The Marmot Limestone 4-Person Tent is a Great Choice for Family Summer Adventures
If you're looking for a shelter for this camping season, look no further
A tent can be one of the most important pieces of gear for your camping setup. Choosing the right tent can be complicated when there are so many factors that determine a tent’s effectiveness. This review will be focusing on the Marmot Limestone 4-person tent. We will be looking at the top features, included equipment, use cases, and what the tent is best for.
The Marmot Limestone 4-person tent comes in a horizontal carry bag with a carry loop and a string sinch on the side to keep it closed. The tent package includes; the tent, the fly, two sets of long poles and two sets of shorter poles both in a pole bag and lastly a separate small pouch that contains that tent’s pegs. The tent does not include a groundsheet.
The first thing you will notice about this tent when taking it out of the bag is that it is huge. This is the biggest 4-person tent I have used to date. The tent has a rectangular footprint and is about 8’ long and 7’ wide on the inside, with a height of around 5’ 3”. I am around 6’ 2” tall and I can confidently say that 5 people my size could fit comfortably in a row width-wise in this tent. All this size does come at a price, however, and that is the weight. This tent comes in at a minimum weight of 10 pounds. That weight is pretty average for a 4-person tent but if you’re looking to cut down on weight, a lighter backpacking tent might be a better place to look. Not to mention that the tent does not pack very compactly into the carrying bag.
The Limestone features 8 small pockets on the inside of the tent. There are 4 hanging pouch pockets on the lower area of the tent, 2 underneath the zipper of each door, and 2 in the corner wall to the left of each door. The are 4 more small screen pockets on the upper dome of the tent. Although there are many pockets inside the tent, I found these pockets a bit small and would have liked to see some slightly bigger pouch pockets in the lower part of the tent, considering the size of the space.
The doors on the tent are great. They are big oval-shaped doors with 4 zippers on each entrance. One door features a grey opaque material and the other is mesh. If you enjoy star gazing in your tent, you are going to like the Limestone. The upper dome of the tent is more than 60% mesh, making it great for viewing outdoor environments with the fly removed. This mesh section also greatly improves breathability and breeze draft in the hotter summer months. The ground material of the tent seems pretty durable and water-resistant, but I would have appreciated an included groundsheet for extra water and overall wear protection for the tent over time.
The fly of the Limestone features a thicker water-repellent fabric with two vent hatches on opposite corners, further improving cross breezes through the tent. One side of the fly features a full vestibule with two loops to thoroughly peg out. The vestibule door uses a D-shaped door entrance. The other side of the fly has a vestibule-type area but instead features a single zipper slit opening. This is not too much of an issue, however, I am used to having the same vestibule on both sides of the fly.
It is pretty clear through the construction of this tent that it is meant for warmer weather. But when used for the summer months, this tent will be a hit. It is very big and spacious, with multiple pockets, a well-made durable build with thick poles, and very breathable with great viewing ability from the mesh dome. I wouldn’t recommend this tent for trips where you need small and light gear. However, if you are staying in one spot or car camping with big groups or family, this will be an excellent choice.
