Six Moon Designs Lunar Duo Tent REVIEW

[Benjamin Smith]

Companion forum thread to:

Six Moon Designs Lunar Duo Tent REVIEW

[Thatcher Drew]

I've been using my double as single for some hikes. I'm tall and can sit up, stretch out, store gear inside. Good bug protection. Good ventellation. It is becoming my favorite "comfort item."

I'm not sure you can use fixed-length hiking poles. They fit in a pocket (But I haven't worked the problem).

[Michael Skwarczek]

The manufacturer suggests a 115cm (45") pole length and I've discovered that anything over 118-120cm changes the pitch of the main lines and prohibits closing of the vestibule doors, which use those lines for support.

I ordered the 30 denier floor and lay a sheet of tyvek under that, as recommended. The silnylon/tyvek combo has a tendency to shift the floor as the two materials slip against each other. I'm considering adding tie outs on either side at the doors, so I can secure the floor. This could have the added benefit of making the zippers one handed. I also found that I need some lines of silcoat on the inside to stop my pad and gear from slipping. I may add that to the underside too and see if this helps keep the floor positioned.

I haven't yet tested in moderate to high winds but agree with the reviewer's concerns and his suggestion to use the extra tie outs.

>michael

[d k]

I'm curious as to whether the sharp tips of the pole need to be exposed to fit through the grommets at the top, or whether there is a "pocket" that could securely hold covered tips (I always hike with the rubber tips on my poles, and since they're cheap poles, they're a pain to remove). Thanks for finally publishing a review of this extremely attractive potential future tent of mine!

[Steve .]

Michael, you might want to consider adding silcoat to your pad instead of the tent floor. That way you would be adding a minimal amount of weight to keep your pad from moving around.

[Jim Nordby]

I just got back from using a Lunar Duo in the Wind Rivers.
We had a nasty night at the unprotected end of a lake there,
with 30-40 MPH winds. I had both a Double Rainbow (no guys)
and Lunar Duo (added guys to windward side) and both did very
well in the wind. My $0.02…

[donald buckner]

Sorry for the off topic question, but what model NB shoes are those in the vestbule photo? I have a friend who owns a few stores, and I get a discount on this brand, so what model is considered a winner for UL backpacking?

[Steve .]

Pretty sure those are Will's NB 872s.

[James Nelson]

Not coming with stakes is hardly a weakness. This allows one to purchase the stakes one wants or needs.

Got this tent as soon as it hit the market. I've loved the solo tent. It has survived storms at treeline in the Whites and summer down pours in the Midwest. The tent is so nice I'm considering selling all my other two person tents.

[donald buckner]

Thanks for the NB info. The tent looks like it is perfect for my wife and I. We do some base camp type car camping and even short hiking trips and this tent would be a nice luxury. Nice to hear it held up well in the wind, although the wind is normally not too bad in the southeast. I already have some MSR groundhog stakes so that sounds like a good combo. I really like the extra covered space for shoes,packs and other gear. When hunting there is usually a bow involved, so that would be a nice spot for it.

[Terry G]

I just spent two nights in the Lunar Duo on a trip with my young daughter. I cannot imagine why you would want something more comfortable. Setup is easy as well even though you need a pretty big space.

The nights were nearly windless and as expected there was considerable condensation with the tent open on both sides, but no drips.

[P. P.]

I can't say enough good things about this shelter. It goes up fast and has tons of space for two and our gear. We've had it on two mountain tops so far and we had moderate condensation (which we expected) but no drips and we just wiped it down before we started thrashing around.
If we stop backpacking long enough to write a proper review, I'll submit it.

[BRIAN BOLIN]

I've done alot of research and this is definitely my next tent! :)

[Andrew Richard]

My friend and hiking partner Mike has this tent and uses it for his family… despite his son only being a year old this tent allows room for Him, his Wife, and their child with gear for all three. I think you could get lost as a solo sleeper. The amount of headroom is fantastic. I would love to own it myself, the pattern is very well thought out and the design lends itself to the "simplicity is elegance" thinking. Nice Job, Ron.

[michael shimer]

Great tent. My first UL tent. I had used a Siera Designs Meteor Light CD in the past. This actually feels roomier inside.

