Nortent Vern 1 tent review: great-value, all-season solo tent for off-grid storm chasers

Welcome to T3’s review of the Nortent Vern 1, an exceptional sub-£500, all-year tent for adventurous soloists, bikepackers and off-road 4x4 fans.

As a keen camping gear junky and self-professed tent nerd, I simply can’t get enough of the stuff, and in the Vern 1, I think I may have found the best-value, one-person, 4-season shelter on the market.

This tent has been designed and manufactured to withstand most of Mother Nature’s wrath, which is why it’s proved so resoundingly popular amongst solo campers who clearly enjoy the challenge of surviving alone, on top of a mountain in a Force 8 gale.

Is it a prime contender for a high-ranking slot in our esteemed guide to the best backpacking tents? Most certainly so.

Nortent Vern 1 all-season tent review

Price and availability

The Nortent Vern 1 is so in demand that it is currently only available for pre-order while the Chinese factory plays catch-up. If you live in the UK, you can pre-order the Vern 1 direct from Nortent for around £450, including shipping, import and VAT duties, or head to Valley and Peak, where this tent sells for a pre-order price of £497.99.

Although the Vern 1 is listed on Amazon USA, it appears to be unavailable at the time of writing, suggesting it has also sold out in the US. However, I would keep checking, because things can change overnight.

Specifications

• Seasons: 4-season
• Style: Dome/tunnel
• Sleeps: 1.5
• Pack size: 40 x 19cm (15.7 x 7.4in)
• Packed weight: 2.88kgs (6.34lb)
• Floor area: 1.9 m² (20.5 ft²)
• Height: 100cm (39.37in)
• Length: 260cm (102.36in)
• Width: 200cm (78.74in)
• Canopy Fabric: 30D Ripstop Silnylon
• Floor fabric: 70D nylon 
• Bag Fabric: 70D Ripstop Silnylon
• Rainfly Hydrostatic Head: 3,500mm
• Floor Hydrostatic Head: 10,000 mm
• Poles: 3 x 9.5mm 7001 series aluminium (780 g)
• Guylines: Dyneema 10 pieces

Pitching process

When you arrive at your pitch in the driving rain, and the wind’s blowing a hooley, you need a freestanding tent that not only pitches inner and outer at the same time, but does so with minimal fuss and zero chance of it blowing away mid-pitch. The Nortent Vern 1 is one such tent.

This model comes in a slightly oversized and handsomely attired storm-proof bag, and its pitching process is almost identical to that of the Hilleberg Soulo. Start by pegging out the rectangular footprint to establish the tent’s orientation into the wind. Now unfurl its three elasticated aluminium poles (two long, one short) and feed the shortest one into the short sleeves on either side of the tent’s centre region.

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Next, grab both long poles and feed them into the remaining sleeves from one corner to the other, making sure to run them parallel. I initially made the mistake of installing them diagonally because that’s how they looked in the images. Don’t do this, or you could deform a pole.

Now that the poles are in position, simply walk in circles around the tent while gradually attaching the myriad of clips on the outer fly to their nearest adjacent pole. You should now have a taut dome-like structure that’s ready to be pegged. If camping at a higher altitude, I would suggest pegging all 18 guy points and lines in case the weather worsens.

In the realm of tent-pitching processes, you might not find an easier system than this. Just be sure to properly locate the six pole sleeves and attach every single tent clip and you’re good to go.

Overall design

Norwegian tent builder Nortent has very quickly become one of the backpacking world’s most talked-about brands. And justifiably so because, on evidence of the popular Vern 1 we’re looking at here, the company has really pushed the envelope in terms of design, materials, features and, above all, price.

This 2025 variant of the original Nortent Vern is a far cry from its predecessor and better in almost every respect. In fact, were it not for the much higher price of the similarly styled gold-standard Hilleberg Soulo I reviewed in 2025, it would be a choice that’s too close to call.

It hasn’t escaped me that the Vern 1’s pole design and pitching process are uncannily similar to that of the Hilleberg, so putting it up and taking it down is as easy as pie, even in the wildest of conditions.

