Nortent Vern 1 Review

A beautiful and lightweight 4-season tent that packs small, offers tons of room and performs incredibly well in practically all UK conditions, we think this might be the best 4-season tent for British adventurers on the market right now.

Nortent Vern 1

Light and small enough to carry on lightweight summer adventures, sturdy enough to put up with a winter storm, and roomy enough to comfortably spend long nights inside, the Vern 1 is a near-perfect all-round shelter for four-season use in the UK. Oh, and it might just be the prettiest of the tents we tested this season, too…

Nortent is a Norwegian manufacturer of high-quality four-season tents and tarps. Though the brand is fairly new in the UK, they’ve been making shelters ideal for the tundras of Scandinavia for some years now – which makes them optimal for UK four-season conditions. Weighing in at 1.49 kg (3.2 lbs) at a minimum, the Nortent Vern 1 is the lightest tent in their line by far and an ideal shelter for weight-conscious backpackers, thru-hikers and bikepackers who are looking for a one-person tent for use in all of the UK’s glorious four seasons.

Costing around £400 when bought directly from Nortent (including import duty), however, the Vern 1 is by no means cheap. As of October 2023, you can order the tent in the UK directly from Valley and Peak for around £490, which comes with the crossing pole for use in windy and snowy conditions. And while that price point puts it at the higher end of many budgets, we think that the quality of the product versus what £490 can otherwise get you in the tent space represents excellent value for money for those who can afford it: The Vern 1 is an incredible shelter that will keep you safe in the outdoors in practically any conditions for many years – if not for life. And when you compare it with the competition, it’s still a bargain in our eyes: The Hilleberg Akto will set you back almost £200 more, and the Tarp Tent Scarp 1 will set you back about an extra £100 (if you’re able to buy one in the UK at all).

The Nortent Vern 1 is also very roomy when pitched correctly. In it, there’s more than enough room for one person and kit, and that’s not taking the generous vestibule space into consideration. There, you’ve two doors on either side of the pole that can both be opened all the way. This allows you to turn your vestibule into a balcony of sorts, perfect for watching a sunset or sunrise, or even for creating maximum ventilation when used in good weather.

Man adjusting guylines on Nortent Vern 1 tent

Our experience using The Nortent Vern 1

To test this tent, we used it on numerous occasions. We took it on a blustery woodland camp where the temperatures dropped in the night, we camped in it on top of a mountain in the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park in a snap summer storm, and we used it numerous times out on Dartmoor in exceptionally rainy and windy conditions. The only type of weather we’ve not been able to throw at it yet is snow — but trust us when we say that we can’t wait to put it to the test the second some’s forecast.

Overall, we think we tested this tent in enough different conditions to come up with a reasonable understanding of its performance across the board. And we couldn’t have been more impressed. Firstly, the size and weight of this four-season shelter are tiny. It packs down small enough that you can carry it on practically any adventure — be that a winter thru-hike or a bikepacking overnighter at the height of the summer. It’s also a joy to erect: It’s simply a matter of threading through the central pole and then pegging out each end. If you’re pitching it in windy conditions, numerous peg-out points along the sides of the Nortent Vern 1 give it extra stability, and two guy lines allow for super strong performance in gusts. The added crossing pole serves to pull everything drum-tight, too; ideal for stopping anything flapping around in the wind. That being said, it’s still not as solid in the wind as many other (more expensive) 4-season shelters, such as the Hilleberg Soulo, so you’ll still want to be sensible in where you pitch the Vern 1.

Expecting super exposed, windy conditions?

If you’re anticipating having to use this in an exposed Scottish or on top of a blustery summit somewhere, understand that this is a lightweight tent that demands a sensible pitch. In January 2024, Nortent released a new version of the Vern series that promises to be even sturdier*. Though they weigh a kilogram more, they’re performance is said to be up there with other ‘bombproof’ 4-season tents, so this might be a better option for you.

*Please bear in mind that we’ve not personally tested the new Vern series yet, so we cannot currently speak to its performance.

Inside the tent, there’s ample room for one person and gear. Truthfully, two people could probably sleep in the Vern 1 fairly comfortably, as long as you put all kit out in the generous vestibule space (which is more than doable). And with a head height of a metre (3.2 feet), most people can easily sit up inside the shelter, which is perfect for those long winter nights.

One last point of note: we also really love the way the tent looks. Nortent has designed the Vern 1 to have “clean and direct lines that blend in with nature”. And we think they nailed it: Whether on a campsite or deep in the mountains, the tent just looks like it belongs.

The only downside to the Nortent Vern 1 is the fact that you have to seam seal it yourself. In a move to keep the price affordable, you have to go over all of the permeable seams with the seam sealant provided by Nortent. This process can be a bit messy and can take a bit of time, but it does render the shelter 100% waterproof and extends the life of your tent.

Nortent Vern 1 FAQs

For such a demonstrably four-season tent, the Nortent Vern 1 performs impressively in the summer. Lightweight, easy to carry and featuring numerous ventilation options, including ports at the head and foot end of the tent, the Nortent Vern 1 is as great to use in the summer as it is in the winter.
The Nortent Vern 1 performs excellently in UK winter conditions, especially if fitted with the added crossing pole. As ever, however, be sensible in where you pitch it as this is still a lightweight model, despite carrying the 4-season label.
For such a small, lightweight tent, the Vern 1 performs really well in the wind. That being said, the lightweight design and materials used lack the durability to survive a proper winter storm. Therefore, treat this like you would any other lightweight tent and be sensible where you pitch it.
The Nortent Vern 1 is incredibly easy to pitch. Featuring a single pole design, it’s simply a matter of pegging out the head and tail ends of the tent and adjusting the tensioners on either end. Even in the wind, we managed to pitch the Nortent Vern 1 in less than 5 minutes, including adding the crossing pole and guying out extra lines. Just bear in mind that the tent isn’t free-standing, meaning that if you can’t peg out the corners of the Vern 1, it’ll have no structural integrity unless you use the additional crossing pole.
Seam sealing the Nortent Vern 1 is surprisingly easy, though it can be a fairly time-intensive process. Nortent supply ample sealer with the tent, so it’s merely a matter of smearing it over the stitching and leaving it to dry. Just bear in mind, to avoid smudging, you will need to do this outside on a dry day when there is little wind.
Yes, we think the Nortent Vern 1 is fully worth the money. It’s a reliable and lightweight four-season shelter that’s well suited to UK conditions, and it only weighs in at 1.49 kg (3.2 lbs). Similar shelters in this category are the Hilleberg Akto and the Tarp Tent Scarp 1, both of which cost around £300 and £150 more respectively.

Conclusion

The Nortent Vern 1 is a fantastic shelter for so many reasons. Tried and tested in both wet and windy conditions, we’d take this on any and all UK adventures — whatever the time of year. In true four-season style, we think the Vern 1 is a solid all-rounder that’s just as well suited to summer backpackers out in lowland areas as it is for Scottish winter mountaineers who are anticipating heavy snowfall. Of course, those merits don’t come cheap, so this won’t be for everybody. But, for those looking to own one singular tent that will perform well in any conditions and on any adventure, we don’t think there’s anything better on the market right now.

Nortent Vern 1 Review

A beautiful and lightweight 4-season tent that packs small, offers tons of room and performs incredibly well in practically all UK conditions, we think this might be the best 4-season tent for British adventurers on the market right now.

Nortent Vern 1

The Good

The Bad