches when compressed into its stuff sack. Again, this is on par with or better than most similarly intentioned tents, including the MSR Access 3 (21 x 7 in.) and Big Agnes Copper Spur HV3 Expedition (20 x 8 in.). Hauling a three-person tent through the backcountry for several days can be an arduous task, but we found the Kunai to be entirely manageable when split between two people—especially when compared with burlier 4-season designs, which typically use thicker fabrics and beefier poles that add a noticeable amount of weight and bulk.
 

 Build Quality and Durability

Balancing weight and durability is always a challenge, and in this case, Nemo opted to use noticeably thinner fabrics than you’ll see on most true 4-season tents. Specifically, the floor is made from 30-denier (D) ripstop nylon, while the tent body and rainfly are thinner at 20D and 15D, respectively. As we touched on above, the fly is also treated with a silicone coating for added resistance to moisture and abrasion, and the inner tent is reinforced with a beefy (375D) X-Ply sailcloth material that’s designed to block wind without sacrificing breathability. Impressively, all of the materials and components have held up flawlessly in testing. We did treat the tent more gingerly than we typically do with winter gear, but we certainly haven’t babied it—we’ve even worn ski boots inside (which we don’t recommend) with no issues to date. And if you’re concerned about longevity, Nemo sells a 75D footprint for the Kunai, which will cost you an additional $80 (the 2P footprint costs $70) and tack on an additional 11 ounces in weight.
 

Ventilation

This is where the Nemo Kunai 3P truly shines for a 3- to 4-season tent. With a double-wall build (many 4-season designs are single-wall) and a healthy amount of venting options, the Kunai is well suited for use in mild weather. The front door unzips to expose a large mesh panel, and there are two more mesh-backed windows on either side of the tent. The ceiling also boasts a sizable mesh vent overhead and two smaller, strutted vents along the sides of the rainfly to promote airflow. 
 

For reference, we’ve winter camped in the alpine, at treeline, and at sea level, and the Kunai has adapted seamlessly to each environment. We did awake to some condensation while camping in cold, windy conditions in the Mount Baker Wilderness, but this was largely a result of sleeping with the tent completely sealed up. Opening just the upper vents the following evening provided enough airflow to avoid moisture buildup. We did have to employ all the windows and vents while camping oceanside to promote adequate airflow, but this wasn’t too surprising given the humidity. In these conditions, the Kunai handily outshines most 4-season designs.
 

Storage

As we mentioned previously, the Kunai only features a single vestibule, which measures 13 square feet. Because of this, entering and exiting the tent can be cumbersome, especially when you’re using the vestibule to stash gear—we’ve tripped over our packs on more than one occasion. For reference, MSR’s Access 3 (one of the Kunai’s primary competitors) features two doors with 17.5 square feet of total vestibule space, making it much easier to divvy up wet and bulky gear.
 

On the inside, the Kunai 3P comes with a variety of storage options. There are two smaller pockets located at the front corners of the tent—great for stashing a Garmin inReach, bear spray, and other small items. Similarly sized pockets can be found at head height in the rear corners. These overhead pockets are made with a light-diffusing fabric that casts an even glow throughout the tent when you stash your headlamp inside. We’ve become big fans of this feature, especially during the winter months when daylight is limited. Rounding out the organization layout is a large “gear loft” on the ceiling that spans the width of the tent. We often store our beanies, e-readers, and phones here for easy access. Finally, there are six webbing loops for suspending gear (like a small camping lantern) with a carabiner.
 

Set Up and Take Down

Pitching the Nemo Kunai 3P for the first time wasn’t completely intuitive, but the process was easy to master. The large, bisecting poles are quick to assemble and color-coded to help ensure they’re inserted into the correct grommets. There are also two single poles (also color-coded) of different lengths—it saves time if you remember that the shorter ridge pole crosses above the door, and the longer pole extends from the ground up and over the non-door side of the tent. After some practice, my husband has been able to set up the Kunai 3P solo, though it’s easier with two people, especially in inclement weather. With the poles in place, the tent is secured with standard, hooked clips (the two ridge poles use slide-in clips that create a sturdy attachment). To further reinforce the structure, there are four clam-like clips that secure over the tent poles for added stability. When it’s time to add the fly, the process is very straightforward due to the color-coded attachments and the fact that there’s only one door (read: only one way to orient the fly). There are also small Velcro tabs along the fly to secure it directly to the poles.
 

Guying out the tent will help maximize stability in strong winds, and the Kunai comes with nine attachment points. Unfortunately, Nemo only includes eight stakes, and the tent alone requires seven for setup, meaning we were only left with one stake for guying out the tent. Thankfully, we’ve learned over the years to always bring extra and found that 11 was the optimal number for staking the Kunai out in gusty weather. We used our ski poles at each corner of the tent for added stability in the snow and piled rocks over the included stakes when camping along the coast.
 

