We were deep in Nepal, backpacking through the Himalayas. The cool evening air blew across the terrace overlooking lush green mountains as we unfurled the Exped Cassira two-person tent. In a matter of minutes, we had the tent set up and the vestibules wide open, letting in air and offering us views of the countryside.
We spent 5 days trekking through Nepal, using the new Cassira as our base camp, and it performed well. In rain and wind, it kept the elements out and provided a relaxing place to rest after a long day on the trail.
While customers know Exped for its sleeping pads, it also makes tents, and the new Cassira tent is a versatile offering. The two-person version we tested offered extra-large vestibules, ideal for storing gear and even cooking if needed. The tent has steep side walls and a tall peak height, making it a good option for tall hikers.
It is lightweight for a two-person tent and very easy to set up. If it will stand up to a trek halfway around the world in the Himalayas, it will perform well for any trip here stateside.
In short: The Cassira two-person tent ($530) is a lightweight backpacking tent that is easy to set up and has extra-large vestibules that provide good airflow. The steep side walls create a tall peak height for taller hikers. For two large people, the tent will be a bit cramped, but for smaller hikers or a single person, it is quite spacious.
Specifications
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Easy to set up
- Comfortable
- Lightweight
Cons
- Smaller 2P
- Guylines tangle
- Expensive
Exped Cassira Two-Person Tent Review
On Trail
We tested the Cassira two-person tent on a trekking trip in Nepal and set it up everywhere from villagers’ yards to mountaintops that experienced flooding.
The tent is ultralight for a two-person tent, coming in at around 2 pounds, 8 ounces. And the ease of setup meant we had more time to enjoy our evenings and less time trying to build camp. The tent has one T-shaped pole that snaps into place to erect the tent’s body.
Being in the rainy season, we used the rainfly each night. It slips over the body and stakes out. The guylines at the end of the rainfly attach to the tent with an O-ring and tend to get tangled. It was one of the few drawbacks.
The rainy season in Nepal made it very humid, and the Cassira offers great airflow even with the rainfly on. The sides and top of the tent body are mesh, and you can open the rainfly wide to let air in, or even roll it halfway up the tent for views of the night sky.
This standout feature we loved about the Exped tent is the “Stargazer Mode, “where you can roll back and secure the head end of the fly, revealing full night sky views while retaining a bit of privacy and wind protection.
Built for Backpacking
While there are tons of tents for backpackers these days, the Cassira two-person tent is a great option for trekkers who want a lightweight shelter without sacrificing space and comfort.
The tent’s pole system uses DAC NFL Poles, which are lightweight, strong, and provide solid stability. Part of the reason the setup is so easy and quick is that the pole hubs and canopy clips make it clear how to attach the tent to the poles. Exped calls the guylines its “Rapid Tension System,” which anchors the tent to the ground for extra stability. This does provide more stability in the wind, but the lines can easily get tangled.
The interior of the tent is built using waterproof ground protection, a polyurethane-coated floor rated to 1,500mm water column, and factory-taped seams. This kept us dry the entire time.
The Cassira is designed to prioritize headroom and space, which it does well. With one person in the tent, there is plenty of room. Adding a second makes it a little tighter on the floor space, but the headroom is great.
For the hot, humid days on the trail, the fine mosquito mesh provided ample ventilation, while also keeping bugs and snakes out. The side of the tent has 15-denier ripstop nylon polyester fabric that offers some wind and privacy, but without the rainfly, the tent is quite exposed.
The interior offers ample storage space with four pockets (two overhead and two at one end of the tent), making it easy to stash gear while sleeping. There are five interior loops for attaching gear lofts, accessories, and camp lights as needed.
Who Is It For?
The Exped Cassira tent hits the sweet spot for backpackers who want a lightweight freestanding tent that doesn’t skimp on features or space.
It provides a nice balance of comfort, weather protection, and packability. For three-season backpacking, it offers ultralight minimalism and traditional backpacking comfort.
It would not be a good fit for people new to backpacking, considering the cost, and it is also overkill for weekend warriors or car campers. And for ultralight thru-hikers, a trekking pole tent may be a better option if you are really counting ounces. If you plan to use it in winter or cold weather, its mesh won’t provide much warmth.
Takeaway
In the field, the Cassira two-person tent performed great, and it stood up to everything the Himalayas threw at it. Compared to other tents I’ve tested over the years, Exped has created a really lightweight, easy-to-use tent that will work for multiday treks as well as overnight camping trips.
For anyone in the market for a lightweight tent that still offers all the features and ample space, this is a good backpacking or bikepacking tent for hitting the trail. The Cassira two-person tent is $530. Check it out!
