Solo Shelter Options

Andrew,

Could you give us a bit of information on the common conditions that you will be facing when you go backpacking?

Places of high humidity, frequent rain storms, high winds, etc.

I have the Contrail Tarpent, but have since moved to a poncho tarp and bivy setup.

I found that the Contrail was very easy to setup and used one of my hiking poles to set it up.

1.5 lbs or a little less with plenty of room for 1 person…maybe two if they were very friendly.

Offered good rain protection with the sides pulled down, but in terms of wind, it is critical to have the back end pointing into the wind to deflect/shed wind.

Better yet, with any UL shelter, your site selection of where to pitch your shelter is critical.

Does the site offer wind protection with thick brush or trees?

The Tarptent Rainbow is another unique design where you can use both hiking poles to create a free standing tent and the Rainbow has proven itself very stable in high winds. (see other threads in the forums regarding the Rainbow….there was even a video posted of it in the wind).

If you email Henry, the owner of Tarptent, I am sure that he would be happy to give you his advice on which one of his tents would be best.

Off the top of my head, the choice that Tarptent/Henry has are the Sublite at 1 lb, Contrail 1.5 lbs, and the Rainbow.

Check out Tarptent.com

There are many other manufacture out there who offer good light weight products too, I just happen to know many people who have Tarpents.

This might interest you, but in the Photo Gallery Section, search for an Essay on Point Reyes…there are a lot of photos of different UL tents and gear.

It was a group trip composed of all BPLers, so it offers a way for you to see a lot of UL gear in use.

Hope that this helps and welcome to the world of lightweight backpacking!

-Tony

.

I use SMD's serenity nettent… its awesome, and weighs only 7 oz.! for summer trips its all i bring, for the wet season, add the gatewood cape @ 17oz. total weight for your shelter, and it quasi-double wall so condensation stays out side the netting for the most part…

"I'm looking for a lightweight solo shelter – mainly for summer trips – and I'm not really sure where to start. I have the Big Agnes Seedhouse 3, which I've been using for group trips (and am absolutely thrilled with), but as I'm beginning to look into some solo trips, I'm in the market for a new shelter.

I'd prefer something that is very easy and simple to set up, even if it'd cost me if a few ounces."

Hi Andrew,

If you don't mind a few extra ounces, I'd recommend taking a close look at the Tarptent Rainbow. It is very easy to set up, with a very adequate vestibule, 43" of headroom, and loads of space for one person at 34 oz. AND it is very stable in high winds and sheds moderate snow well. It's my go to tent when I'm not using a tarp. The only downside, IME, is that it is vulnerable to condensation, like all single wall tents. If you do most of your hiking in humid climates, you might want to take a look at Henry's Scarp 1, or its competitors(Akto and Terra Nova Laser series).

It may not be the lightest option, but what about the Big Agnes Seedhouse 1SL. Mine is 2lbs 13.22oz, has lots of mesh for the summer, and is very easy to set up. Another good double wall tent option is the Tarptent Scarp 1 with the mesh inner. If you want to go lighter, than you could a Tarptent Contrail, SMD Lunar Solo, or even a tarp.

I have a TT Rainbow and like it quite a bit. Not the lightest in the tarp tent genre, but lots of room, and most of it useable. I thought I wanted a Contrail for awhile, as it's lighter, but after using the Rainbow, I realized I liked the side entry. Also great for rolling back the beak on dry nights and having lots of view.

It also looks the most like a traditional tent, not that that matters.

Setup is easy, but having to insert the arch pole, probably not quite as fast as something like the Contrail.

All that said, there's so many intriguing solo shelters out there. Six Moon Designs, Gossamer Gear, Tarptent, Mountain Laurel, Oware, it'll come down to personal preference and be pretty hard to go wrong.

After using contrail for a couple of years I've recently purchased TT Rainbow. I am very impressed with how easy it is to setup and how roomy it is. Add the ability to set it up free standing and side entry and it's my new favorite tent.

I've had both the SMD Lunar Solo and the TT Contrail. I find that because of my height (6'5"), the Contrail works and has plenty of room. The Lunar Solo is an elegant design (IMO) with some features I prefer over the Contrail, but it doesn't work well for someone my size.

You have several excellent choices. I would encourage research into some of threads on the BPL forums for extended discussions on almost any shelter you would consider.

I'm sold on the idea of single-wall shelters that use trekking poles for most 3 season usage.

I have the Gossamer Gear One and really like it. I've used it several times with no issue and it is very light.

I also have a Tarptent Squall 2 and it has performd very well as a 2 person tent. The quality is superb and would imagine that the one person versions would work very well as others have said.