Moon Lence Camping Tent Review

When I ordered the Moon Lence camping tent, I had realistic expectations. Just by looking at the pictures, it was evident it is an entry level tent at best, with limited waterproofing. Upon reviewing the Moon Lence 2 person camping tent, I felt that it is a tent best suited for people who plan on camping in dry lands.

First of all, it is a single wall tent, which always presents problems when it comes to condensation. Also, the rainfly is small and covers only the top of the tent. However there are positives to the Moon Lence camping tent as well. It is cheap, very easy and fast to set up and quite spacious. For under $60 you get 62.4 square feet of comfortable water resistant shelter.

Imagine that you are a father looking for a tent for one camping trip with your son. You are not sure your son will be into camping after, and you yourself don’t have a lot of experience with tents either.

If you are looking for an extremely simple, fast to set up, spacious and cheap tent with some water resistance, the Moon Lence 2 person camping tent is for you.

The Good:

• Great price!
• Very fast set up time.
• Great ventilation thanks to a covered mesh window on the side.
• Very big for a 2 person tent of this price.(83.8″L x 59.8″W x 48″H)
• Big bag with two handles. Extremely easy to put the tent in after folding.
• Reflective guylines.
• Zippered double door design, inner door made of mesh.
• The poles are easy to assemble and attach to the wall with plastic straps.
• Big, spacious carry bag with two handles. Easy to pack away and carry.

The Bad:

• Single wall tent, with the rainfly covering only the top.
• 1000 mm HH waterproof rating makes it only water resistant, not waterproof.
• Not sure the stakes and poles provide enough stability to withstand heavy winds.
• No vestibule for storing your shoes and dirty gear.
• The rainfly barely covers the window on the side, presenting a serious risk of water sweeping into the tent.
• Doesn’t come with a ground cloth.

I was impressed by how fast I could set up the Moon Lence 2. Even though the design is geared towards easy set up, it looses a little bit from the durability and sturdiness of the tent. It is not a question that this is not the tent to take with you for high altitudes, stormy places…or anywhere with strong winds.

On the other hand, this has been one of the easiest tents to pack away I have reviewed so far. The packaging is bigger than the tent folded up in a comfortable manner. The zipper was very easy to close, and the two handles on top of the bag make this one of the easiest camping tents to carry.

The Moon Lence 2 Person Tent weights 2.9 kgs(5.95 lbs). Overall it is not a heavy tent, but we are not talking anywhere near ultralight territory either. I think the Moon Lence was easy to carry, and for the number of accessories and features it is reasonably weighted.

Who Is The Moon Lence Tent Best For?

This camping tent has many design flaws, if we compare it to a really great camping tent, like for example the Mongar 2 Person Tent. However it is in a completely different price category, and as such it targets a different audience.

The Moon Lence 2 person camping tent is perfect for novice campers who might not use the tent every weekend and don’t expect to hike in rainy areas. Basically if you want a tent that is very easy to set up, doesn’t require any experience, but gives you a comfortable shelter and doesn’t cost much, this model is for you.

It is not easy to find a sweet spot between low price and good quality. Even if in my opinion the Moon Lence doesn’t do an amazing job at hitting this balance, it does a decent enough job that I can see a place for this tent in the list of good water resistant camping tents.

As I said above, in my opinion the Moon Lence 2 is reasonably weighted. At 2.95 kg (5.95 lbs) is has an average weight for a 2 person camping tent. The carry bag makes it easy to take for long hiking trips.

How Waterproof Is The Moon Lence 2 Person Tent?

Just like the KAZOO Venus Ultralight Backpacking Tent, the rainfly covers only the top of the tent, not the whole wall. This is a bigger issue as the single wall is graded at only 1000 mm HH waterproof. In my experience this level of waterproofness can protect you only if the rain comes and goes. Don’t expect to stay dry during a whole night of downpours.

In terms of design, I have found a serious flaw. There is a mesh window on the back wall. Unfortunately the rainfly barely covers this whole window. I can easily see a scenario where rain aided by a little bit of wind can blow the water inside the tent. Apart from the low waterproof rating, this is another reason I would not recommend counting on the Moon Lence as a serious waterproof camping tent. Even though you can close the window from he inside with an extra polyurethane door, I am not 100% convinced it is enough to keep the moisture outside.

