Zorali Highlands 2P Tent Review

Zorali believe in nature – they believe in its healing power, its beauty and in our shared responsibility to care for it. We’re stoked to be testing out their Highlands 2P tent to see if it’s the perfect shelter on our own nature break.

Who are Zorali?

Zorali is one heck of a sustainable brand. They’re completely climate neutral, members of 1% For The Planet and plant 10 trees for every product sold in partnership with Eden Projects. Yew!

Not only that, but this Aussie company also makes quality, responsibly made gear.

The Highlands 2P tent is a lightweight, two-person tent that’s pitched (pun intended) as ideal for both backpacking and car camping. So that’s exactly what we used it for to put this tent through its paces.

Ease of Setup

Like most outdoorsy folk, I’ve pitched my fair share of tents; everything from a canvas teepee to an ultralight A-frame and I have to say that when it comes to simplicity, pitching the Zorali Highlands 2P tent was up there with the best of them. 

The majority of what comes out of the Zorali bag is nothing new… separate footprint (smart), tent, poles, fly, pegs and guy ropes. But clearly some thoughtful design has gone into this little package before letting it out into the wild. 

One of my favourite features of the Highlands 2P tent is the pole design. The main pole assembly is shaped kind of like two Ys joined together at the bottom, giving you an end point for each corner. 

With the expected number of two inhabitants, setting up was a breeze, yet this tent is just as easy to set up if you’re venturing out on a solo adventure. 

Once the first two pole ends are locked into the tent base, it’s a simple matter of spinning the third end down – the design places minimal flex on the poles until the fourth corner is being locked in, meaning that the tent doesn’t slingshot away while trying to lock the poles in place.

Very hard to describe, yet very simple to do in practice –  trust me, it works!

Size and Weight

Fully packed, the Zorali Highlands 2P weighs in at 2.8kg. Naturally you can shave this weight down depending on the logistics of your adventure.

Remove the footprint and you’re down to 2.3kg. You could probably ditch some pegs and guy ropes if you’re really weight conscious. So yeah, not superlight, but when split between two people it’s pretty decent in the weight category.

It’s also quite slim compared to other tents I’ve used in this class and weight range. Fully packed, you’re looking at a bundle 50cm long by about 15cm in diameter.

Pretty easy to strap onto the outside of a pack, or better yet, spilt up the contents with your hiking buddy for an even more manageable package. 

For these reasons, the tent is pretty versatile. We took it on an overnight bikepacking trip, and the weight and size was perfect for strapping to a bike as shelter for two.

We also tested it out car-camping – clearly size and weight isn’t such an issue here, but when you’ve got a boot full of snowboards and other adventure gear, the smaller size is much appreciated.

Liveability

This is honestly one of the first two person tents I’ve used where I’ve thought to myself, ‘If I got stuck in here on a rainy day it probably wouldn’t be too bad…’. There are a few reasons why this tent isn’t just a shelter for sleeping in.

Firstly, the pole design. I rated it highly for setup, but it’s got another ace up its sleeve. As well as the main pole assembly, there are two shorter cross poles going across the top, which changes the interior profile from your typical dome to something with more vertical sides. This increases the headroom dramatically, meaning sitting up in the tent is not only possible, but comfortable. 

The ends of these cross poles support the outer fly, and after extended use may prove to be a wear point. But Zorali have reinforced these contact points with several layers of fabric, so clearly, they’ve thought this through. 

Couple this great headroom with double doors and vestibules – that’s right, no more climbing over your mate for that 2.00 am wee walk! The door openings on each side are immense, with the zip opening up nearly the full 360 degrees, and the doors tucking into handy pockets.

Sure, the internal floorspace is only 2.6 square metres – a little cosier than some other options out there – but for me, the headspace, big double doors, roomy vestibules and a good selection of interior pockets for stashing stuff, made the tent feel roomy.  

And finally, one extra feature which really brings the outdoors into this tent (in a good way) is the double zip on the vestibules, which allows you to pop up a little awning with the help of your hiking poles (You did bring a pair of hiking poles, didn’t you?).

A great little addition allowing you to laze in bed and watch the sunrise, brew a morning coffee or catch a bit of shade on a sunny day without having to fully close up the tent.

Conclusion

After spending some time with the Zorali Highlands 2P, I have to say I’m impressed. As a two person backpacking and car camping tent, the Highlands 2P ticks most of the required boxes.

If weight and size are your ultimate priority then you may find better options, but personally I think the balance is just right. With innovative features and clever design, this tent is super easy to set up and feels more spacious than the specs would have you believe. At $450 it’s sitting in the middle of the range, and it’s a pretty fair price for the quality on display.

Most importantly, Zorali is definitely a brand you should keep in mind – we owe it to the planet to start supporting companies who show their commitment to the environment. This way, we can keep enjoying the great outdoors without compromising on quality gear. 

Jon was given the Zorali Highland 2P Tent for testing and was allowed to keep it afterwards. He was allowed to say whatever the heck he wanted about it in this review.