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Glebbber
03-13-2009, 03:43
What is the lightest solo free standing, 3 season tent you have come across?

I also appreciate an ample vestibule.

Thanks.

Secret Squirrel
03-13-2009, 05:17
My Marmot Eos1 Weighs 3lbs 3oz. That includes everything. The vestibule is large enough for pack and boots

Peanut
03-13-2009, 06:56
The MSR Hubba is freestanding and light (~3 lbs. 6 oz.). It is also long, so works well for taller people (which I am not, but know people who like it for this feature :) )...and it's tall enough to sit up comfortably in. Definitely an ample vestibule.

Cabin Fever
03-13-2009, 08:19
Big Agnes Seedhouse SL 1
REI Quarterdome T1

Both under 3 lbs.

bulldog49
03-13-2009, 08:24
Big Sky makes the lightest I've seen. The Revolution 1 is just over 2 lbs.




http://www.bigskyinternational.com/SummitShelters/Big_Sky_Revolution_1P_details.htm

Big Dawg
03-13-2009, 08:29
Big Agnes Copper Spur UL1

hopefulhiker
03-13-2009, 08:30
Tarptent Rainbow weighs around 33 oz.

Incahiker
03-13-2009, 09:40
The seedhouse sl1 is what I have, it is awesome.

The REI Quarterdome T1 is light, but my shoulders bulged against the sides of that thing big time. That tent was extremely clausterphobic. The seedhouse SL1 is big enough for my 35 lbs. dog and me to sleep in, and its still not as tight as the quartedome.

Even though the Seedhouse SL1 is free standing, you definitely have to stake it out to get the most use of the space, and also so the wind and rain don't work their way into your tent.

Lyle
03-13-2009, 09:50
I'm very pleased with my Gossamer Gear "The One". Single wall, vestibule, side entry, fully enclosed with neting and a floor, use treking poles or order poles. Mine is one of the original design, weights 17 oz. According to the website, the new version is lighter.

http://www.gossamergear.com/cgi-bin/gossamergear/The_One.html?id=JPQyhHF6:76.226.127.121

ADDED: Sorry, just re-read your original post and noticed you said free standing. "The One" doesn't qualify in that regard.

Big Dawg
03-13-2009, 11:11
Tarptent Rainbow weighs around 33 oz.

only free-standing when attaching 2 trekking poles.

vonfrick
03-13-2009, 11:21
i have the big agnes and aside from being light, me and warrghy discovered that it fits both of us quite comfortably when staked out. we keep our food bags in the tent with us and shoes in the vestibule. our packs, which have little in them after setting up for the night, sit out with their covers on.

Wheeler
03-13-2009, 12:12
REI Quarter Dome. 3#, and a decent vestibule,and without the rain-fly you have an awesome view of the star's I used that tent on my thru and loved it. I've since moved to a SMD lunar solo.

Incahiker
03-13-2009, 13:38
i have the big agnes and aside from being light, me and warrghy discovered that it fits both of us quite comfortably when staked out. we keep our food bags in the tent with us and shoes in the vestibule. our packs, which have little in them after setting up for the night, sit out with their covers on.

Which big agnes, the seedhouse sl1 or the copper spur? I have the seedhouse and it has a ton of room for being a 1 man tent.

sixhusbands
03-13-2009, 13:42
Love my seedhouse 1 . Even with the fly it is a very light and affordable item that can easily fit in any backpack . I used it one week alst summer when it rained every day and I stayed dry, even my pack stayed dry under the vestibule.

itsallgoodchuck
03-13-2009, 13:53
Could someone post a cost of all these tents please? My searching skills suck. Thanks guys!

FamilyGuy
03-13-2009, 13:54
only free-standing when attaching 2 trekking poles.

What's your point?

bulldog49
03-13-2009, 14:20
Could someone post a cost of all these tents please? My searching skills suck. Thanks guys!


Follow my link to the Big Sky website. Your searching skills will always suck if you never try to develope them by actually doing searches. :rolleyes:

Franco
03-13-2009, 16:44
"Freestanding" is a very debatable idea because there is no real standard for that definition. To me the various two cross pole designs, like the Bibler/BD/ID Eldorado/lighthouse type tents (all without vestibule) and the very few three poles designs like the Hillelberg Soulo/Allak and the Bibler Pinon (pole supported vestibule/s) are the real deal. What is commonly called freestanding still needs some, and in the case of Bib Agnes a lot, of pegs to get to the final shape. So taking that in account and IF you use trekking poles, the Rainbow is the lightest...
Franco

Big Dawg
03-13-2009, 17:23
What's your point?

