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View Full Version : Tarptent vs light heart gear solong 6??



saltysack
07-18-2014, 19:10
Looking to go to a single walled light weight shelter supported w trekking poles.. Main use will be me (5'11" 210lbs and my 20 lb jack Russell...would like room for my skinny 8 year old if needed. Any user input greatly appreciated....


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dmax
07-18-2014, 20:54
We have the new LHG Duo and love it. 2 doors, awning on one side. Can be opened up for great ventilation. Light weight, etc.... Just another one for you to look at. It's now up on their site.

dmax
07-18-2014, 20:56
Last week the wife and I, along with our dog with all of our gear fit inside!

Old Hiker
07-18-2014, 20:59
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?86824-LightHeart-Gear-SoLong-6-First-Impressions

I need to update the above. I now have a double door and awning, green with tan floor LHG SoLong 6. The yellow one was fine, but not exactly what I wanted.

It has HERDS of room for me. Not sure about a Jack, but I'm 215 (dropping) and I am plenty fine. I got the tent poles from LHG as well as an awning pole, but as soon as it dries out here (FL), I'm going to start playing with my regular wooden poles for the awning. You may get by squeezing in two pads for your kid as well.

Small package when broken down - 2.5(?) pounds with poles or so.

I've had plenty of condensation here in FL, esp in the spring and summer. I don't recall the humidity being as bad up north. I just use a small piece of Sham-wow type towel to wipe down the interior.

Never tried/had a Tarptent.

dangerdave
07-18-2014, 21:08
Good to hear, Old Hiker. I'm going with the LHG Solong 6 for my thru-hike next year.

Old Hiker
07-18-2014, 21:12
Hey, dd !

Will you have a trail journal somewhere? Back yard testing is OK, longer trips would be better, an AT thru would be awesome for a review of the tent.

Stumpknocker had a LHG SoLong on his Florida Trail thru. He was a bit more stealthy, though. He removed ALL the reflective cord and line ties and had them replaced with non-reflective.

When I win the Lotto, I'm gonna buy a TON of gear, move to NC and test, test, test.

dangerdave
07-18-2014, 21:22
I've been trying to avoid doing a trail journal, but folks keep pushing me in that direction. I guess I'm going to have to relent...for posterity's sake.

The things I do for love! :)

misterfloyd
07-19-2014, 09:02
I do not have a tarptent but a solong 6. I also have six moons skytrekker.

I do like the LH. Plenty of room for one person, and the awning is great. If you know you do not like shelters and you will stay in a tent most of the time, it is fantastic. some condensation on the single walls. I do the same a wipe it with a small shammy. Love the huge bathtub floor.

I like the skytrekker because it is one pound lighter (give or take). I take out the ridge pole and the stakes, and it will compress down to nothing in its bag. It is smaller, has a smaller footprint. do not like the fact of not having at least a cakepan floor (if I'm not setting it up correctly please let me know). Between the two, I have had more condensation with the 6 moons.

Where I use these determines which one I will use. The LH should fit yourself and your dog. However, I might cut out a peice of tyveck and put it inside to not puncture the floor.

When I go out on the AT again I will use this one. I used the LH last time. BTW, I'm the same dimensions as you and the LH really is a palace

Best,
floyd

saltysack
07-19-2014, 10:14
I do not have a tarptent but a solong 6. I also have six moons skytrekker.

I do like the LH. Plenty of room for one person, and the awning is great. If you know you do not like shelters and you will stay in a tent most of the time, it is fantastic. some condensation on the single walls. I do the same a wipe it with a small shammy. Love the huge bathtub floor.

I like the skytrekker because it is one pound lighter (give or take). I take out the ridge pole and the stakes, and it will compress down to nothing in its bag. It is smaller, has a smaller footprint. do not like the fact of not having at least a cakepan floor (if I'm not setting it up correctly please let me know). Between the two, I have had more condensation with the 6 moons.

Where I use these determines which one I will use. The LH should fit yourself and your dog. However, I might cut out a peice of tyveck and put it inside to not puncture the floor.

