Hilleberg Anjan 2 Review
If you’re looking for a burly backpacking tent that’s easy to pitch and take down, the Hilleberg Anjan 2 might be the tent for you! Quality and simplicity are what Hilleberg is all about — along with a serious dose of durability. The Swedish company only makes tents, and makes them to withstand higher rigor than most tents in the US.
The Anjan 2 is Hilleberg’s lightweight model, and is a tunnel tent that features a single door with a roomy vestibule. It has only two poles and the rainfly sets up with the main tent, cutting down on time. If you enjoy getting rad when the winds are howling and weather is tearing through, look no further, this might just be your perfect tent.
Hilleberg Anjan 2 Star Rating
- Sleep Comfort
- Durability
- Ease of Setup
- Space
- Vibe
Summary
The Hilleberg Anjan 2 is a burly 3-season-plus tunnel tent. Designed with a massive single door openeing, roomy vestibule, and excellent venting, this tent works in heavy snow, rain, and nearly anything else you might encounter. The tent sets up at once despite having a separate rain fly, which cuts down on time.
The Anjan 2 is in hot contention for our Premium Pick tent for the Wilderness Backpacker, which has been held by the Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL 2. The tents are quite different. The Copper Spur aims for a very low weight, a decent amount of space, two vestibules and doors, and lots of features. The Anjan 2 is a tunnel, has a single door, and is built more sparsely but for much harsher environments.
While we love and recommend the Anjan 2 highly, its cost and relative space aren’t enough to change our Premium Pick. That said, if you need a burlier tent and don’t mind the cost, we would recommend it over the Copper Spur.
Read the full Hilleberg Anjan 2 review below.
Hilleberg Anjan 2 Review Specifications
| Feature Type | Feature Specs | What This Means |
|---|---|---|
| Packed Weight | 3 lbs 12 oz. (1.7 kg g) | Fairly light tent for the incredible durability. |
| Type | Semi-Freestanding, Staked Corners | This tent is semi-freestanding due to the two arched tunnel poles. To get the full breadth of tent and vestibule you must stake out both. |
| Wall Type | Double, Connected | Technically a double wall tent, with inner mesh and outer rain fly, but the two come attached and are meant to be set up together, making set up quite quick. You can detach if you want to share the load. |
| No. of Doors | 1 | One large door at the front of the tent. |
| Sleeping Capacity | 2-person | A solid 2-person tent that can comfortably sleep two side by side, though it is cozy. |
| Seasons | 3-season+ | Hilleberg lists this as a 3-season tent, and we find that it actually works in 3+ seasons. It can handle a dusting of snow, and the material is quite rugged. It’s not for true mountaineering winters, but for most people it will work well. |
| Packed Size | 19 x 4 in. (48 x 10 cm) | A fairly small tube that can fit in or on a backpack. |
| Floor Dimensions | 86 x 51-43 in. (218 x 129-109 cm) | Over seven feet in length, this tent is long enough for nearly everyone. The width goes from 51 at the head to 43 at the base, which means plenty of room near your head, a lot less near your feet. Two 20 inch pads sit side by side with ease, but two 25-inch pads won’t. |
| Floor Area | 30.1 sqft (if available) | On the high end for most two-person tents. It will feel like enough space. |
| Peak Height | 39 in. (99 cm) | Not the tallest peak height for 2-person tents, but it maintains this height better than most tents due to the tunnel shape. This makes it feel more spacious than most other tents with taller peaks. |
| No. of Vestibules | 1 | Just one vestibule in the front, but it’s massive. Large enough to cook and store all your gear. |
| Vestibule Area | 13 sqft per vestibule | A very large single vestibule. |
| No. of Poles | 2+ | Two poles inserted in sleeves to create the tunnel. Simple. |
| Pole Material | 9mm DAC NSL | Strong, light poles that are industry standard. |
| Rain Fly Material | Kerlon 1000 | Proprietary fabric by Hilleberg. The lightest thickness they offer, but still much stronger than comparable two-person tents. |
| Floor Material | 50D nylon | Decent thickness nylon that is burly enough to not require a footprint. |
| Mesh/Body Material | NoSeeUm Mesh | Solid mesh on the doors, and more Kerlon 1000 on the side panels. |
| Manufacturer Warranty | Limited Lifetime Warranty | Hilleberg has an incredible warranty, so if any piece of this tent malfunctions get in touch. |
| Retail Price | $690 | An almost exorbitantly high price for a two-person tent. It’s all about durability and quality, which come in heaps. |
Gear Review of the Hilleberg Anjan 2 Review
Origins: Easing You In
To put it simply, the San Juan mountains in southwest Colorado are awesome. This October I went backpacking through their peaks and valleys and was able to test the Hilleberg Anjan’s full capabilities because, well, weather.