"Glebbber" asked about a free standing tent. If someone doesn't hike w/ poles, then a rainbow tent wouldn't be free standing. I know this b/c I own a Rainbow, but the poster might have not known this, so I mentioned it. That's my point, although I thought it was pretty obvious.:rolleyes:

FamilyGuy
03-13-2009, 18:50
"Glebbber" asked about a free standing tent. If someone doesn't hike w/ poles, then a rainbow tent wouldn't be free standing. I know this b/c I own a Rainbow, but the poster might have not known this, so I mentioned it. That's my point, although I thought it was pretty obvious.:rolleyes:

The question was - what is the lightest 3 season freestanding solo tent. It wasn't, "what is the lightest freestanding solo tent that does not need pegs or trekking poles or ......

In any event, the answer to the original question is: The Rainbow. The BA Fly Creek comes close but it is several ounces more packed.

Glebbber
03-13-2009, 19:02
Thanks for all the info.

I have hiked with my brothers SL1 before and it is probably the best tent I have used. I did have a slight problem with the small vestibule and having to climb over my gear to get in and out.

I am looking at the copper spur at the moment which has a similar design but the vestibule and entrance are on the side instead of the end doubling the space.

Glebbber
03-13-2009, 19:05
The hubba looks good too.

Big Dawg
03-13-2009, 19:58
The question was - what is the lightest 3 season freestanding solo tent. It wasn't, "what is the lightest freestanding solo tent that does not need pegs or trekking poles or ......

In any event, the answer to the original question is: The Rainbow. The BA Fly Creek comes close but it is several ounces more packed.

Good lord FamilyGuy, chill man:rolleyes: We all know what the question was,, it's in post #1. My post was just a simple comment to Glebbber to make sure he knows the specifics about the Rainbow, since it's not a typical freestanding tent. Knowledge and info is power, right. So what's wrong w/ a little more detail about the Rainbow.

Panzer1
03-13-2009, 20:06
I got the black diamond lighthouse.
http://www.rei.com/product/708370

Its a 2 person tent but I use it as a one person tent. I keep my gear where the second person would sleep.

it weights 3 pounds 3 ounces.

Panzer

mikec
03-13-2009, 20:15
I got a Big Agnes Seedhouse SL1 last year and have used it on a few weekend treks. It is only 2lb, 12oz and is easy to put up. You can change the venting by staking the rainfly farther out from the tent. My only complaints are that the door opening is a bit small and that the only view from inside this tent is through the door when the fly is unzipped.

Now, I had a Eureka Zephyr (now sold as the Backcountry 1) before the Seedhouse SL1 and it was a pound heavier. However, it had a huge door, was top venting and you could see through the top vents under the rainfly. So all tents have advantages and disadvantages.

Wheeler
03-13-2009, 21:07
I think my REI Quarterdome was $180

Franco
03-13-2009, 21:22
Having coated the floor of the Lighthouse now it is almost exactly the same weight as the Scarp 1 with the "freestanding" poles. Obviously the BD has a larger floor but with the Scarp, I have now two doors (for ventilation/rain protection/views and choice of exit) , can have a very large vestibule or two good sized ones (you can push the inner towards the other side) and have full rain protection.
It can also be set up fly only ( fly/pole/6 pegs 935g /33oz) or with the standard pole only (fly/inner/pole/6 pegs 1330g/47 oz) or inner only.
Not the lightest freestanding but a four seson tent lighter than most when you do not require the freestanding option.

Franco
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e389/Francophoto/Scarp%201/Scarp-lighthouse.jpg

FamilyGuy
03-13-2009, 21:39
Good lord FamilyGuy, chill man:rolleyes: We all know what the question was,, it's in post #1. My post was just a simple comment to Glebbber to make sure he knows the specifics about the Rainbow, since it's not a typical freestanding tent. Knowledge and info is power, right. So what's wrong w/ a little more detail about the Rainbow.

You are right. Threw my back out and am a mite grumpy right now.

Cheers to you.

Big Dawg
03-13-2009, 21:42
You are right. Threw my back out and am a mite grumpy right now.

Cheers to you.

It all good! Take care of that back!:)

theinfamousj
03-13-2009, 21:51
Just putting in a plug for the Seedhouse SL2. Technically a 2 person tent, but it is free standing and under 3 lbs. You'll appreciate the room.

