Night Cat Pop-up Camping Tent: 1 Person Waterproof

1) super easy to set up
2). Did not include guy lines or pegs
3). Packs down much smaller because it folds four time rather than the traditional three.
4). Instructions do not adequately show how to fold it back up. Most of the YouTube instructions are for a three fold nit this your fold. You need to search for “upgraded”
5). I haven’t used it overnight yet. It does only have one door and two small windows, so I suspect condensation may be an issue. Larger models have an additional one across from the door. I am interested but hopeful as to the waterproof status, as my other 3 night cats are very well sealed and handle rain super well.
3 lbs and much smaller pack than expected. Can’t wait to try this little poppy.

This tent is a good 1-man tent. Enough space for 1 person sleeping plus backpack/gear next to you in the tent, as long as you’re not claustrophobic (I had a 70L frameless backpack with me in mine). This is basically a sleeping tent. Not a tent you can stand up in, or one you would want to spend a lot of time in otherwise. Crouching down or crawling around on hands and knees is all you get. Probably best suited for overnight thru-hiking on trail.

Pros:
1. Small footprint, light-weight, with easy-carry handles, and backpack strap option. The shape of the tent makes for good wind resistance during high wind conditions (speaking from experience).

2. Set up is quick and easy. Less than 20 seconds (without setting the guy lines). The longest part is getting it out of the bag or staking, tying, and adjusting the guy lines, but even that doesn’t take long. Tear down is quick and easy as well. I was able to tear down (guy lines included) and be ready to move in under 10 minutes without rushing.

3. Zip-cover for entrance doubles as a canopy for shade (in good weather) when used with hiking poles.

4. Waterproof tent, extreme weather circumstances excluded (see Cons for more info on this). Well-stitched seams, with durable material.

Cons:
1. No Rainfly. This is a waterproof tent, as long as you aren’t in heavy/sustained rains. During extreme conditions, moisture may soak through. Speaking from experience here (remnants of Hurricane Helene September 2024 in Northern KY/Southern OH, with 20+ hours of rain). If there were some type of rainfly over the tent, I think it would have held up just fine. It didn’t leak, it just became overly saturated due to the amount of rainfall I experienced.

2. 3-way ventilation. There is the main entrance, and two small side zippered mesh windows only. No top mesh ventilation. If the “wall” opposite of the main entrance had an additional zippered mesh window or opening, it would maximize ventilation potential since there is no top mesh for “waterproof” purposes. However, I believe Night Cat offers 4-way ventilation in the 2-person version of this tent.

Overall:
I feel like this tent lives up to descriptions, again, extreme weather conditions excluded, but that probably goes for any tent. Ease of set up and tear down are a plus if you’re thru-hiking and just need cover for a quick sleep, or just want something simple for overnighting somewhere on your own.

Exactly what I needed! Easy to use and fold!

Being light weight and easy install is about the only thing good for this product. Bought this for husband to go on one over night fishing trip. Set up was quick and easy, It was enough room for one person, and a bag or two which is as advertised. At night was were he had the most issues, he had all the vents open and there was constant condensation dripping throughout the tent. It was if it was raining in the tent all night. The next morning he exited the tent, and went to close the door via zipper and it broke, completely came off the track. Later that afternoon as he was folding it back up, it ripped. Sadly, we got a single use out of this tent. He tossed it and didn’t even bring it home. In theory its a great idea, just poorly put together. I feel very let down on how I expected the product to be.

As long as you don’t need a lot from this tent, I think you’ll find it meets your needs well. Still need to test it in “a storm” but it seems to be waterproof.

First, it is light. But it’s rather large at 20″ diameter, so this will NOT fit in a backpack I own. It doesn’t even fit flat in my pullman suitcase. So it’s very much for car camping and short trips into the woods. Now the carry bag does have adjustable shoulder straps to wear it on your back. The challenge is then getting a day pack over the tent and onto your back as well. The tent bag is about 3″ thick so it’s doable but not all that comfortable.

Set up takes a few seconds – unfold, put the supplied 10 tent stakes in, perhaps prop the door open (or tie it up using the supplied ropes) and you’re set. The end of the tent didn’t lie flat on first use; easily solved with tent stakes.

The tent has about 7 feet of length, and 3 feet of width in the main. A twin mattress is JUST BARELY going to fit inside, but it will fit. It’s about 2.5″ tall at the sole tent entrance and not much higher inside, so only young kids will be standing inside. No porch at the entrance, just a mosquito net you can zip up while leaving the door open. There is a small cell phone pouch located under one of the two side windows; otherwise you’re left to your own organizing efforts inside. This is a spartan tent.

The lack of an attached rain fly concerns me. I did put the tent in the shower and can confirm that water doesn’t immediately enter the tent. Whether that’s enough in the rain, never mind “a storm”, remains to be seen. If you are car camping, bringing a back up tarp is a good idea until you have proven that this is 100% waterproof in most weather conditions.

I had no trouble folding it back into its bag. Yes, you need to apply substantial force, wondering when the poles will snap and poke your eye out. Trust that these poles – like all pop-up tents – will not snap while folding it back into a tiny circle.

My niece is really excited to add it to her summer backyard campout collection – it means she can invite one more person over. I expect to try this after a very long day of hiking, likely in a national park campground. I doubt I’ll take it out on the trail for a multi-day hike, just due to the bulk (not the weight). But on a warm summer night when a beach towel and a light air mattress works fine, maybe I’d give it a try on the trail?

So…if it stays dry in all weather, I think it meets all of my requirements for a one-person tent. Don’t try to squeeze two adults in every night, don’t expect to spend hours inside comfortably during the day, don’t expect to store all your gear inside the entrance of the tent, don’t try to cram it inside a backpack. Use it as designed and I think you’ll be happy.

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