When I first got the Nemo Galaxi 2p, it wasn’t my ideal choice of tent. Now it sits pride of place amongst my kit having well and truly stolen my heart, and the heart of those I’ve travelled with. We purchased the tent with one particular trip in mind, the 231km Larapinta Trail running from Alice Springs through the McDonnell mountains. The ground along the trail is known for being both rock hard and jagged. This ruled out a tent that wasn’t free standing. The harsh terrain also meant there was a chance it may not survive the trips duration, and therefore it made sense that it would need to be significantly less expensive than some of it’s much lighter competitors. Whilst I was desperate to buy a far lighter tent, with the weight of my pack well in mind, the Nemo seemed my only option as the price of a tent that would fit the part, but may also get shredded was a huge factor.

Galaxi Girraween Dyp-1

Tech Specs

First, to the technical mumbo-jumbo. The Galaxi 2p is, as its name would suggest, a 2 person tent. In total weighs about 2.4kg, it has a 68 Denier PU Polyester Ripstop fly with a hydrostatic head of 1500mm. The base is a tougher 70 Denier and has a higher waterproof rating of 3000mm. It uses a unique ‘hubbed’ aluminium pole set up that keeps them as one singular unit, ther poles are 9mm diameter & feel quite tough. For ease of entry and living, the Galaxi has 2 identical mirrored doorways and vestibules. Inside there are a couple of mesh gear-pockets as well as small loops ready for a gear loft to be attached. The interior dimesions are a 137cm x 229cm, with a ceiting max height of 109cm -Quite spacious for a 2 person hikig tent indeed. A footprint is included, for those rough campsites. The footprint also allows for the tent to be pitched without the mesh-inner, making for a lighter tarp-style 1.7kg package (when bug protection isn’t a factor!) In summary perfectly decent set of specs.

Galaxi Girraween Dyp-2

Right – Now down to the nitty gritty…

I am sitting here taking a few deep breaths, ready to guiltily confess how I first felt about this tent. Much like when you meet someone for the first time, assume they are someone you wouldn’t like and go on to say a few negative comments behind their back – only to find they’re one of the nicest people you will ever come across.
I had dismissed it to the bottom draw, letting it fester until the Larapinta. I almost creased under the pressure as I thought about replacing it for a lighter model. However, I didn’t have to wait until my trip to Alice springs before it began having a positive effect on me. Along with some friends and my girlfriend, we took the Nemo out to Girraween for a couple of nights camping, including one night on top of South Bald Rock. The setting was perfect; little pools dotted around the top allowed access to water as we soaked up the stunning 360 degree views, there we enough rocks to weigh our tents down and a nice flat patch that acted as a kitchen/dining room. The serenity was not to last, however, as in the distance we witnessed one of the most incredible electric storms I have ever seen. We desperately scrambled for signal as we tried to access rain radars, but had little choice but to have dinner, climb into our tents and wait to see what hit us.

Lachlan-Galaxi-Girraween-1
Fortunately the rain never arrived, but the winds did pick up. Those that we hiked with had their more ‘superior’ tent fold in on them, and whilst it wasn’t damaged they spent the night holding it from their faces. I can only assume he Nemo did well, as I was able to sleep soundly through the night as it casually fended off the gale force winds. I felt a surge of guilt flood over me as I cautiously confessed how it had performed way beyond my expectations. The Larapinta was the next time we went out with the Galxi. Spending 18 nights in under canvas will certainly be make or break for any tent. For me, the Nemo was ‘make’. Combined with a synchronised dance between Georgina and I, the Nemo took barely a minute or two to put up each day. We didn’t hesitate once when selecting a spot, in fact we often tried to push our luck sleeping in more and more exposed spots in adverse weather conditions. We didn’t go easy on our tent, and yet it continued to perform flawlessly night after night. We watched as the Larapinta lived up to its reputation and went on to destroy the gear of many other hikers. A couple we hiked with soon changed their tone when their ‘best tent available’ started flaking away at the base. Others had boots dropping off, or stoves pack in, mattresses give up or bags fall apart at every seam. The Galaxi simply took the whole hike in its stride, both Georgie and I had concerns about a lot of things, apart from how our nights sleep would pan out; the Galaxi 2p had it covered.

Jack-Galaxi-Larapinta-3

Its ample vestibules both housed our kit over night, fended off several packs of dingos and provided a spacey spot to cook dinner on the odd freezing cold night. It is spacey enough inside to cater for two people, boots, phones, cameras, clothing, food and even left me with enough space to avoid Georgie’s sleep kicking should it occur. It even has a pair of magnetic loops that hold the doors back, for those moments when you’re tucked up in your sleeping bag and have to release the door with your teeth.
On warmer nights its easy enough to pitch the tent without the rain fly, and on evenings where snakes and dingos are less of a concern you can sleep solely under the rain fly adding an element of freedom.

DCIM100GOPROG0203781.

How this story ends

So, did it go in the bin? I think we all know the answer to that! I have since spent almost 2 months since the trek traipsing around Australia in boots and hiking trousers having ditched other clothes to ensure that it fitted into our luggage back to Brisbane. We have meticulously washed the red dust of the Outback off it, it’s stored in a temperature regulated setting on a bed of cushions, its sitting on a chair next to me and we feed it on a daily basis … (well, maybe not the last bit?!). When selecting a lightweight tent, there are compromises, mainly durability. On the flipside, when selecting a highly durable tent you often add a few hundred grams or more. The Nemo Galaxi 2p is, however, a highly liveable & incredibly stable free standing tent that is very tough for its weight and all at an affordable price. I would recommend the tent to all, from hikers and mountaineers to weekend backpackers.

 

REVIEW: Nemo Galaxi 2p Tent
LIVABILITY90%
DURABILITY95%
ADAPTABILITY & SETUP85%
WEIGHT & SIZE70%
WEATHER RESISTANCE70%
VALUE90%
PRO's
  • Spacious and very liveable with plenty of room for 2 and sizeable bags in the vestibules. Its also relatively easy and quick to set up
  • Sturdy when set up, feels strong and windproof (very confidently camped on top of mountains in less than perfect wind conditions)
  • Decent ventilation, and substantial bathtub floor makes the tent good in wetter conditions
CON'S
  • Whilst the set up is generally simple, the pole system can be a bit cumbersome and faffy
  • Rain water can hit inner tent if a vestibule door is open
  • Inner pockets leave personal items sitting on your face when two people are in the tent (not a huge con... trying to find them now!)
85%Overall Score
Reader Rating: (49 Votes)
54%

About The Author

Jack Williams

Jack has thrived on travel for years, and is especially attracted to inhospitable locations. Jack has spent most of the last six years dotting around the world including expeditions to Iceland, Morocco & several Trips to Nepal. Mountaineering and hiking has always being the core of Jack’s travel, but its not unusual to find him skiing across ice caps or hiking through deserts.

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