Looking for light solo tent: your help needed

[robert mcmahon]

Comment regarding a couple of tents mentioned. I have been using a Stephenson’s 2R for a couple of years and have mixed feeelings about it. First and foremost it is very light!(2&3/4lb) And is pretty spacious. But it has some drawbacks. Dubious sewing has made for a couple of blowouts at stakeout points, there is no mosquito netting for use in buggy areas, and the tent has condensation problems. Most evenings in Peru I had ice chunks on the inside front of the tent. That said, it is often the tent of choice because of its weight, especially when I don’t think I will use a tent, but need to carry one, just in case. I have recently purchased a Hilleberg Nallo 3 and I am hugely impressed. Very well designed and solidly built. It will hold up much better than the Stephenson I predict. I debated long and hard between the Nallo 2 (4lbs 10oz 30sqft/15sqft vest) and the Nallo 3 (5lbs 4oz 37sqft/ 17sqft vest). I chose the Nallo 3 because of the extra space (I’ll use it for 2 persons)and I anticipate a trip to Patagonia requiring extra weather protection. A big selling point is that the outer tent fly can easily be set up without the inner tent saving weight for those times you can get by without an inner tent. It effectively becomes a super-solid tarp tent. My best previous lightweight mountaineering tent was an old Early Winters Winterlite. Again a solidly build hoop-style tent, made with now banned Goretex. Finally wore it out after years of hard use.

[Bill Law]

I’m thinking about getting a Eureka Spitfire (2lb 14oz according to manufacturer).

This seems like an incredible deal (around $75 delivered). I figure I can by 3 or 4 of them for the price of one of the pricier alternatives.

Has anybody actually weighed one? I’ve seen some brief reports of use (mostly favorable) but no confirmation of the weight.

Bill Law

[EndoftheTrail]

No experience with this model, but my old Eureka Backcountry Solo’s weight was understated by quite a few ounces. I would almost expect the Spitfire to exceed 3 pounds.

For a bit over 3 pounds, there are freestanding tents that you can actually sit up inside, if that’s desirable for you.

[Dondo .]

Take a look at this review:

http://www.thebackpacker.com/gear/tents/johnson_outdoors_eureka_spitfire.php

[Jim Ells]

I have a Spitfire, and it is a nice tent but I agree the weight is understated. Mine weighed in at 3 lbs, 6 oz. on my baby scale(not necessarily the most accurate!). I liked the tent and still own it, but switched to a Tarptent Cloudburst for the room and the ability to have all my gear inside, and it weighs less than the Spitfire. The Spitfire is still a nice tent and was roomy for a solo tent, but I did not like the vestibule size. There certainly are plenty of choices. Good Luck

[paul johnson]

a more expensive option, but perhaps a better one, is the MSR Zoid 1. they very similar type of tents.

Zoid 1 perhaps has better ventilation when zipped up for wet weather. however, this is just a guess on my part since i have never owned/used the new Spitfire.

normally, one tries to face the rear/foot of the tent into the wind. having the top vent facing into the wind may not be as good as having it face away from the wind (as in the Zoid 1) since the top vent is used to vent/’exhaust’ warm air. the thought is that the rear facing vent might be in a relatively low-pressure area during a breeze (simple aerodynamic principles at work here. hopefully?) which would help to establish convection to assist the warm, humid air to vent/escape from the tent. normally, you want humid, warm air exiting the top vent, rather than cooler air entering this vent which would be more likely if that vent was facing into the wind. also, could wind driven rain enter the Spitfire vent if you faced the foot of the tent into the wind? perhaps, you could face the head of the tent into the wind to correct these two issues. however, having said that, generally speaking with all other factors being equal, having the rear of either tent facing into the wind should make it more wind/storm worthy in higher winds due to the lower initial ‘profile’ the tent would present to the wind when the rear/foot is facing into the wind. [we’re talking about inertia here & air has mass, so Newton’s First Law of Motion applies here. the rear/foot of the tent offers a more gradual change in direction to the air flowing over the tent, and less force from the wind applied to the tent (2nd Law), and so less resistance/reaction force pushing back on the wind (Newton’s 3rd Law) . if any of you ‘Aero’ types disagree here, please correct me.] just some things to consider.

you can sometimes find last year’s Zoid models on sale for 40% off & therefore only slightly more expensive than the Spitfire.

adding just spectra guys & a min. # of Ti skewers to the tent’s min. weight (the way i carried it at one time) gives pack wt of 2lb 15oz for the Zoid 1.

sorry i don’t have 1st hand experience w/the Spitfire. it looks nice & has a very attractive price.

hope this info helps.

