What’s your favorite 3-season 1P tent?

Hi Mike, I think you will find that the notch has plenty of width, especially in the middle. With the two doors, excellent length, and height, you get a very airy feeling as well. The sq footage that Henry posts seems a lot smaller than what the actual tent feels like. For example, it feels (and is) far more roomy than the MSR Hubba (I can't lay in that one without pushing out the sides of the tent…and this is without a sleeping bag – too small, too heavy, too narrow).

Would love to have you provide a direct comparison (with pics) when you receive the Notch. I am sure it would help out the OP.

I recently got the Big Agnes Fly Creek UL 2 Platinum and am impressed. All in at 2 lbs with stakes and guy lines and while small for two, a lot of room for one. I am 6' tall, 250 lbs, use a Exped Syn 7 L/W pad and have plenty of room. Expensive but not overly so if you can get on sale. It is basically free standing but need to stake out to get more room at the feet and sides. I live where there are lots of bugs and rain so this was my transition out of tarping and am happy with it.

Thanks for the insight so far guys.

The BA Copper Spur is topping my list, but I haven't ruled out the Fly Creek. Gonna try to get to an REI and test it out if I can sometime. The way I sleep, I don't necessarily need it to match my body length. my bed at home leaves my feet hanging off the edge, and my pads are all torso length. I can just sleep with my knees bent, no problem.

But, the CS looks so comfy. Home away from home. I will keep you updated.

#2 on my list is still the Moment, or the Notch, gonna keep researching.

#3 is that Rainbow.

I have a Moment, and it's a nice tent. Sets up very quickly, handles heavy wind well, along with light snow. If I were buying something right now, though, I'd get a Notch. I like making my trekking poles dual use, and I would like to have the second door and vestibule.

I can't really say enough good things about my Hexamid. I got the Solo Plus with beak and opted that it be made with 0.74 oz cuben rather than the standard 0.51 oz, which may not have been necessary, but thought it was worth the 1.9 oz weight gain to add the durability and peace of mind. It weighs in at 14.2 ounces in its stuff sack with guy line. I'm about 6'1" and 200 lbs and it is a palace for me and my gear. It's also super easy to set up, and I love how the center pole placement is essentially between the front net and the vestibule so that I can utilize all of the vestibule's space, as well as inside of the tent. It's a lot of fun to have. And like it's been said many times on this board, Joe and Matt are a pleasure to talk with, super helpful, and also quick to respond. My custom Hexamid was built and ordered to me within a week. Here's a pic of me just playing with it in the park (with my ZPacks Zero in black.)

I have been using a Tarp Tent Stratosphire 1 for just under a year and really like it.

I currenlty like the Golite Shangri-La 2 for my solo hiking. With net just over 3 lbs, without, just over 1lb.

It is massive for 1 and will actually fit 2 if you have to. Ease of setup is also a big plus for me as well as protection from all sides. No need to worry about switching winds through the night.

But they have been discontinued as far as I know.

Ben

my favorite is probably my GG "the one"

"the one" packs smaller, provides slightly better weather protection, and is only 1.5oz heavier than my hexamid with cuben groundsheet.

Or a Shangri-la 1.
I find the Shangri-la 2 overkill for a solo ultralight trip. In fact, the GG Spinnshelter and MLD Patrol are even lighter choices of that style shelter.

But as stated, I am more of a fan of the flexibility of these kinds of shelters over the all-in-one style.

If your cranking out the miles a hexamid is superlight. Also 1 pole setup is versatile if you decide to leave your trekking pole.

+1 On the Hexamid. I use the twin version and have been very pleased.

Another +1 for the Hexamid Solo-Plus. Ridiculously light and easy to set up. Quite spacious.

After much deliberation and a lot of research, I think I like the Tarptent Contrail the most. Thanks for all the help!

Why the Contrail? There's only one (technically two, but they're in the same post) mention of it in this thread, and it wasn't complimentary.

May favorite is also the Contrail. Or the GoLite SL-1 (fly and tyvek ground cloth) if there are no bugs.

I've tried a bunch but currently using the Copper Spur. They all have trade-offs so it is what you value.

Things I wish were different about the Copper Spur:

* Wish it were symmetrical so picking a site would be easier.

Otherwise I like virtually everything. There are lighter shelters and larger ones. I find for a single person shelter this one is very roomy. It is easy to stay dry and it is a comfortable spot to sit out bad weather and I'm willing to carry the weight to have something that doesn't require lots of thought or effort to plan a site at the end of the day.

