Music festival camping isn’t like any other kind of camping, so it stands to reason that festival tents shouldn’t be the same either. You’re not waking up to witness the sunrise – you’ve been up all night and are ready for a few hours of sleep. The biggest problems? You’re in an open field, it’s summer, and that way too bright ball of daylight we call the sun is ready to wreak havoc on your morning.
Enter the Ohnana Rayve II tent (roughly $178 USD) which has been designed specifically for festival goers. We got our hands on one this spring to try it out. Here’s what we’ve learned so far:
What Makes This a Festie Friendly Tent?
The Rayve II reflects up to 90% of sunlight which keeps the interior nearly pitch black which is ideal for an extra hour or two of sleep in the morning. That reflective cover also keeps the tent up to 14C (25F) cooler than normal tents. I really wanted to test out this feature, but spring in Vermont refuses to cooperate with nearly a week of straight rain (and snow!).
Setting up the Ohnana
With a new tent, I always attempt the initial setup without looking at any instructions. On our first try, we had the Rayve II completely set up in under seven minutes. There are only two interchangeable poles in a typical dome fashion. The tent clips onto the poles while the rainfly clips into the four corners. You do need to stake out the front and back of the rain fly. You can easily set this tent up in five minutes.
The rainfly also works as an enclosed porch for all your muddy footwear. There’s enough space here for a few pair of boots in front of the single entrance to the tent. During sunny days, the rainfly rolls up out of the way.
Inside the Tent
With music festival camping and capacity, I typically use the recommended size minus a person, so for this three-person tent, I would only put in two people. It’s really spacious inside and high enough to sit up inside. Be warned, if you have the rainfly over the tent, it will definitely be dark so make sure you have a light source handy. For air circulation, the inner tent is highly breathable along with two air vents. Ohnana even sells a custom built tent fan to keep it even cooler inside your haven.
Packing it In, Packing it Up
Weighing just 3.2kg (7lbs), this is a decent size for carrying into campgrounds. You probably wouldn’t take this on an airplane in a carry-on bag, but it would be ideal for train or bus travel. We didn’t have any issues rolling this tent, rainfly, and poles back into the included bag. Even with my terrible folding skills, the whole setup is still roughly the same size as the brand new version.
Rayve II Tech Specs
Sleeping Capacity : 2-3 person
Tent Season : 3 season
Tent Design Type : Dome
Tent Pole Material : Aluminum
Height: 52 inches (130cm)
Tent: 83in x 83in (210cm x 210cm)
With Flysheet: 98.43in x 82.7in (250cm x 210cm)
Packed Size: 23.5in x 8in x 8in (60 cm x 20cm x 20cm)
Weight: 7.94 lbs
Final Notes
Festival mornings can be tough and this tent makes them more restful. I’m looking forward to testing out the Ohnana Rayve II over festival season. You can pick one up anywhere in North America, Australia, or Europe directly through the Ohnana website.