Which tent floor?

[Anonymous]

Hi everyone. I am about to order a new Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo Enhanced and am not sure which floor I should get for it. They currently offer a 30 denier silnylon and a 70 denier silnylon. The heavier floor weighs four ounces more than the lighter one bringing the total weight to 28 ounces from 24. Ron Moak says that the heavier floor is for very wet conditions since water can make its’ way through the lighter one with no groundcloth. Should I go for the lighter floor and use a groundcloth or the heavier with/without a groundcloth? I live in PA which can be very wet or pretty dry. I am careful about where I set up. What do you think?

http://www.sixmoondesigns.com

[Dane Burke]

If you got the lighter one and found that a little water leaked through, you could probably carry an extra ground sheet/footprint to put under the tent for less than four ounces. You could then leave this home when you’re expecting dry weather. I’d go with the lighter floor (of course).

[dan kutcher]

I’d buy the heavier floor. Leave your toothbrush at home. ; )

[EndoftheTrail]

I have the SMD with light floor. I opted for that because I always use a ground sheet — 2-mil plastic sheeting that weighs about 2-3 oz. If the ground is damp, there is really no chance of moisture seeping up through the plastic sheeting AND the silnylon tent floor! And if water should pool… well, seepage through the floor will be the least of the problems.

So, I think if you plan to use a groundsheet, then go for the light floor. If not, then go for the heavy version. But to use groundsheet with heavy floor would be wasted weight in my opinion.

[Justin Gunn]

I used to carry a SMD Europa II (the older ones all came with the lighter floor). I went through this delimma back then and after talking to Ron, decided that I would live life a little dangerously and forego the Tyvek footprint. The lightweight floor holds up surprisingly well given a dose of good site selection. Well, since I started leaving the Tyvek at home I’ve never had a problem.

Pllus, I find that I always end up buying the newest, latest-greatest-lightest-weightest while retiring my older, heavier and more obsolete shelter before that lightweight floor even has a chance to wear out.

So, unless you’re thru-hiking, I say go for the lightweight floor, mind your camp sites, and leave your groundcloth at home.

I myself, within the space of one year have retired my SMD Europa II for a TarpTent Virga which is now giving way to the SMD Lunar Solo Enhanced. Frankly, if I end up wearing out the floor of this latest shelter before Henry Shires can create something better then I’m doing something right – a whole lot of hiking!

[Author]

Posts