Marmot Limestone 4P
Published · Researched 2026-09-21
2026 lineup note: Current style M13993, observed at $479.00 USD (2026-09-20). Do not mix with the older generation (~11 lb 12 oz, 60 sq ft, 61 in peak, 21 sq ft vestibule, 150D nylon floor / 68D polyester fly, some listings one door/one vestibule). Current generation: 10 lb 12.6 oz minimum, 59.2 sq ft, 63 in peak, 27.99 sq ft vestibule, two doors, four DAC DA17 poles.
Version lineage
- 2010s: Marmot Limestone 4P — Marmot's family/basecamp 4P; older generation ~11 lb 12 oz, 150D nylon floor, 68D polyester fly.
- 2020s: Current generation (style M13993) — 10 lb 12.6 oz minimum, polyester Oxford floor + polyester taffeta fly/body, DAC DA17 aluminum poles, two doors, 27.99 sq ft vestibule. Exact model-year cutover UNVERIFIED from primary source.
Used/clearance advice: Older-generation Limestones are common used at $200–$300 — heavier but arguably tougher (150D nylon floor). Fine value; check the door count (some old listings are one-door).
Overview
The Limestone 4P is Marmot's "real" family tent: 59.2 sq ft, 63-inch peak height you can almost stand in, two doors, 28 sq ft of vestibule, four DAC DA17 aluminum poles, at $479 and 10 lb 12.6 oz. It's the tent for car-camping families who've outgrown the Coleman dome — genuinely weatherproof, genuinely roomy, with Marmot's lifetime warranty behind it. The trade is weight and price: it's 2 lb heavier than some 6P Coleman tents and $400 more. But it's also the tent that survives a decade of family trips instead of two seasons.
Key Specs
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 4-person |
| Seasons | 3 |
| Structure | Freestanding, double-wall; 2 doors, 2 vestibules |
| Minimum weight | 10 lb 12.6 oz / 4,894 g |
| Floor area | 59.2 sq ft |
| Vestibule area | 27.99 sq ft total |
| Peak height | 63 in |
| Packed size | 24.4 × 10.4 in |
| Fly fabric | Polyester taffeta |
| Floor fabric | Polyester Oxford |
| Body fabric | Polyester taffeta |
| Poles | 4 × DAC DA17 aluminum |
| Footprint | Not included (sold separately) |
Pricing
- MSRP: $479.00 USD — observed 2026-09-20.
- Street price: Marmot/dealer sales discount; re-verify live.
- Used: Older generation $200–$300; current generation rarely used yet.
In the Box
- Fly, inner, 4 DAC poles, stakes, guylines, stuff sack.
- Not included: footprint.
Warranty
Marmot lifetime warranty (retailer-reported for the Limestone line; primary-source confirmation UNVERIFIED — confirm at marmot.com). Note: Marmot's corporate ownership changed (K2 Sports, 2024) — 2026 service quality UNVERIFIED in this research.
Support & Parts
Historically solid US-based Marmot support; DAC poles are replaceable via DAC/Marmot. Current parts availability: confirm before relying on it.
Long-term durability & warranty-claim reality
hikershq.com review: the Limestone 4P is "a great tent for family camping" with strong weather performance. The DAC DA17 pole set is the structural story — four aluminum poles make this one of the sturdiest 4P tents under $500. The polyester Oxford floor is tougher than the UL tents' 20D floors but thinner than the old 150D nylon generation — use the (separate) footprint on rough ground. Known wear items: zippers (class-wide), the sheer size (10.75 lb of fabric to dry and store properly). No systemic failure pattern in reviews. The two-door/two-vestibule layout means less crowding wear than single-door family tents.