Combining minimalist Scandinavian aesthetics with exemplary structural strength, this model impresses with its low-profile tunnel-style geometry, taut fabric design to reduce flapping and annoying noise in blustery conditions, and carefully balanced proportions that prioritise storm stability without sacrificing usable internal space.

Moreover, since the Vern 1 is freestanding and relatively narrow, you can easily position it into the wind for improved aerodynamics and added stability before pegging it down. In short, it’s one of the most innovative and spacious one-person tents I’ve ever had the pleasure of reviewing.

I especially love the Vern 1’s twin-door design. In fact, it was the prospect of having two side-by-side doors that attracted me to this tent in the first place. When you unzip both doors on either side of its centre pole, the outer fly provides a wide and almost entirely unobstructed view, which, for me, is an essential ingredient for any tent.

After all, you’ve headed out into the most beautiful part of the countryside and pitched your tent in an area with the best possible view, so why not make the most of it and be able to sit under cover while enjoying the magnificent vista before you? I should add that the Vern 1 also comes with an unusually large vestibule area for cooking with due care or storing extra gear.

Aesthetic subtlety is another notable aspect of the Vern 1’s design. With its dark military green outer and understated branding, this tent blends naturally into the landscape, and that’s a bonus when pitching in permitted areas with ramblers and other campers in the vicinity. Instead of shouting ‘look at my bright new tent’, it simply melds into the background without drawing attention to itself.

Build quality

The Vern 1’s outer flysheet – which hugs the ground like almost all 4-season tents – is comprised of a swathe of sturdy 30D Ripstop Silnylon with Dyneema-reinforced stress points. This outer has a perfectly robust 3,000mm hydrostatic head for protection against the heaviest rain.

The 70D floor fabric, meanwhile, provides more than enough protection against sharp stones and twigs while its 10,000mm hydrostatic head keeps all moisture at bay. However, I would personally invest in the optional footprint groundsheet for even better protection and reduced condensation when most of the vents are closed.

Heading to the poles, this model ships with three 9.5mm Nortent-branded aluminium poles that seem incredibly strong despite not coming from the trusted DAC stable. Like the Hilleberg Soulo, the poles are bedded into reinforced 10-inch-long sleeves at all four corners and along the sides for the shorter transverse pole.

All three poles are clipped, in turn, to a vast array of sturdy clips that produce an extremely taut shell boasting impressive rigidity in all weathers. And, like the Soulo, you can install a second set of poles if needed to make the tent strong enough to support an adult's weight. I know this because I’ve seen it demonstrated.

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The Nortent Vern 1 comes with 18 high-quality aluminium Y-pegs, designed to secure the main tent body at six primary pegging points, plus an extensive guy line system comprising 10 durable Dyneema lines with clever elasticated cinches attached for easy storage when packing up.

Once everything’s in place, this tent is capable of withstanding winds in excess of 40mph, and I know this, too, because I have watched over a dozen videos of brave/foolish users living through a barrage of mountain-top storms with no leaks, tears or life-threatening damage to report.

That’s a testament to just how well this tent has been designed and built. Put another way, if you’re in the market for a ‘bombproof’ backpacker that has already proved itself umpteen times, the Nortent Vern 1 is a very worthy contender.

I should add at this juncture that the Nortent Vern 1 is nowhere near the lightest of backpacking tents. At 2.88kg (6.34lb) it’s quite a hefty package to carry when compared to some ultralight tents that tip the scales between 600g and 1.5kgs. But in its favour, the Vern 1 is comprised of materials designed for four-season camping in all weathers.

Interior design

The Vern 1’s inner tent measures approximately 260cm in length, 200cm in width and 100cm in height. I’m just 5’5” in height, and I can kneel in the centre with just the top of my hair brushing against the fabric. When I sit down, I have about three inches of headroom. That’s good enough for me.

Nortent advertises this model as a 1.5-person tent, and I’m inclined to agree. In terms of liveable space, I had no problems installing a 51×183cm Big Agnes Rapide SL insulated sleeping mat with plenty of additional floor space to one side for a backpack, clothing, shoes, etc.

