What is your go to 1p Shelter?

It is not the length of the tent, but rather the design.  A-Frame and Pyramid-shaped tents and tarps slope from peaks slantwise to the ground.  In most such tents, the slope of the walls greatly limits the amount of space that can be used comfortably.  Add insult to injury by supporting these tents with trekking poles that obstruct access and exit.  The name of the game is ultra light weight, and comfort be dammed.  Add more insult to injury with walls that are not stable and taut.

That is why I commented at length just above about how well Tarptent has done with its latest version of the Moment.  However, I sense you are looking for something a lot larger than what most backpackers require for comfort.  So suggest taking a look at the TarpTent Stratospire 2 person.  The maker is very thorough in providing information, and the tents are reasonably light in weight.  And with a large tent, not a solo, the upright poles are less of a problem.  And there are still larger tents on the site.

Yet if you are going to be cycling and possibly pitching on asphalt in campgrounds, particularly windy ones on the great plains, you might want to look for a tent that is self-supporting, and does not depend on stakes to keep it upright.

you might want to look for a tent that is self-supporting, and does not depend on stakes to keep it upright.
Just don’t get out of the tent when there is a strong wind blowing.
Or be prepared to chase the tent across the plains.

Those things in the air are ‘self supporting’ tents.

Cheers

Baaaaahaaaaa. Geeezums. C’mon people..thats nuts.

Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines

“They go uppity up up, they go down diddy ow-n down”

Obviously not a remote campsite. Actually, it was a farmer’s field being used for a pop festival. Port-a-loos and everything. A sudden squall came, and went, and trashed most of the pop-ups and stand-alones. But check this out:

After the squall had passed and the damage done, one of the occupants of the tunnel tent came out of his tent, looked around, and is reported to have asked ‘what happened?”. He had heard the wind, but thought nothing of it.
Hey-ho

Cheers

Lol. Thats great!

” …A sudden squall came, and went, and trashed most of the pop-ups and stand-alones.”

No, I think those things overhead are paragliders.  But if you want to trash anything with a self supporting framework, remember that a tunnel has one of those also.

No, I think those things overhead are paragliders.
Chuckle! Good one!
They were more tumbling in the wind than gliding. There was a video of a lot of it: most amusing. I collected a lot of stills from it as downloading videos was not simple in those days.

Cheers

Integral Designs eVent ‘Unishelter’ bivi with hoop.  I think Rab makes something similar.  I’ve used tarps, but in serious weather, the Integral Designs bivi’s have proved to be really weather proof and fast to set up.

The Six Moons Designs Skyscape X. They don’t make it in Cuben anymore, but here is an old review. It is a hybrid double wall, with plenty of room for one person, especially at the shoulders. My favorite feature is that there is more height towards the head (it isn’t symmetrical). Some mids have their apex in the middle, which provides more stability, but is less attractive if I’m lying down. I can sit up in the thing, just by scooting a bit on top of my pad. Overall I think it is a very well designed tent — it is a shame they don’t make it in Cuben/DCF anymore.

As good as it is, I will likely switch over to the Durston X-Mid Pro 2. That tent is roomier, but a bit heavier. What is extremely attractive about it is the setup. It just looks ridiculously easy for a non-freestanding tent. As it is, I usually have my tent setup before my friends (who have freestanding tents) but it does take me several tries to get it just right. I’m hoping that setting up the X-Mid Pro is much easier, while offering many of the same things I like about the Skyscape (such as off-center design).

In order of deteriorating weather forecasts, Grace solo, TT Protrail, and Black Diamond Megalite.

Roger, that doesn’t happen to be Friday evening at the Haymaker Festival in VA circa 2003 or 2004? A surprise microburst sent many a tent up into the heavens. We didn’t lose our Walmart tent but it had a couple inches of standing water inside when all was said and done.  Good memories!

Hi Lisa
Long long ago, but I don’t think so. If I remember correctly, it was in the UK.
I could be wrong of course.

Cheers

a couple inches of standing water
We had that once at Medlow Gap (Aus), but fortunately the water was outside tent and the waterproof floor was, literally, floating. A very flat site, that one.
Different situation . . .

