Taptent Moment vs Sublite Sil

I was just wrestling with the same decision 2 weeks ago while trying to decide what to go with for the PCT. I decided on the Moment despite a few extra ounces because the extra space (sit up space and vestibule space) was too attractive to pass up.

The other aspect of the Moment that tipped me in that direction is I don't use trekking poles which the Sublite pretty much requires, and the Moment requires fewer stake out points.

There are dedicated tent poles from Tarptent available for the Sublite….

Along the PCT I would choose the Moment even though I use trekking poles….
1. I like a vestibule, especially in inclement weather
2. The shape of the Moment IMO is better at deflecting wind.
3. I believe that the height of the bathtub floor in the Moment is higher than in the Sublite.
4. Moment – possibly better ventilation – and it has the end liner so your bag doesn't hit the silnylon sides.
5. If to be used in severe weather…there is a crossing pole available for the Moment….

"There are dedicated tent poles from Tarptent available for the Sublite…."

That's totally true, and why I was considering the Sublite. Bringing dedicated poles for the Sublite reduces the difference in weight between the two tents, and just makes all the other reasons that I picked the Moment stand out even more.

It seems like the Moment offers more in the way of comfort while inside of it, while the Sublite offers more comfort while carrying it, by cutting weight down to the bone.

I will be in Big Bend Texas so I picked the Sublite. Altough I have yet to use it I am very pleased with the quality. I decided to start using trekking poles (GG lighttrek) and will use them as the poles. I have the tyvek version.

The Sublite is bigger and will take a wide pad. The Moment has less usable space and is no superior at wind resistance or snow load. But it does have a vestibule.

If you don't use trekking poles (why wouldn't you?) then the Moment may be a better choice for smaller folks.

Don't know about the Sublite but I really like the Moment. It has a crossing pole, I think just so it can be set up without driving a stake. It didn't work for me and I have retired it. Two stakes are not so hard to use. Only other thing that didn't work for me was the stuff sack, which I have replaced. Now it takes 5 minutes to unpack, set up, strike and repack the tent. Awesome!

I too faced the Sublite/Moment problem. Using your trekking poles as tent poles certainly appeals to the multi-use fanatic in me. Ultimately, though, I got the Moment for the vestibule and for the simplicty. The thing only uses two tent stakes, and is wickedly fast to set up- useful when you like to hike until sunset and set up camp quick. You don't even really need stakes- just tie ground lines to two trees or, as I did in my living room Christmas morning, to furniture- but I occasionally use the stakes for wood burning in a Tri-Ti anyway.

Also, when it arrived I was shocked at just how roomy it is. Honestly. It is always so hard to get a feel for that just by looking at the numbers, eh? So I don't think the minor difference in floor area matters much. Plus, with the vestibule space added in the Moment is actually larger.

Ideally what I would want, I suppose, is a Sublite/Moment crossbreed- the general dimensions of the Moment and only using the two stakes, but using trekking poles for support. But, of course, I've now committed to the Moment, and I'm not sure if typical trekking poles are long enough for such a tent.

Mr. Ure,

WIND? I'd say the Moment is at LEAST as wind resistant as the SubLite. I've had mine in overnight sustained 35-45 mph. winds with no flapping or even rippling of the canopy. I buttoned it up and slept very well.

ROOM? There's plenty of room in the Moment IF you keep your pack in the vestibule where it belongs. The SubLite? Well, sleeping with your pack can't be all that bad. Hee, hee

And then there's that nice Moment vestibule that keeps rain out of the tent floor when entering and exiting, just like the SubL..er, Wait, that's not true for the SubLite, is it? :)

Yes, the SubLite is LIGHT. But the Moment is really comfortable for more than just sleeping and reasonably light at 28 oz. W/ 2 stakes.

>Ideally what I would want, I suppose, is a Sublite/Moment crossbreed- the general dimensions of the Moment and only using the two stakes, but using trekking poles for support. But, of course, I've now committed to the Moment, and I'm not sure if typical trekking poles are long enough for such a tent.

I went down that road and backed off in favor of the arch. Trekking poles in a 2-stake design, even with some pole extensions, just don't give you anywhere near as much internal volume as the arch design does. The Moment is as roomy as it is precisely because of the enclosed volume afforded by the arch.

When the 4-stake Sublite Sil comes back (late next month?) you'll see some volume improvements to it including new gear space although the volume will still not match the Moment.

-H

Hey Eric – reread my post. What did you say that I didn't already?