When I go out on the AT again I will use this one. I used the LH last time. BTW, I'm the same dimensions as you and the LH really is a palace

Best,
floyd

Thx for the input...I looked at SMD but agree I want a floor/ big net.... I hate ticks..u think could fit a small child(8) w me and dog? Mainly just me and dog...


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Scoutmaster
07-26-2014, 00:47
I love my Tarp tents. Rainbow and Double Rainbow. Single is plenty for you and Fido. You could snug the eight year old in a pinch. If you plan to feed and keep the 8 year old you may want to go with the Double Rainbow

Joe

Xycon
06-14-2016, 19:01
I'm gonna grave dig this thread cause it's relevant to my interests. I'm seriously considering buying the Lightheart Duo for my girlfriend and I, and am a tad worried about condensation. When you all say that you wipe your tent with a camp towel, do you have to wake up in the middle of the night and do it multiple times, or do you just do it when you wake up in the morning?

4shot
06-14-2016, 19:08
I have the TT Double rainbow and have used it on a thru hike plus many,many more section hikes.The wipe up of condensation is only done in the morning before packing up. Before that, you are sleeping and it's not an issue at all.;) I am sure the LH tents are similar.

Del Q
06-15-2016, 06:08
I have the So Long 6 in cuben fiber, did not love the sil nylon with my tarpent, it does mist = damp sleeping bag in the morning + I have to carry a wet tent. Cuben fiber shakes almost 100% dry and does not mist!

saltysack
06-15-2016, 06:23
I've had the solong6 for a few years now....its a learning curve but not an issue....if I keep it opened up and pick proper camp sites when conditions warrant its not issue...I never wipe mine down, just shake a few times in morning and roll and stuff in the sack. It drys fast when I set up the next evening. If your packed in tight you can put your rain jacket over foot box of your bag or quilt. Only part that ever gets wet is what touches tent wall. Cuben is nice but not sold on durability as I usually have my dog.

I see Judy @ LHG is having a big sale now...check it out....love mine...


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Xycon
06-15-2016, 12:12
I've had the solong6 for a few years now....its a learning curve but not an issue....if I keep it opened up and pick proper camp sites when conditions warrant its not issue...I never wipe mine down, just shake a few times in morning and roll and stuff in the sack. It drys fast when I set up the next evening. If your packed in tight you can put your rain jacket over foot box of your bag or quilt. Only part that ever gets wet is what touches tent wall. Cuben is nice but not sold on durability as I usually have my dog.

I see Judy @ LHG is having a big sale now...check it out....love mine...


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Hey Salty Sacks, do you find on colder nights when you need to close down the shelter that it becomes too wet inside?

Berserker
06-15-2016, 12:19
I have owned and used both (previously owned a TT Double Rainbow, still own a TT Squall and currently use a LHG Solong 6). It basically just comes down to personal preference with the floor plan and configuration. They are all good tents, but I prefer the Solong because of that freaking awesome vestibule that allows me to see out at night, and have some dry space outside the tent when it's raining.

As for condensation, that's gonna happen with just about any tent on the East coast. As others have stated, either wipe it down in the morning or just tear down and shake off. The misting phenomenon that someone mentioned above is a hotly debated topic (as to whether it's real or not), and involves the rain actually pushing through the material during a torrential down pour. I'm a believer in this phenomenon as I have had it happen on one of my tents. There's no way condensation was forming on the inside and being knocked off a the rate I was getting mist in my tent during this one incident. at any rate, most newer tents nowadays are made of higher quality sil-nylon that doesn't have this issue. I suspect my tent (made many years ago when sil-nylon was a new thing in tent construction) had this issue due to low quality sil-nylon.

saltysack
06-15-2016, 16:41
Hey Salty Sacks, do you find on colder nights when you need to close down the shelter that it becomes too wet inside?

No even in storm mode it still has lots of ventilation...honestly I love having the vestibule up for the view even during the winter...on the leeward side though....I've never experienced the misting others have mentioned...I held great thru a nasty storm on the jmt last year.


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