Other Capacity: Nemo Kunai 2P

We tested the three-person Kunai for this review, and it’s also sold in a two-person capacity for $550. As we mentioned above, the Kunai 2P is considerably lighter than the 3P at 4 pounds 5 ounces all in but makes sacrifices in interior space (26 sq. ft.) and peak height (44 in.). It also has a smaller vestibule (8 sq. ft.), although the overall construction is largely similar. In the end, we often prefer to size up, especially when winter camping, and we consider the 2P to be a good match for solo campers and smaller adults who don’t mind getting cozy. For comfort-focused users and those who want the ability to camp with their dog (like our testers often do), we recommend stepping up to the 3P.
 

What We Like

• Dubbed a 3- to 4-season tent, the Kunai is highly versatile: protective enough for winter camping while retaining great ventilation for use in mild conditions.
• Roomy interior and generous peak height result in great overall livability, especially if you size up (our two testers enjoyed the 3P model). 
• Very sturdy in high winds thanks to its tapered profile, crisscrossing pole layout, quality attachment points, and reinforcements in key areas.
• Reliably weather-worthy while checking in considerably lighter than most true 4-season tents.
• Ample venting options for airing things out—we experienced minimal condensation buildup throughout testing.
• Built with a clear attention to detail, from the color-coded components to the overhead "Light Pockets" for diffuse lighting from your headlamp.

What We Don’t

• Only one door and vestibule, which detracts from convenience and makes it tough to divvy up wet and bulky gear.
• Doesn’t come with enough to stakes to fully stake and guy out the tent.
• Taller campers may find the 84-inch length a little short (our 6'3" tester's long sleeping bag touched the end of the tent).
• A bit of a 'tweener: For true mountaineering objectives, we'd upgrade to a more trustworthy 4-season design; for 3-season camping, you can save considerable cash and weight with a standard backpacking tent.
   

Comparison Table

The Competition

Nemo's Kunai 3P is a versatile design that nicely bridges the gap between standard backpacking tents and 4-season stalwarts, and another offering that aims to do this is MSR's Access 3. In parsing out the differences, the Access checks in 9 ounces lighter than the Kunai while offering 2 inches of additional headroom at its peak. It also features two doors and two vestibules, which is our preferred layout for gear storage and maximizing convenience when entering and exiting the tent in the middle of the night. However, the Kunai wins out in floor area by 2.4 square feet, features more venting options for increased airflow in mild conditions, and costs a significant $220 less than the MSR. Given these final differences, we consider the Kunai to be the more well-rounded option and the better overall value.
 

Next up is Big Agnes' Copper Spur HV3 Expedition, which costs the same as the Kunai 3P at $700. The standard Copper Spur has been our top-rated backpacking tent for years, and the Expedition variation takes the proven design and boosts durability and weather-worthiness, resulting in a “3+ season” designation. However, despite its similar intentions, the Copper Spur Expedition falls short of the Kunai in a few areas. In addition to weighing more at 6 pounds 3 ounces all in, the Big Agnes is smaller with just 41 square feet of interior space, shorter with a 41-inch peak height, and not as well ventilated due to less mesh and fewer vents. Overall, we think both tents strike a nice middle ground for shoulder-season and mild-winter objectives, and you do get two doors and vestibules with the Big Agnes, but the Kunai gets our vote as the more well-balanced option.

Based in Sweden, Hilleberg specializes in ultra-premium and reliable tents for everything from fastpacking to high-altitude mountaineering and polar expeditions. Part of their all-season “Red Label” collection, the Allak 3 is closer to a mountaineering tent than the ‘tweener Kunai. Key differences include noticeably thicker fabrics and beefier components that result in a sizable bump in weight (8 lb. 3 oz.), along with minimal use of mesh in the tent body, which is great for durability and weatherproofing but detracts from ventilation. In our experience, the Allak is well suited for winter use in the Lower 48, while the Kunai’s appeal stretches well into the shoulder seasons. It will also save you a big chunk of change, although there’s no denying Hilleberg’s excellent craftsmanship and attention to detail.
 

Last but not least is REI Co-op’s Arete ASL 2, which costs just $449 but performs better than its price tag would suggest. Unfortunately, the tent isn’t offered in a three-person capacity, but the two-person version is decently roomy with a 32.9-square-foot interior, a 43-inch peak height, and a well-sorted interior storage layout. Despite being smaller than the Kunai 3P, the Arete is heavier at 6 pounds 5 ounces, although you do get thicker fabrics, including a 70D floor and 40D rainfly. All in all, we consider the REI to be an economical way to hit the backcountry on a ski or snowshoe trip in mild to moderate conditions, but the Kunai 3P is worth the added investment for weight- and comfort-focused campers.