Nemo Dragonfly vs Dagger

Nemo Dragonfly vs Dagger, they’re both great ultralight backpacking tents that have several differences, one is not better than the other, the best one for you depends on your needs.

To help you pick the most fitting one for you, I will compare two tents by their weight, pack size, durability, longevity, interior capacity, and other features.

Firstly, both tents have two sizes; Nemo Dragonfly offers one-person and two-person options. On the other hand, Nemo Dagger offers two-person and three-person and I will be comparing two-person versions of the tents.

In summary, Nemo Dagger is 12 oz heavier and packs down a little bit bigger than Nemo Dragonfly. But it offers a bigger floor and vestibule area, is made of more durable material, and offers more liveable space inside the tent.

Specs: Nemo Dragonfly 2P vs Nemo Dagger 2P

Construction: Nemo Dragonfly vs Dagger

Floor Area

One big difference between the tents is their floor design, Dragonfly has a tapered floor that is wider at the head area and gets narrower through the feet area, while Dagger has a rectangular floor.

Even though they both offer enough floor area for an ultralight backpacking tent, Nemo Dagger‘s floor area (31.3 sq ft) is 2.3 sq ft bigger compared to Nemo Dragonfly (29 sq ft).

Lastly, Nemo Dagger is 90″ long (2″ taller than Nemo Dragonfly), so if you are a tall fellow you would be more comfortable in Nemo Dagger.

Vestibule Area

The vestibule area is as important as the floor area. It’s where you keep your gear to have enough liveable space in the tent. When it comes to comparison of the two, Nemo Dagger is again the superior one, it offers 11.4 sq ft of vestibule areas for each door, while Nemo Dragonfly offers only 10 sq ft.

Interior Volume

The interior volume of a tent depends on two factors;

• The peak height of the tent
• The distribution and amount of the clips that are attached to the poles to widen the canopy

Nemo Dagger is 1″ taller than Nemo Dragonfly with the height of 42″, and it has more clips and better clip distribution than Nemo Dragonfly to widen the canopy.

Therefore, Nemo Dagger offers more interior volume than Nemo Dragonfly.

Here is a comparison of clip distribution and interior volume that I’ve made;

Breathability

Both tents are highly breathable with their all mesh top,

Each tent have protected strut vents to prevent condensation.

Durability & Waterproofness: Dagger vs Dragonfly

To understand how durable is a tent, you need to look at the fabric specs, seam types and pole material.

Dragonfly and Dagger use the same seam type but Nemo Dagger’s poles are made of more durable and thicker material and its fabrics are made of more denier fabric.

Therefore, Nemo Dagger is more durable compared to Nemo Dragonfly.

Waterproofness rating is the way to understand how waterproof a tent is (it’s shown in the table with the metric of mm).

Fly fabrics of tents are equally waterproof, but for the floor fabrics, Nemo Dagger (3000 mm) is more water-resistant compared to Dragonfly (1200 mm).

If you want an even more durable tent then check out my article where I compare MSR Hubba Hubba and Big Agnes Copper Spur.

Weight & Packsize of Dagger vs Dragonfly

This is where Nemo Dragonfly shines, it weighs 3 lb 2 oz and packs down to Ø 4.5″ x 19.5″, on the other hand, Nemo Dagger weighs 3 lb 14 oz and packs down to Ø 6.5″ x 19.5″.

Until now Nemo Dagger seemed like the superior one, but it is a better option only if you need a big floor area and interior volume, if you don’t, you will be carrying an extra load for nothing.

Even though Nemo Dagger has a bigger liveable space, Nemo Dragonfly offers quite enough space for a two-person ultralight backpacking trip, at the end of the day it all comes down to how much space do you actually need?

If you need a lighter tent, check out my article where I compare Nemo Hornet and its Elite version.

Features of Nemo Dagger and Dragonfly

Both tent features:

• Color-coded Poles for easy setup
• Light Pockets and Gear Pockets
• Divvy Sack dual-stage stuff sack which allows you to split the load with a hiking partner.
• White No-See-Um Mesh on side panels to increase privacy and black mesh top for stargazing at night.

Overview: Nemo Dragonfly vs Dagger

Nemo Dragonfly

Nemo Dagger

Conclusion

If you don’t mind carrying extra weight or if you have a partner to split the load (it’s possible to split the tent’s pack), I would recommend Nemo Dagger, it offers a much bigger interior volume, more durability, and waterproofness.

But if carrying an extra 12 oz and a bit bulkier package would be a problem, then go with the Dragonfly. Even though it doesn’t offer big interior volume like Nemo Dagger, it’s still enough for an ultralight backpacking trip.

Check out the latest prices of Nemo Dragonfly and Nemo Dagger.