Tarptent Sublite Sil Shelter

[Rowdy Yates]

:confused: I have been looking at Henry Shires Sublite Sil Shelter and like what I see overall, but I have been unable to find any user reviews. Perhaps I have looked in the wrong places but I would like to hear the "pros" and "cons" on this shelter before I actually buy. Thanks for your input.

[Jayboflavin04]

PM Franco....I think he has a sub-lite..Find any thread about tarptents and your are sure to find Franco...

He owns several models and will give you EXCELLENT info. He is a great source.

[Quoddy]

Here's and exerpt of my initial thoughts, posted on another forum, on the Sublite Sil in the week it came out and I had later ones from a test during and after a heavy snowfall. I've used it several times now and haven't varied in my thinking that it is an excellent, stable, and easy to set up and use tarptent. Hope this helps.

Henry had my silnylon Sublite shipped on Wednesday and I received it earlier today (Friday). I intentionally decided to set it up without reading the instructions first since there couldn't be much I hadn't already seen from TarpTent.

It's sort of intuitive in the setup. Peg out the four corners, put in and extend the two poles, attach the poles to the sides, tension both the poles and the four pegged lines and that's it. Is it as fast to set up as the Contrail? No. I can consistently set up the Contrail in a minute and I think that Henry's estimate of close to two minutes with the Sublite is very close. I can see getting it down to 90 seconds if really in a rush.

The interior seems spacious, bigger than I expected. Why, I don't know. The is a lot of room in there and laying in the center I had about 8" of clearance at both head and foot for me at 6'1". Lots of elbow room and space to put some gear alongside. I can fully sit up from my normal laying down spot without shifting my body first, but the clearance for my head is marginal, not like the front of the Contrail. I just had to open the "window" by my head and moving slightly toward that end was able to look straight up into the trees. The side entrance gave views there too, but I must admit that I'm ambivalent as to whether I use a front or side entrance.

I don't think that it was my imagination that the bathtub floor positioned itself better than the Contrail. I often got an almost flat floor with the Contrail, but with the Sublite the side edges raised up nicely. The lower edge of the Sublite seems to position better with the mesh below it than the Contrail. As I had it set up I can't see there ever being a problem with leakage in the lower edge mesh area. There is a near perfect ventilation slot all along the base of the Sublite.

I found that the Sublite was very taut and firmly set once it was up. I usually used six and occasionallly up to eight pegs on the Contrail, but when I tried shaking the apex of the Sublite and found that it was very solid with just the four pegs... no movement at all. Ventilation seems up to the usual TarpTent standard and I see no reason to think that the Sublite won't be on a par with the Contrail in that vein.

I had serious doubts as to whether the Sublite would measure up to the Contrail. I now believe that it does. Just depends upon the person and what minor features they want.

http://cache.backpackinglight.com/backpackinglight/user_uploads/1227302714_08578.jpg

http://cache.backpackinglight.com/backpackinglight/user_uploads/1227302765_08579.jpg

[Rowdy Yates]

THANKS Quoddy,
This is precisely what I was looking for, first-hand experience with the product. I will be ordering one the first of the week.
Rowdy

[FamilyGuy]

Aesthetically, I still think this is the best looking Tarptent available.

But I need a vestibule, hence my beloved Contrail.

[Big Dawg]

But I need a vestibule, hence my beloved Contrail.

So no vestibule space at all between the outside door & mesh door? I was considering this tent as a superlight option. Normally I use a 2 man tent (I own a Double Rainbow & BA Cooper Spur UL2), but would love a much lighter 1 man option. BTW, I'm 6'5" & 250#. Is this tent outta the question for me? I imagine w/ the floor dimensions, there ain't too much room (considering my big a$$) for other stuff,,, pack, boots, etc., right?

[FamilyGuy]

So no vestibule space at all between the outside door & mesh door? I was considering this tent as a superlight option. Normally I use a 2 man tent (I own a Double Rainbow & BA Cooper Spur UL2), but would love a much lighter 1 man option. BTW, I'm 6'5" & 250#. Is this tent outta the question for me? I imagine w/ the floor dimensions, there ain't too much room (considering my big a$$) for other stuff,,, pack, boots, etc., right?

BD, I don't have the Sublite, but you would fit in the Contrail. The 84" length is just for the floor but because of how the Contrail is designed to maximize ventilation, the outside wall of the shelter is farther out than the actual footprint dimensions. Does this make sense? In other words, the usable space is greater than the footprint length and width would have you believe. The vestibule works really well.

The Sublite forgoes the vestibule and adds an additional pole for support. It is, from what I believe, similar in size to the Contrail (as discussed above) but weighs about 6-7 oz less.

Franco has both so he will likely post his perspective shortly (they are still sleeping in Australia).

[Big Dawg]

Also, I noticed on TT.com that the length of the Sublite is 96", but upon bringing up detail of Sublite, it states the floor is 86". I guess the difference in measurement is due to the floor dimensions vs the exterior tent length?

[Quoddy]

So no vestibule space at all between the outside door & mesh door? I was considering this tent as a superlight option. Normally I use a 2 man tent (I own a Double Rainbow & BA Cooper Spur UL2), but would love a much lighter 1 man option. BTW, I'm 6'5" & 250#. Is this tent outta the question for me? I imagine w/ the floor dimensions, there ain't too much room (considering my big a$$) for other stuff,,, pack, boots, etc., right?

Also, I noticed on TT.com that the length of the Sublite is 96", but upon bringing up detail of Sublite, it states the floor is 86". I guess the difference in measurement is due to the floor dimensions vs the exterior tent length?

There is space for you at 6'5", particularly in length. The length of the Contrail also includes the vestibule space beyond the bug netting and in actual interior space they are very similar (I have both, BTW). There is no vestibule in the Sublite Sil (the mesh and sil doors are against each other), but there is quite a bit of room inside on the side(s) in the area where the poles are. I keep my gear on the side opposite the door.

If you're really interested in the TT you might call/write Henry and explain your size question.

http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq164/Quoddy1/SubLite in the Snow/22.jpg

[Big Dawg]

Thanks Quoddy & FG!

WOW, what a pic, Quoddy

[Franco]

Quoddy has had the Sublite for longer than most, possibly he had one before Henry...
I am busy playing with the Scarp at the moment and still have not spent 1 night inside that Tivek tent, however some pics..
Since I embarrassed myself yesterday by posting a wrong measurement of the Scarp, if you look at the TT site you will find the correct dimensions, but this is as accurate as I can be bother measuring..
From tail to front, excluding the Contrail vestibule, the two are as long as each other, that means the Sublite has a smaller footprint. The widest point is the same , about 40", right at the front with the Contrail and obviously a bit back by the poles in the Sublite.
I have put the Ultralite bag so that the nose would be at about 6'4" from the end of the floor. The top of the bag is at 6'8" and about 5 inches away from the edge.
The pack is a 60 L Arial

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e389/Francophoto/Sublite/Sublite-bpack.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e389/Francophoto/Sublite/Sublite-head-distance.jpg
Franco
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e389/Francophoto/Sublite/Contrail-sublite-front.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e389/Francophoto/Sublite/Contrail-Sublite-side.jpg

[Franco]

sorry, not that obvious but the Jetboil is about as deep as a head so the top represents the nose , 12" away from the fabric above

[Rowdy Yates]

Franco,
Thanks for the PM as well as the post above. I am still favoring the Sublite Sil.
"Rowdy"