The Hilleberg Anjan 2 with its vestibule rolled up. Sunshine, a bit of snow, and rain on the way.
This time of year in the High Rockies means that snow has arrived. But so have hot, sunny days and very rainy, chilly days. Winds are often sustained around 40 m.p.h., with gusts up to 80 m.p.h.. A certain kind of temperamental paradise or, in other words, a dream location for those of us who like to find solitude.
In most of my outdoor travel, I use a Hilleberg tent. My current go-to tent is their Saivo, though I have used the Staika and Nammatj as well. This is for a few reasons, but the main one is peace of mind. With a Hilleberg, your tent will not break. It won’t blow away or leak. The construction is simply outstanding.
I’m a backpacker that puts peace of mind before all else — so weight isn’t generally a factor when picking my home for time on the trail. I’d prefer to have it, than have left it to save a few ounces.
The Anjan 2 isn’t for gram counters, but it will hold up in nearly anything.
That said, ease of set up and take down are also critical for me. The Anjan 2, and Hilleberg tents in general, are very simple once you’ve set them up. That’s why I was just delighted to take the Anjan 2 into the mercurial mountains.
Revelation: The Moment I Knew
The Anjan 2 is billed as a three season tent. I knew this prior to my expedition and also knew the chance of snow above 9,000 feet, in October, was likely. What I did not expect was an accumulation of over half a foot of very wet snow that fell from 7 p.m. to 9 a.m. my first night on trail. I had a ton of confidence in Hilleberg’s quality and high standard of design, but that much snow made me a little leary as I unzipped the vestibule and saw my world covered in white.
Snow in fresh supply. The Anjan 2 didn’t have a scratch.
The tent was totally fine. Standing proud without a hint of strain from the sheer weight of snow. This is due to the tunnel design and burley Kerlon 1000 fabric, a custom fabric from Hilleberg. I carefully shook off all the snow and was pleased to see that no damage had been done.
While the snow fell overnight, I snoozed away, totally unaware of what was going on outside. I was toasty warm and because I allowed the tent to vent, there was only a trace amount of condensation inside. After dusting off the snow, I was able to crawl back inside and whip myself up a quick breakfast in the vestibule while the sun began to dry most of the exterior moisture.
Snow melting during a bright morning. The extra-large vestibule with a massive door allows for quick and easy morning cooking right in the tent.
It’s a big deal to have such confidence in a piece of gear. Especially a tent. I’ve seen tents ripped apart or smashed down by heavy snow. I’ve also used tents with poor ventilation options, where you wake up to a thick layer of frost inside your tent and on every piece of gear (like your sleeping bag) inside.
The Anjan 2 was made to conquer those issues and for that, I am forever thankful.
Digging Deeper
Let’s talk about Kerlon. What is Kerlon, you might ask? Kerlon is a proprietary fabric invented by Hilleberg, and found only in Hilleberg tents. It’s an extremely resilient, triple silicone coated, ripstop nylon. It is offered in three weights: 1000, 1,00, and 1800. These weights correspond to Hilleberg’s three main product lines: Yellow label (1000), Red Label (1200), and Black Label (1800).
Interior of the tent. This is Kerlon 1000, and the lightest of the Hilleberg materials. Also, note the gear loop!
These fabrics offer unrivaled weather protection and with each step up in weight they offer tremendous tear strength. Tear strength refers to how likely the product is to tear if it develops a weakness. In fact, when you receive your HIlleberg tent you also get a product catalogue that has a little sample of each fabric with a cut on each, and an invitation to give it your best shot. If your tent is damaged in the field, it is very unlikely that the damage will worsen. This is something that is greatly appreciated for long expeditions into wild and unknown places.
