GG White Lightnin v.s. OR Helium ‘Solo’

Any input?

I’ve used the White Lightning. It’s a little heavy – maybe 6 ounces or so heavier than a similar-sized ID Siltarp, but it performs well. It’s catenary cut, which makes pitching it taut very easy. It has pole cups to hold the handles (not tips) of your poles for supports. The best part, to me, was no guyline tangles; you only need two, one at each end, from the pole cup to the ground. All the side pullouts are webbing with adjustable buckles, just like many tents (the webbing and buckles add some of that extra 6 ounces, of course.)

Mine was quite roomy. The only reason I mostly quit using it is that it was too large and about half a pound too heavy for the solo trips I take; since I didn’t need the extra room or weight, I switched to a 7×8 Integral Designs Silwing. (I use an ID Salathe bivy as primary shelter, and the tarp as a backup to give me a place to cook and get in and out of the bivy. I tried a 5×7 Siltarp, but found it a bit too small for my preferences.)

I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the White Lightning, as long as it fits your size and weight needs.

I think one reason the White LIghtning is so heavy is that it is made of silcordura, not regular silnylon (the same material Granite Gear uses in their special stuffbags). It’s supposed to be much stronger than regular silnyon.

I’ve only seen it in the store, so I haven’t tried it myself.