Sea to Summit Specialist Solo Vs Tarptent Notch

[pauly_j]

Does anyone have any experience with both of these?

Which do you prefer?

Obviously there's a lot of people who have tried one or the other but to get a real comparison I need people who have experience of both.

Really struggling to narrow it down. The solo seems lighter and more compact (which may also be a negative at 6ft tall with a full neoair), but I have seen some people mentioning problems with it's capabilities in the wet.

I've got nearly all my gear but the tent is one thing I want to get spot on. If you have anything good or bad to say about either it would be appreciated!

They're pretty much the same price so it's really down to practicalities.

Thanks guys

[Flounder940]

Interesting. I hadn't ever seen the Sea To Summit Specialist Solo before, but looking at the pictures of it, the Notch looks like it would have better air flow since there is more netting on the Notch compared to the Solo, unless you opted for the Notch with the taller bathtub walls option.

[Franco]

maybe this will give you a better idea of their relative size :
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e389/Francophoto/Tarptent%20Notch/S2S%20Specialist_zpse1yvkklg.jpg

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e389/Francophoto/Tarptent%20Notch/nt_dimensions_zpskw8ci6js.png

[Gray Bear]

Sorry I cant give you feedback on both but I can tell you the Notch is a lot of tent for the weight. It took a few times for me to get it dialed in but now I can set it up pretty quick and I have the ground sheet cut for my needs. The 2 doors and 2 vestibules are awesome.its really nice to hang your pack off one pole on one side and keep all your gear under cover while leaving the other side open for getting in and out and cooking when needed. I'm 6'1" and #250, I use a 25" wide Xtherm and a 6'6" WM Alpinlight bag. it takes up every bit of floor space but man is it comfy! touching the walls isn't a big deal since its a legitimate double wall. One thing I noticed about the SS was the pole is inside, on the Notch they are outside.

[pauly_j]

Thanks guys,

Yes I think I'm leaning towards the Notch. The additional space and poles on the outside are better features. I'm not UL anyway, so a couple of grams don't make a difference when I've got a pack that's older than me and a big synthetic sleeping bag. The important thing is that the space is useful. I'm not entirely sure the foot box in the solo would actually have room for anything.

Gray Bear - The hanging of the pack on the pole sounds useful? I was thinking of ways to keep it dry in the vestibule and couldn't think of a good solution. If the ground was wet before pitch then the bag would get wet on the floor. If I took a slightly over-sized ground sheet, it could collect puddles and wet the bag all the same. What sort of weight do you think this could take? Presumably hanging a weight on the pole puts a lot of strain on the apex? Also, is there not an issue with your bag touching the fly, or is there legitimately enough room in those vestibules for a 60ltr pack to hang?

[pauly_j]

I suppose putting it upside down in the vestibule with a pack cover on would be a good shout.

[Gray Bear]

I suppose putting it upside down in the vestibule with a pack cover on would be a good shout.

I was using a Granite Gear Leopard 58. I just took a piece of para cord and made a loop and hang it around the end of the trekking pole and used a small beaner to clip it. the weight was never an issue for me. my pack weight was around 30#.

The bug net in the Notch never comes in contact with the fly so there's no issue with your bag touching the sides.

[Franco]

This is how it looks with an almost full 60L pack :
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e389/Francophoto/Tarptent%20Notch/Pack%20hanging%20Notch_zps6egfqclc.jpg

[Patrickjd9]

Just a note, a 37 inch peak height is not enough for most adult men to sit up--especially with a thick sleeping pad. I'm just shy of 6 feet and have a tent with a 36 inch peak. I can't sit up straight even with a thin pad.