Is the Attractive Nemo Aurora Highrise 6P Worth it?

Since our family had outgrown our favourite tent and we were not too keen on camping in my husband’s military crew tent, it was time for an upgrade. Unfortunately, the upgrade happened during a pandemic when stock was hard to come by, and you had to settle with what was available. After scouring review after review, I decided that the NEMO Aurora Highrise 4-Person tent was the perfect choice for us. Little did I know that a 4-person camping tent was hard to come by. It seemed like everyone decided that camping was the activity that would get them through the pandemic, subsequently settling for what was available – the NEMO Aurora Highrise 6P camping tent.

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Nemo Aurora Highrise 6P Tent Key Features and Specifications

If you have ever camped in a tent with very little headroom, insufficient ventilation and a lack of basic features, then you know how miserable your camping experience can be. 

Having a reliable, comfortable and well-designed tent can make your camping adventures memorable in a good way. The Nemo Aurora 6P Tent ticks all the right boxes with its durability and outstanding features. Let’s take a quick look at some of these features.

Interior

The Aurora Highrise is not your typical dome-shaped tent. Its side walls are more vertical, providing for a spacious interior. There is ample room for six people to sleep comfortably. Additionally, the tent offers generous headroom, allowing you to stand up and move around freely. Taller people will have to duck a bit around the perimeter of the tent.

Doors

The Aurora’s massive front opening is another feature that makes this tent superior. There are three ways to unzip the NEMO Highrise tent: from the left, the right or complete. Unzipping the entire door leaves you with a massive front entrance to the tent. 

NEMO has also provided a half-back door, making this tent very versatile. The doors can be left open by securing the tabs to the gatekeeper door clips. Personally, I find the half-door comforting, but my husband would prefer a massive opening on both ends.

Windows

The Aurora Highrise has two large side windows that provide ample views and airflow. The tent’s rainfly yields quite a bit of a drooped overhang to preserve the enjoyment of your view in the rain. 

To open or close the window, NEMO supplies a roll-up fabric. Since these are large windows, I wish this feature would have a zipper. Or, at the very least, NEMO could have installed a few anchor points to help adjust the opening.

Rainfly

The shape of the rainfly creates a vestibule in front of both doors, thus keeping your camping gear and shoes safe and dry. You would be surprised how much gear this area can hold. We’ve managed to fit four pairs of shoes, a cooler, two chairs and a box of gear, without cramming or damaging the tent.

And yes, there is even a vestibule for the back door! During the tent’s inaugural trip, we had tested the vestibules over multiple rainy days, and they worked perfectly well. 

With extra cordage and guylines or tent poles, the front of the rainfly has a door that can unzip from both sides to create an awning.

Material

The NEMO tent Aurora’s main canopy body, two large windows and full-sized doors are made from a no-see-um fabric mesh, allowing for maximum air ventilation while keeping the tiniest of bugs out. 

The ventilation in the Aurora 6p is incredible, and because of this, we did not encounter any condensation in the tent.

The rainfly fabric is 68-denier polyester coated with polyurethane and has a waterproofness of 1200 mm. The canopy fabric is also a 68-denier polyester with nylon no-see-um mesh, and the floor is a 150-denier polyester coated in polyurethane. The waterproofness of the floor is 1500 mm.

Further Reading: Tent Camping: The Ultimate Home Away From Home

Size is the Main Consideration

This tent has a bright and fun colour scheme of atoll and oasis (fancy terms for bright blues and greens) and a funky floor design. I love the printed floor design – it helps make the tent feel cozy and inviting. 

The entire floor area of the Aurora Highrise 6P is 83.3 square feet (7.72 square metres, 100 x 120 in.), which comfortably fits two queen airbeds, a storage bin and three duffle bags! This large footprint provides the children with a phenomenal excuse to roll around!

Above all, you can stand up and stretch as the tent is 77 in. tall (196 cm) in the centre. Those who sleep on the ends can sit up without having their head touch the side wall.

Weight

The weight of the NEMO Aurora Highrise 6P comes in at 15.14 lbs (7.21 kg), which is still suitable for backpacking as it falls within the recommended carry weight of 2 to 3 lbs (.9 to 1.4 kg) per person. Not sure why you would want to backpack with a 6-person camping tent, but the option is there. 😉

Keep in mind, as size goes up, so does weight. Looking back, we are happy that the Aurora Highrise 6P was the only size

Nightlight Pocket and Storage

Inside the dome of the NEMO Aurora tent, you will find a nightlight pocket, which is where you can place your headlamp or a small light source. The nightlight pocket is made from a light-diffusing fabric meant to remove blue light. 

This pocket is perfect for those who hate sleeping in darkness, as it tones the headlamp down enough to act as a night light. It does this efficiently enough to satisfy those who like to sleep in the dark. In other words, everyone is happy.

Step outside, and this nightlight pocket gives the tent a nice ambiance. The glow can be spotted from quite a distance, making the tent a homing device for finding your way back to camp. 

Nighttime can be so dark in remote areas that you wouldn’t find your hands if they weren’t attached, especially on those nights with no moon. It is an incredible feature for peace of mind, and the kids absolutely love that their tent glows! 

