Looking for tent for pct/at

[Caelan D]

Hey everyone I’m looking into a tent that’s fairly rugged and can withstand high winds, but still fairly lightweight, I’ve been looking at the Tarptent StratoSpire, and the Seek outside Silvertip, I’m just worried about these tenets having too large of a footprint. All input is welcome.

Thanks!

[Brad P]

Mids like the Duomid are pretty good in wind.

If you’re really worried, for more weight, you can get a Hilleberg Enan.

[David Thomas]

For one or two people?

The 2+ “StratoSpire 2” is 44 ounces, 1.3 kg.  Almost 3 pounds.  Kind of heavy.  I never used it, but those sides look pretty vertical if you’re concerned about high winds.

I like the pyramid shape of the Silvertip – not as much interior volume as other shapes, but that shape does really nicely in the wind.  The Black Diamond Mega Light has been our go-to shelter in the Aleutians (“Birthplace of the Winds”)  for several trips now.

It’s been a long time since I’ve backpacked in a crowded area, but so many thru hikers, especially on the AT, caution that it’s harder to find a spot to pitch a larger tent.

Note that wind resistance of a tent can be greatly enhanced by guying it out from the middle of each panel.  Does it have attach points for guy lines and did you bring enough cordage with you?  I always bring 25 feet of 130-pound-test braided Dacron halibut fishing line with me (only 6 grams) and I’d bring 2-3x that if I wanted to be prepared to guy out a shelter in all directions.  PM me if you want some – I’ve got a few thousand feet on a spool (halibut live very deep).

Edited to explain: I didn’t link to the Mega Light.  BPL did that automatically.  Which I’m fine with, I guess.

[Caelan D]

Thanks! I’m mostly looking for a 1 person tent, but I wouldn’t mind a two person as long as the footprint isn’t ridiculous and is under 3 pounds, preferably under 2

[jscott]

I haven’t tried it but Dan Durston’s tent (he’s a member here) looks very good and storm worthy.

MANY don’t like this tent, but I find the big Agnes Fly Creek UL1 to be highly wind worthy due to it’s shape and very storm worthy as well. And it’s double wall, so protects from condensation; and the high inner wall fabric reduces wind as well.

Durston will probably hate having his tent lumped in with the Fly Creek!

[Brad Rogers]

Dan Durston Massdrop X-Mid 1

Tarptent Notch

MLD Duomid with Solomid XL Inner

 

You don’t need a tent with a lot of wind worthiness on the AT but you a small footprint.  The PCT requires more wind worthiness.

[Caelan D]

Thanks, would you recommend the mld duomid over the SoloMid xl?

[Caelan D]

Also how do these compare to the Silvertip from seekoutside?

thanks

[Brad Rogers]

I haven’t tested any of the Seek Outside tents, but if I were going to use one of them I would go with the Silex.   It looks like a pretty nice shelter and the weight is right.

I like both the Solomid XL and the Doumid. I have a Doumid and use a Solomid XL innernet and that gives a bit more vestibule than the Solomid XL.  If you want a bit more room, go with the Duomid, for a little smaller footprint go with the Solomid XL – They are both excellent shelters.

[Caelan D]

Ok great, does one have more condensation issues than the other?

[Brad Rogers]

I haven’t used the Silex, but it looks like it has two doors and therefore could have great cross flow ventilation in decent weather.   The Solomid XL and the Duomid have virtually the same vents so I would expect them to perform similarly (perhaps with an ever so slight edge to the Doumid as it has more volume).  I had very few nights with condensation issues in the Doumid, but when I did I think it was unavoidable.   There are times that you’re going to get condensation no matter what shelter you are using when the conditions are right.

I’ve been using the X-Mid for the past 8-9 months and have been happy with it.  It does allow cross flow ventilation.  It’s taken some getting used to for me to visualize my sleeping position when setting the tent up since you sleep at an angle.  This is only an issue when there is a narrow spot of “flat” ground that I am trying to position my sleeping pad on so I move the shelter accordingly.

There are lots of excellent solo shelters out there nowadays and though they are good shelters, there are always trade-offs and compromises.  I’ve found that solo shelters seem to have less trade offs than two person shelters however.

[Rick Reno]

The Notch is reasonably good in the wind, definitely fine for the AT though I’m not sure what you might run into out west. A couple things to recommend it: being double-wall and well-vented means condensation isn’t much of an issue at all; and you can pitch just the inner in good weather (or in a shelter) for bug protection which is always a plus here in New England… Oh yeah., it also pitches and breaks down wicked easy, even in the rain. Just my 2¢

[Eric Blumensaadt]

#1 for the TT Notch, especially the Notch Li (Dyneema) if you have the “disposable income” for that version.

[Tristan T]

I am stuck between the MLD solomid xl and the duomid for my PCT hike this spring. Will the extra ten inches of width on the duomid make it much harder for finding a tent site. I would like to keep my duomid for the hike but am willing to switch to the solomid xl if the larger footprint will be a nuisance. Have any of you completed the PCT using a Duomid? Id appreciate any input.

[Garrett]

I find mid guy outs only work when the line has an appropriate 90 degree angle to its attachement. Very rarely do I find enough resources to support these angles. Guy outs anchored to the ground tend to deform most tents.

I have the Silver Tip, however the Duomid would be a fine candidate as well. The Silver Tip will handle wind better. Is the added protection needed? I don’t know… PCT isn’t really my stomping grounds.

[Jerry Adams]

I keep experimenting with mids in wind

I find the sides really blow inward even in moderate wind like 20 MPH.  Reducing headroom inside.  But the tent doesn’t break.

I find guyouts to deform the tent

More stakes along the ground maybe better.  1 stake at each corner and 3 stakes on each side between the corners.

Like someone mentioned on a previous thread, the ridges of a mid are on the bias, so they stretch a lot, so the sides really blow inward.  Maybe reinforce the ridges with something that doesn’t stretch.  Like a tape made of nylon or Dyneema.  Or take some of the regular fabric, maybe 3 inches wide, on the grain, fold over to make it 6 layers thick, sew that to the ridge.  I was watching my ridges stretch in the wind on a recent trip and was imagining this might help.

[Brad P]

I am stuck between the MLD solomid xl and the duomid for my PCT hike this spring. Will the extra ten inches of width on the duomid make it much harder for finding a tent site.

My son and a buddy used a Duomid at Philmont last summer.  The footprint didn’t seem like it was much of a problem and some Philmont campsites are a bit tight with none being flat.  :)

The extra space of the Duo using the solo XL inner would be nice, although I guess you don’t get a lot of rain, typically, on the PCT.

The cost and weight really isn’t a factor, so it’s all about functionality preference.  I think you’ll be successful with either.

[Bruce Tolley]

“Will the extra ten inches of width on the duomid make it much harder for finding a tent site.”

Never had a problem with my MLD duomid.  The footprint is not any bigger than a 2P traditional backpacking tent.

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