[Bill Law]

I went ahead and bought one (for $71.34, deliverd, from eBay). Will have my daughter carry this one for an upcoming outdoor research class, since it is much lighter than the one she would use otherwise.

I normally use a Europa above treeline (I prefer a hammock below treeline). I’m thinking the Spitfire might be a better winter option. For the price, can’t go wrong.

[J Kitchen]

For a 4 day marathon hike thru the AT, I’m considering purchasing a Bibler Tripod Bivy Shelter (which weighs 2.5 lbs) or a TarpTent.

Was considering altering the Bivy to make it more breathable by adding some ventilation at the feet. This model has a hood, some netting to ventilate, is completely waterproof.

Am a little concerned about rain and want something I can set up easily since we’re hiking 18 hours per day.

Any strong feelings about sleeping in a bivy “shelter”.

[Mark]

Sounds like a great trip–what’s the itinerary? I’ve also got a couple AT traverses in mind for the next few months.

My leaning would be towards the TarpTent, probably the Virga2. Both the Tripod and TarpTent are fairly easy to pitch, but 2.5lb/person vs. 1lb/person? No question there for me, Virga wins, especially with ambitious mileage. [You mentioned ‘we’–I’m assuming a partner. Correct me if that’s wrong.]

TarpTent also gives you a place to put your stuff, and somewhere to cook if you’re planning on it.

In this situation the only big advantage I can see for the bivy is being able to squeeze into ad hoc campsites late at night–you don’t have to look for as much empty real estate or be too picky.

The GoLite Lair2 is the only other alternative I could recommend, mostly for a weight cut. Less than 18oz with cords and ti stakes [9oz/person]. Pitching is fairly straightforward, especially if you’re using trekking poles, and it’s got room for 2 familiar people.
-Mark

[paul johnson]

i’m a die-hard bivy user. have several, but not the Tripod – too heavy. i do have the Bibler Bipod bivy however.

if you’re not used to a bivy (even one w/some type of “hoop”/pole overhead to give more space/volume at the head end, they can be a bit claustrophobic. i don’t mind at all however. to me, it’s sort of like a “den”. perhaps, if you’ve never used one, you will like it also.

upsides:
small footprint: so easy to find places to “pitch” it.
light: need i say more
packs small in the pack: can use smaller/lighter pack or load in more food for longer resupply intervals.

downsides:
condensation can be a problem at times. try to position yourself so that as much of your exhaled breath goes out through a mesh opening (even/especially if raining).
potentially claustrophobic
L/UL philosophy: to keep ALL of your gear (except maybe trekking poles & food which you’ve “hung” somewhere) in your bivy with you, you might need to adopt a L/UL philosophy about using your pack under your legs while sleeping. [NOTE: I don’t consider this a “Downside” actually. To me L/UL is a real PLUS/”upside” – but i just mention it as a possible “downside” here since i’m not sure of your extent of committent to a L/UL philosophy. It may involve using a different pack than the one you are currently using???]

‘OK’. now onto a diff matter. having pushed bivies on you. i just rcv’d a SixMoonDesigns Lunar Solo ‘e’ tarptent yesterday & haven’t tried it out yet. Looks great. This might be your preferred shelter (it may actually become mine in/for certain situations/treks when i don’t want to go as light as possible or am expecting rain most of the weekend). It’s only ~26 oz. plenty of room. great in the rain. you need to use either one trekking pole or purchase the custom pole SMD also sells.

