About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the tent, which I purchased with my own money in September of 2021.

My take

The Marmot Tungsten 3P is a quality tent at a great value. It is versatile enough for both comfortable car camping and shorter backpacking trips.

About the gear

• Product Model: Marmot Tungsten 3P
• Size: 3 people or 2 plus a pup

About me

• Height: 5’10”
• Weight: 200 lbs
• Experience: 35 years of camping/backpacking

Test conditions

• When I bought the tent : September 2021
• Days tested: 7
• Number of occupants: 2
• Pack: REI Trail 70
• Sleeping pad: Nemo Quasar - 3D
• Sleeping bag: REI Trail Pod 30F
• Total pack weight: 25-30 lbs
• Used for: Car camping, Festival Camping, Short Backpacking Trips
• Where I’ve used it: Washington - Stevens Pass/PCT, Tieton River, and Colorado - Rocky Mountain National Park
• Seasons I’ve used it in: Fall/Spring/Summer

How it performs

What I was looking for

I was looking for a versatile tent for multiple use cases. I wanted it to be light enough to be used as a comfortable option for some backpacking trips, and roomy and durable enough for car and festival camping.

Why I chose this gear

The Marmot Tungsten 3P tent is a durable and versatile tent that stands out from other options in the category. With an included footprint and great built-in features, this tent seemed like a perfect solution for my needs.

The Nemo Aurora Highrise 3 was another tent I considered, which is a solid, comparable option that also includes a footprint but has an MSRP that is $50 more than the Tungsten.

What I love about it

• Ease of setup: This tent is easy to set up from the first day it is used and only gets easier the more it’s used. First, lay out the included footprint, line up the tent on top of the footprint and then extend the poles locking them into place. The two poles connect with a robust swivel located top and center. Each of the four corners locks into a grommet in the tent body and footprint. Then plastic clips on the tent body snap onto the poles, pulling the tent up and into form. Finally, the Rainfly lays over the tent, with an adjustable plastic buckle locking into each corner. A small pole extends the vestibule on each side of the tent, and finally, Velcro on the fly to the tent poles and stakes and guidelines finish the setup. This process takes 5-10 minutes with two people, slightly longer with only one.
• Breakdown speed: Breaking the tent down is as easy as it is to set up. Gear is removed quickly through either of the two large doors. Each component folds well and rolls up together for easy placement into the storage bag. The footprint fits with everything without any additional effort.
• Weight: This tent comes in at just over six pounds. It isn’t designed to be a UL (ultra-light) backpacking tent, but I have used it for shorter backpacking trips without any issue. Compared to the UL version of the same tent, the extra durability gained from the extra weight is justified.
• Performance in rain: Camping in the rain is never ideal, especially when said rain is not in the forecast. That was the exact situation I found myself in on my last trip. I was away from our campsite when the rain started, and it would be several hours before making it back. The seam-taped, full coverage rain fly and catenary-shaped tent floor worked perfectly in keeping sleeping bags and pads dry.
• Performance in wooded areas with lots of trees: The Tungsten 3P did great when set up in the woods. It was easy to regulate the inside temperature as the sun moved across the sky, and the tent went from the shadows of trees back into direct sunlight.
• Performance when camping with a partner or group: With two large vestibules and D-shaped doors, there is plenty of room to stow boots and packs outside and enter and exit the tent without crawling over one’s tent mates. There is also plenty of headroom to sit up and stretch out. The interior square footage measures just above 40 square feet.
• Special features: A lampshade pocket is built into the ceiling, allowing a secure place to stow my headlamp, which lights up the tent's interior. Interior mesh pockets keep track of smaller items. Color-coded clips and poles make setup easy.
• Stability: Stable when the tent is freestanding and very stable when properly set up and staked to the ground.
• Durability: The floor of this tent is made from 100% polyester and taffeta, weighing 65g/sqm, and the fly is made of 100% polyester with ripstop, making both very durable. The poles of this tent are made from Velocity HD and a DAC press fit 7000 series aluminum which is both light and durable.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Packability: I have packed this tent in my 70L backpack pack and a large duffel while flying to Colorado, so it is fairly packable, but this is not a minimalist tent and does take up a decent amount of space. If one is flying, take care to remove the tent stakes before arriving at airport security.
• Lightweight: At 5 lbs 13.5 oz, this tent is a great weight for its size; however, it is not a UL tent designed for longer backpacking trips. I would look for a UL tent to help shed some additional weight for those trips.
• Color: The Blaze coloring for my version of this tent is a VIBRANT orange. Great for safely being seen in the woods and for Denver Broncos fans but be advised if orange or bright colors aren’t your thing.

Favorite moment with this gear

My favorite moment with this tent was getting stuck in the rainstorm I mentioned above. Luckily, we were well-prepared with snacks, wine, music, and lights. A night that could have been uncomfortable turned into a fun experience with plenty of room to stretch out and relax.

Value for the money vs. other options

With an MSRP of just under $300, this tent is a great value compared to similar three-person tents. The included footprint is an added bonus. Less expensive options in the category are smaller and include fewer features. Other tents in the same category include the Nemo Aurora Highrise 3P, which has a slightly higher MSRP, or the Big Agnes Blacktail 3P, which has an MSRP similar to the Tungsten.

Final verdict

The Marmot Tungsten 3P tent is an affordable, durable tent that works well for everything from car camping to shorter backpacking trips. I love the ease of setup and features and appreciate the included footprint. I expect this tent to last for years and be part of many more adventures.