What DON'T you like about your solo tent

[LIhikers]

I may become unemployed in the first part of this year and will use the the situation as an opportunity to attempt a thru hike. With that in mind I've been searching the archives here at WhiteBlaze for info on solo tents. There's so much available it's mind dizzying and almost makes it harder than easier to make a choice. People freely say what they like about their solo tents but don't give hardly any hint of what they don't like.

So I'm asking, what solo tent do you use and what don't you like about it? Or, what problems did you have with it even if it didn't make you dislike the tent. I'm looking for constructive, negative, criticisms of solo tents. :-? :-?

[Footslogger]

The only thing I'd like to have on my solo tent (Lunar Solo-e) is a zipper closure on the front flaps. I got an early model with the velcro closure strips. It's workable but when the tent is set up very taut it can get a little tricky lining up and securing the flaps/velcro over the tie-out line.

Newer model Lunar Solo-e's come with a zipper closure.

That said ...I know have the Wild Oasis solo tent (also from Six Moon Design) and it DOES have a zipper closure. There's nothing I would change about the Wild Oasis.

'Slogger

[warraghiyagey]

My Eureka Solo (a gift from el Duderino - D Tread) is awesome. The only thing I don't like about it is the times that it's not in use.:)

[spittinpigeon]

My Eureka Solo (a gift from el Duderino - D Tread) is awesome. The only thing I don't like about it is the times that it's not in use.:)

And squirrels chewing through it.

[warraghiyagey]

And squirrels chewing through it.
You've got a great memory. Must be you're taking good care of those brain cells lately. ??

[spittinpigeon]

You've got a great memory. Must be you're taking good care of those brain cells lately. ??

I hiked the trail in 30 days. It did wonders for my head.

[warraghiyagey]

I hiked the trail in 30 days. It did wonders for my head.
I remember thaaat. That was aaawesome. Remember when you were with the Beatles? That was aaawesome.

[spittinpigeon]

I remember thaaat. That was aaawesome. Remember when you were with the Beatles? That was aaawesome.

http://http://youtube.com/watch?v=7yPsSESvRao

Funny stuff. :)

[walkinfool]

I have a Big Agnes Seedhouse SL1...I love it, but the one think I don't like is the way the vestibule door flap zipper works...when it's zipped up, you have to reach down to the very end of the vestibule to unzip it. It's just awkward and kind of a pain. The zipper's also not that smooth. Other than that, I'd recommend it...we'll see what I say once I get out there and am sleeping in it every night, though...

[mudhead]

I don't like front entry.

I don't like zippers that snag or grab,(like at 2am, when you gotta go.)

I do like taped seams.

I do like freestanding.

[Jack Tarlin]

I've owned several solo tents, and the only advantage to them was a slight savings in weight.

I now carry a two-person tent almost all the time for any number of reasons:

*I am a significantly larger person than I once was.
*There's plenty of room for my pack, so it's not out in the elements or
where critters can get at it.
*I can move around inside; change clothes, make a sandwhich, do a field
repair, sit up, etc. You simply CAN'T do some of these things in a one-
person tent.
*I have extra room in case I come up with what the Red Sox would refer to
as "a player to be named later."

For me, that extra couple of pounds required by carrying a larger tent is more than worth it. Something like a third of your trip will be spent in your tent.
Make sure you're comfortable with it!

[Mocs123]

I have the BA Seedhouse 1SL and although I do like it overall, it isn't perfect.

1. I agree with walkinfool that it awkward to have to reach out the bottom of the vestibule to reach the zipper to open the door, and that the zippers are not very smooth.

2. It takes 10 stakes to properly set it up, and it is supposed to be freestanding (It is, but isn't very useful without stakes.

3. I don't care for front entry tents, and this one has a small door as well.

4. The vestibule is small, just enough room for my pack and boots.

5. The mesh seems more fragile than the mesh on other tents (perhaps this was to help lower the weight).

6. Water can drip in the door when you open the door (this is a problem on a lot of tents, in a hard rainstorm, things can get pretty wet in a matter of seconds).

7. No roof vent, and since it only has one door, you can't cross vent like you can on some tents.

That being said, the tent is very roomy inside, have very little condensation (most of the time none), is very storm worthy (it can even handle high winds and some snow loads), and of course is very lightweight (under 3 lbs even with the massive amount of stakes you have to carry with it).

[Appalachian Tater]

The Tarptent Rainbow is one person but can sleep two in a pinch and is very roomy. No complaints. I do wish it came with a built-in clothesline and I tied loops of reflective line to the zippers. Silnylon is slippery so you have to put some silicone on the floor.

[Almost There]

Carry a MSR Hubba, I have thought about upgrading to a hubba hubba, the thing keeping me from going with a tarptent is the floor, if you set up in a lower area and it starts raining...you're screwed. At least with a free standing tent you have a bathtub floor that should keep you good even if your tent ends up in a puddle by morning.

