Marmot Limestone 4P Camping Tent Review

Marmot Limestone 4p Tent: QUICK OVERVIEW
Review of: Marmot Limestone 4p Tent
Category: Camping Tents
Capacity
Materials
Easy Setup
Affordability
What We Like
What We Don't Like
The Marmot Limestone 4-Person Camping Tent is one of the taller and more spacious four-person tents in the market. It features a five-foot ceiling, a seam-sealed and waterproof rainfly, and floor, as well as high-low vents. It also comes with plenty of pockets for keeping your electronics, headlamps, keys, and other knickknacks that would otherwise disappear in the tent. The set-up time is great, even for beginner campers, and it makes for an all-round comfortable stay outdoors.
This Marmot Limestone 4P review covers everything you need to know if you want to buy the tent. Keep reading to learn more.
Marmot Limestone 4P Camping Tent
This Marmot Limestone 4 tent is a freestanding tent that can be pitched on many terrains. However, staking the rainfly out is recommended should you want to make full use of its double vestibules. It is a three-season tent made from two layers of fabric, as is typical for all three-season tents. Therefore, you can use it for spring, summer, and fall camping. Other interesting features include:
- Spacious floor area
- Two vestibules and two doors
- Compact when packed – only 11 pounds and 11 ounces (5.33kg)
- Sturdy and reliable
- Freestanding
While compact for a four-person tent, the packed weight of 11 pounds means it’s more ideal for car camping than hiking or backpacking trips. You can use it as a young couple out car camping with one or two small kids or a group of friends.
The compact size when packed (27.5 by 10 inches) means it can be loaded onto the back of a motorcycle for cross-country biking trips with friends. Generally, Limestone 4 is a highly versatile tent for any activities where you don’t have to carry your supplies on your person – so no hiking or mountaineering. The floor can fit four sleeping pads of 24-inch widths, and you can store your gear in the two vestibules.
How Is the Newest Version Different?
The Marmot Limestone 4 has been around for a few years – the first version came out in 2014, and it has gone through several modifications since then. In the latest version, you can look forwards to enjoying such improvements as:
- Two doors instead of one
- Two-color variations – green shadow and moss, and orange spice and aroma
- A slight increase in the height of the tent – about 1-2 inches
Sadly, previous versions had a doormat included, but this is no longer the case. Regardless, you can look forward to a better and sturdier tent than previous versions.
Poles and Stakes
The Limestone 4 comes with four DAC DA17 shock-corded poles – two main poles and two shorter ridge poles essential to the stability of the tent. On the sides, the poles pull up the ceiling to add some volume in the headspace area. The main poles are made from pre-bend construction, and they widen the floor area to give ample room for the campers and their gear.
DA17 poles are specifically made for large tents, and they have the strength and flexibility to bend and straighten as required. These poles a landmark technology for Marmot, and pivotal to the development of their high-quality large tents.
DAC aluminum from renowned Korean tent pole manufacturers is strong and durable, and the 12mm diameter of each pole makes it all the more sturdier. The main poles go through the sleeves so that the tent is freestanding when their ends are put into the grommets.
Weight
Unfortunately, because of the strength of materials used to manufacture this tent, the Limestone 4 is hardly a tent you’ll be comfortable strapping to your back. It is made from sturdy 150D polyester, with the floor made from highly durable and waterproof PU-coated Oxford Nylon.
Rainfly and Door
The rainfly is particularly impressive: it covers the whole tent, creating two asymmetrical vestibules. So apart from the 60 square feet of floor space, you have an additional 28 square feet of covered space to place your gear.
The door is D-shaped and made to be rolled out, but the vestibule creates a covered space. There are several vents to allow for good air circulation, so condensation, when the tent is sealed, won’t be a thing to worry about.
Internal Structure
Other than the impressive floor space – a near-square measuring 100 by 86 inches – the floor is perimeter cut (the technical term is catenary-cut). This is a design that includes taut edges where the walls meet the floor, as opposed to the bathtub type where the floor fabric goes up against the wall for a certain height to create a kind-of skirting.
The head clearance is 63 inches, and the ridge poles help to create more headspace and elbow room to make the space more livable. The entire internal wall is surrounded by mesh for breathability. It also includes some small pockets for storage.
Waterproofness
Marmot Limestone tents are known for their waterproofness – the floor material has a 3000 mm rating, while the rainfly has a 1500 mm rating, both of which are impressive. You probably won’t need an extra tarp under the tent or another rainfly for more protection. All seams are taped and sealed, and the full coverage fly adds an additional layer of protection from the elements.
How to Set Up the Marmot Limestone 4P Camping Tent
This tent is very easy to set up, although we’d advise checking out some YouTube videos if you’re a novice camper. Everything is color-coded and the construction is simple. Adding the rainfly is also a breeze– but remember that the fly must be staked to have fully protected vestibules.
Final Thoughts
Now you know everything you need to thanks to our Marmot Limestone 4P review. It is an impressive and roomy tent, reliable for camping in all kinds of weather (except snow and winter temperatures). It is very livable and offers complete protection from the elements.
Note that the fit may be small for four people depending on how much stuff you have. If you have a larger group, note that there’s a larger tent in the series – the Limestone 6-Person tent.