Henry – I assume you mean total volume including the vestibule as even according to your specifications, there is more floorspace in the Sublite.

David, from your post:

"The Moment has less usable space and is no superior at wind resistance or snow load."

Was that "not" or "now" or some other word?

One of the comments made when I went out with the Sublite last weekend was about the lack of vestibule… but since I am at best a very part time tent user, and I actually don't mind having the pack zipped up inside with me (my multi-purpose pack cover/gear hammock/water carrier/firewood carrier/ground cloth, aka a large rectangle of silnylon with a hemmed draw-corded edge can be the water barrier under any wet gear) — who the heck cares? It had no condensation when all the other tents around me did.

Lori – that should have been read as 'not.'

Eric is concerned as to where you put your pack – tell me under your legs….

David,

I think you're confusing volume (3 dimensions) with floor area (2 dimensions). The Moment may have less floor area than the Sublite, but it certainly has greater volume.

Cheers,
Stuart

"Eric is concerned as to where you put your pack – tell me under your legs…."

That depends on which pack I take. Last weekend it was the Mariposa Plus – I put the pack at the head end so I could sip from the platy that was still in it. I'm 5'7" and there was plenty of room for the pack and a scattering of items from my pockets. I didn't need the sit pad for insulation under my legs as I fit on a NeoAir medium, so used it to keep the NeoAir head end from sliding around every time I rolled over.

I have the feeling my bulkier Granite Gear pack will go at the foot end, with the head end of my pad closer to the window.

> Henry – I assume you mean total volume including the vestibule as even according to your specifications, there is more floorspace in the Sublite.

Yes, floorspace and peak height are two measurements that don't really tell you anything about usable volume. The Moment has more shoulder room/space to move around and change a shirt than does the Sublite/SubliteSil–that's what the arch gives you. It also has the same max floor width (42") as the Sublite/Sublite Sil and adds a generous vestibule. The next version of the Sublite Sil narrows the comfort/usable volume gap by getting wider and taller as well as adding a vestibule. Even then, the Moment will feel roomier due to the arch.

"I think you're confusing volume (3 dimensions) with floor area (2 dimensions). The Moment may have less floor area than the Sublite, but it certainly has greater volume."

Perhaps – and as Henry has indicated there is more room while sitting up. Of course this could be changed with a cross pole a la Rainbow between the two trekking poles…

>> Trekking poles in a 2-stake design, even with some pole extensions, just don't give you anywhere near as much internal volume as the arch design does.

Yeah. What I suspected. If the perfect trek-pole-supported tent was possible it would've been done already. Probably by you, Henry.

Dean – this may be it. Notice the ridgeline between the two poles:

http://community.sixmoondesigns.com/photos/vamp_tarp__nettent/default.aspx

@Dave-

I assume that is coming out soon, but is still in development? It certainly looks close, but I was very much thinking of a triangle motif wherein the tips of the trek poles touch, as in the Sublite. I always have my reservations about ridgelines like that- I liked the Subliute's setup. Also, I like a vestibule. This is, admittedly, a personal bias- I'm sure it will work fine. Probably more of an esthetic call on my part, than anything else. Also, it seems to require at least five stakes.

With the caveat that I haven't actually USED it yet, I'm still impressed with my Moment.

Is there room in the Moment for one's backpack to be kept inside?
Also, is the Moment easy to seam-seal?

If you're short enough, you can put your BP at your feet. I leave mine in the fairly large and well shielded vestibule. It took but a few minutes to seal seal the Moment once I had thinned out the Silnet.

Living in the Moment,

Stargazer

I should mention that I own both tents (Moment and the Silnylon version of the Sublite) and use both frequently. Besides being 7 oz lighter, the Sublite is really, really stable in wind. The dual trekking poles and four-point stakedown help a lot. I use rocks to make sure that the trekking poles don't creep in on me during the night. When I'm traveling hard and fast and light (like in the very hilly Shawnee State Forest, I take the Sublite.

However, despite its slightly smaller interior space, the Moment has better headroom across a larger area, even if it's highest point is not as high as the Sublite. It has that nice vestibule and is pretty darned stable, although not so much as the Sublite. It is a snap to set up, especially in the rain. I'll bet I've done it in 1.5 minutes. The two stakedown points instead of four are a real plus, but beware of soft ground. I replaced the Easton stakes with Gorillas because if one stake pulls out of the Moment, the tent will be one your head.

If I'm not worried about the strenuousness of the hike and don't mind the extra weight, I go for the comfort and easy setup of the Moment.

Stargazer