Shutterbug
03-13-2009, 22:41
What is the lightest solo free standing, 3 season tent you have come across?

I also appreciate an ample vestibule.

Thanks.

Check out the Black Diamond First Light at 2lb 11 oz, but the vestibule is an extra and adds weight. You can buy one for about $300.

http://www.backcountry.com/store/BLD0631/Black-Diamond-Firstlight-Tent-2-Person-3-Season.html

stranger
03-16-2009, 21:17
Big Agnes Fly Creek lists at 1lb, 14oz minimum weight

Egads
03-16-2009, 22:45
The Black Diamond One Shot is 2 lbs 13 ozs in the box and good for four seasons.
http://www.bdel.com/gear/oneshot.php

What is the point of manufacturers quoting minimum weight? It's a BS spec that doesn't include stakes and the mesh enclosure.

(http://www.bdel.com/gear/oneshot.php)

FamilyGuy
03-16-2009, 23:30
The Black Diamond One Shot is 2 lbs 13 ozs in the box.
http://www.bdel.com/gear/oneshot.php

What is the point of manufacturers quoting minimum weight? It's a BS spec that doesn't include stakes and the mesh enclosure.

(http://www.bdel.com/gear/oneshot.php)

Yes - totally agree.

Of note, the weight of the One Shot packed includes a tube of silnet and a plastic syringe. So in fact the packed weight quoted for the One Shot is not correct either.;)

Franco
03-17-2009, 00:55
The problem with quoting the weight including the pegs is that brands like Terra Nova (some nice tents there...) quote 6x 1g pegs , totally useless but
it does give them a great perceived advantaged. ( always read the fine print...)
Franco
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e389/Francophoto/Pegs.jpg

Egads
03-17-2009, 06:30
Big Agnes Fly Creek lists at 1lb, 14oz minimum weight

2 lbs 3 ozs packed weight
http://www.bigagnes.com/Products/Detail/Tent/FlyCreekUL1

MintakaCat
03-17-2009, 07:01
You can also reduce the weight of the MSR Hubba by replacing the poles with Fibraplex poles. That will bring the minimum weight to under 2lbs 9oz, but that will be very costly. But on the other hand, it will be a very light tent.

Tipi Walter
03-29-2009, 17:02
"Freestanding" is a very debatable idea because there is no real standard for that definition. To me the various two cross pole designs, like the Bibler/BD/ID Eldorado/lighthouse type tents (all without vestibule) and the very few three poles designs like the Hillelberg Soulo/Allak and the Bibler Pinon (pole supported vestibule/s) are the real deal. What is commonly called freestanding still needs some, and in the case of Bib Agnes a lot, of pegs to get to the final shape. So taking that in account and IF you use trekking poles, the Rainbow is the lightest...
Franco

I agree with this quote and the below fotog of a Tarptent Scarp(from the TT website)shows the main quality of a freestanding tent: the ability to be used without stakes and picked up in the as-seen fashion. Of course, with a true freestanding tent pegs are used to pin down the thing to the ground for wind protection.

Most of the other tents in this thread cannot be considered truly freestanding:
**Marmot Eos1 uses a stake to pull out the vestibule, hence it can't be lifted and moved.
**MSR Hubba says freestanding on the website but it actually isn't as it uses a vestibule stake.
**Big Agnes Seedhouse SL1 uses 2 stakes for vesti pullout.
**BA Copper Spur uses a stake for vestibule pegging.
**REI Quarterdome is a simple wedge and is freestanding with no fly(as are all wedges), but the fly requires stakes.

Examples of freestanding tents are below:

FOTOGS
Tarptent Scarp
Eureka wedge Backcountry 1
Eureka wedge Sunrise
Eureka Equinox
Even the Eureka A-frame Timberline could be considered freestanding if the sides are not guyed out.

I left out a few of the true 3 pole domes like the Hilleberg Allak and others. There are very few truly freestanding tents out there, in other words.

Tipi Walter
03-29-2009, 17:12
And of course I left out some of the single walls like Integral Designs MK series and the Biblers, etc. The below fotos show an ID MK3 tent as a freestanding single wall and then when the vestibule is added it needs two stakes and can't be picked up and moved like a FS tent. Trivial minutiae.

Hoop
03-29-2009, 18:30
Above post is one handy plus about my Lighthouse.