Around the nightlight pocket, you will find five attachment points for hanging a lantern or string lights.

Further Reading: How To Choose The Right Sleeping Bag For Camping

Storage

There are also four large, deep corner pockets for personal effects. Not to be discounted, the amount of off-floor storage for your most precious or frequently needed items is incredible. 

My only complaint would be that the pockets are too high. It would be nice to have them lowered or have a reachable pocket when lying down. In order to get anything out of those corner pockets, you are either on your knees or standing up. That’s fine during the day, but not when turning in for bed with children or when something is rustling outside the tent.

Nemo Aurora 6p Tent Setup

Our first day of camping was a bright sunny day followed by two days of heavy rain, not the ideal weather for tent camping. On these particular days, I feel like buying an RV! But this is BushLife, and even I need a reminder here and there to suck it up as it’s only rain. 

It allowed us to see how well the NEMO Aurora Highrise fares. After two days of heavy rains, I must say that there was NOT ONE drop within the camping tent. It held up to the rain and the strong winds that were coming in from the north. 

The tent’s colour-coded tabs make pitching the Nemo Aurora Highrise 6P Tent a breeze. The first setup on any tent is usually a challenge, but once familiar with the layout and pieces, popping up the Aurora 6P tent becomes very quick and easy. 

For the most part, setting up the NEMO can be done by one person. If you are a shorter person, you will need assistance getting the rainfly over the tent poles and clipping it in near the top of the tent.

The tent is staked through grommets on the colour-coded fabric tabs. I am curious to see how long those fabric tabs will last. So far, it has been two years, going into our third, and there have been no issues. The rainfly gets clipped into sewn-in buckles on the tabs. All adjustments to the rainfly are made at the buckle. 

Since the tent stands taught, repositioning the tent to a more suitable location is simple.

Footprint

NEMO also provides enough guylines to keep the tent taught, which helps keep the Aurora dry and stable in the wind. One thing to mention is that a footprint does not come with the NEMO Aurora Highrise 6-Person tent. 

Since the Aurora Highrise is a higher-end camping tent, I think it should come with one. There is an option to buy the Aurora Highrise footprint separately. While this is convenient, you can make your own using a vapour barrier to help the budget.

Carrying Bag

The Aurora Highrise carry bag allows easy transportation without adding excessive weight to your backpack or vehicle. The tent and its components fit nicely into the bag, providing you roll up the tent properly. I do find the fabric to be a bit thin. So far, there are no tears – only time will tell if the carry bag is strong enough. 

NEMO Warranty

When buying a tent, take the time to check into the warranty and the company’s customer service reviews. For me, these are key considerations when purchasing pricer items. Thankfully, NEMO offers a lifetime warranty on all defects, workmanship, and materials to the original owner. Another thing to note is that their customer service is friendly, and response time is quick.

Weather Resistance and Performance

After two years of camping with the NEMO Aurora Highrise 6P tent, we can confidently say that the tent has held up to heavy downpours and wind. Its fully taped seams, durable rainfly and bathtub-style floor effectively repelled water, prevented leaks and kept the interior dry.

In addition to its waterproof capabilities, the Nemo Aurora Highrise 6P Tent is windproof. The tent’s sturdy aluminum poles and robust construction kept the tent stable and secure, even in gusty conditions.

Comparisons with Other Similar Tents in the Market

Besides the NEMO Aurora Highrise 6P tent, we own a 6-person Howling Moon Commanche, which is cumbersome. The Commanche is a massive, heavy canvas tent that needs a large vehicle for transport. Not only that, it takes half a day to set up!

So, when considering a tent, make sure you take the time to compare different options available in the market. Otherwise, you will make a purchase that you are not happy with.

While other tents can accommodate six people, the Nemo Aurora Highrise 6P Tent excels in interior space and headroom, as well as large windows and fantastic ventilation. It also features quality materials and a solid construction to withstand various weather conditions. We can’t forget the tasteful colour palette and funky floor pattern!

Price and Value for Money of the Nemo Aurora Highrise 6P Tent

The Nemo Aurora Highrise 6P Tent may come with a higher price tag compared to some of its competitors, but it offers exceptional value for the money. Of course, there are more affordable options, but they lack the space, durability or function.

We find that Aurora Highrise is a comfortable and reliable camping tent that’s worth every penny. On top of this, the Nemo brand is known for its commitment to quality, and the Aurora Highrise 6P Tent is no exception. Investing in this tent gave us a camping experience that is second to none.

So, Is the Nemo Aurora Highrise 6P Tent Worth the Investment?

Even with minor infractions, like no footprint, tie-up windows and no convenient pockets, the NEMO Aurora Highrise camping tent is worth considering. It’s a comfortable 3-season camping tent with a lifetime warranty! That level of warranty is comforting anytime you hand over cash for better-quality gear. Its thoughtful design and attention to detail make it a standout product in the outdoor gear industry.

So, whether you are in the market for a new camping tent in a 4 or 6-person configuration with creature comforts, more space and functionality, the Nemo Aurora Highrise 6P Tent is undoubtedly worth every penny. From its spacious interior and user-friendly setup process to its durability and weather resistance, this tent offers a camping experience that exceeds expectations.

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