Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 2P Tent Review

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Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 2P Tent review

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This is a gear review of the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 2-person Tent 2024.

The HMG Unbound Tent is the latest and newest tent from Hyperlite Mountain Gear. First impressions of this tent reveal that this tent is one of the Best Ultralight Tents. After several months of use, it is apparent that the HMG Unbound Tent is a serious contender as one of the best trekking pole tents.

The HMG Tent is lightweight, strong, very waterproof, and with enough room for 2 people to sleep, even if they are quite tall. With the addition of 2 waterproof zips on the vestibule with magnetic clips to keep it open when needed, it provides better weather protection than most other ultralight tents. Keep reading to find out more.


How We Tested

The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 2P Tent used in this review has been extensively evaluated and researched by the expert author who has many years of experience in Thru-Hiking, Backpacking, and Hiking. The tent was supplied by Hyperlite Mountain Gear and tested in both cool and warm weather including during rain. The research, testing, and experience of the author have combined to provide this review of the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 2P Tent in 2024. Read the Review Policy for further details.

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In-Depth Review: Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 2P Tent

Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 2P Tent Review

Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 2P Tent Review

Weight: 24 oz / 680 grams
Pros:

> Ultralight
> Very Waterproof
> Great Waterproof Zips
> Perfect for Thru-Hiking
> 2 vestibules
Cons:
> Not the Cheapest
> Not freestanding, so you need to use trekking poles
> Tent Stakes not included

The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 2P Tent is an impressive ultralight tent from HMG. This brand-new tent from HMG is sure to become one of the more popular thru-hiking tents on the trails this year.

Made with Dyneema Composite Fiber it is not only lightweight, but it is durable and packs to a very compact size. Add to that it is very waterproof and has 2 vestibules that are big enough to store your gear. The waterproof zips on the vestibule are a nice touch, and so are the magnetic clips that you can use to keep the vestibule doors open when you want more ventilation in the tent.

This 2-person tent has enough room for most backpackers. Even tall hikers will fit inside without facing the issue of having their head or feet touching the ends of the tent.

While this tent follows a similar design to many other ultralight trekking pole tents, it is the generous vestibule and waterproof zips that make this an improvement on many of the styles from other manufacturers. While this does add a bit of weight, I believe it is worth it for the benefit of having a fully enclosed tent.

Overall, I’m struggling to find anything negative to say about this tent, except maybe the cost. But all high-quality tents come with a high price tag these days. The Newly Released Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 2P tent is an impressive ultralight backpacking tent that is sure to be extremely popular on thru-hiking trails this year.

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Material

The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 2P Tent is made from two different weights of Dyneema Composite Fiber. The lighter weight DCF 5 is used on the tent walls and vestibules while the ever so slightly heavier DCF 8 is used on the floor of the tent.

The DCF 5 material comes in at 0.5 oz per square yard which is right up there as the lightest tent material on the market in 2024. While it is not cheap, it is the best and is very packable.

The DCF 8 material comes in at 0.8 oz per square yard and does a good job on the tent floor.

Like almost all lightweight tents they use the no-see-um mesh for ventilation on the doors. But the stand-out feature of this tent is the 2 x YKK waterproof zips on the vestibule for complete waterproof security during bad weather. Few ultralight trekking pole tents have this feature, instead opting for a small collar that folds over the zip, which is prone to snagging. During testing, it was difficult to snag the zips. Love the zips.

There are small magnets on the vestibules to lock them open when you want more ventilation. While it works well, they tend to blow open when there is only a decent amount of wind.

HMG Unbound 2P Tent with large vestibule and waterproof zips

Footprint and Tent Floor

There is no footprint for this tent, in fact, it is not needed. The floor of the tent is made from DCF8 Dyneema Composite Fiber which is completely waterproof. Add to that the addition of factory seam sealing and the bathtub design will ensure that you stay dry.

While the floor of the tent is made with strong material, it is not bombproof and a degree of care will be needed when choosing your campsite. When testing this tent I had no issues with sharp objects puncturing the floor which is something that would happen more often on sil-nylon or other nylon-based tents.

Those that do want a footprint could opt for a small amount of building Tyvek cut to size.

Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 2P Tent has good internal size for an ultralight tent

Weight

At 24 oz / 680 grams, the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 2P Tent fits right into the ultralight tent category. While it is slightly heavier than the class-leading Zpacks Duplex it has improvements that Zpacks did not have until the new Zpacks Duplex Zip (which I am testing and reviewing at the moment). Such as the best-in-class waterproof vestibule zips. This feature alone would add to a slight weight increase worth every ounce, or should I say gram.

You will need to add your own ultralight tent stakes and trekking poles to use this tent which will add to the total weight.


Packed Size

Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 2P Tent fits into a 9L Dyneema stuff sack that is supplied with the tent. Just to make it clear the tent folds down significantly smaller than 9L and it is easy to stuff into the bag and compress even further. My favorite method is to stuff the tent into the bag and close the drawstring, then sit on the tent right before storing it inside my ultralight backpack.

During testing and on several trips, I used this tent in combination with the new HMG Unbound 40L backpack which is also a similarly impressive new release.


Interior Size

With a length of 90 inches or 7.5 feet or 228 cm, it is generous in its dimensions for all but the tallest of hikers. For most people, myself included, I was able to fit inside and sleep quite well. I had enough room to store my pack at my feet at night.

With a width of 48 inches or 4 feet or 122 cm, it is about standard for sizing of an ultralight two-person tent. Like most ultralight 2P tents there was just enough room to fit without being offensively close or too annoying for the second person. If you decided to use this tent as a solo tent, there would give you enough room to stretch out and keep all your gear inside the tent.