I especially like the inner tent’s bright yellow lining and no-see-um mesh panels on the circular inner door which helps prevent insect entry while maintaining decent airflow during warmer conditions when a 4-season tent is usually at its least comfortable. The Vern 1 also comes with multiple storage pockets positioned for easy access when lying down, an integrated clothes line for drying damp socks and base layers, plus ceiling-mounted hooks for hanging up a couple of LED lamps.

Four-season tents are known for creating more condensation than their average 2- or 3-season counterparts, and this is mostly due to the fact that their outer fly sheets are nearly always flush with the ground to keep cold air out and prevent the influx of snowy spindrift.

As a result, 4-season tents tend to suffer more from condensation due to reduced ventilation, and this is something the Hilleberg Soulo has occasionally been accused of.

Thankfully, ventilation in this tent has been carefully integrated with adjustable floor-level triangular end vents that can be zipped closed if necessary or used with their integral mesh linings. The dual outer door, too, can be opened in multiple configurations for extra airflow.

In fact, even when it's pouring with rain, the left doorway's outward-facing window has a built-in rain peak to keep inclement weather out while increasing airflow when the top of the door is partially unzipped.

While no 4-season tent is completely devoid of condensation in colder weather, I think Nortent has done its homework and installed enough airflow measures into the Vern 1 to make it feel far less stuffy than others on the market.

Comfort and performance

I’ll admit to not testing this tent in the wilderness, though I did spend a night in it about 200m from home. Mind, as already mentioned, I have watched an inordinate amount of YouTube videos of this tent being run through the mill in the kind of weather no sane person would wish to endure.

I’ve seen users endure a night of sub-zero temperatures, raging winds with gusts in excess of 45mph and heavy snowfall in the Welsh and Scottish mountains, and I’ve been amazed at how well the Vern 1 has faired in the vast majority of bad weather events.

You won’t see many negative reviews of this tent, and, having had it in my hands for the past few weeks, I can see why, because I, too, have been blown away by how well the Vern 1 has been designed and built.

Granted, it would be an even bigger bonus were Nortent to strike a deal with premium pole maker DAC and have a set of the company’s made-to-measure poles included on its website for fans of the DAC brand, but I have to say that, on evidence of my own experience with erecting and disassembling this tent multiple times, the included Nortent-branded poles are holding their shape and doing the job they were designed for.

I can’t wait to hit the Welsh slopes in the next month or two when I can dip back into this article to let you know more about its performance in the wilderness. But for now, I’m happy to say that its overnight performance was exemplary.

Firstly, I loved the spacious feel and airy glow of its yellow inner lining, and I’ve also been impressed by the amount of ventilation and how warm it felt when hunkering down for the night. I’d say it was at least four to five degrees warmer than the ambient temperature.

For my relatively small stature, I had loads of space to move around in it, and I absolutely loved the surfeit of storage pockets, including the two triangular above-head nets for stowing a phone for instant reach.

For me, the best part of the Vern 1’s entire design is that airy double-door vestibule I mentioned above. I just love the fact that you can make the most of a fine view by having both doors open instead of being stuck in the porch looking out of a porthole. I’m especially looking forward to trying this open-air viewing area in finer weather, when I suspect the double doors will come into their own in terms of both outlook and ventilation.

For less than £500 on average, this tent is excellent value given its wind- and rain-resistant credentials. Yes, it’s heavier than many other backpacking models on the market, so you may not be able to travel as far without a few breathers on the way, but what price reliability and confidence when faced with the worst that nature can throw at you?

Verdict

The Nortent Vern 1 four‑season backpacking tent is an extremely robust solo shelter that prioritises strength and durability over ultralight minimalism.

While not the lightest one-person option on the shelves, it balances its few extra grams with genuine four-season protection, reassuring build quality, high-end design flair and generous interior space for any serious backpacker or 4x4 off-road camper looking for dependable performance in highly demanding conditions. Highly recommended.