Head to head
Big Agnes C Bar vs Nemo Aurora
The Nemo Aurora gives each person more floor — 16.2 sq ft against 14.0, which is the difference between standard and standard. The Big Agnes C Bar is the lighter carry at 3 lb 11 oz, and the Big Agnes C Bar is the cheaper of the two at ~$300.
 Big Agnes Big Agnes C Bar |  Nemo Nemo Aurora | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Backpacking | Backpacking |
| Rated capacity | 2-person | 2-person |
| Floor area per personestimated | 14.0 sq ft (standard) | 16.2 sq ft (standard) |
| Floor area | 28 sq ft | 32.4 sq ft |
| Vestibule area | 7 sq ft | 18.4 sq ft |
| Peak height | 41 in | 44 in |
| Minimum trail weight | 3 lb 11 oz | 4 lb 11 oz |
| Packed weight | 4 lb 2 oz | 5 lb 10 oz |
| Weight per personestimated | 29.5 oz (trail weight) | 37.5 oz (trail weight) |
| Pad fitestimated | 2 × 25 in pads fit | 2 × 25 in pads fit |
| Fits sleepers up toestimated | 6ft 8in tall | 6ft 10in tall |
| Doors | 1 | 2 |
| Freestanding | freestanding | freestanding |
| Poles | aluminum | aluminum |
| Wall type | double wall | double wall |
| Season rating | 3-season | 3-season |
| Floor hydrostatic head | 1,500 mm | 2,000 mm |
| Packed size | 19 x 6 in | 21.5 x 8 x 4 in |
| Approx. price | ~$300 | ~$300 |
Big Agnes C Bar
The C Bar sits between the ultralight nylon tents and the heavy polyester ones: 59 ounces, tough 75D PFAS-free fabric, freestanding, and a single door to keep the weight and price down. It is the tent to look at if the Blacktail is heavier than you want and the Tiger Wall is thinner than you trust. The one-door layout and seven-square-foot vestibule are the real constraints — this is a tent for a solo hiker with room to spread out more than a tent for two adults with two packs.
Best for
A solo backpacker who wants a durable freestanding tent under four pounds and will use the second sleeping space for gear.
Nemo Aurora
Three hundred dollars, footprint included, 32.4 square feet, a 53-inch rectangular floor and a 2000 mm floor rating — the Aurora is the value entry in this catalog and it does not feel like one from the inside. The price of that is 75 ounces, nearly five pounds, in 75D polyester that will outlast the thin stuff by years. Nemo sells it as a bundle with the footprint, which is how a $300 tent ends up cheaper than a $300 tent.
Best for
A first backpacking tent, or a loaner tent that will get treated badly and survive it.
Rows where the two differ are tinted. Specs are the makers’ own; floor area per person, weight per person and pad fit are our arithmetic on them.