Head-to-head vs closest rivals
- vs Big Agnes Blacktail 3 (
/library/gear/tents-shelters/big-agnes-blacktail-3/— new this round): the Blacktail 3 ($349.95, 6 lb, 3P) is the lighter, cheaper group tent; the Limestone 4P ($479, 10.75 lb, 4P) is the roomier, tougher family tent. Groups of 3: Blacktail. Families of 4: Limestone. - vs REI Base Camp 6 (
/library/gear/tents-shelters/rei-base-camp-6/): the Base Camp is the 6P expedition-grade step-up; the Limestone is the 4P sweet spot. Don't buy 6P space you won't use. - vs Coleman Flatwoods II 4P (
/library/gear/tents-shelters/coleman-flatwoods-ii-4p/— new this round): $50 vs $479 — the Flatwoods is a fair-weather dome; the Limestone is a decade tent. The price gap is the durability gap.
Care & maintenance
10.75 lb of tent needs real drying — air it fully before storage (mildew is the #1 family-tent killer). Store loose in a large bag, not the stuff sack. Lubricate zippers annually. The four-pole structure is strong but the hubs are the stress points — inspect after wind events. Footprint recommended (sold separately).
Buying traps
- Generation mixing: ~11 lb 12 oz / 150D nylon floor / one-door listings = older generation; 10 lb 12.6 oz / M13993 / two doors = current. The older one is tougher-floored but heavier.
- Footprint not included at $479 — budget $60–$80 more for the real floor protection.
- 10 lb 12.6 oz is car-camping weight — this is not a backpacking tent, whatever the "minimum weight" phrasing suggests.
- Marmot's ownership change (K2 Sports, 2024) — warranty service in 2026 is unproven in this research; factor it into the $479 decision.
Community Verdict
Qualitative and sourced: the family-tent upgrade pick. hikershq.com: strong recommendation for family camping — weather performance and livability. Retailer reviews (ascentoutdoors, blackovis, ascentcycles listings): spacious, sturdy, good in wind and rain. The dissent: heavy (universal), footprint sold separately at this price (recurring grumble), and the packed size is large. Owners who moved up from Coleman domes describe it as "the tent we should have bought first."
Social pulse — Sept 2026
Facebook (primary layer): Family-camping workhorse reputation. A winter-camping group commenter praises the Limestone 4P for "fitting four adults comfortably" (Frontenac, owner-validated capacity). Family setup reels show it in normal use; a nine-slide sales showcase anchors on the Limestone 4P as the flagship family tent; Limestone 8P spotted on a rocky site. Threads: BC backcountry expedition and beach-to-campsite posts feature Marmot tents in aspirational framing. The 4P's social identity: the tent families actually buy and keep. Instagram: Not searched for this product on 2026-09-20 — the authenticated Instagram CLI only functioned for 6 of the 17 expansion products (all zero post blocks); the remaining 11, including this one, were not attempted. Treat Instagram coverage for this product as absent, not as a no-results signal.
Images
Research image inventory (filenames as archived; the gallery above shows the selected images):
marmot-limestone-4p-1.jpg— (existing)marmot-limestone-4p-2.jpg— (existing)marmot-limestone-4p-3.jpg— (existing)
[research workspace]— Limestone 4P (gray) composite showing inner and fly, Marmot logo (Backcountry). Source: https://www.backcountry.com/marmot-limestone-4-person-3-season-tent-mar1968[research workspace]— Limestone 4P (green) with vestibule open, branding (retailer). Source: https://www.hardloop.it/prodotto/12022-marmot-limestone-4p-tenda-da-campeggio (Hardloop)[research workspace]— Limestone 4P (green) front view with vestibule open (Trailspace). Source: https://www.trailspace.com/gear/marmot/limestone-4p/
Research date: 2026-09-20. Prices in USD. Sources: https://www.ascentcycles.com/products/marmot-limestone-4p · https://ascentoutdoors.com/products/marmot-limestone-4p · https://www.blackovis.com/marmot-limestone-4p-tent · https://hikershq.com/marmot-limestone-4-review/
Sources
- www.backcountry.com — retrieval date not recorded
- www.hardloop.it — retrieval date not recorded
- www.trailspace.com — retrieval date not recorded
- www.ascentcycles.com — retrieval date not recorded
- ascentoutdoors.com — retrieval date not recorded
- www.blackovis.com — retrieval date not recorded
- hikershq.com — retrieval date not recorded