Didn’t time myself setting it up in the backyard, but it had to be around 3min – not too shabby for first time, especially for a klutz like me. It appears that you can set it up in the rain w/o getting the inside wet – very nice indeed! Better ventilation than a bivy – especially in heavy rains. It’s major downsides compared to some bivies are: 1) heavier than some (but far lighter than most “hooped” pole bivies – even the Bibler Bipod is 28 or 29 oz, depending upon whose numbers you read). 2) larger footprint than a bivy, so just a tad harder to find a good place to pitch it. however, having said that, it’s footprint is only ~88×54 (not counting the vestibule which doesn’t change this figure much since the vestibule is floorless). 88×54 is NOT an overly large footprint for a tent.

Check it out for yourself HERE (is a link) Note also, the 2person Europa if you are sharing your wilderness accomodations. Note that both of these shelters have been significantly upgraded to address any shortcomings mentioned in the BPL review of these two shelters – they are vastly improved over their first generation models. oh…, BTW, make sure you point at the graphics/pics of the Shelters (and packs if you check those out). Just place your mouse pointer over the Lunar/Europa/StarLite images and keep it there for 1 or 2 seconds & the the PIC changes. Move the mouse pointer off of the PIC & it reverts back to its prev. image.

Additionally, search these Forum posts (using the ‘Forum Search’ feature Forum Search. In the past, there have been many positive comments on both of the SixMoonDesign tarptents [and also both generations of the HS Virga(2) & Squall(2)]

hope this info helps.
enjoy your trek, and vaya con Dios.

[Dr. John Reynolds]

I never see anybody comment on the MSR Hubba. I just finished 11 days in New Mexico and really enjoyed it. After cutting out all the tags and dumping the extra stuff sacks the poles, stakes, tent and fly were under three pounds. Pretty good for a free standing double wall tent with the versatility that implies and enough room to sit up in without touching the ceiling and a vestibule big enough for all my gear. I though about the zoid, microzoid, tarptent ,etc but was really pleased with a little extra room. I didn’t use a ground cloth, and that saved quite a bit of weight.

[J Kitchen]

Thanks for the input. Went with a Virga 2 TarpTent. Spoke with Henry Shires on Tuesday, he expressed me one and got it today (Thurs). He’s a great guy. At 1.5 lbs. it’s considerably lighter than my 3.5 lb. Tri-Lite. We’re starting 15 miles south of Blood Mtn. and hiking to NC in 3 days. Anyone have any comments/usage suggestions?

Had a small Archterex pack but just bought a Gossamer G5. Anyone have any comments/suggestions?

Just got my first backpackinglight newsletter. Anyone know how to get one in html format? Or is html = premium?

[Anonymous]

I have been backpacking for 44 years [ what a bizarre thought! ] and have owned most of all the tents named. I don’t think you want the Zoid. In my experience i have never had a solo tent made as a solo that I really liked. Always too small for me at 5’11”, always too cold in any type of ‘weather’, vestibule too small, always get soaked putting up in rain, takes 4 times as long in dark with headlamps, always sagged, etc. So, I bit the bullet and bought a Bibler Eldorado. Four pounds, eight oz., 2 poles; I can put it up in 3-5 minutes in driving rain fom the inside[!] and stay dry. Thirty square feet of room inside, single wall, bombproof, no condensation, and COMPLETELY waterproof, made of that Todd-Tex stuff, whatever that is. I have never regretted the couple extra ounces, for protection from the downpours, and the cold clammy wetness. I would say if you can save the money, you won’t regret it when the sky turns dark, and the temp drops, and the monsoon hits.

[John Davis]

Another vote for the Akto. Exceptional use of space inside. Room to store boots, wet rucksack and still cook under cover. Thanks to the vertical door on the inner, the tent can be left open when rain is falling.

[paul johnson]

John,

How’s the Akto’s inner tent relative to breatheability and condensation? It’s not really mesh right??? Does exhaled water vapor pretty much pass through it, or does it condense on it?

Thinking about an Akto being my first ever real winter tent, but would like to know more about it.

[John Davis]

Condensation is always given as the Akto’s Achilles heel. It happens but has only once been a problem in the years I’ve used mine.

I always sleep with the mesh panel in the inner door uncovered and with the top slider on the flysheet door pulled down a little. This seems to be enough to stop condensation building up above my face as I sleep.