I agree with Jack, I used to hike with a two person tent being a bigger guy and I did like having room to bring everything into my tent, definitely made it more comfortable when I had to spend a day in my tent.

[margo]

I got the seedhouse 2 cause for just a couple of ounces you get that extra little pole in the back and more room. I like it but cannot fathom how a person could fit in the seedhouse 1.

I have only tried it once in the yard cause I just got it but it's pretty nice. The vestibule is awkward and the zippers stick a little. Oh, it's not fireproof so don't burn incense in it. :(.

I like how the fly is so far away from the mesh so even if it droops it will not touch it.

I really like the tarp tents as well. I didn't research those when I went solo tent shopping. I was worried about condensation and weather but according to the reviews they work very well. Sometimes I think the rainbow two would have been a better choice than the SL2 but I already have the seedhouse and am happy with it. Well, I was happy in the yard the one time I used it.

[wrongway_08]

Tarptent Contrail

Likes:
- Light weight, 1 pound 6.5oz with stuff sack and 2 extra stakes.
- pack size
- easy set up
- quick adjustments
- lots of room, was enough for my dog,pack,clothes - everything and still had room.
- good ventilation
- Customer support, always answered my questions and always there to help out.

Dislikes
- Cold weather condensation, while not a big problem due to all the room, it seemed to have a good bit in cold weather.
- takes a little "training" to get used to how to set it up so the bathtub floor works good. This is only a temp problem, so not a big deal either.

Great tent, like it better then my other tents I have had.

[Yahtzee]

Wrongway, what about spacing with the Contrail? Does it take up alot of ground space. I like to throw down whereever, and whereever sometimes means tight spaces.

What don't I like about my Eureka Spitfire? It's not my Canyonlands.:(

[wrongway_08]

Never been an issue, it is a little long but if ground space is tight you can:
- set the lower end up under a tree
- stake it along side a bush
- put the feet portion a little on the down hill slope, let you feet angle down some.
- Heck, I even just wrapped the stupid thing around my bag once when I was too tired to mess with setting it up.


I dont think it is all that much longer then a "normal" tent, just seems that way due to its shape.

[Lilred]

I have a one person Walrus and a two person Tarptent Squall. The Walrus is nice in colder weather, but you can't sit up in it that well and has a small vestibule. The Squall sleeps two but weighs less than my Walrus. It's so roomy it's decadent. Makes for a much more comfortable stay in the case of rain. Condensation can be an issue, but I can sit up straight in it and not touch the top, so it's really no big deal.

[vonfrick]

I have a Big Agnes Seedhouse SL1...I love it, but the one think I don't like is the way the vestibule door flap zipper works...when it's zipped up, you have to reach down to the very end of the vestibule to unzip it. It's just awkward and kind of a pain. The zipper's also not that smooth. Other than that, I'd recommend it...we'll see what I say once I get out there and am sleeping in it every night, though...

wow!! i thought it was just me. my seedhouse zipper drives me crazy!!! same problems, i wonder if theres a fix for that that wont wreck the rest of it. i think my mom used to rub soap on our metal coat zippers when we were little but I'm fairly certain that would damage the tent material.

[Tinker]

I bought my solo tent for cold weather. In warm weather I use a hammock (sometimes in cold weather now, too).
I have a Hilleberg Akto. Bombproof, light, but with limited ventilation. It can be used without the inner tent, which would give far better ventilation, but at the expense of being critter proof, and with more weight than a tarp. Hence my solo choice going to the hammock lately.

[hopefulhiker]

I liked the Tarptent Squall, but it was difficult to close the vestibule with the velcro.. It took a little practice.. But the Squall was roomy and easy to set up...

[Appalachian Tater]

Carry a MSR Hubba, I have thought about upgrading to a hubba hubba, the thing keeping me from going with a tarptent is the floor, if you set up in a lower area and it starts raining...you're screwed. At least with a free standing tent you have a bathtub floor that should keep you good even if your tent ends up in a puddle by morning.

The Rainbow, for one, has a bathtub floor. It is also very roomy even if you have to spend all day in it.

[Lilred]

I liked the Tarptent Squall, but it was difficult to close the vestibule with the velcro.. It took a little practice.. But the Squall was roomy and easy to set up...

It is difficult to close the velcro from the inside. I attach the velcro while I'm still outside, then lift the beak up by sliding it up the guy line. The velcro is a non issue now.

I doubt the perfect tent exists, they all have their little quirks.

[Smile]

Footslogger: On the Lunar Solo E, I sewed the zipper in myself and got rid of the velcro. You might contact SMD to see if they will send you one :)

[Footslogger]

Footslogger: On the Lunar Solo E, I sewed the zipper in myself and got rid of the velcro. You might contact SMD to see if they will send you one :)

======================================

Not sure I want to take a chance on messing up the tent. I'm not all that handy sewing silnylon.