I like the Tarptent Contrail for a few reasons:

– It looks very minimalist, nothing I don't need.
– It's raised on both ends so the walls don't lay on me.
– It uses a single trekking pole so I can use a trekking pole when I backpack, and a tripod when I bike tour. (although I'll often bring the poles)
– It costs 1/2 as much as the Copper Spur, and less than most other tents.
– It looks very sturdy, and also very easy to set up out of the wind, since it's long and narrow.
– It looks perfect combined with a Bivy Bag, if I ever decide to go that route.

I wish it came in another color besides Gray. But, perhaps by the time I order it there'll be a morale-increasing Yellow. I'm a few months off at least from needing a tent.

" It looks perfect combined with a Bivy Bag, if I ever decide to go that route."

why would you use a bivy inside a tent?

I've own a Contrail and I must say that it is an ok shelter, but there are many features which annoyed me.

Primarily, Silnylon. I loathe this fabric for a shelter. Sags when wet, slippery as hell, and hard to repair in field. Sure it is cheap, sure it is kind of lightweight, but after enough time with the Contrail I had enough. Silnylon/The Contrail is ok if you are on a budget, but eventually, you will move to some cuben shelter. I suggest doing it sooner than later.

I do not know if Henry changed it but the velcro shut door was the bain of my existence and cause many horrible nights of sleep due to the fact when you pitch a Contrail for extreme storm conditions, everything is very taut/tight. If a strong gust of wind comes through or in the middle of the night nature calls, reconnecting the door when getting back in or after the gust becomes a battle of rain getting and not being able to velcro well enough. A lightweight zipper would add a little weight but go a long way to helping.

You need to do some after market mods to make it storm proof. Sure, we all do after market mods, but this has been known by the designers of the Contrail and yet never fully addressed. Instead of selling the Contrail with a foot storm rod and including it in the directions, we must figure it out on here or else where. Again, I would not complain about it except for the fact it is a well known issue.

Favorite 3-season:
Hexamid Solo Tarp (weight includes guy lines) 5.2oz
Hexanet inner – 6.6oz
8 linelocs – ~.5oz
8 MSR Groundhogs (my conditions and soil won't allow the shepherds or anything lighter): ~4.5oz

Total: 16.8oz (weight of trekking pole not included as it is used often during the trek)

Go without inner if I know the location, then it is replaced by a tyvek floor at 3.2oz

Chase

Hmm, didn't think much about Cuben, will look into that. Also, like I said in my OP, primary reason for getting a tent is for midwinter, and I'd use a bivy there to improve warmth. Also might be a situation where I have a real light (sub-10oz) bivy bag for shelters and a tent for everywhere else, though that seems unlikely/overkill.

My #2 was the cricket tent from Mountain Laurel Designs, which is a two-part tent, and it only has one more stake than the Contrail. Anyone know about the Cricket? (comes in a lovely yellow!)

I will go back to the drawing board. I thought I was on to something. Maybe there's no real "right" answer, instead just a bunch of good ones.

I would really like it if someone had a link or could articulate the pros/cons of a few common materials, just so I can get the general idea. I haven't owned anything but silnylon.

-M

I have owned two tents from Judy at Lightheart Gear and the Cuben tents are amazing!!!. Simple, waterproof, stable, and very well made. You can literally set up the Solo with two stakes, but 4 are better!! Just my two cents :)

Max, you did mention in the OP that you wanted something for winter, but your thread title asked "What's your favorite 3-season 1P tent?" So which is it, actually?

The Contrail isn't a winter tent, by the way. A heavy snow load would kill it.

I don't need more than a 3-season for winter. I am not someone who uses a tent actively for long periods of time in the winter; I can set up in such a way that I am out of direct snow if I expect a storm, or I'll simply plan trips around the weather. The only long-term travel I do where I rely on a tent is in the summer. Winter trips are all under 3 days.

I do not want to carry a yurt up any mountain, and I don't want to spend megabucks getting a summer tent AND a winter snow-proof tent.

I do hear you, though; some of these tarps are definitely not ready for winter snow. It'll be one more thing to keep in mind, if it comes down to two and one is structurally more sound even at the cost of weight, that'll be a factor.

if you're going to use color as a criteria.. here ya go.

Max,

If it's a tarptent, it's gray silnylon or white Tyvek. Check out Henry's gallery.

http://www.tarptent.com/gallery.html

You could email Henry at…

info@tarptent.com

…and ask about a custom order if you really want yellow.

Party On,

Newton