Fjallraven Abisko Lite 2 review: A backpacker's dream tent

The Abisko Lite 2 is Fjallraven’s lighter-weight tent designed for those looking to trim excess pounds from their camping setup while still remaining protected from the elements. It packs the same eco credentials as the Swedish brand's clothing range, using PFAS-free materials to reduce its environmental impact.

There's nothing better after a long day out in the hills to crawl into the refuge of a well-pitched tent to protect you from the elements, keeping the wind and rain on the outside whilst you hunker down into a sleeping bag.

A poorly performing tent, on the other hand, is a recipe for a sleepless night, wincing as every gust of wind threatens to bring your canvas palace down into a heap of wet fabric and tangle of guy lines.

I headed off into the Scottish mountains to put the Abisko 2 Lite through its paces, and I truly believe it's one of the best backpacking tents right now. Why? Read my full Fjallraven Abisko Lite 2 review below to find out.

Fjallraven Abisko Lite 2 review

Price and availability

The Abisko Lite 2 is available for the recommended retail price of £700/€749/$700 and is available to purchase directly from the Fjallraven website. The tent is available in three colours. I tested the ‘Pine’ variant, which is ideal for wild camping as it blends into the landscape more, but is also available in ‘Sand’ and ‘UN Blue’.

Specifications

• Sleeps: 2
• Weight: 2070g
• Pack dimensions: 17cm x 39cm
• Pitched dimensions: 340cm x 115cm pitched

Design and materials

The Abisko 2 Lite is billed as a 4-season tent that is suitable for year-round use in all but the most severe weather, which is fairly standard for most tents in this price bracket. The tent uses a tunnel design as opposed to a dome, which has its strengths and weaknesses.

Typically, a dome tent will be more stable in high winds due to its lower head height, but Fjallraven says they have slightly reduced the height and reduced the size of the vestibule slightly to reduce weight and, in this case, offer better resistance to high wind.

I found both the vestibule size and head height to be adequate for one person. The Abisko 2 is technically a 2-person tent, but it would be very cosy, especially with kit. Given the chance, I’d always size up my tent, so for two occupants, I’d pick a 3-person tent just to give that extra bit of space. The Abisko Lite 2 weighs 2070g – around 400 grams heavier than the Abisko 1 and a mere 150g less than the Abisko 3.

The head height is around 90cm, which will be plenty for most people. I’m 6’3 and my head wasn't touching the roof. Likewise, the length of the sleeping portion measures around 220cm, which will be fine for the majority of folks, but I found in combination with the sloped end, my feet would touch the fly sheet. In dry conditions, that's not a problem, but any moisture will slowly seep into the end of your sleeping bag. This is the case with any tent with sloping panels, not just the Abisko 2 Lite.

The tent packs down into a compact package and only weighs 2070g. I was particularly impressed by the pack size. The short pole lengths mean that the overall pack length is only 39cm, so it can fit easily in your hiking backpack. I’ve used other tents that use carbon poles to reduce weight even further, but their pack length is considerably longer, which almost negates the weight savings as they become more difficult to transport.

Fjallraven Abisko Lite 2 review: Setting up

Pitching a tent can range from straightforward to downright impossible, ending up in a fight with poles and guy lines. Fortunately, the Absiko 2 Lite falls into the former category. Even without reading the instructions, it’s intuitive and fairly foolproof.

The first step is to peg out one end of the tent, then slide the poles through the respective sleeves. These sleeves are colour-coded, so it’s easy to tell what goes where, even in the dark or in pouring rain. Once the poles are in and seated into the cups, it’s a case of pegging out the other end and watching the tent go from 2D to 3D right before your eyes.

The inner and outer are connected, so the inner remains dry when pitching in the rain and also speeds up the process. With practice, it’s possible to pitch this tent in under 5 minutes. It took me no more than 10 on my first attempt, and that's with forgetting I’d put the tent pegs in my pocket and doing laps of the half-pitched tent looking for them.

Six guylines are included to keep the tent even more secure in high winds. They have reflective thread woven into them to make them more visible in low-light conditions.

Speaking of pegs, poles and other bits, they’re all high quality and feel sturdy. Pegs are DAC V, which I found to offer great security in a range of surfaces, including more rocky pitches, which I’ve struggled with in the past with other peg designs. Poles are DAC Featherlite, which are made from aluminum and fit together tightly; a repair section is also included if you should need it.

Performance

The Abisko 2 Lite is an easy tent to live with, the vestibule is large enough to be useful, offering a sheltered place to cook (with the door open!) and handy features such as large vents to ventilation and the ability to roll both ends of the flysheet up to keep cool in warmer conditions. The Swedes can also fall victim to mosquitoes, so all openings are covered by an ultrafine mesh.

My singular gripe with the Absiko 2 Lite is the way the door between the sleeping area and vestibule opens. It’s ‘hinged’ from the bottom, which means every time you need to unzip it to get in and out, you need to kneel on the material, which is asking for additional wear and tear. One slip and the fabric could tear or zip burst. I’d prefer a side-opening door to avoid these risks.

Verdict

The Absiko 2 Lite is a brilliant tent that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed testing. Pack size and weight are great, it’s very easy to pitch (and forgiving if the pitch isn't flat or it’s not pegged out tight enough) and, most importantly, it’s very livable. Head height is on par with other tents in the category, and the large vestibule is a bonus. It felt sturdy in poor weather yet can be opened right up in warmer conditions, making it very versatile for year-round adventures.

Also consider

While it is cut out for more than the average camper, if you're looking for something lighter, the MSR Access 2 weighs 1.86kg and is slightly taller in terms of headroom. It’s designed for ski touring and high-level mountaineering, so it's probably one of the most rugged tents around.