Once in a while, you come across camping gear that is so good, you can’t imagine tripping without it. This has been my experience with the Marmot Limelight 3 person tent. I bought this tent at REI for a trip out to the Grayson Highlands (southwest virginia) in the spring of 2013. Over the past 4 years, it has been with me on several canoe and backcountry trips; from torrential downpour in the boreal forests of Ontario, to the frosty snows of West Virginia, this tent has held up to the elements and more.

Design: For the amount of space and durability that this tent provides, the limelight is fairly light, weighing in at a packed weight of 6lbs, 11 oz.  There are certainly lighter tents out there for backpacking, but the ruggedness of this tent makes it ideal for canoe tripping. It is designed as a three person tent, although I would say it comfortable fits two adults. It provides 42.6 square feet of space with dual doors for easy access. The vestibules on the rainfly add another 10 square feet of covered space at both entrance points. Mesh panels, allow for good air circulation to prevent condensation. A footprint is included to protect the tent against, rocks, sticks, etc.  The aluminum poles are light and durable and snap together with no fuss. Over the years, they have taken on a slightly different shape, but this does not hinder its performance.

Setup: One of my main draws to this tent was the set up. It can be set up in less than 5 minutes. Enough said.

Maintenance: As with any piece of camp gear, taking care of your equipment will allow it to last for much longer and serve you when you need it most. As with most synthetics, your main enemies are moisture and UV light. Airing out your tent to completely dry before storing it back into its bag will add years to its life by preventing mold which can rapidly break down the tent’s fibers. Many campers will actually keep their tents and sleeping bags outside of their storage bags when they are not using it in order to prevent moisture accumulation.

Algonquin Park (2014) – 6 nights

 

Killarney Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada. (2015) – 2 nights

 

Temagami, Ontario 2015 (2015) – 3 nights

 

La Verendrye – Quebec, Canada (2016) – 4 nights

 

Dolly Sods Wilderness Area, West Virginia –  (2015) – 2 nights

 

Lake Moomaw – George Washington National Forest, Virginia (2014, 2015, 2016) – 3 nights

 

Grayson Highlands, Virginia (2013) – 1 night

Dan River, North Carolina (2014) – 1 night

 

Switzer Lake, George Washington National Forest – Virginia (2017) – 1 night

 

St. Mary’s Wilderness Area, George Washington National Forest – Virginia (2016) – 1 night

CONCLUSION: Overall, this tent simply works. It has survived rough, canoe trips in Ontario, the scorching heat of Virginia summers and snow in West Virginia. It does what a tent is suppose to do – allow you to spend as much time outdoors without worrying about your gear. It provides me with reliable shelter and a place to sleep so that I can focus my energy elsewhere.  It is light, sturdy, rainproof, and easy to assemble. Over the past four years, the limelight 3p has undergone some updates but until this one fails me, I’ll be tripping with it for years to come.