Even though the Moon Lence 2 Tent is a single wall model, I had no issues with condensation. The ventilation of the tent is amazing. First of all, the top has two sides made entirely of mesh. As a plus, you have the aforementioned mesh window on the side. You can open this with a zipper if the weather is good. The door can be closed with two layers. One zippered mesh inner layer, and a water resistant door. All in all even if the door is closed, and you have the rainfly on the air can move freely, minimising the risks of condensation.

Is The Moon Lance Tent Worth Its Price Tag?

At this price range ($55 on Amazon in October 2023) we are basically talking about is the tent working, and does it have anything on other ,,value” tent. For me the answer is a yes.

Could it do better? Of course. For me the waterproofing is not good enough. If you are looking for a camping tent that will keep you dry for many nights, it is not the model you want. You need more security. However for a few trips per season, or to take a simple shelter for a day in the park…it gets the job done.

First of all, as a free standing tent it is very easy and fast to set up. Packing away the Moon Lence is just as simple. The 62.4 square feet floor area is definitely big for a 2 person camping tent. It has great ventilation, keeping the air cool even if the sun starts to shine like mad.

In my opinion at this price point the Moon Lence camping tent has enough pros and great features for me to recommend it, despite its obvious shortcomings.

How Fast Can You Set Up The Moon Lence Tent?

Setting up the Moon Lence 2 took me 8 minutes for the first time. Of course I have a lot of experience with setting up tents, but even for a novice camper it should not take more than 15 minutes.

You will find a sheet with set up instructions on the inside of the carry bag. The tent comes with 2 fibreglass shock cord connected poles. Thank god these attach to the wall with plastic clips.

However the ends of the poles must be attached to spikes at both ends. This can be tricky, and it is not the most stable solution. Even though it is easy to do, the tent looses from its stability and ability to withstand strong winds. For newbie campers it might be easier to attach the poles with some help from another person. Doing it alone can require some experience, luck, or persistence…or a combination of the three!

The tent fly has four reflective guylines to make the fly taut. All four guylines are reflective, an important detail you can really appreciate when you are trying not to fall over them if you need to get out of the tent to take care of business during the night.

Moon Lence Camping Tent Review – Design And Features

Let’s go through the features of the Moon Lence Camping tent one by one, and find out what I thought of the design!

The Inside

The inside of the tent feels spacious, and big enough to house two adults, even if maybe not in the most comfortable way, but alright. It is definitely big for one adult and a child. However the tent has no vestibule. You need to store all the equipment inside the tent, including your dirty shoes. There is a small pocket on the inside of one of the walls. The tent’s measurements are ‎83.8″L x 59.8″W x 48″H.

Breathability

This is one of the best features of this camping tent. With two sides of the top made of mesh, and an extra mesh window plus the mesh door it is one of the most breathable tents of this lower price category.

Both the for and the mesh window has a double cover. You can close them with a zippered door made of water resistant polyurethane. In good weather you can open the cover, while the mesh protects you from bugs. In heavy rain you just close the window and the door. However I must admit that the rainfly doesn’t cover either the window or the door. In times of heavy, persistent downfalls this is a big risk, and one of the main reasons I can’t call the Moon Lence a waterproof camping tent.

The Footprint

The Moon Lence camping tent doesn’t come with a separate footprint.

The Stakes

There are 12 aluminium stakes in the package. They are the cheaper type, you know the ones that can easily bend if you step on them. They get the job done. If you are really good you can set up the tent without the stakes. They are only necessary if you want to attach the guylines to the ground.

The Poles

The Poles are shock cord connected. They are nothing special, however they look sturdy enough, didn’t come apart when I was setting up the tent and overall made my job easy and simple.

Seams

The inside of the tent was well designed. Double stitched seams hold together the fly and the ground floor. Even though I spent only one evening inside, had no issues with leaking seams or any holes appearing.

Weight and Portability

Just like the breathability, this is another strong feature of the Moon Lence Camping Tent. The carry bag is big, comfortable to carry with a double handle. The whole tent weights 2.95 kg (5.95 lbs), which is not heavy but not light either. It is a fair weight for a two person camping tent.

Conclusion

The Moon Lence Camping tent has some issues, however which value two person tent doesn’t?! One of its biggest flaws is the weak waterproofing. However it is so easy to set up, carry and it is fairly spacious. I recommend the Moon Lence 2 person tent as an entry model for novice campers who can’t expect to face heavy, sustained rainfall.