Single digit temps, 10 mile hike, Lunar Solo

[dirtbag]

Did a short overnight trip in NY/Connecticut last weekend. We hiked about 10 miles on a few inches of fresh snow in single digit temps along the Appalachian trail.  This was my first night sleeping in my Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo tent also. Below is a short link to the video and some pictures of the Lunar Solo set up. It is not a gear review video.. just some footage our trip that I like to record for the memories and to share with others. ..https://youtu.be/InrJqd5xkH0

[Kevin Babione]

I enjoyed the video and can easily relate to sweating profusely when it’s 9 degrees out!  I carry a hat but NEVER wear it while hiking to try to keep my hair from getting soaked (and then freezing when I stop).  I pull out my hat as I’m cooling down just as I start to feel a chill.

I’m impressed that you were able to transition back to the ground after sleeping in a hammock.  I don’t think I could do it unless forced to.  For example, when we car camp, my wife and I sleep on a double Klymit insulated pad, but I really don’t sleep nearly as well as I do in my hammock.  She just takes any hint that “I’ll just sleep in the hammock tonight” as an implication that I don’t want to sleep next to her so I’ve stopped asking!  It’s not worth it for something as mundane as a good night’s sleep.

[dirtbag]

Lol! Thanks for watching, glad u enjoyed it. FYI.. No transition able here. Sleeping on the ground flat out sucks compared to my hammock, I will not lie! I saw a big open field on my map at our destination for the night, a full moon and crystal clear skies, so I opted to give my Lunar Solo a run.  Honestly, I would have like to just lay my bivy out and cowboy camp.. But , man it was so cold and I thought it was gonna be a little breezy.. And I have the Lunar Solo and yet to bring it out on a trip.. So it found its way in my pack.  I have said this before.. I will NEVER give up my hammock system.. I know it works 100% of the time for me, every time I use it, every where I would use it and I will never get a better nights sleep when in the hammock then on the ground. But sometimes.. Its nice to have options.. And it is really nice to sleep out under the glisting stars, in a big open field surrounded by mountains and not be confined under canopy of trees.

[HkNewman]

Good to see the (spacious) Lunar Solo get some fallen snow time.  If the combo with an Xtherm can work around NYC in the winter, it opens up some possibilities.  The lengthy video made me reminisce about snow trips (as I make my way to San Diego via Yuma AZ today … a reminder people can survive in the white stuff).

[dirtbag]

Yes for sure. Granted it was no snow storm and it was not windy. It was frigid cold.. single digit temps and snow and ice covering the ground. I will say the inner of the Lunar Solo did get a bit frosty from condensation, as I had it completely closed up to try and retain some heat and in the morning some minor snow flurries when i banged the walls.. but honestly,  it was of no concern or anything i would be afraid of. Every single wall shelter I have ever used gets some form of Condensation.. especially in single digit temps with snow and ice when you batten down the hatches.  I will continue to use it in various conditions and on certain trips when justified.

[Kevin Babione]

The Lunar Duo was the first lightweight tent that I bought when I got back into backpacking, and have encouraged three of my friends to buy the Lunar Solo as their 1P tent.  They all love it.  You said in the video that you didn’t think the pitch was perfect, but it looked awfully good in the video and in your photos above.  The Lunar Solo takes a little practice to pitch, especially in different weather scenarios.

I bought one of Dan Durston’s X-Mid 1P when Drop had on sale in December 2019 for $140, but I’ve never used it on a trip.  I bought it primarily because it was pretty inexpensive and I like to have a 1P tent in my arsenal for others to borrow.

For me?  I’ll stick to my hammock…

[dirtbag]

I am intrigued by Dans Xmid 1 or 2.

My only grips are.. I prefer the single pole set up.. and i see the inner goes on an angle. I worry that pitching it and finding that sweet spot to lay will be awkward.  Stake it out in 90° rectangle.. while the inner sleep area is off set to that outter pitch.  I have been tempted to try it, i will admit. DAN.. if you reading this.. make a single pole pitch for a 1 p tent!!! Lol

[dirtbag]

On that note.. the Lunar Solo takes me mere minutes to pitch. So fast from when i pull it out of my pack to have it fully pitched and throwing my gear inside it. Ditto with taking it down.. if you watch my video, in beginning i said i was a little concerned about breaking down camp in the morning at 5°.. well It went so fast and smooth, breaking it down and being packed up, that it is no longer a concern for me if I use it again in those extreme temps.

