Naturehike Cloud Up 2 Review (2026)

Where to buy

Prices and stock change constantly, so we deliberately quote none here — the live Amazon AU listing always shows the current price. Links to Amazon AU may be affiliate links; qualifying purchases earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Key specifications

What we like, and where it gives ground

What it is, and who it suits

The Cloud Up 2 is a two-person backpacking tent. It is a double-wall design: a mesh inner tent that holds you and bugs out, wrapped by a waterproof fly that takes the rain and wind. Alloy poles raise the whole thing, and it packs into a small bag you strap to a pack.

This review answers one question. Is the Cloud Up 2 the right shelter for how you walk and camp in Australia? We have not put this tent through our own field work, and we say so up front. Instead we read the maker's published specs against the jobs a two-person kit asks, from a coast track to a weekend bush camp. Those jobs decide whether a tent gets carried.

If you want light shelter at a fair price, this is the shortlist pick. If you car camp and want room to stand, a bigger tent serves you. The sections below take the tent apart piece by piece.

Weight and why it matters

Naturehike pitches the Cloud Up 2 as a light tent, quoting a trail weight from around 1.6 kilograms depending on how you set it up. That is a fraction of a heavy car tent, and it is what lets the shelter ride on your back rather than in a vehicle.

On a walk-in site, grams are the whole argument. A tent that shaves a kilogram off your pack changes how the last few kilometres feel. The Cloud Up 2 sits in that valuable band: light enough to carry, yet with a full fly and inner rather than a bare minimalist tube.

If your camp is a short stroll from the car, the fuss over weight fades and a roomier, tougher tent may suit you better. The Cloud Up 2 pays off exactly when the ground moves under your feet to reach it.

Space and livability

As with almost every honest two-person tent, space is snug. Two sleepers and two packs fill the floor, and the low profile means you sit up rather than stand. That is normal for the class, not a fault. It is a shelter to sleep in and escape the weather, not a lounge.

The trade for small weight is small volume. Taller walkers should check the internal length before a first big trip, since a tent that is short makes you curl. A footprint and gear loft help keep the wet fly outside and boots off the floor.

If you want room to change clothes standing up, or you camp with a dog and a lot of kit, look at one of the maker's larger models. The Cloud Up 2 is built around the goal of carrying less, and everything else follows from that.

Pitching and the pole system

The poles are alloy, shock-corded and colour-matched, so the inner tent clips on and the fly goes over to finish the shape. In fair weather it pitches quickly once you know the layout, and the corded sections snap together rather than letting you thread wrong.

Value tents reward a careful hand. Stake out the corners properly and tension the fly, or the fabric flaps in wind and can touch the inner and wet it. Learn the pitch at home on a dry evening before a wet night on track, and check that you carry enough pegs for firm ground.

In soft sand or hard rock you may need better pegs than the ones in the bag. That is a small, cheap upgrade that turns a fiddly pitch into a solid one, and it is worth doing before a trip where the shelter has to hold.

Ventilation and condensation

A mesh inner and adjustable vents are the lungs of the tent. In Australia, warm nights and cool dawn air make condensation the real enemy, not rain. A double-wall design with good mesh gives the damp air a path to escape, so the wet forms more on the fly than dripping on you.

Even the best tent sweats in still, humid conditions. Pitch where air moves, open the vents at the top of the night, and dry the fly when you break camp. A budget tent has smaller doors and fewer vents than a premium model, so manage the vents you do have.

Living with condensation is a skill, not a flaw in this tent. Give it a breezy site and a proper tensioned fly, and the Cloud Up 2 stays comfortably dry through a normal Australian night.

Weather protection and durability

The coated fly and bathtub floor shed normal camp rain. They keep ground damp from creeping under, and that protection is what you are paying for. In typical camp weather the shelter will keep you dry, and the bathtub floor holds on wet ground.

Where a light value tent shows limits is sustained, violent weather. Thin fabrics flap more, seams are the first thing to test over years, and in hard sideways gusts you want a sheltered site. This is not a bomber alpine tent; it is a sound backpacking shelter used within its class.

Extend its life by drying it before packing, storing it loose rather than crammed, and patching small holes early. Treated well, a Cloud Up will cover many seasons of weekend walking, and at this price it can be replaced without heartbreak when it finally wears.

How it compares to other tents

It helps to set the Cloud Up 2 against the two tents people weigh it against most. Each wins in a different role, and the choice turns on weight, weather and budget.

Should you buy it?

Buy the Cloud Up 2 if you want a genuine light two-person tent for walk-in camps at a price that leaves budget for the rest of your kit. It is a smart first backpacking shelter or a spare for a mate, and it keeps the weight down where it counts.

Skip it if you car camp and want standing room, or if you face severe alpine wind and need a proven mountaineering tent. Those roles ask for more space or more strength than this light value shelter is built for.

Still deciding? See how it ranks against other shelters in our lightweight tent guide. To match floor space to your load before you buy, use our tent size advisor.

Frequently asked questions

How heavy is the Naturehike Cloud Up 2?

Naturehike quotes a trail weight from around 1.6 kilograms, though the exact figure depends on how you pitch it and what you carry. That is light enough to be a real backpacking tent, a large step down from a heavy car tent of several kilos. The packed weight with the fly, poles and bag is higher, so check the listing if every gram on your back matters to you.

Is the Cloud Up 2 waterproof for Australian rain?

Yes, within its class. The coated fly and bathtub floor shed normal camp rain and keep ground damp from creeping under, and the double-wall design lets you tension the fly away from the inner so wet fabric does not touch you. In a hard, driving, wind-driven storm a light value tent will test more than a premium shelter, so pick a good site. For typical Australian showers it keeps you dry.

Does the Cloud Up 2 suffer from condensation?

Any tent can, and warm still Australian nights make condensation the real issue more than rain. The mesh inner and vents are the fix: they let damp air escape so water forms on the fly rather than dripping on you. Pitch where air moves, open the vents overnight, and dry the fly before packing. Managed well, condensation is a habit rather than a fault of this tent.

Is the Cloud Up 2 a good first backpacking tent?

It is a strong first shelter for two-person walking trips. It carries light, packs small, gives you real waterproof protection, and costs little enough that early mistakes in pitching or site choice are not expensive. Handle zippers and poles with care and learn the pitch at home first. If you later face serious alpine weather, you may upgrade, but for weekend bush camps it is a value pick.

Does two-person mean two adults fit comfortably?

Two sleeping bags fit side by side, but as in almost every true two-person tent the space is snug once gear comes in. Packs and boots tend to fill the leftover floor or need to live in the vestibule under the fly. Taller sleepers should check internal length so they are not curled. If you want room to sit up and spread out, size up to a three-person or larger tent.

How does Naturehike compare to a big brand?

Naturehike gives you most of the function of a well-known backpacking brand at a much lower price. The gap shows in weight at the top end, fabric toughness, the number and size of vents, and how well the tent holds up in brutal sustained weather. For weekend walks and fair-weather camps, the value is excellent. For exposed, storm-heavy trips, the premium brands earn their extra cost.