View Full Version : One person "mid-range" tents
eabyrd1506
07-21-2016, 10:19
I want to do more backpacking overnights with my daughter "now 17". She's all over the idea but has told mom she no longer likes sharing a tent with dad (and that's a 4 person base camp style tent) so I'm looking at backpacking 1-person options.
Love the Tarptent Rainbow but suffering sticker shock (coming to join you Alice). Is there some mid-range alternatives that fall between those tents (which are wonderfully flexible, easy to manage, weather protection) and the Eureka / ALPS heavyweights (which don't seem like they would be very useful if I had to setup in the rain).
Thank you in advance.
Ed
If you want a dirt cheap but effective and lightweight shelter, check out the Eureka Solitaire.
Gambit McCrae
07-21-2016, 10:42
Hard to go wrong with the Henry Shires Tarptent lineup. There are so many options available, and for what you get, In my experience, your getting a guaranteed waterproof, wind resistant setup, for under 400 bucks. When I lay in my tent at night, and the bottom is falling out of the biggest rain cloud around, I have a smile on my face, as I can sleep knowing I wont wake up to any drips or water pools in my tent floor
http://www.tarptent.com/
Loving my REI quarter dome 1. a great tent for the money. and very light and compact. you can usually find it on sale for under 200 especially if you wait for one of their holiday sales. next is prob labor day.
+1 for the REI Quarter Dome 1
sign up for the Gearmail email and get 15% off
I paired mine with gossamer gear titanium stakes and g.g. polycryo footprint, carry weight 2.5 lbs
DuneElliot
07-21-2016, 12:39
I have a Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo for sale. Used once and in like new condition. Great tent, I just prefer my ZPacks Duplex. Shoot me a message if you might be interested:
http://sixmoondesigns.com/tents/LunarSolo.html
Odd Man Out
07-21-2016, 12:46
SMD Skyscape Scout is a good value at $125. I moved up from there to a Tarp Tent Notch.
http://www.sixmoondesigns.com/tents/SkyscapeScout.html
AfterParty
07-21-2016, 13:28
I have a marmot starlight 2p its pleases me
Rex Clifton
07-21-2016, 14:26
+1 on Six Moon Designs. Their Skyscraper Scout tent is $125 and weights only 34 ounces. You won't find more bang for the buck.
Sent from my SM-T810 using Tapatalk
I went to a tarp and net tent setup a few years ago. The first night I spent in it I asked myself why I didn't do this years ago. YAMA Mountain Gear makes some nice gear, but if you shop around you can find prices all over the place.
Mouser999
07-22-2016, 15:31
ALPS Lynx1 very roomy easy to set up
MuddyWaters
07-22-2016, 20:35
Given the choice of carrying 2lbs extra, or spooning with me, my son will pick spooning.
My daughter wouldnt, but thats because she hasnt carried a pack over enough mountains to make that informed decision.
Tuckahoe
07-22-2016, 20:52
SMD Skyscape Scout is a good value at $125. I moved up from there to a Tarp Tent Notch.
http://www.sixmoondesigns.com/tents/SkyscapeScout.html
+1 on Six Moon Designs. Their Skyscraper Scout tent is $125 and weights only 34 ounces. You won't find more bang for the buck.
Sent from my SM-T810 using Tapatalk
I have to agree with these thoughts as well, regarding the Scout. Same price point as mid-range tent but at a lower weight.
DuneElliot
07-22-2016, 21:47
Given the choice of carrying 2lbs extra, or spooning with me, my son will pick spooning.
My daughter wouldnt, but thats because she hasnt carried a pack over enough mountains to make that informed decision.
2lbs is SOOOOO worth the extra weight for me...I need the sleep. I avoid sleeping withing 100 yds of my dad because he snores like a freight train with bad brakes!
eabyrd1506
07-22-2016, 21:58
Ok so based on this thread and way to many hours consulting the oracle and reading what others might say here's the current thoughts
Cate - SMD Scout (assuming when she gets back from summer school she's good with the concept)
Dad - TT Double Rainbow.
Thanks to all for the input.
If you go to Walmart.com and search for "backpacking tent" you'll find quite a few options in the $50 to $100 range, many of them clones of more expensive tents. Some of the ones on the lower end of the price range I've seen go on sale for around $35.
eabyrd1506
07-23-2016, 10:45
I will not support what they've done to Sam Walton's stores
Then order from the website.
https://www.amazon.com/Kelty-Gunnison-1-3-Tent-Footprint/dp/B00U2N0LVS
MtDoraDave
07-29-2016, 17:30
Wenzel has a real inexpensive 1 person tent, but it looks less than ideal for a home on the trail.
Wenzel has a real inexpensive 1 person tent, but it looks less than ideal for a home on the trail.
Having given one of those to my son, I can say that they are fragile, prone to moisture issues, and generally frustrating and useless. They are, however, fairly light and dirt cheap, making them ideal for emergencies or for 11 year-olds who are going to destroy almost anything they touch. With that said, while the Wenzel Starlight is missing a few guylines and has a patch on the pole socket, the kid is now 21, so the then-$20 tent isn't completely awful.