Next, the ingenious design of all Hilleberg tents. This is a huge differentiating factor between them and the competition. All Hilleberg tents are pitched with the outer tent (rain fly) and inner tent simultaneously. The inner tent is attached to the outer with a series of elastic toggles. This means that all you have to do is stake your tent out, insert poles, and pitch.
You can see the outer tent in red (with the arch pole), and the inner tent in yellow. The two are separate (and can be separated), but are meant to be pitched together and at once.
Your inner tent will never get wet during the process of pitching. This is quite handy. If you camp a lot the law of averages states that at some point you will have to set up in foul weather.
The connected inner and outer tents do disconnect, if you want to split the load between two people, or if you know for a fact you won’t need the rain fly layer.
Sleep Comfort 5 Stars
For a two person backpacking tent with relatively small dimensions on paper, the Hilleberg Anjan 2 is actually quite spacious. This is due to its tunnel design. The inside walls angle up very quickly, which is quite nice for lofted headroom. You don’t get a sense of claustrophobia, but rather a sense of comfort.
A pad, sleeping bag, and backpack in the Anjan 2. There is enough room for two people, especially with the nearly vertical sidewalls.
Also, there are a handful of ways to vent the tent, so airflow is your choice. The vestibule door can be opened and rolled back partially or you can unstake the top left corner and roll the entire front door up and out of the way. The rear of the tent has a large mesh vent on the inner tent that lets in the breeze. In beautiful weather you can choose to stake out the corners of the inner tent and roll the entire back of the outer tent up. This provides a huge amount of ventilation.
The front vestibule rolls up and out of the way when not in use.
The tunnel design means the Anjan 2 doesn’t whip around in the wind, so it’s nice and quiet no matter what level of storm is brewing outside.
Oh, and I was unbothered by my snoring husband, but I think this has more to do with my earplugs than the tent itself…
Durability 5 Stars
The Hilleberg Anjan 2 weighs in at 3 pounds 12 ounces, a weight some might think is just too heavy for a high-end backpacking tent. I disagree. What that weight gives you, along with the tunnel design, is serious durability. It should be mentioned that footprints are not required for Hilleberg tents. This puts the Anjan 2’s weight right in line with the rest of the backpacking tents out there that do require a footprint due to their more fragile construction.
The Anjan 2, despite a 3-season rating, was abused by winter weather. It was pitched on rocky terrain and faced wind gusts of around 80 m.p.h. After a full week of this, it looks brand new and performed as such. I never once worried about whether or not wind would blow it away. I didn’t have a second thought when the heavy snow came.
The solid poles, tunnel design, and burly fabric make this tent near indestructible.
This tent is a beast.
Ease of Setup 5 Stars
I’m unbelievably lazy when it comes to pitching tents. And that is why I love tunnel tents.
For pitching the Anjan 2, you stake out the rear of the tent, insert the two poles (through the sleeves) and then pull the front vestibule out in order to fully extend the tent. Stake the front vestibule, tighten up the front and rear of the tent, and you’re all set! Though, it is recommended to use the guylines as you never know what the weather may do. There are two guylines on each side that have nifty built-in caming adjusters. If you know weather is going to be severe, you can pop some rocks on top of the stakes for added security. Tighten everything up and you’re all set. The rainfly is attached to the tent body, so it truly is that simple.
The two arches are staked on either side, and cinch effectively for a tight pitch.
I am also very well versed in this setup. For those coming from tents with a detached rainfly and a freestanding design, I recommend putting this up in your backyard (or wherever) first. You will need to be able to stake out (or tie off) this tent, so be prepared to do that in the wilderness.
Hilleberg makes a very instructive video for this as well.
Space 5 Stars
The Anjan 2 is 43 inches wide at its slimmest and 51 inches wide at its most spacious, with a ceiling height peaking at 39 inches. With most tents, that would seem quite small, and to a degree it is, but because of the large vestibule, the majority of your gear (including your packs) can be stored outside the main tent, and there’d still be room to cook! Yes, the vestibule really is that spacious.
Enough room for two side by side, with plenty of head-space. It is cozy, but so are most 2 person backpacking tents.
