Nordisk Telemark tent

My first interaction with Nordisk as a brand was a couple of years ago when I was at Outcraft (Immeln Kanotcenter) in Immeln in 2019. There I saw these beautiful canvas tents with that little polar bear logo on the side and the name Nordisk beside it. I had never heard of them before this. This may come as a surprise to you Danes and Swedes out there, but Nordisk, at least in my experience, is a relatively unknown company outside of the Nordic region. And unfairly so if you ask me! The tent market in the UK and Ireland is dominated by the likes of MSR, REI and The North Face. Not that there's anything wrong with these companies, but the price tag on the former two can price people out of owning lightweight and reliable tents, in favour of cheaper, less reliable products. It was a pleasant surprise then to discover this Danish tent company that seemed to me to be making really high quality products, with a more reasonable price tag. Enter the Telemark 2.2!

Main Features

This little tent is an absolute pleasure to use. Super quick and simple to set up, there is only one pole to worry about, likening it to feel more like a hooped bivi than to a tent in the traditional sense. The pole is a lightweight aluminium DAC pole (the best of the best when it comes to tent hardware, for people who know their stuff). For me, this tent is the perfect middle-ground between a bivvy and a tent, and with features like having an entrance zip on both sides of the tent, not to mention much more headspace than you might get with a hooped bivi, The Telemark 2.2 is a serious contender against a traditional high end bivi bag, if you are on the market for such a product.

This tent is double-walled, with the inner mesh comfortably sitting tight with the outer layer, giving you the added benefit of a porch (perfect for your muddy boots) as well as a pocket of ventilation and sufficient airflow, achieved through the ventilation windows on each side of the tent. I am 176cm tall. This is where Danes might argue, but in Ireland that's a pretty average height. At 220cm long and 106cm tall, the Telemark gave me plenty of legroom and head height. I never felt cramped or claustrophobic here. It is also worth noting here that the Telemark is classed as a 2-person tent… However, at 135cm across, I think that would be a very ‘cosy’ night's sleep. Perhaps you don’t mind this if you’re sleeping next to your partner. But maybe it’s a little too cramped to be sharing with your buddy farting next to you. But for 1 person, carrying this 1010g package is perfectly justified for a comfortable night's sleep with your backpack in your tent with you.

Going Lightweight

Like everything we do outdoors, there are compromises and balances to weigh up when we’re choosing our kit. For me, this is actually my first tent, despite the fact that I have been pursuing outdoor activities for a number of years now. I have always favoured tarps and lightweight shelter systems, over expensive tents, which I could neither afford, nor justify. The reason for this is down to a couple of factors. Firstly, my main interaction with the outdoors has been through the lens of a bushcraft enthusiast. As I’m sure a lot of you will know, bushcraft aesthetics and disciplines often means more traditional materials are favoured. And so because of this, my shelter systems have included everything from 12oz waxed cotton tarps, to GoreTex bivi bags, and of course DD nylon tarps. The first time I dipped my toe in the lightweight camps waters was when I upgraded my sleep system to a DD Superlight and a Ticket to the Moon Lightest Hammock… a collective pack weight of about 690g. It was a bit of a revelation for me, that I had a reliable shelter for such a small weight in my pack, and I really started to think about how a lightweight kit could be incorporated into my bushcraft setup. Of course I still love some waxed canvas, but with most of my camping done either on foot, or via public transport, it makes sense that I would choose a setup that was as light as possible.

So back to the Telemark, my first lightweight tent is serving me beautifully so far, and I’m really looking forward to justifying this tent with some long cycles and waking in the coming months. The telemark rolls up into its own pocket and will easily fit in a lightweight pack, even a daypack would be sufficient to carry this little package.

Durability vs Weight

The only caution I can see to this tent is possibly the strength of the nylon itself. The outer flysheet is a 10 denier ripstop nylon with a HH of 3000. Although perfectly capable of keeping you safe and dry in even Irish weather, the tearing strength of the material is about 8kg. This means that you don't want to be testing this tent in super strong storms. But for the average spring or summer trip I think the Telemark will be perfect. The groundsheet is also a lightweight 20D ripstop nylon. I found myself constantly aware of how lightweight the material is, and although it's perfectly suited to the job, I was still cautious of this. If you wanted a little extra protection under your tent in the colder months, then it might not be any harm to have an extra foil blanket or layer between you and the groundsheet. Also be extra careful with rocks and sharp sticks under you, as I believe it could tear quite easily. I believe that this slight compromise in durability is perfectly justified considering the bulk and weight of this little package. I just wouldn’t want to be taking it up rocky mountain sides any time soon. Maybe someone can test it in terrain like this, but I like my one too much to push its limits.

Summary

All in all, this is an absolutely fantastic little tent that I’m looking forward to getting a lot of adventures in over the coming Summer/Autumn season, and for many years to come I hope. Suitable for lightweight campers, cyclists, and hikers looking to ease their load, the Telemark 2.2 is going to keep you dry with no compromises in functionality, comfort or space, and you can even make a canopy with the outer door by combining 3 corner poles and extra guy rope! A beautifully thought out piece of equipment where nothing is unnecessary and everything has a reason for being there. No more. No less.

Specs

Flysheet
Length : 235 cm
Width : 175 cm
Height : 106 cm

Inner tent
Length : 220 cm
Width : 135 cm
Height : 100 cm

Weight
Weight: : 1010 g

Pack size
Length: : 41 cm
Diameter : 13 cm

Materials

Flysheet
100% Ripstop nylon
Weight : 30 g/m2
Denier : 10D
Hydrostatic head : 2000 mm
Coating : Silicon Coating
Thread count : 455T
Tearing strength : 8 kg

Inner tent
100% ripstop nylon
Weight : 26 g/m2
Denier : 15D
Thread count : 341T

Groundsheet
100% Ripstop Nylon
Coating : PU Coating
Weight : 53 g/m2
Denier : 20D
Hydrostatic head: 8000mm