Hard to go wrong with the Henry Shires Tarptent lineup. There are so many options available, and for what you get, In my experience, your getting a guaranteed waterproof, wind resistant setup, for under 400 bucks. When I lay in my tent at night, and the bottom is falling out of the biggest rain cloud around, I have a smile on my face, as I can sleep knowing I wont wake up to any drips or water pools in my tent floor
http://www.tarptent.com/
What is the performance like on the Tarptents? The Notch and Protrail look like great tents.
They have been used around the world in very remote areas and nasty weather. They work.
Google will find reviews from users in Northern Europe where the weather is quite awful. Read for yourself.
Wayne
Old. Slow. "Smarter than the average bear."
The ProTrail and Notch are an apples and oranges comparison.
It would be better to compare single wall to single wall and double wall to double wall.
Wayne
Old. Slow. "Smarter than the average bear."
They have been used around the world in very remote areas and nasty weather. They work.
Google will find reviews from users in Northern Europe where the weather is quite awful. Read for yourself.
Wayne
Old. Slow. "Smarter than the average bear."
I will check out some reviews, but nothing can beat the insights of folks here on WB. Thanks Wayne.
Sarcasm the elf
07-30-2016, 09:02
Ok so based on this thread and way to many hours consulting the oracle and reading what others might say here's the current thoughts
Cate - SMD Scout (assuming when she gets back from summer school she's good with the concept)
Dad - TT Double Rainbow.
Thanks to all for the input.
I have a TT double rainbow and am very happy with it. I would have responded earlier, but I was on trail with it last week.
mark schofield
07-30-2016, 10:12
http://sectionhiker.com/eureka-solitaire-tent-review/
seconding caleb j. I used one of these for a while before upgrading to a tarp tent contrail. It did the job.
I would view this as a wonderful opportunity to "upgrade" to a good single person tent, not for your daughter but for you. I suspect you will be doing a lot more trips then you will be together, especially in a couple of years. I wouldn't look at how you can find an acceptable solution for her, find the best solution for you. Further, if you haven't dabbled in making your own gear, perhaps making a simple mid style shelter and bug inner. I have made two and they are simple and my second mid, without the inner weighs in at about 6oz. plus stakes using .51 cuben.
MuddyWaters
07-30-2016, 11:21
Well GG has their new "the one" finally up on website too. Great protection (if anything like original) and only 19oz.
But the price....ouch.
It uses the sil/PU so it can be pretaped like some commercial tents.
I sold my original "the one" last year because I hadnt used it in several yrs. I really loved that shelter. Not quite as thrilled about what I see with the new one though. And the silnylon 7D material the new one is made of is like wrestling with an octopus to try and stuff. You shove it in sack, it furls back out when you try to grab next handful. You need an oversize stuffsak or you will hate packing that stuff up. Which is one reason for me that cuben is much more preferable, its far easier to pack up than silly nylon. I dont want to futz with trying to get a shelter in a sack in the dark when Im trying to get moving.
.
Like most things, stuffing a tent is all about technique.
I have stuffed tents in polyester, silnylon,Epic ,cuben ,gore Tex never had a problem putting them back into their stuff sack in a short time.
however the word "stuffing" does give the game away...
With some fabrics (Epic and silnylon in particular) folding and rolling is the way to go but yes I understand that is not for everyone.
here is another one of my, pretty obvious to some but not so much to others, video :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxg4miBqh-Q
eabyrd1506
07-30-2016, 20:42
My Double Rainbow came on Thursday. I sprung to have the staff at tarp-tent do the seam sealing. I set it up last night in the backyard (5-min the first time with much of that futzing with the corners).
Anyone around SE PA knows it has rained heavy all day. My wife says 3 in in the bucket since yesterday. Just went out to the tent and except for the little water I let in when I opened it everything was dry as a bone (gotta allow for PA humidity of course). I stretched out and listened to the rain for a bit and thought about what I'd pack to for sleeping for my Sept 3-day.
Right now leaning towards a pad and a travel sheet with a liner just in case it gets chilly.
Thanks to everyone at Tarp Tent. Great Job!!
I will check out some reviews, but nothing can beat the insights of folks here on WB. Thanks Wayne.
True, but a very limited geographical proving ground.
I also want to know how a tent holds up at altitude, above tree line, in a gale near the Arctic Circle. If it works in places like that it will work just about anywhere.
Wayne
Old. Slow. "Smarter than the average bear."
A local , Australian, brand makes a version of the Scott Polar tent. They are also made by US and Canadian firms.
On average this 2 person design is around 66 lbs, (yes 66 not 6.6)having 4 x 1" poles .
Mostly they work well in Antarctic winds but occasionally they fail too...
35633
good enough for 3 season backpacking ?
DuneElliot
07-31-2016, 09:30
True, but a very limited geographical proving ground.
I also want to know how a tent holds up at altitude, above tree line, in a gale near the Arctic Circle. If it works in places like that it will work just about anywhere.
Wayne
Old. Slow. "Smarter than the average bear."
I think there are plenty of us on here who have tested tents outside of the AT geographical area...above treeline, in a gale, but not in the Arctic Circle!!!
I got carried away with the Arctic Circle.
I do think that expanding the gene pool when it comes to gear is not a bad thing.
The fact that a small cottage company in California has a global customer base speaks well of their products and support.
Wayne
Old. Slow. "Smarter than the average bear."