Kelty
Kelty Late Start 2 Tent
$159.95Cheaper
Best Camping Tents · head-to-head
Kelty Late Start 2 Tent vs The North Face Wawona 6 Tent
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Kelty Late Start 2 Tent is cheaper at $159.95. Every spec and price links to its source.
The North Face
The North Face Wawona 6 Tent
$585
Which is better: the Kelty Late Start 2 Tent or The North Face Wawona 6 Tent?
The Kelty Late Start 2 Tent wins 1 of the 1 specs we compare head to head; the other wins 0. The Kelty Late Start 2 Tent is the cheaper at $159.95. The Kelty Late Start 2 Tent both leads on specs and costs less — the straightforward pick.
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Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | Kelty Late Start 2 Tent | The North Face Wawona 6 Tent |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $159.95 MSRP per kelty.com | $585 |
| Brand | Kelty | The North Face |
| Released | — | — |
| Capacity persons | 2 | 6 |
| Type | backpacking | car_camping |
| Packaged weight (lb) | 4.75 | 19.44 |
| Floor area (sq ft) | 30.6 | 86.11 |
| Peak height (in) | 43 | 76 |
| Doors | 1 | 2 |
| Seasons | 3-season | 3-season |
| Rainfly included | Yes | Yes |
| Release | — | — |
Sources — Kelty Late Start 2 Tent: kelty.com (verified 2026-06-20). The North Face Wawona 6 Tent: rei.com (verified 2026-06-20).
What's the difference between the Kelty Late Start 2 Tent and The North Face Wawona 6 Tent?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (6 of 8). Matching specs are omitted.
- Capacity persons: Kelty Late Start 2 Tent 2 vs The North Face Wawona 6 Tent 6
- Type: Kelty Late Start 2 Tent backpacking vs The North Face Wawona 6 Tent car_camping
- Packaged weight (lb): Kelty Late Start 2 Tent 4.75 vs The North Face Wawona 6 Tent 19.44
- Floor area (sq ft): Kelty Late Start 2 Tent 30.6 vs The North Face Wawona 6 Tent 86.11
- Peak height (in): Kelty Late Start 2 Tent 43 vs The North Face Wawona 6 Tent 76
- Doors: Kelty Late Start 2 Tent 1 vs The North Face Wawona 6 Tent 2
What reviewers say
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
Kelty Late Start 2 Tent
No sourced tester review yet.
The North Face Wawona 6 Tent
One whitelisted tester (Wirecutter) returned a real hands-on review of this exact model, naming it their family upgrade pick. Everyone who tested it loved the cavernous interior (86 sq ft) plus a 44 sq ft vestibule (~130 sq ft combined living space), the near-vertical walls that let tall adults stand upright, and the durable aluminum-pole, dense-polyester build with no workmanship failures over three test trips. It held fast in 30 mph gusts when staked and guyed. Flaws: bulky in smaller campsites, and the footprint is sold separately. (1 sourced review, 1 lab-tested.)
Praised: Cavernous interior plus a 44 sq ft vestibule for roughly 130 sq ft of combined living space; Near-vertical walls with a full-length brow pole let tall adults (up to 6-foot-3) stand upright without stooping; Sturdy and stable in wind, holding fast in gusts up to 30 mph when staked and guyed.
Flagged: Bulky footprint can be unwieldy in smaller campsites; Groundsheet/footprint sold separately; Attaching the rain fly that forms the vestibule takes extra effort (~15 min with two people).