A budget family camping option that’s light enough for some weekend adventuring too.
The Easy Camp Magnetar 400 is very packable for its size. Coming in at 4kg it’s spacious enough for a family with 2 young kids, or 3 adults (you could fit 4 at a squeeze!). The generous porch area gives ample storage and a good living zone. It’s not a full height ‘home from home’ comfort tent, but if you want something spacious that’s also light and packable this is a great value option for family adventures or festivals.
Easy Camp Magnetar 400 Tent: The stats
| Best for: | Family backpacking and festivals in spring / summer conditions |
| Weight: | 4kg |
| Pack size: | 59 x 15cm |
| Sleeping space: | 210 x 210cm |
| Entrances: | 1 |
| Vestibule / porch: | 1 |
| Overall rating: |
Features of the Easy Camp Magnetar 400 Tent
Outer rainfly
The stats for the rainfly aren’t the strongest with a Hydrostatic Head of 2000mm, which is a little on the low side. That said, the 180T polyester PU coated polyester survived an hour or so of pretty torrential rain with not a drip inside. The tape seams are an essential addition to help with this.Inner tent
The polyester “Sleep Tight Inner” uses darkened fabricc to reduce light. This is a nice touch when camping in the height of summer when the sun rises in the early hours. There’s also a built-in polyethylene groundsheet and the whole inner tent clips easily onto the toggles on the inside of the rainfly.
Porch
There’s a large porch area with a side entrance which provides lots of space for storage and a good living zone, which is especially useful in wet or changeable weather. I’d love to see a small groundsheet in here, too. So, it’s worth packing a mat of some kind for extra comfort.
Doors
The single rainfly door is simple to use, though at 6”1’ I found my back scraped it, even when crawling, leading to a few drips down the back! However, it rolls away well.
Vents
There are 2 vents to the porch area, and a further vent by the sleeping area. We find the tent to be well ventilated and have had no condensation issues.
Internal storage
There is a lantern hanger in the sleeping area, which is a useful addition. It would probably only take a lightweight lantern.
Additionally, organiser pockets in the inner tent are handy for stashing items for easy access. The storage is basic but is enough.
Easy Camp Magnetar 400 Tent review
We were looking for a tent we could fit in as a family that was also light enough to trek with. This is a really good sized tent for a weight of 4kg and is a good bet for weekend family adventures or festivals. 2 adults and 2 younger children fit into the main sleeping area just fine. Plus, the porch area is perfect for storing multiple bags and sheltering from the rain. For longer expeditions, or if you’re expecting extreme weather it may not be the most durable, but as a budget option for family expeditions its weight and size are big pluses.
Packability
At 4kg the tent is very light for its size. It’s possible for one person to carry with a backpack but it’s a little heavy if you’re covering serious miles. The pegs and poles can be split easily and shared around. However, the poles are quite long when folded down, which limits carrying options a bit.
Ease of setup
The Magnetar 400 is a very simple tent to pitch with 3 colour coded poles running up and over the rain fly. The guy ropes seem sturdy and are easy to adjust. The tent can be pitched in a bit over 5 mins and the kids love getting involved, too.
Pack down is similar. And without too much effort rolling up, the tent slotted comfortably back into the bag.
Performance
Whilst this isn’t the most highly rated tent for performance it has, so far, stood up to the elements well. We’ve had some serious rainfall and there has been no signs of any leakage. Plus, the tent feels pretty secure in the wind, once you’ve gotten over the flappiness.
Comfort
You may find 4 adults a bit of a squeeze in the sleeping area making this more of a ‘3.5’ person tent, rather than 4. The porch area is big, and swallows bags pretty well with enough space to sit around too. A groundsheet for at least part of the porch would certainly be a welcome addition.
Durability
The durability is probably the biggest downside of the tent. There were a few areas that just don’t feel ‘built to last’. The material the poles feed through doesn’t seem very robust so go easy when pushing the poles through. Plus, the webbing straps for the stake out loops were only stitched to the tent on one side. So, I’d be concerned these may tear under any serious strain. The pegs are also a little lightweight.
Versatility
This is a great tent for an intro to family adventuring. We have a similar footprint Outwell family tent though it’s full height. Whilst the Magnetar 400 doesn’t offer the same ‘home from home’ comforts it is light enough to carry easily on long weekend treks (unthinkable with the Outwell!), yet big enough to fit the family in. It would also make a great option for festivals.
What I love the most about the Easy Camp Magnetar 400 Tent
The Magnetar is a big tent for its weight. It’s a simple, lightweight and fuss-free entry level tent for family expeditions with more space than you might expect.
What I don’t love so much about the Easy Camp Magnetar 400 Tent
I have concerns about the durability of the tent, whilst it’s a good value tent, treat it gently if you want it to last.
Verdict
A great value, family camping option best for spring/summer weekend expeditions. It’s incredibly light considering its size and plenty big enough for a young family. If you’re looking to get the kids out trekking this offers a good route without needing to bet the house on them enjoying it!
Find the latest price at:
Easy Camp
Disclaimer: Cool of the Wild received this product free in return for an honest review. We only recommend gear that we love from companies we trust and we are under no obligation to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are that of the reviewer and we are in no way influenced by the brand or company.
