Lightest Traditional 1 Person 3 Season Tent?

I know people want to change the definition of what a tent is, but tents have been around for a very long time and they were always usually single walled without bathtub floors or usually without mesh openings.

The definition is pretty much set in stone and nobody is going to accept a new modern definition except people who work at outfitters.

When I backpack, I carry a tarp and when I set up my camp, my tarp becomes a tent.

Should we change the definition and call a circus tent a circus tarp?

I like Henry Shires tarptents.

"Please let Bibler, Black Diamond and Integral Design (amongst others) know that they are using the wrong term."

You misunderstood.

I don't care what Bibler, Black Diamond, and Integral Design call their products as long as they describe them accurately for a purchaser.

I simply stated what I personally call my pieces of equipment.

–B.G.–

Hartley, if you want to sell yours please let me know :D

Yes Bob, I understood what that you meant.
My point was that there is no need to be too set on our definitions because there are so many in-betweens that it is hard to have a specific universally accepted term.
I am pretty sure that the owner of a Bibler Fitzroy will think of what he has as a "tent" .
On the other hand those mesh inners that you (US term,not Bob ) call a "tent" , I call a "mesh inner".
To me it needs a "rain fly" on to become a tent.
Franco

So if I understand, Hartley is looking for the lightest 1 person (insert description of your chooice here)that is not a hoop bivie or tarp, possibly no vestibule and no trekking poles needed for set up and is easy in, easy out, room to sit up and organize gear, unfold map, etc.
Any suggestions?

Tarptent Moment, Tarptent Rainbow, Nemo Obi 1P Elite, MSR Hubba, or one of Big Agnes 1 person tent come to mind first.

Terra Nova Laser Ultra 1 …. 552g / 1lb 3.5oz

If you would be satisfied with a single wall, floorless fabric skinned shelter (what was called a "tent" when I started camping) that is really light. Then for $100 you can get an "Appy Trails MkIII. It weighs little over 1 lb. Personally, I am a wimp and need a barrier between me and bugs, snakes and other critters, so I carry an extra couple or so lbs with either an REI Chrysalis, or a Hennessy Expedition with asym rain fly.

There are many examples of so called double wall tents that weigh near 1.5 lbs.

For people who don't like tarps because they feel secure in their full coverage coffins, there are options.

Just one of many examples is the GG Spinnshelter with any one of the many bug net inner nets.

Most inner nets have bathtub floors, for those people that are obsessed about that.

The combination gives the fake protection that many feel they need in a freestanding dome.

The big advantage is that you have a lighter shelter and a lot more flexibility.
This flexibility allows you to adjust when one day you realize that being trapped in a full coverage tent sucks.
Now you can escape without having to buy a new shelter when you mature as a backpacker, because the Spinnshelter can also be pitched wide open and still have rain protection, something you can't get with freestanding domes.

ha ha!

Linus is one of them.

“So if I understand, Hartley is looking for the lightest 1 person (insert description of your chooice here)that is not a hoop bivie or tarp, possibly no vestibule and no trekking poles needed for set up and is easy in, easy out, room to sit up and organize gear, unfold map, etc.
Any suggestions?”

My vote is for zpack’s hexamid (8oz). Of course I use a trekking pole. But I’ve also took it bike camping in which I use a shock-corded pole from tarptents (2.5oz $5.00, Rainshadow 2 replacement pole). I’m always surprised
1. how much room I have inside
2. about the good rain protection — even w/ no front beak
3. about the excellent bug protection.

Good luck on a tent,
-Barry

The mountains were made for Tevas :)

The Tarp Tent Sublite is 19.5 oz. Not sure if we can call it a "conventional" tent if it needs treking poles for support. However, they do offer poles. That adds 5 oz, making the total 24.5 oz.

That, in my limited knowledge, seems like one of the lightest.

Lets not play dumb with rhetoric. If we all deliberately misinterpreted slightly ambiguous terms these forums would be a complete mess. We all know what she meant & his this thread has nothing to do with that lost hiker.

I'd suggest you a check out the state of the market report about UL two person tents from a little while back and then either check out one of those or a 1 p variant, since most here don't seem interested in helping.

(I would make a suggestion myself, but I'm afraid I only know about tarps at this point)

big agnes fly creek 1 UL
big agnes Copper spur 1 UL
terra nova photon
terra nova laser photon
Easton Kilo
MSR hubba
Tarptent Moment
Six moons designs lunar solo

requires trekking poles

MLD cricket tent
Light heart tents
Six moons designs skyscape

My picks for solo 3-season tents:

Modern Lightweight Hybrid Design: Tarptent Moment

Traditional Rugged Double Wall Design: MSR Hubba

The Moment is my usual go-to shelter. The Hubba is my durable SHTF alternative for when bad weather is expected or a friend needs to borrow one. New Hubbas can be found for cheap too.

Ryan:
I have Hubba HP — IMO, it seems solidly three season compared to some of the offerings. I find it intersting that you bring it out when things get ugly. For my immediate purposes (I need something likely to provide adequate shelter during September rains in the Pyrenees), I really wonder if I'm going to find anything much lighter that is as solid. It's an idiot proof design that has stood the test of time and has a large following. IMO, that counts for something. However same could be said of the MacPac Microlight which I could never figure and was relieved to destroy the fly while attempting to dry it over a fire. I find Hubba plenty roomy (I am a relatively small person). Yes, exit/entry is easier than they dryer! And it has served me well. Except for the time when I climbed in with my light pack, axe attached. I didn't see the wound until later and was thinking why would someone sabotage my tent while I was summiting. Altitude!

The tarptent rainbow is a comparable shape (around 2 pounds) but does not have hubs to fail. It is not freestanding for the most part though since you would have to use trekking poles to make it freestanding.

I would replace my Hubba with a Hubba HP in a heartbeat if I could find a new one cheap or used one in good condition. It is a shame they are no longer available in the US. I have even thought about modifying my existing Hubba inner mesh with some lightweight solid nylon panels for 3+ season use and to cut down on breezes.

What would be really cool is something like a Carbon Reflex HP.

Serious LOL..Big Top..

I've been rockin' the new Easton Kilo 1P ( 2lbs.)and just used it sucessfully for a winter camping in 30 MPH winds. It's worthy of consideration if you are shorter than 6 feet.

I think the Huppa Hp is a very nice tent. In my opinion, it all comes down to which features you want in a tent. All the lighter options are not lighter because they are better designed (my opinion), but because they have less features.

Huppa Hp is freestanding, solid poles (compared to carbon), lots of headroom from end to end, long enough for tall persons, very easy exit through big side entrance, good coping with condensation, good weather protection, good vestibule with double doors.

I like my Huppa Hp very much ;-)

I'm just saying, that you have to figure out which features you want, and just buy that one tent which have them all and nothing more or less.

There are so many great and light solo tents, that it's very likely that almost every combo of features exist in a tent these days.

/Peter

My strategy was to buy a two walled solo tent that had been mentioned on BPL as a contender…and then to go out and buy the cheapest one I could find. Found my Easton Kilo on Gear Trade for the right price at the right time. I was tired of analyzing tents to death, and it worked out just fine for me.

I really like my Tarp Tent Stratophire 1, It came with a full mesh inner but just bought a solid inner for it.
For seriously crap weather and winter I pack a Hilleberg Soulo.

If i were to get a lighter replacement for my Huppa Hp, i would go all the way! To me that means skipping all the other lighter tents and go for a tarp + bivy combo. That way it would not feel like i'm only loosing features, but gaining other interesting features. Like lots of space and trekking poles.

/Peter