Last fall I hauled this tent up to a trailhead in the Cascades on a weekend that started sunny and turned into a proper Pacific Northwest soaking by Saturday night. I'd been burned before by budget double-wall tents that advertised PU3000mm and delivered a slow drip onto my sleeping bag around hour three of heavy rain. So I was skeptical. Real skeptical. But the Cloud Up Base held up better than I expected for what it costs, and that's worth talking about honestly.
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Where it shines
The waterproofing is the headline, and for once it mostly delivers. Naturehike rates the fly at PU3000mm+, and all the seams are taped, which matters a lot more than the raw hydrostatic rating when you're lying there listening to rain hammer the fly at 2 a.m. I didn't get a single drip inside during a hard overnight rain. The 7001 aluminum alloy poles flexed in gusts without the awful creaking I've heard from cheaper fiberglass setups, and the tent held its shape through the night.
The upgraded front door on the Cloud Up Base is a genuine improvement over the original Cloud Up 2. It's noticeably taller and wider, which sounds minor until you're trying to stuff a pair of wet boots and a bear canister into the vestibule without contorting yourself. I'm 6'1" and I could actually sit up in the doorway to change layers, which I appreciated more than I thought I would.
The added ventilation window above the front door is smart. Condensation is the silent enemy of any double-wall tent, and the B3 mesh inner combined with that extra vent kept things noticeably drier inside than I expected. I've slept in tents rated higher on paper that turned into a terrarium by morning. This one breathed well enough that my sleeping bag wasn't clammy when I woke up.
At 4.25 lbs (not including the footprint), it's not an ultralight tent. But it packs down to roughly 15.7" x 5.1" x 5.1", which fit easily in my 55L pack with room left for food and layers. For a car-camping-to-backpacking crossover tent at this price point, that's a reasonable tradeoff. Check it out for yourself: see the Naturehike Cloud Up Base on Amazon.
How it stacks up
Let me be straight with you. If you're comparing this to a Big Agnes Copper Spur or an MSR Hubba Hubba, you're not really comparing the same category of buyer. Those tents cost two to three times as much and shave significant weight. The Cloud Up Base is for the hiker who wants a real double-wall tent with decent waterproofing and doesn't want to spend $400 to get it.
Against other budget double-walls, though, it competes well. The footprint inclusion is a genuine differentiator. Most tents in this range make you buy the footprint separately, which adds cost and a separate shipping headache. Having it bundled here matters, especially if you're camping on rocky PNW terrain where groundsheet abrasion is real.
The interior dimensions (82.7"L x 49.2"W x 41.3"H) are honest. Two adults fit, but two adults with full gear fit less comfortably. I'd call it a cozy two-person tent, not a roomy one. Solo backpackers who want a little luxury, or two people who don't mind being close, will be fine. Bring a large friend and it's going to feel snug.
Here's my one real criticism: the stakes that come in the box are flimsy. I bent one on my second trip when I tried to drive it into a patch of hard-packed dirt. If you're backpacking on maintained trails with soft soil, you'll probably be fine. If you go anywhere rocky or gravelly, budget another $10-15 for a set of decent aluminum shepherd's hook stakes or nail stakes before your first trip. The tent itself is solid; the included hardware is the weak link. Worth knowing before you go. You can grab the Cloud Up Base here and just order better stakes at the same time.
After a few weeks
I've now set this tent up and broken it down more times than I've kept count of, in conditions ranging from dry fire-road camping with my kid to two proper backpacking overnights with rain. The poles and clips are holding up. The zipper on the fly has stayed smooth, which I was honestly a little worried about after reading some older Cloud Up 2 reviews that mentioned zipper issues. No problems so far on the Base version.
The 210T polyester fabric shows no signs of wear at the stress points, which is encouraging. It's not going to match the longevity of a Dyneema or silnylon tent, but for a polyester budget option it's doing fine. The seam tape hasn't peeled, the fly still beads water, and the pole sleeves aren't showing any abrasion.
Setup takes me about ten minutes solo once I know what I'm doing, and the color-coded poles help on the first few attempts. It's not a freestanding tent that practically sets itself up, but it's not a puzzle either. My 14-year-old helped me pitch it in about twelve minutes on our first try together, which felt like a win.
If you're a weight-obsessive ultralight backpacker, this tent isn't going to be your answer. But if you're someone who just graduated from car camping and wants a reliable, genuinely waterproof shelter that won't blow your gear budget before you even hit the trail, this is a smart starting point. Check current pricing and availability for the Naturehike Cloud Up Base on Amazon.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| PU3000mm+ fly with taped seams held up in hard overnight rain | Included stakes are flimsy, plan to replace them |
| Footprint included in the box | 4.25 lbs is on the heavier side for backpacking |
| Upgraded larger front door makes entry and vestibule access much easier | Interior is cozy, not roomy, for two adults with gear |
| Ventilation window above the door reduces condensation noticeably | 210T polyester won't match the longevity of higher-end fabrics |
| Packs down small enough for a 55L backpack | Not freestanding, so site selection matters |
| 7001 aluminum poles held their shape in sustained wind | Price not always publicly listed, so check Amazon directly |
For a budget double-wall tent that actually keeps the rain out, I think the Cloud Up Base punches above its weight class. Swap out the stakes, know what you're getting on interior space, and it'll serve you well from your first overnight to your fiftieth. Trail safe out there., Dave