I took mine to yosemite for a cold weekend (30s in the evening).

For the first night I set up the tent as it is in all the pictures – vestibule pitched out. this is great to avoid condensation because it lets air in depending on how low you can get them to the ground. However when the wind is whipping and it's cold you can fold the doors shut, on over the other. I guyed mine out with rocks. This made for a much more wind proof set up. The next two nights were much more cozy.

SilNylon is very slippery – like everyone says – consider applying silcoat 'stripes' to your sleeping pad or the bottom of the tent. It makes a huge difference.

Mike

[Gail Lusk]

This tent is the best investment I have made out of all my gear!!!
I have used this tent on the JMT and both on the slopes of Haleakala and camping on the beach.

I am usually a Hammock Camper, but at times one must hug the ground.
This is the most comfortable tent I have used in a long time. It held up well in hail (pea size) and also heavy rain as well as wind.

It has to endure trade winds that are daily 15 – 20 mph almost anywhere here on Maui.
I have in stronger winds attached guy lines to the extra four loops.

I did find that it is a good idea to seal the seams around the top of where the spacer poles are inserted. Not due to leaks but to make it stronger. The Velcro sides are a bit sharp and I did not like the strain it was putting on the top of the sil-nylon.

I did not seal this whole tent and only did the one main seam where the black netting is.

Slept in: 23 days
Rain: 10 days
Winds average 15 mph: 12 days

My only suggestion is the grommets do not fit all the tips of your hiking poles. Once I switched to the Black Diamond ones I had no trouble.

I would love to see some kind of improvement on how the poles slip into the grommets. Maybe a small plastic cup instead.

Why I am making this suggestion is:
On returning to my campsite one day…I find someone must have ran into my guy line, knocking down the hiking pole.

I was set up by campers with small children. Well anyways, being helpful (I am sure they thought so) in placing back the pole into the grommet … it missed its mark; and I now have a small hole in the netting and also a tiny hole in the top of the roof!! :S :(

For going solo it is a huge wonderful castle, now you just need to find the Prince or Princess to share it with you!:D

[Larry Risch]

Great review, I liked the comparison of space to the Double Rainbow.

I think you left somethings out:

It has the same weight only if you go with the lightweight floor option which isn't (as?) waterproof, and if you normally take trekking poles. The heavier floor adds 4 ozs., and two carbon fiber poles adds 3.6 ozs. (and how durable are these?). While I like the zippers over velcro, it doesn't have a porch setup.

Since I use the Double Rainbow as a solo and often don't take trekking poles, the weight saving is more important to me than space. So the other features would be a deciding factor for me. It would be nice to have both!

[Lynn Tramper]

Nice review, although I agree with Larry that in some instances the options available with the DR outweigh the difference in width. The rain flys are lovely to sit under and cook in the rain, and we've even had a third person sleep under the rain porch in a pinch. The option of setting it up without trekking poles (adjustable or otherwise) is a bonus for solo use. The DR can also have a 'liner' added which makes it virtually a double-skinned tent, so you don't have to brush up against the condensation. Not saying one tent is 'better' than the other, just that you can't go on pure weight or floor space alone (and the newer DR comes with zippers).

[Bill B]

Ive never heard of the liner. Is it ok their site?

[Bob Bankhead]

4 oz……….$ 30

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

[Larry Risch]

If you are like me and don't take trekking poles and would opt for the comparable heavier more waterproof floor in the Lunar Duo, then your talking about 8 oz. more weight, (and perhaps fragile carbon poles to hold it up) You also don't get a porch setup, great for views and venting even in the rain. Since I use the DR as a roomy solo tent, I don't need the extra space of the Lunar Duo, though it would be nice, and I do like the zippers, but not sure how to make them work with all the setup options of the Double Rainbow.

For two though, the porch setup is probably not that much of an option (at least not on both sides), since I doubt your gear would stay dry in the vestibule area, and the space inside is more critical.

[Wallace Hunter]

I know that I posted this under the gear link, but if anyone is searching Google this thread comes up, and I hope that my review can help someone.

Video Review Six Moon Designs Lunar Duo

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