Cheers

I think the Aeon Li is best suited for those that use a minimalist pad.  It works okay for me so far with a 3 1/4 inflatable thick pad but it wold be ideal to be thinner especially in colder conditions.  I am finding that my pitch tends to relax over the course of the night depending on ground conditions so I loose a little volume around my head and feet.  I had a little better luck with my rei flash air 2 as far as maintaining interior space goes.  I love though the ultra low weight and easy pack up.  I can set up and break camp in half the time that the other campers with me need.

1. Mild Weather -MLD 1 person dcf Patrol shelter and MLD Superlight dcf bivy
2. 3-Season weather Unknown or longer trips – TT Protrail Li
3. Winter – MLD dcf Duomid and dcf Superlight bivy

Sorry, Brad asked why the Moment in wind instead of the Notch. My choice is only because I’ve camped in the Moment in windy rainy conditions and it did great. I don’t have experience with the Notch in more than light rain and wind. Maybe it would do just fine.

I can’t imagine not staking any tent, ever. I don’t want to wake up at 3am dealing with what’s happening in the photo Roger posted. No fussing around in the cold, rain, wind or dark. Staked down, I just sleep!

I can’t imagine not staking any tent, ever. I don’t want to wake up at 3am dealing with what’s happening in the photo Roger posted. No fussing around in the cold, rain, wind or dark. Staked down, I just sleep!

I’m with you on this. It always seems a peculiarly American thing to be so concerned with freestanding tents, and also with not staking out guylines.  There has never been a single occasion I have ever, or would ever, set up a tent without staking it all down and also staking out the guy lines.
My current tents have pairs of guylines at each point round the tent, and I may stake the pairs to a single peg in good weather, or do them individually in bad. But even on a bright sunny day I would never leave them out entirely.

“There has never been a single occasion I have ever, or would ever, set up a tent without staking it all down and also staking out the guy lines.”

Reminds me of the time a group of Canadian hikers pitched near a shelter on the AT not far south of Katahdin.  It took them about an hour or so.

Agree that all tents must be anchored, and guyed in windy conditions.  But that does not mean that it is a waste to use a self-supporting tent, like a modified Goondie, for example:

The Goondie has 4 pockets about 2/3 up each of the poles and contain guy cords that unroll and anchor the tent at all four corners.  The best part is that the corners do not have to be staked when the guys are, unless double staking is on the menu.  And enjoy the spacious interior, the taut canopy with smaller fabric panels, and the reduced tension on the stakes due to the framework supporting the tent.  The carbon poles weigh less than 6 oz and break tested higher than Easton alloy .344.  Those 6 oz are less than the weight of a second trekking pole, so there is no weight penalty.   And the tent pitches quickly with no need for adjusting.

Regret the deterioration of the photo over time.  When new, the guylines were clearly visible at this windy location well above Lion Head on Mt Washington in NH.  Also please note: the floor that came with the Goondie was quite heavy and was replaced with lighter silnylon from Lightheart Gear.

3 SEASON-> Tarptent Notch Li  (I have added 2 fly hem stake loops to each side using Tenacious Tape for reinforcement where the loops are stitched on to the fly hem.)

WINTER-> Tarptent Moment DW (with “solid” interior and the optional Crossing Pole shortened 5″ and run under the fly) to resist snow load. Pre-made guy lines with clips and heavier main pole help in windy conditions.

TheNotch Li has a similar design to the Moment DW but is smaller inside. OK for 3 season but not large enough for all my bulk winter stuff and not the best for high winds.

“OK for 3 season but not large enough for all my bulk winter stuff and not the best for high winds.”

Interesting. I would have thought the Notch Li would be good in wind, given the design of the panels. I’m not doubting you, and in fact I know that you like your Notch. I’ve never used one.

Per Eric, a DCF Moment should drop weight to what, 24 oz? Love the design snd interior space, but I don’t need a 4 season tent.

@Eric Blumensaadt can you share a few pics of the reinforced Notch tieouts?