Franco
03-29-2009, 19:04
Goodness Tipi all that ongoing Tarptent publicity...
Funny that I forgot about the Scarp in my list of "freestanding including the vestibule" tents because at the time I was thinking about this set-up for that Tarptent...
Franco
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e389/Francophoto/Scarp%201/Scarp-Domo-1.jpg

saimyoji
03-29-2009, 20:07
that last one is guyed out in at least 3 places...how is that free standing?

Tipi Walter
03-29-2009, 21:12
that last one is guyed out in at least 3 places...how is that free standing?


I believe because it's missing the optional 2 crossover poles which would make it freestanding. Check out fotog.

Franco
03-29-2009, 21:43
Sorry, I thought that it would be obvious but, here it is...
(if you look really carefully you can see the poles inside)
Franco
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e389/Francophoto/Scarp%201/Scarp-no-strig-attached.jpg

Dogwood
03-30-2009, 00:17
WHENEVER, you see shelter manufacturers quoting shelter wts. C A R E F U L L Y and S L O W L Y read the fine print!!! Fully understand what they are including, and NOT including, in their quoted wts!!! LOTS of marketing hanky panky and quoting sometimes misleading shelter wts under particular circumstances these days!!!

IMO, freestanding tents are fine but most hikers shouldn't let that condition be a necessity or be the deciding factor in what type of tent you opt for given all the other criteria you want in a tent. Even freestanding tents should be staked and/or guyed out.

jrwiesz
03-30-2009, 01:58
Just curious, who manufactures the "Scarp"? Not yet familiar with it. Thanks.

Franco
03-30-2009, 04:28
http://www.tarptent.com/scarp1.html (http://www.tarptent.com/scarp1.html)
Franco

jrwiesz
03-30-2009, 05:14
Thank you:-)

Jim Adams
03-30-2009, 19:44
If it requires pegs to stay up then it is not free standing. If your tent is sitting there, pitched and you can pick it up and move it to another spot and just sit it down and it stays erect, then it is free standing.
If it rquires pegs or guying to stay erect then it is not free standing.
That is the standard that tent manufacturers have used since the "dome" was created.

geek

Tipi Walter
03-30-2009, 19:48
If it requires pegs to stay up then it is not free standing. If your tent is sitting there, pitched and you can pick it up and move it to another spot and just sit it down and it stays erect, then it is free standing.
If it rquires pegs or guying to stay erect then it is not free standing.
That is the standard that tent manufacturers have used since the "dome" was created.

geek

Totally right, and yet when you check out the specs on a lot of tents, it'll say "freestanding." I guess it looks good on paper, but it's a misnomer.

Franco
03-30-2009, 20:05
Big Agnes Fly Creek 1 UL, freestanding.
Really ?
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e389/Francophoto/BAFlyCreekUL1.jpg

Tipi Walter
03-30-2009, 20:37
Big Agnes Fly Creek 1 UL, freestanding.
Really ?
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e389/Francophoto/BAFlyCreekUL1.jpg

Yeah, it looks like if it wasn't for the back corner stakes, the thing wouldn't work. And when you add the fly, there's another couple of stakes.

Franco
03-30-2009, 22:15
The Big Agnes "freestanding" tents well illustrates how people perceive tents, including the "freestanding" designation. Take the SL1, if you like it it is a freestanding very light and with ample floorspace shelter, with a vestibule. If you don't , it takes about 10 min and 11 pegs to set it up correctly and the usable floor space is reduced to about 17sq ' which is not that palatial and the vestibule is too small for anything more than your boots, if you put the pack there you will trip over it.
You will get some rain inside entering and exiting, however it is very little or just too much again depending on your point of view (and it will make a difference if you get a really good rainstorm the first time you try to set it up or on your 50th night after you have grown to love your little bundle of joy)
So is it good or bad ?
Franco

Jim Adams
03-30-2009, 22:47
[quote=Franco;812967]The Big Agnes "freestanding" tents well illustrates how people perceive tents, including the "freestanding" designation. Take the SL1, if you like it it is a freestanding very light and with ample floorspace shelter, with a vestibule. If you don't , it takes about 10 min and 11 pegs to set it up correctly and the usable floor space is reduced to about 17sq ' which is not that palatial and the vestibule is too small for anything more than your boots, if you put the pack there you will trip over it.
You will get some rain inside entering and exiting, however it is very little or just too much again depending on your point of view (and it will make a difference if you get a really good rainstorm the first time you try to set it up or on your 50th night after you have grown to love your little bundle of joy)
So is it good or bad ?[Franco quote]

IMO, if it works for you, it is good. If it doesn't then it is bad. Doesn't get much easier than that.:-?

geek