I comfortably used the Anjan 2 with my husband. So, if you’re real cozy with your backpacking pal, this tent would be a perfect choice! If you don’t know your pal so well…maybe cozy up with your gear instead. Hilleberg designs all of their tents for the number of occupants and their gear. I have found this to be true with each of their tents I’ve used. A two person tent truly is a two person tent.
To be fair (and clear), the tent industry has a habit of making tents smaller and smaller for weight reasons, yet still calling a tent a 2-person or 3-person tent. The Anjan 2 does fit two, but there’s not lots of extra room inside. Consider the Anjan 2 GT for more room in the tent, and way more room in the vestibule.
Vibe 5 Stars
If you’ve never been in a Hilleberg, you’re missing out on some serious camp vibes. The inside glows red or yellow depending on the time of day. It’s groovy and trippy and quite relaxing.
Solid vibes with lots of ventilation options. Roll back everything when the weather’s nice, or batten it down.
Due to the excellent ventilation it’s fresher than most tents, even on days where you’re waiting out weather for hours. I like my tents to feel safe, cozy, and like home. And that is exactly what you get here.
Grievances
I don’t think I have a grievance with the Anjan 2. Or if I do, I haven’t found it yet. It’s quite straight-forward in design and its durability cancels out any issue I’d ever take with its weight or size.
The only thing I can think to say is the stakes could be better. Not that the quality itself is low, but the provided stakes are on the small side. I’ve replaced the included stakes with MSR Groundhogs as I find they grip a lot better and in more varied terrain.
The stakes are solid, but small for unforgiving terrain. Consider upgrading.
Final Word
For a three season backpacking tent that is beautiful, simple, and unbelievably burley, this is the best. The Anjan 2 is a comfortable home-away-from-home that’ll keep you safe and happy!
Where to Buy Hilleberg Anjan 2 Review
We tested the Hilleberg Anjan 2 backpacking tent in red. It also comes in green. Hilleberg makes the Anjan 2 GT, which is a similarly built tent but much bigger. The GT has a massive extended vestibule, which has its own arched pole, and is great for people that want a ton more room. It’s also nearly $100 more and weighs almost a pound more, so there are definite trade offs.
Hilleberg makes the Anjan design in a 3 person version as well.
While we like all of the above, we think the standard Anjan 2 is the best for most people.
Compare Hilleberg Anjan 2 prices below.
Great review, thank you! Have been considering this plus the mesh inner alternative as a one tent 3+ season quiver, but had queries about it handling random surprise snow dumps on wintry southern states or low alpine treks (Aussie here). Really love the flow-through ventilation and the ability to cook within the vestibule. Lovely photos… Colorado looks incredible!
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for reading and commenting! I know our testers were impressed with this tent in snow and fairly harsh conditions, and from the industry side of things Hilleberg is one of the most serious tent-manufacturers when it comes to durability. Let us know if you end up with this tent, or what you choose instead!
Well, more than 20cm of new snow will turn off the ventilation. Beside that, a white surprise isn’t a big deal. But it’s not made for a winter hike in the austrian alps. On the other hand, without snow you can’t turn off the ventilation. I realized that when the temperature dropped to 6°C in Mai and I was using my festival sleeping bag. It’s up to you to stay warm. The tent doesn’t help you. Beside that, the tent is perfect, I just love it. It withstands everything except snow for said reasons. There’s more than enough space for two people with gear for a week plus there’s still enough space to cook in the vestibule. It’s just the best weight-performance-ratio.
Hi Fritz,
Thanks for such a detailed experience with the Anjan 2! We agree, this tent isn’t made for a deep winter hike in the Alps. Hilleberg calls the Anjan 2 a Yellow Label tent: “Yellow Label tents are the best choice if light weight is your highest priority and if you travel in the snow-free months and in protected terrain, or in warmer climates.”
Based on this, we were surprised how well it performed in snowy conditions. If you want a truly winter-ready tent we recommend their Red or Black label tents.
Glad you’re enjoying the Anjan 2!
Just got one, had a nallo before which I wouldn’t exactly call quite; in high winds, the fabric flaps around alot. With the tarro on the other hand, the wind just slides over, now that is what I would call quite..