Naturehike Cloudup 2 Review: Our Firsthand Experience

Are you just getting started with backpacking or looking for a new tent? The Naturehike Cloudup 2 tent is a great budget-friendly option that we’ve used for years!

It’s held up well, and is reasonably priced, making your adventures more comfortable and enjoyable because of its ease of use and lightweight packability.

Let’s take a closer look at what makes this tent so great. The Cloudup 2 is made with waterproof and breathable fabric, so you’ll stay dry even if it rains. We’ve tested it in some very heavy downpours, and we’ve never had any leaks.

Plus, the mesh wall panels provide excellent ventilation so that you won’t overheat on those hot summer days. There are vent spots in the rainfly, too. Best of all, this tent sets up in just minutes, even if you’re doing it solo – perfect after a long day of hiking!

Naturehike is a company that has been around since 2010, focusing solely on developing outdoor gear.

Their developers are known to be outdoor lovers. Their goal is to create durable and lightweight gear to help you get out and explore more easily.

This tent is a great example of their work, and that experience certainly comes in handy to create a functional product at this price.

➡️ Purchase your Naturehike Cloudup 2 Backpacking Tent here.

The Goods

Unpacking your Naturehike Cloundup 2 tent is pretty easy!

In the packaging, you’ll find everything you need to have a successful camping shelter.

As you unpack, you’ll find a footprint, a tent body, and a rain fly. You’ll find the poles for the tent are all connected in one piece, so it’s difficult to mess up the setup. There are also enough tent stakes to tie it down in inclement weather.

The rainfly is easy to throw on when rain is expected, but it can be folded away if you don’t need it. The tent has a mesh upper, which is great for late-night stargazing on clear nights.

The Naturehike Cloudup 2 is considered a lightweight backpacking tent and is a 2-person tent. Backpacking tents do run small in size, so keep that in mind when considering which option to purchase.

Price

At the time of posting this tent is selling for less than $150. When compared to many other similar-sized tents on the market, this tent is quite reasonably priced, and so far has held up very well.

➡️ Click here to check the current pricing for the NatureHike CloudUp2

While there are a few negative points that we’ll get to later, that certainly wouldn’t deter us from purchasing this tent again.

If one of the negatives sounds like a dealbreaker for you, we’ll try to give you an equally great alternative.

Where to Buy

The Naturehike Cloudup 2, as well as other sizes like the Cloudup 1 and 3, and other Naturehike tents can all be purchased on Amazon.

That’s the best place to purchase this tent because of the ease of returns and the quick shipping.

➡️ Purchase your Naturehike Cloudup 2 Backpacking Tent here.

Set-Up

The Naturehike Cloudup 2 setup is so easy. One person can easily set this tent up on their own in 5-10 minutes, even as a beginner.

With 2 people, this tent can be set up in just a few minutes.

Begin by laying out the footprint and then spreading out the tent on top, lining up the metal rings at the corners.

Take the pole next and after extending, secure each of the ends in the metal rings on both the footprint and tent, making sure that the longer legs are on the door side.

Then, clip the hooks on the tent to the poles. If you plan to use the rainfly, throw that over next, secure the buckles on the sides, and use the stakes to fix the system to the ground.

At a minimum, you’ll want to use the stakes to secure the rainfly out to form the vestibule and the two on the sides for a little better circulation.

You’re done!

Durability and Materials

There are 2 different materials that you can choose from when selecting your Cloudup 2 tent. It comes in a 210T Polyester or 20D Nylon.

The nylon option can be a little bit lighter, but it stretches and sags when wet.

The polyester will hold the shape better during rain but can be a little less waterproof. 

We use the one made of 210T Polyester, and we have had absolutely no issue with leaking during even heavy rains. Everything that we’ve kept inside the tent walls during these storms has stayed dry during many rainy backpacking trips. 

Weight

The 2-person Cloudup tent weighs 4.6 pounds, according to the packaging. Our at-home test confirms this weight is very accurate when including every one of the tent components.

You could probably cut a few ounces with some of the stakes, etc. if you must make it lighter, but 2.3 pounds per person for a sleeping shelter is a totally reasonable amount of weight to carry if you are using this for 2 people.

Size

This tent is not spacious, but that’s not the primary concern for most users considering this tent.

The sleeping space measures  82.7 inches by 49.2 inches. This gives two people a strip of space to sleep in that is about 2 feet wide.

There is space at the feet to bring some gear inside for those of us who weren’t gifted with height, and there is a small vestibule where more gear can be stored under cover but not completely inside the tent.

There isn’t a ton of headspace or wiggle room once inside the tent for 2 people, but it is certainly possible to make it work.

The Negatives

As with many backpacking tents, there isn’t much wiggle room to move around once inside, as we have already mentioned. If you’re planning to use this for 2 people, you’re going to get very cozy.

There isn’t much extra room for us, and we wouldn’t consider either of us large humans. We’re not 6’3″!

For those who are taller, with broad shoulders, or who just like to move around a little, we’d recommend sizing up to the Naturehike Cloudup 3.

You’ll get an extra couple of inches in length but nearly 20 inches in width by upsizing. The three-person tent version does add 1.3 pounds of weight, though, which is something to consider when gathering items for your pack.

Also, if you plan to hike and camp with your dogs or other pets, upsizing to the Cloudup 3 will allow for more room to bring them along. We took our pup who weighs about 40 lbs on one trip with us in this tent, and we made it, but it wasn’t comfortable.

Would We Recommend It?

We think the Naturehike Cloudup 2 is a great budget lightweight backpacking tent. It has been durable for us over multiple backpacking trips for years. The ease of setup is a major selling point for us, as is the weatherproof nature of this tent.

We’ve been caught in heavy rainfall multiple times and have always woken up to dry, protected gear inside the tent. For the cost, this is a great “introductory” backpacking tent that, when cared for, can last for quite a long time.

This tent is considered a 3-season tent, and we’re not winter warriors, so we can’t attest to its cold weather use. As a 3-season option, in our experience, this tent will keep you dry, even in heavier rain.

It’s also worth noting that the CloudUp 1 is a smaller version of this tent that is made for sheltering one person. If you want to get cozy as a single person, the CloudUp 1 is even lighter.

If you are looking for a budget-friendly and easy-to-setup tent for your next hiking or backpacking trip, the Naturehike CloudUp 2 is a great option.

We highly recommend this tent, especially for novice hikers and backpackers who are just starting out, but the Naturehike brand would suit most needs. We’ve tested this lightweight two-person tent and it has had to withstand some rainy and windy weather conditions, so you can rest assured that you should stay dry during your outdoor adventure.

This is an awesome tent that can be a great piece of starter gear to get you out on your next adventure!