My earliest memory of the Akto is the aftermath of a real rain-lashing on the west coast of Ireland. Although showers continued off and on, all of my gear dried out in the vestibule overnight. I had the vents fully open and it was breezy.

Before the Akto I had a TNF Tadpole. I used to watch droplets form on the poles and then drop straight through the mesh. My tarp, even pitched high, forms condensation if the air temperature is low enough and the humidity is high enough.

Horizontal rain caused several unhappy nights in the Tadpole. The rain swirls under the fly and can soak the inner up to 18 inches above the ground. It then drips through the mesh. The Akto has a down-to-the-ground flysheet so keeps out rain but probably traps condensation more effectively than the Tadpole, although I found the Tadpole was prone to condensation. I’m happier up high in the mountains with the Akto. It’s a drier tent in British conditions than the Tadpole (although not as wind-resistant).

Transition temperatures might be an issue. One freezing night caused ice to build up inside the inner. A warm front came in at dawn and melted my breath. This was not a pleasant experience.

[J Kitchen]

For those hiking long distances or who are weight conscious: Would highly recommend the Tarptent and Gossamer G5. Tarptent was great in driving rain and was ventilated enough to enjoy clear nights. (1.5 lbs.) Gossamer G5 was a 8 oz. warrior backpack. With food I carried ~10 lbs. Kept expecting it to rip apart at the seams but it was durable.

[paul johnson]

Does anyone have any experience with this shelter? It is a floorless version. Even with all the “bells & whistles” being offered (sans floor) & including mfr. seam-sealing for a very small fee, it is still very light (~14.5oz not counting stakes).

Here’s alink: UL Tacoma Solo Tarp

I know that BPL reviewed a “sister” floored shelter here Brawny TarpTent Review, but this shelter, besides being a floorless version of the Tacoma, is still a bit different.

Any opinions or experience?

[Hershell Fannin]

I’m currently using a Hammock/Tarp shelter. I have a trip to the Grand Canyon scheduled for the first week in Oct. Has anyone used used this system in the Grand Canyon? Will I find any trees at all to hang my hammock and tarp or have to use poles and stake to the ground.

Hank Fannin

[Hershell Fannin]

I’m currently using a Hammock/Tarp shelter. I have a trip to the Grand Canyon scheduled for the first week in Oct. Has anyone used used this system in the Grand Canyon? Will I find any trees at all to hang my hammock and tarp or have to use poles and stake to the ground.

Hank Fannin

[Anonymous]

Good News and bad news. Yes there are enough trees at the bottom, But I’ll bet you can’t hang a hammock.
My wife and I hiked down to Phantom Ranch in Dec. ’03. We slept in Bivy bags with just our clothing – no sleeping bags. I had a tarp set up using a tree as one of the supports of the tarp. That’s a No No at Bright Angel campground, and probably the rest of the park. You may use the food pole as a support, but the other end is a question mark, maybe the picnic table? In the less traveled areas you may not have a ranger around to tell you to take it down, or you could find a small ravine and tie the hammock to rocks on each side across the ravine in the “at large” areas. I do not reccomend bringing the hammock unless you are prepared to set it up on the ground with your hiking poles.

[David Lewis]

I can’t speak about the area in general, but I have stayed in the two main grand canyon campgrounds… Bright Angel and Indian Garden. Both have trees, but as the last post pointed out, you probably won’t get away with tying your hammock to them. The Rangers will notice. There are some stuctures in both camps… poles for hanging your pack… a stone shelter in one of the group sites at Bright Angel… picnic table roofs at Indian Garden… etc… but I don’t know if you could set up your hammock with those or not. Also, the ground there is very rocky and hard to get a stake into. If using a tarp or other non-self-supported shelter, you may have to rely on stones for your guylines.

What’s your itinerary BTW?

[Mary Simpson]

I can’t see how you would do a hammock in BA camp but I have used a tarp many times. The picnic tables can be moved and the pack pole works just fine. I have used my sil poncho down there when I am by myself and that is just fine too. Look carefully before you set the thing up for low spots where the rain will puddle–the odds of any rain at all in Oct are pretty slim. Mary

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