Tarptent ProTrail Li Review

Looks like a nice tent. I have a BA Scout 2, in DCF, that weighs in at 13oz, including stakes and guylines. The overall arrangement is roughly the same. Buy, it IS a two person tent. I had trouble on one trip with the side guyouts. I was wondering if I could add a line arrangement similar to yours. Any tips or tricks?

Andrew, Thanks for such a thoughtful review of this design. I find this tent to be Henry’s most compelling offering. It’s such a good mix of value, weight, packed size and performance.

I almost purchased a Protrail Li but instead went with a Yama Mountain Gear Cirriform Min Tarp and bivy. I went this direction for several reasons:

1) The side entry option. This addresses my primary issue with the Protrail.

2) Modularity. I like the option of using a bivy (or net tent), using the bivy without the tarp, etc.

3) Materials. YMG uses .8 oz DCF over TT’s .51 oz DCF. I am not getting out enough nights these days to really be concerned about wearing either shelter out but I feel like that is a better material choice at a small weight/bulk penalty. You did not mention YMG’s material choice in the comparison of the two tents.

Question: did you ever have trouble with the shallow bathtub on the Protrail? I never got wet in my Contrail but I often felt I was very, very close to getting wet by splashback.

Thanks for the write-up!  I purchased the Protrail Li last year after seriously considering the Aeon Li, Altaplex and Protrail Li.  My previous one-person tent was the Gossamer Gear The One, which I absolutely adore, and I was looking forward to the DCF version, but the reduced dimensions of their DCF design eliminated that as an option for me.

Ultimately I chose the Protrail Li for (1) floor space, (2) cost, and (3) ability to set up with 4 anchor points.  I am 6′ even, and I do find the head-shoulder room somewhat limited.  However, the positive trade-off is the tremendous amount of floor-space at the head-end, which I value more.

The 42in wide front of the bathtub floor allows me to bring in any gear needed, and the generous side mesh provides additional space to dry/air out light items of clothing (i.e. socks, a shirt, or running shorts) overnight in dry weather.  The vestibule is actually quite generous.  I keep my backpack on the right side where my trekking pole is slanted and can enter and exit quite easily.  It’s also very easy to cook in the vestibule, even with gear inside protected during a rain-storm.

One item that’s also not discussed frequently with side-entry tents is the fact that you sleep with your head so close to the tent wall.  This occasionally gives me a sense of being closed in more.  With the front entry Protrail Li, I sleep with a much greater sense of space and openness.

Your point about this tent being very easy to pitch moderately well is such an accurate description.  I’ve attached a picture of one such pitch on a rock ledge on Strickler Knob in the Virginia Massanutten Mountain region.  This was by no means a “perfect pitch”, but it was done late at night in the dark, when all other campsites were taken.  Under the circumstances, it worked quite well for the situation I found myself in, and I don’t think I would have been able to pitch this with the other options I was considering above.  That said, the “perfect” pitch does typically require some tweaking, though I don’t think any more so than tents with more stakes required.

One tip is to ensure the bathtub tension straps are completely slacked out while pitching.  I’ve found that having those tensioned from a previous setup can interfere with a taut pitch of the side panels.  So I make sure to slack them out all the way when I take the tent down in order to make the next pitch easier.

Dang. I forgot how wide the bathtub is. 42” is quite generous.

Excellent review and well written, thanks.

My buddy bought the sil-nylon version of the TT Pro Trail. He loves it. I once owned the now discontinued but similar Tarptent 15 years ago. (Can’t remember the name.)

I have the TT Notch Li and use the TT handle receiver to keep the handles out of the dirt. My CF hiking poles use ribber tip caps so don’t sink into the ground like a metal tip would. Henry was , as usual, clever in designing that item for we fastidious (OK, anal retentive) backpackers.