Hexamid Solo vs. Solo Plus

I can’t answer your question directly, but I can say I know a lot of people who are glad they bought the bigger version of the tent they were considering, and zero who are glad they passed on the bigger version (when the difference is in the neighborhood of the 2.3 ounce difference between the the solo and the solo-plus).

Justin, I have used the Hexamid Solo Plus for the last 5+ years. I started with the tent version, but then swapped over to the tarp and the (no longer available) Hexanet. I have been a happy user since going with the modular set-up. A friend of mine has the older models of the Hexamid Solo tarp and Solo inner net tent. I prefer the larger size because of more width, which allows me to bring all of my gear into the inner tent with me.

I am 5’10” tall and fit in both the inner net tents fine. At 6’3″ though, I would say that it would be to short for me personally. However, the tent versions offer more useable length, so that is a bit different. As you noted, the difference is not in the actual length of these 2 tents, but in the width, and more importantly, the height. The Solo Plus is a bit taller, which will actually create steeper walls, which results in more useable room lengthwise, despite the fact that the 2 tents are indeed the same length! If you are wanting more useable length, I would say go with the larger version.

I have the Solo-plus. Nice tent, but if I was a bit taller, I am 5’9″, I would want my floor to be larger. ‘Corse, I toss around at night. Several times the bottom of my bag got a bit damp from touching the sidewalls. My 2 cents…

I like the idea of the modular system Chad. Most of my hiking is done here in CA and its usually pretty dry and most of the time I cowboy camp. The only time I really use my shelter is when a thunderstorm comes in or the bugs are out. I might go with the hexamid solo plus tarp and find another system for bug netting. Hmmm…

My latest system for when I’m solo (and without my pooch!) is the Hex solo tarp (with storm flaps) and a clone of the Zpacks Splash bivy.

I have used it for only 6-7 nights thus far — only one of those nights with a bit of rain, and 2 nights very windy — and it is really working out well for me. I like the modularity and the weather resistance… I think it could handle a fairly nasty combination of wind and rain, though I’m not necessarily looking forward to it. I’ve done bivy-only once and it is nice know that bugs won’t be chowing down on me as I sleep.

You clip the bivy into the corners of the tarp? Looks like a sweet setup. How tall are you? Ive got a MLD bivy and while Im cool with it unzipped I dont like it zipped fully up covering my face. Too claustrophobic for my taste.

Hi Justin,

Yes it is clipped in at the corners with some mitten hooks and some 1.5mm shock cord… just enough to help get it positioned correctly under the tarp and hold up the corners of the bathtub. I am 5’9″ so plenty of room for me. It doesn’t slide around much at night and I am quite the tossy-turny type. There is another shock-corded clip in the head area to keep it off my face a bit. I’m not claustrophobic so it doesn’t bother me — makes me sleep better, actually, since I can relax about the whole bug problem.

For warmer weather I have a Borah bug bivy but I have not used it yet because the weather has remained pretty cool so far this spring. It has a silnylon base and doesn’t have the bathtub so we’ll see how that works out. Probably going to be fine for anything short of a biblical deluge.

I have the Hexamid Twin (no longer sold), which has much more interior space – haven’t had condensation problems so far. However, I have to say it is a great tent to carry, but the headroom is really lacking. The one time it rained it was not pleasant having the fabric just a few inches from my head. I’d try to find a design with more headroom next time. Also, at 6’3″ your headroom will be more an issue than for me at 6’0″.

The Hexamid Solo-plus, unlike the Hex-Solo, has guyline pullouts on the foot and head panels of the trap. These two pull-outs really help give your head and toes more room under the tarp. If you use a second pole on the guyline for the foot panel, you can create an upward pull on the panel for even more toe room under the tarp. This works well for me under a Deschutes CF tarp, which also has the head and foot guylines.