A desert thunderstorm, howling wind, and sandy soil. That’s what our friends and their kids, Arlo (4) and Audrey (2), got on a river trip through Ruby-Horsethief on the Colorado River, and the NEMO Aurora Highrise 6 stayed pitched through all of it. It’s a tall six-person family tent with steep sidewalls, a huge front door, and a simple pole setup, and we’ve used it all over the Colorado Front Range foothills. One heads-up: the poles go up fast, but staking it out properly takes real time.
Take me back to the family tent full guide
Best family tent for wind and quick setup
NEMO Aurora Highrise 6
Simple, light for its size, and it stays put when the wind shows up.
Capacity: 6 | Floor: 83.3 sq ft | Vestibules: 23.6 + 23.6 sq ft | Peak height: 77 in | Packaged weight: 18 lb 10 oz
Good for: Families who camp somewhere windy or hot and want a big tent that’s easy to pitch.
Skip if: You want a smaller tent that’s fully set up in a few minutes. This one needs a lot of staking.
Is the Aurora Highrise 6 weatherproof?
It held up well for us. On the Ruby-Horsethief trip, our friends got stormed on in a stretch of canyon with very few wind breaks. They stayed dry, and the tent stayed put in sand, which was nice to see. It does flap a little in big wind, but it’s one of the quieter tents we’ve used at this size, thanks to the rainfly design and how tight you can pitch it.
Where we tested the Aurora Highrise 6
The river trip was the big test. Our friends don’t camp as often as we do, and they wanted a large tent that was easy to use and could stand up to wind. That stretch of the Colorado can get intense, especially during a thunderstorm. They told us setup and teardown were easy, and they loved it.
Closer to home, we’ve pitched it all over the Colorado foothills, both solo and with a partner. Adults have slept in it, families of four have slept in it, and a family of five plus a dog has slept in it.
Aurora Highrise 6 features that actually stood out
The big front door is the standout. Getting an air mattress in and out is easy, and Cypress (5) and Oren (2) used it to drag toys and treasures in and out all day. They also liked that it didn’t get too hot in the sun.
Ventilation is better than most large tents we’ve used. Open both doors and the side windows and you get a real breeze. With the fly off, it’s great, and the body still gives you privacy from about the waist down. Pitching takes about 10 minutes, and being tall helps.
What doesn’t work on the Aurora Highrise 6
The ceiling slopes down toward the edges, so very tall campers lose standing room once they move away from the center. The rear door is only a half-size door, and the interior pockets sit where you can’t reach them from your sleeping bag.
The other thing is staking. The poles go up quickly, but to get it fully staked and guyed out the way it should be, plan on extra time.
How to care for the Aurora Highrise 6
NEMO recommends rinsing the tent with lukewarm or cool water and scrubbing dirty spots with a wet cloth, using a technical fabric wash if you need more than water. Skip the washing machine, regular detergent, and the dryer, since they damage the waterproof coatings. Lay it flat or hang it to dry out of direct sun, and make sure it’s completely dry before storing. Store it loosely in a breathable sack, not compressed in its carry case, somewhere cool, dark, and dry.
Tent care tip: After a sandy trip like Ruby-Horsethief, blow the loose sand and dust off with a leaf blower before you store it. Grit left on the fabric holds moisture and helps water seep through.
Does the Aurora Highrise 6 pack down?
Better than a lot of big tents, but it’s still a big tent and takes up a good amount of space. The duffel keeps everything contained. The hard part is getting the tent rolled back down tight enough to fit, so it’s a snug squeeze every time.
Aurora Highrise 6 sizing guide
For us, the Aurora is a palace for two to three people, comfy for four to five, and livable but a little snug at six. The 120 x 100 inch floor is roomy, and the near-vertical walls make it feel even roomier near the middle. A family of four fits comfortably.
Who is the Aurora Highrise 6 best for?
The Aurora is for families who want a big, livable tent that’s easy to get up and won’t fall over when the wind picks up. It’s a great pick for hot weather, too, because it breathes so well. If you need a giant gear garage, it’s not that. If you want a tent that’s easy to pitch, hard to knock over, and pretty dang livable, it is.
Pro tip: On hot days, open both doors and the side windows. You’ll get a real breeze through the whole tent.
How the Aurora Highrise 6 compares to other family camping tents
| NEMO Aurora Highrise 6 | The North Face Wawona 6 | REI Co-op Westward 6 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $499.95 | $585 | $549 |
| Floor area | 83.3 sq ft | 75.7 sq ft | 80.83 sq ft |
| Vestibule area | 23.6 + 23.6 sq ft | 44.7 sq ft | 35.08 sq ft |
| Peak height | 77 in | 76 in | 77 in |
| Packaged weight | 18 lb 10 oz | 19 lb 6.4 oz | 19 lb 10 oz |
| Footprint included | No | No | No |
| Our fit verdict | Comfy for 4–5 | Pleasant for 4–5 | Comfy for 3–4 |
| Overall rating | 4.7/5.0 | 4.8/5.0 | 4.3/5.0 |
Ben Dawson
I'm Ben Dawson: dad of two, former full-time van liver, and co-author of three Falcon Guides, including Hiking with Kids: Glacier and Waterton Lakes National Parks. I've worked in outdoor media for more than a decade, and I've been testing gear with Roxy since 2017 as a gear reviewer and analyst. These days most of my testing happens with a kid on my back or a tent full of them. I've carried and hiked with my kids more miles than I can count, from Canada to Mexico and plenty of places in between. My rule is pretty simple: if the kid is uncomfortable, or you are, nobody's having a good time out there. I tell you what works, what doesn't, and who it's actually for.
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