View Full Version : Ground cloth with Lunar Solo
Ok, I am thinking of buying the Six Moons Lunar Solo e. I am not sure if I should get the lightweight bottom or standard. I really am leaning toward buying the lightweight. The website warns that the lightweight floor is more prone to puncture and will allow water through at pressure points. Should I just buy some Tyvek (approx 4 oz.)or a Polycryo Ground Cloth (1.5 oz). I want to shave weight but don't want to get puncture holes in my tent. I know that Tyvek isn't too waterproof, but is tough. I have a bivy that has a silnylon bottom, so I am not too worried about seeping water...or should I be??
I can't speak about the lightweight floor because I went ahead and purchased the standard floor on my Lunar Solo e, figuring that I would gladly trade 3.5 oz for more durability and better waterproofing however marginal they may be. I don't plan on using a ground cloth. I also own a Henry Shires Squall II Tarptent and he uses the same fabric for both tent and floor, which I beleive is similar or identical to the ligter weight 30D silicone nylon. I have used this tent extensively and while I haven't had any problems with punctures or water in the Tarptent , I do worry a bit about the durability of the floor. For me the peace of mind was worth the extra weight on the Solo...
The Tyvek footprint weighs more than the added weight of the heavier floor... so if the heavier floor obviates the need for the Tyvek, it's worth it.
Otherwise it isn't - however, I will probably also get the heavier floor, and skip the Tyvek.
Footslogger
02-20-2007, 22:40
[quote=dscostu;325722]Ok, I am thinking of buying the Six Moons Lunar Solo e. I am not sure if I should get the lightweight bottom or standard.
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I've owned the Lunar Solo-e for over 2 years and I would suggest you get the lightweight floor. Regardless of which floor you get I would further suggest you use some form of ground cloth. I carry a piece of "kite weight" Tyvek. It doesn't need to be the entire size of the Lunar Solo footprint ...just enough to cover the area you will be using to sleep.
By the way ...the Lunar Solo is a great shelter !!
'Slogger
'Slogger,
Can you amplify on that just a bit? How likely is the floor to get punctures?
'Slogger,
Can you amplify on that just a bit? How likely is the floor to get punctures?
VERY UNLIKELY with carefull site selection and removal of sizeable rocks and sticks. I would not want to sleep on them anyway...pick a site with some buffer on it rather than a plain soil spot.:)
GlazeDog
02-21-2007, 09:55
I like having a ground cloth because I found I sleep in shelters more than tent. The ground cloth is nice to lay down on the shelter floor as they can be quite nasty and sometimes splintered. The tent wouldn't be used much--so I'd go with the UL flooring (30D sil-nylon) in conjunction with a ground cloth. By the way--I thought I'd tent way more as I,like privacy, but that fell by the wayside quickly in favor of the ease and comfort of shelters (this seemed to be the norm).
GlazeDog
Footslogger
02-21-2007, 10:02
'Slogger,
Can you amplify on that just a bit? How likely is the floor to get punctures?
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In the area of the floor where you sleep, I'd say VERY likely. I've used a ground cloth with my Lunar Solo-e since I got it so there are no signs of wear or damage. That said ...I did my thru in 2003 with the Wanderlust Nomad Lite, which had the exact same floor. Where the trekking pole handle rested on the floor there was noticeable wear.
I'm not saying you absolutely HAVE to use a ground cloth. But for what you pay for the Lunar Solo and the cost/weight of a small piece of the "kite" Tyvek I don't see why anyone wouldn't want to use it.
On the flipside ...I guess you could always just forget the ground cloth approach and just plan on patching the floor if/when it wears out or gets punctured.
Either way though, I'd still go with the light weight floor.
'Slogger
I like having a ground cloth because I found I sleep in shelters more than tent. The ground cloth is nice to lay down on the shelter floor as they can be quite nasty and sometimes splintered. The tent wouldn't be used much--so I'd go with the UL flooring (30D sil-nylon) in conjunction with a ground cloth. By the way--I thought I'd tent way more as I,like privacy, but that fell by the wayside quickly in favor of the ease and comfort of shelters (this seemed to be the norm).
GlazeDog
Anyone who follows trailjournals, will notice that you fall into the majority of hikers whom quickly prefer the ease of shelters to setting up the tent and fooling with wet tents in the AM.
I agree with your statement and also carry a tyvek groundcloth (don't forget to wash to get rid of the cracking sound) cut to my sleeping bag size (3.5 oz) for shelter floors.
When tenting I don't use it as a groundcloth but fold it and put it at the entrance to the tent to keep dirt, etc out of the tent or mud during rainy times.
Thanks to all who responded! I will most likely bring a ground cloth anyway (standard or lightweight floor)...so I might as well just buy the lighter floor. All of you gave me a lot to think about! So, if on a couple nights, I want to sleep under the stars, than I will have a cut out ground cloth with me. Thanks again!!
Thanks to all who responded! I will most likely bring a ground cloth anyway (standard or lightweight floor)...so I might as well just buy the lighter floor. All of you gave me a lot to think about! So, if on a couple nights, I want to sleep under the stars, than I will have a cut out ground cloth with me. Thanks again!!
Excellent point about using the ground cloth for cowboy camping and one I was going to mention! ;) While packing a wet tent isn't ideal, I found I can eat and get packed quicker than when staying in a shelter as I don't have to wait for others to get out of the way, especially when its full.
YMMV.