Two tents worth lining up side by side. They score within a hair of each other, so it comes down to the details below.
| Mountain Hardwear Nimbus UL 2 | REI Co-op Flash Air 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| GearScore | 79✓ | 78 |
| Capacity | 2 | 2 |
| Packed weight | 32.0 oz✓ | 38.5 oz |
| Floor area | 28.1 sq ft | 28.7 sq ft✓ |
| Space-to-weight | 14.1 /lb✓ | 11.9 /lb |
| Peak height | 41 in | 46.9 in✓ |
| Doors | 1 | 2✓ |
| Vestibules | 1 | 1 |
| Price | $460 | $429✓ |
| Type | Ultralight | Ultralight |
Highlighted cells mark the better spec: Nimbus UL 2 in blue, Flash Air 2 in amber. A blank spec is never counted as a win. GearScore is the overall rating (0 to 100); re-weight it on the full tent comparison. Prices are current MSRP.
The Mountain Hardwear Nimbus UL 2 and REI Co-op Flash Air 2 take different routes to the same job. They are close enough that this really is about which handful of specs you weight most.
The Nimbus UL 2 is 7 oz lighter and better space-to-weight. The Flash Air 2 is more floor area (28.7 vs 28.1 sq ft), taller (46.9 vs 41 in peak), and more doors (2 vs 1). Their GearScores land within a couple of points (79 vs 78), so neither runs away with it.
Pick the Nimbus UL 2 if you care most about low weight and space-to-weight, which makes it the better call for counting grams on long miles. Pick the Flash Air 2 if floor space and headroom matter more to you, or you are focused on comfort and room to move.
The Mountain Hardwear Nimbus UL 2. It is 7 oz lighter than the Flash Air 2.
The REI Co-op Flash Air 2. It is more floor area (28.7 vs 28.1 sq ft) than the Nimbus UL 2.
They are nearly tied at 79 and 78 on the default algorithm, so re-weight the score to your own priorities to break the tie.
It depends on your priorities. Go with the Nimbus UL 2 for low weight, or the Flash Air 2 for floor space. The spec table above shows exactly where each wins.