Orson
Orson hiking tents, tarps and lightweight camp gear, designed in New Zealand for tramping, bikepacking and hunting. Shop Nomad, Ace and Tracker all-weather tents, ultralight Indie and Hopper Pro tents, the four-season Alpha 2, Shadow tarps, carbon fibre poles and Tussock chairs and stretchers.
Explore Orson in our tents range, with Tussock camp seating in camp furniture and the Tussock stretcher in bedding.
See how small an Orson tent packs down at our Grey Lynn concept store at 36 Pollen Street, or order online for fast, tracked delivery across New Zealand.
Orson
About Orson
Orson designs hiking tents, tarps and lightweight camp gear in New Zealand, with a clear goal: tough, dependable shelter that does not weigh you down. Its tents are built for the trips New Zealanders actually do, from overnight tramps and bikepacking to hunting trips and paddling missions, where the weather can turn quickly.
Orson uses proven lightweight materials such as ripstop fabrics and aluminium and carbon fibre poles, and many of its tents come with a matching groundsheet to protect the floor and extend its life.
The tents are designed with New Zealand weather in mind, so the focus is on stable pitches, good ventilation to manage condensation, and setups that one person can manage at the end of a long day. Each tent lists its packed weight and size, so you can compare options against the space you have in your pack.
A tent for every trip
The Nomad, Ace and Tracker tents are all-weather lightweight options for one to four people, a good balance of space, weight and protection for regular tramping. For fast and light trips, the Indie, Hopper Pro and Tracker Pro are ultralight designs, and some Indie models use carbon fibre poles to save even more weight.
The Jett 1 is an ultralight tunnel tent, the Raider 1 is an extra-long solo tent for taller trampers, and the Alpha 2 is a four-season tent for winter and alpine conditions.
Tarps, chairs and Orson at Land & Sea
Orson's Shadow tarps and telescopic carbon fibre tarp poles make a light, flexible shelter for camp or a quick rain cover, and the Tussock lightweight chair and ultralight stretcher add comfort without much weight. We also carry Orson groundsheets, spare parts and tent accessories, so you can look after a tent for many seasons. Our team can help you weigh up space, weight and weather protection to find the right tent for your next trip, and show you how each one packs.
Frequently asked questions about Orson
Is Orson a New Zealand brand?
Orson designs its hiking tents, tarps and lightweight camp gear in New Zealand, with local tramping, bikepacking and hunting conditions in mind. The range focuses on lightweight, dependable shelter for trips where the weather can change quickly, from one person ultralight tents to a four-season tent for winter and alpine use, along with tarps, carbon fibre poles and lightweight camp furniture.
Which Orson tent is best for tramping?
For most tramping, an all-weather lightweight tent such as the Orson Nomad, Ace or Tracker is a great choice, balancing interior space, weight and weather protection. If keeping weight down is the priority for fast trips, the ultralight Indie, Hopper Pro and Tracker Pro are worth a look. For winter and alpine trips where snow and strong wind are likely, choose the four-season Alpha 2 instead.
What is a four season tent like the Orson Alpha 2?
A four season tent is built to handle winter and alpine conditions, including strong wind and snow loading. Compared with a three season tent it typically has a stronger pole structure, more fabric and less mesh to keep warmth in and spindrift out, and a shape that sheds wind and snow. The Orson Alpha 2 is a two person four season tent for trampers and climbers heading into the mountains in winter.
Do Orson tents come with a groundsheet?
Many Orson tents are sold with a matching groundsheet, and groundsheets are also available separately for models such as the Indie, Tracker, Jett and Raider. A groundsheet, sometimes called a footprint, sits under the tent floor to protect it from sharp stones, sticks and abrasion, which helps a lightweight tent floor last much longer. It also adds a little extra protection from moisture on wet ground.
What is the Orson Raider 1?
The Raider 1 is Orson's extra-long one person hiking tent, designed for taller trampers who find standard solo tents too short. The extra length means your head and feet are less likely to touch the tent walls, which helps keep your sleeping bag dry from condensation. It comes with a groundsheet, and it is a good choice for solo tramping and hunting trips where you want a little more room.
What is an Orson Shadow tarp used for?
The Orson Shadow tarp is a lightweight, flexible shelter you can pitch in many ways: as a rain cover over a camp kitchen, a shade sail at the beach, a windbreak, or a minimalist shelter for sleeping under. Paired with Orson's telescopic carbon fibre tarp poles and some guy lines, it gives you a dry, shaded space at camp for very little weight, and it comes in sizes such as 3 x 3 and 3 x 4 metres.