I did call Ron Moak and ask him if he'd retrofit the tent but he indicated that he did not intend to offer that option. I do remember that he offered to send me the zipper though.

Now that I have the Wild Oasis it's less of an issue but I might just go ahead and get the zipper anyway.

'Slogger

[NICKTHEGREEK]

I've owned several solo tents, and the only advantage to them was a slight savings in weight.

I now carry a two-person tent almost all the time for any number of reasons:

*I am a significantly larger person than I once was.
*There's plenty of room for my pack, so it's not out in the elements or
where critters can get at it.
*I can move around inside; change clothes, make a sandwhich, do a field
repair, sit up, etc. You simply CAN'T do some of these things in a one-
person tent.
*I have extra room in case I come up with what the Red Sox would refer to
as "a player to be named later."

For me, that extra couple of pounds required by carrying a larger tent is more than worth it. Something like a third of your trip will be spent in your tent.
Make sure you're comfortable with it!

He's right on the money here. I started out with a Walrus Rapeede XV 34 sq ft 2 person tent. Later tried the smaller lighter Zoid 1.0. Simply not worth the weight savings. Still using the Rapeede.

[NICKTHEGREEK]

He's right on the money here. I started out with a Walrus Rapeede XV 34 sq ft 2 person tent. Later tried the smaller lighter Zoid 1.0. Simply not worth the weight savings. Still using the Rapeede.

Darn, agreeing with Jack Tarlin must have shorted my circuits, Please change Rapeede to ARCH RIVAL XV.

[maxNcathy]

The Gossamer Gear Spinnshelter I bought is about 10oz which is great but i felt a very fine mist coming through on a rainy night (bag did not feel wet in the morning??) so i would prefer it had a inner waterproof coating for more peace of mind.

[SlowLightTrek]

======================================


Now that I have the Wild Oasis it's less of an issue but I might just go ahead and get the zipper anyway.

'Slogger

I'm looking seriously at the Wild Oasis. How do you like the bug netting on that? Does it seem to work well keeeping out the bugs?

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

As a couple, we switched from a three-man to a two man for weight savings.

What I don't like
-- condensation issues in the smaller environment
-- less room for gear and the very BUFF she-dino and the less BUFF he-dino
-- dinos stepping on each other sometimes when making midnight nature calls

If the tent were the only thing we carried (we also carry and use an ultralight tarp), we would have several of the issues mentioned by Jack T. - lack of room for cooking, repairing / maintaining gear, drying gear in bad weather and for sheltering others in an emergency (sorry - no dino 'players to be announced' will ever be happening :eek:;):D)

[Footslogger]

I'm looking seriously at the Wild Oasis. How do you like the bug netting on that? Does it seem to work well keeeping out the bugs?

==========================================

Yes, it does. The mesh skirt is long enough to fold under and lay on the ground. I have a sheet of Tyvek that's a little larger than my ground mat and it sits on top of the mesh on all sides.

It took a little getting used to because my other tent (Lunar Solo-e) had a vertical mesh front wall that opened up into the vestibule. With the Wild Oasis, the front wall of the tent IS the front of the tent.

'Slogger

[Bearpaw]

I have the newer version of the SMD Lunar Solo and the zipper is great.

The only complaint is the condensation that builds up when it is cold and humid. This is a problem with pretty much any single wall tent though.

For me, and I'm a WIDE guy, the LS still gives me plenty of room to sit up arrange gear in the side corner, enjoy the stars on a clear night with both vestibule doors swept back, and be at home even when the bugs are fierce.

It's just a fantastic shelter. Except the condensation. Deal with it.

[ozt42]

I'm a tall fat guy so I carry a 2 person tent (tadpole 23) so I have enough room.

negatives-
It is still a bit short for my 6'5" self to be able to sprawl out
you have to make this strange crawling right turn to get out of the rainfly/vestibule
the vestibule is too small for two packs when I cram 2 people into the tent
not enough room in the vestibule to cook without melting the fly
the fly is too small to stake out properly to prevent dripage

Plusses
sets up quickly and easily
ventilates well with or without the fly, the whole top of the tent is mesh
in the trade off between durable and light Northface erred on the side of durable - a plus in my book

[Footslogger]

Please disregard my earlier post concerning the front awning of the Lunar Solo-e. Zipper is being added. That wipes the slate clean !!

Between the Lunar Solo-e and the Wild Oasis I have all my shelter needs covered (so to speak !!)

'Slogger

[fonsie]

I been carrying the hubba for a couple of years now. I just dont like the 3 lbs, so I am out looking for a 1lb 8ounce or less tent right now because I stay in the shelters if there is room. I might try a hammock tent.

[Ramble~On]

I hiked the trail in 30 days. It did wonders for my head.

:eek: So you're that dude that hiked with Chuck Norris! - Cool!!