[Kevin Babione]

I already have a Gatewood Cape and it’s basically the same pitch and footprint as the Lunar Solo.  I always pitch it with the pole at a slight angle so I can just slide the handle in towards me to tighten things up if there’s any sagging.

The big advantage of the two-pole design of the X-Mid is that you have “real” headroom because the inner sides are vertical.  The Lunar Solo has one vertical wall (where the zipper is) and headroom is maximum there and then tapers down.

I figure I hike with two poles anyway so using one or two to support my tent doesn’t make a difference.

[Eric Blumensaadt]

My winter solo tent is a Moment DW with optional Crossing pole (modded to run under the fly). The X-ing pole is carried only if I expect heavy snow or very high winds.

[dirtbag]

Speaking of the Moment DW. Do you find it finicky or slightly difficult to remove that arch pole in cold, wet ,damp weather?

This is a other reason I am so excited about the Lunar Solo. I pitch it so fast and easy ( in single digit temps with ice covered snow on ground) and when packing it up, it was even quicker and easier. I could only imagine if this was my only shelter I carried on every trip how efficient it would be for me. Other then the dreaded having to find a spot to pitch my tent issue.. Which is another story and another reason why my hammock straight up wins.

[dirtbag]

[Michael B]

Loved the video – I need more winter gear to justify going out in that much cold!

It would be interesting to see SMD do a Gatewood/Lunar Solo hybrid, in other word, a Lunar Solo with the hood. I feel like as long as you had a way of holding up the bathtub near where the pole meets up with it (on the zippered side) it would just hang out behind you and your pack if you put it on as a poncho. Maybe they tried this already and it didn’t work out.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

[dirtbag]

Thanks for watching it!! Yes, having the right gear makes or breaks a cold winter trip for sure. People always ask me, ” Weren’t you freezing?” Or ,” Aren’t you going to be so cold?”   My response usually is.. ” Well if I was freezing or planning on being so cold, maybe I wouldn’t enjoy it so much. Truth is, I have a good idea how to stay warm and comfortable out there. So,  NO, I wasn’t freezing and NO, I won’t be so cold”.

[dirtbag]

For those not interested in watching the full 15 minute trip video, but would like to see the Lunar Solo pitched and ready for me to jump in it, I edited a short 1 minute 40 second clip of it ready to go.. 

https://youtu.be/qGeMbOrurx4

[MikekiM]

That was a great trip…  I recorded 6F overnight.

I was over-insulated..  0F underquilt, 20F topquilt and HG hammock underquilt protector.   I kicked off the MB Tec down pants somewhere around 2 AM and stuffed them to the footbox of the top quilt.  Thankfully the wind stayed light.

[dirtbag]

lol. Yeah 6° and not at any time was I even chilly.  Im pretty sure that neither You, Bob or Scott were either. It all makes sense why I love winter camping!!

@MikekiM.. looking forward to next adventure!!!

[MikekiM]

Not cold at all…

It’s all about the possum down socks!!

[dirtbag]

Haaaa..  possum down socks kept my water bottle from freezing while hiking.. and overnight also.

[Dan]

Loved it, many thanks for posting. This is what BPL needs much more of!

[dirtbag]

@Dan.. thanks man. I just do my thing and post what I can on these forums.. hopefully someone gets something out of it.. if not just some enjoyment!!

[Eric Blumensaadt]

Your Lunar Solo tent is “right-sized” for winter because its small volume can more easily be heated up  by one person.  My TT Moment DW is about the same volume and I like it for winter.

I like floored, double walled tents for winter camping and absolutely do not like tarps in winter. Been there, survived that in the ’70s. My coldest night in a tent was -5 F. It happened twice and I was fine both times in a synthetic -5 F. rated Caribou Mountaineering mummy – in a tent that was 10 F. warmer than outside temps.

[Author]

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