Exped
Exped Polaris 2
Where it fits
- Also works for
- Backpacking and wild camping, Winter mountain
Why these labels
- Backpacking and wild camping: Light to carry: 2.4 kg
- Winter mountain: 4-season rating
From the maker's stated use and the published specs.
- Summer wild camp: 5/10 UK, roughly May to September, nights above about 8 °C, sheltered pitches.
- Three-season hills: 6/10 UK hills in spring and autumn. Wind, rain, and nights near freezing.
- Winter camp: 7/10 UK winter or high ground. Below freezing, strong wind, possibly snow.
- Weight: 3/10 How much it adds to your pack, compared with the whole market.
Winter and high-mountain camps where heavy snow, wind and cold are expected
- Sleeps
- 2
- Seasons
- 4-season
- Min. weight
- 2.35 kg
- Flysheet
- 10,000 mm
- Inner length
- 220 cm
Packed size 10.44 L, 46 cm long and 17 cm across Compare with a 2-litre bottle
About one and a half 2-litre bottles long and about one and a half times as wide. Drawn to scale.
Where to buy
Alpinetrek £1,031.21 In stock. Free delivery. Price includes UK duties and taxes. Alpinetrek's page shows it in stock.
View at shop: AlpinetrekPrices checked 8 Nov 2026 on each shop's own page; shops can change them. We earn no commission on these links; shops are listed by price. More
Our ratings (out of 10)
1 to 10, compared with the whole market. Each says what it's based on. How we score
Weight
From maker's figures 3/10How much it adds to your pack. This is the whole tent: two people sharing can split it. 3: Below average. Fine for some trips, not others.
Exped's minimum weight of 2.35 kg is in the 2.0–2.69 kg band (2.75 kg maximum).
Rain protection
From maker's figures 8/10How well it keeps out heavy, long rain. 8: Clearly better than most.
Fly 10,000 mm is in the 3,000 mm+ band; the 10,000 mm floor is over 2,000 mm, so no point comes off. The printed figure alone gives 8 at most: a 9 or 10 needs 3 reviews that say it stays dry in real storms.
Wind
Estimate from maker's specs: maker's season rating (fewer than 3 reviews about wind) 7/10How steady it stays in strong wind on open ground. 7: Better than most.
No published review says how it copes with wind, so this is an estimate from the maker's season rating.
Space
From maker's figures 7/10Room to lie, sit up and keep kit inside. 7: Better than most.
Exped's 2.8 m² canopy area ÷ 2 people = 1.4 m² each, in the 1.35–1.59 band; 220 x 130 cm with 105 cm headroom, so it is snug for two on a long storm stay.
Packed size
From maker's figures 4/10How much room it takes in your rucksack. 4: A bit below average.
Packs to 46 x 17 cm: 3.1416 x 8.5 x 8.5 x 46 = 10,441 cm³, so 10.44 L, in the 10–14.9 L band.
In short
Good for
- Winter and high-mountain camps where heavy snow, wind and cold are expected
- Two climbers or skiers on an expedition who want a freestanding single-wall tent
- Short stays where weight and a small footprint matter more than room
Strengths
- Exped rates it all-season; freestanding single-wall design
- Breathable VentAir 3-layer laminate fly rated 10,000 mm, with a 10,000 mm floor
- 2.35 kg minimum for a four-season tent
- Five pre-mounted guylines; Exped says it can take storms
- Pole repair kit, spare zip slider and V-pegs come in the box
Weaknesses
- Only 105 cm high and 130 cm wide inside, so cramped for long storm stays; vestibule space is just 0.5 m²
- Single-wall tents tend to build condensation in humid weather; Exped's own FAQ lists ways to reduce it
- Packs to 46 x 17 cm, about 10.4 L
- No outlet reviews found, so wind, pitching and durability scores are missing
Sources
We haven't tested this ourselves. Every score comes from these specs, tests and reviews.