Lots of head room in the HMG Unbound 2P Tent
Decent amount of head height in this tent

Durability

The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 2P tent is well made, well designed, and not only looks solid but feels solid. While I have not used this tent for 100s of nights, I suspect this tent is durable enough to last a couple of long-distance thru-hikes. If you look after your gear I suspect that this tent will be strong enough to last 3 full seasons of thru-hiking which would equate to completing the hiking triple crown or around 7700 miles / 12391 km (depending on what route your take on the CDT).


Weather Protection

As you may be aware, Dyneema Composite Fiber is 100% waterproof and will not sag when wet like many types of nylon tents. While it is 100% waterproof, it could leak at the stitching. To prevent this, HMG has factory tape sealed the stitching on the whole tent.

As mentioned several times in this review, the waterproof zips will assist in keeping water out from the sides of the tent. And the mesh on the sides of the doors will assist in allowing ventilation to prevent condensation.

This is the most weatherproof trekking pole tent for 2024.


Ventilation – interior condensation

During testing I found the tent to be waterproof and good enough at preventing internal condensation. However, on cool damp nights, I found it better to open the vestibules as much as possible to allow airflow. It performed equal to or better than all other trekking pole tents in the ability to reduce condensation.

Like all tents, there will be a degree of condensation when the weather conditions are cool and damp, but the steep walls and good ventilation do a decent job of keeping it to a minimum. But it will happen.

Magnetic vestibule door locks on the HMG tent
Magnetic clips for the vestibule doors

Vestibule

With two Full-Length Zippers and twin vestibules, the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound Tent has the best vestibule area of any Dyneema Composite Fiber Tent on the market in 2024.

As I’ve mentioned several times in this review, it really is the waterproof zips that allow this tent to stay closed and repel water better than other trekking pole tents.

Great waterproof zips on the HMG tent
Best in Class vestibule zips
High quality Dyneema Composite Fiber on the HMG Unbound 2P Tent
The vestibule closed and staked

Setup and Ease of Use

Setting up this trekking pole tent is easy. Just put 4 pegs in each corner, place the trekking poles in their designated place in the middle of each vestibule door, and lift the trekking poles up. Simple. Quick.

Even if you have never set up a trekking pole tent before you will find it easy. And when there is a bit of wind, there are 2 side panel tie-outs to assist in keeping the tent solid in windy weather. In total, you will need 8 tent pegs to lock out all the tie-down points.

As there are no tent stakes or trekking poles supplied with this tent you need to purchase them separately. Fortunately, I have written guides on the best Ultralight Tent Stakes and Best Ultralight Trekking Poles to assist in keeping your base weight to a minimum.

Lots of room, even for tall people in the HMG tent

Value and Price

With a price of $699 at the time of writing, the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 2P Tent is at the high end of the price range. But as you would expect, you are getting nothing but the best of everything at that price. Best materials, best-in-class vestibule zips, and more. While there are more expensive and cheaper options out there, this represents a fair price for such a top-tier product. Highly recommended.

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HMG Unbound 2P Tent Vs Other Tents

When taking a look at the nearest competition to the HMG Unbound Tent it would be relevant to look at the Zpacks Duplex, especially the new Duplex Zip. The Zpacks tent is lighter but with almost identical specs for both material and dimension, it is the features that set them apart. HMG uses a waterproof zip on the door and magnetic vestibule latches, Zpacks does not use zips on the vestibule but uses a tab. But the new Duplex zip does use zips.

Essentially, do you want a vestibule door that zips shut or not and are you willing to pay the same price but only gain a few ounces or grams?

Read the Best Ultralight Backpacking Tents Review to see which one is the best for 2024.


Conclusion

The new Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 2P Tent is a very impressive ultralight tent. It is well thought out and designed, ultralight and solid enough to last a couple of thru-hikes. Very highly recommended.

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Another one of the Best Backpacking Gear Reviews from BikeHikeSafari.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 2P Tent any good?

The new Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 2P tent is an ultralight backpacking tent aimed at being one of the lightest tents on the market. It is best suited for long-distance thru-hikes and anyone wanting a good tent that is compact and light in weight.

What is the best Hyperlite Mountain Gear Tent?

Hyperlite Mountain Gear make a couple of different tents including the Ultramid and Unbound tent models. The new Unbound 2P tent is one of the best ultralight tents on the market and the best tent from Hyperlite Mountain Gear.

Is the HMG Unbound 2P tent good for thru-hiking?

The new Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 2P tent is one of the best thru-hiking tents on the market. It is not only lightweight but very waterproof, very packable and durable enough to last several thru-hikes.

Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 2P Tent Review

BikeHikeSafari Gear Review Process

The author, Brad McCartney from BikeHikeSafari is a small independent adventurer and outdoor gear tester who owns and runs BikeHikeSafari.com.

BikeHikeSafari is not part of a large blog network and is proudly independent. All reviews on this site are independent and honest gear reviews of outdoor products by the author.

The author, Brad McCartney is a very experienced triple crown thru-hiker, adventurer, and bike tourer having spent 1000s of nights sleeping in a tent and sleeping bag (Read more). He was a manager of an outdoor retail store and is very experienced in what is important when using and testing gear for reviews like this.

BikeHikeSafari will never receive any money for reviews and they do not accept sponsored reviews on this website. All the comments about the gear reviews are from the author based on his years of experience. Hope this independent review was helpful for you.

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About the Author:
Brad is an Australian who has completed the hiking Triple Crown after he hiked the Pacific Crest Trail, Continental Divide Trail and Appalachian Trail. He has hiked on every continent (except Antarctica) and has cycled from Alaska to Ecuador. He is an expert on outdoor gear currently living in Chile.

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