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Jeremy
04-03-2005, 23:58
I recently received a lunar solo in the mail. Today I set up the tent for the first time to chaeck it out. The set up was relatively quick and simple, but I am having a problem. The mesh that connects the sewn in floor to the canopy sags, even when the floor and canopy are taught. I have the pole at the right height, I set it up according to the directions, etc... I think the problem exists due to the fact that the guyline you use to stake out the canopy is attached to the outside edge of the canopy, and not on top of the seam that connects the mesh to the canopy. There is just not enough distance between the floor and the canopy to allow the mesh to be vertically taught. This problem could be solved with some sort of rigid brace that you put in the corners of the tent where the guylines are attached, such as a stick. A sewn in brace would be nice too. Anyways, I am wondering if anyone else has had this same problem, and if anyone has any suggestions other than the few ideas I listed above. Maybe I am just missing something, or I am setting it up wrong, I don't know. I am using this tent on my thru-hike that starts in eight days, so please help.

Sly
04-04-2005, 00:16
I don't have one but when viewed at the Gathering, they looked great.

Is it necessary for screen wall to be taught?

Be happy, it's enclosed and only weighs a pound and a half! :dance

Jeremy
04-04-2005, 01:39
The wall is supposed to be about six inches high, but it sags, so it is about 3-4 inches high. This is not a life or death issue, but it would be nice to fix it.

Lilred
04-04-2005, 07:32
I had the same problem with my lunar solo as well. I tried for days to get a taut pitch so the mesh wouldn't sag and never could figure out how to do it. When I talked to the maker, he said not to stake the tent down to the ground. The stakes should be out of the ground about six inches so the tent body kind of 'floats'. You may need to get longer stakes. I ended up returning the tent. Ron Moak was great to work with and really tried to help me get it taut. I'm sure it was user error on my part. Good luck on your thru-hike.

schwenkler
04-04-2005, 12:45
I have a Lunar Solo, and I think I know what you're talking about (but I'm not sure). I think the problem is that if the corner guylines are really staked down close & low, then the outer wall is less than 6" from the ground where the bug netting is sewn in. If this happens, how could the mesh possibly be taught? When I pitched it, I looped the guylines around the top of the stakes, without pushing them all the way in. For me, the pitch was actually too high if anything, and the floor floated a bit off the ground on all sides. This is a good pitch, it offers more room & ventilation and the floor even bathtubs slightly.

It could also help to raise the center pole a few inches (if not using trekking poles, put a rock under the pole) and use the tie-out on the back wall to give the tent a slightly higher pitch.

Maybe Ron Moak will comment here as well, but I think this will fix your problem.

GolfHiker
04-05-2005, 22:40
Boy what a coincidence. I too have the LS, have the same problem with sagging. I have tried so many times & tried as many options as possible, both in my yard & on the trail.. I even wrote Ron with my concerns.. I thought it was just me, but now I see its not. Anyway, 1) if it sags a little, that's not the end of the world, but after a night in the tent, with possible wind, the tent is far from taught in the AM, with the obvious issue of condensation. Not a great combination. I love the concept. Like, but don't love my tent, and will keep trying to work through this. Some of the ideas I'm reading here could be helpful, ie, floating the stakes.... You do know there is a new 2005 model of the LS now available.. Slightly larger, but still with the same set up design. Nuff said.:-?

Jeremy
04-06-2005, 23:41
Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. I have remedied the problem some-what. I can get it to be almost all the way taught by keeping the stakes about 3 inches out of the ground. But, doing this weakens the stake placement, and makes it more likely to sag due to the stakes easily sliding out of the ground more. Anyways, I will live, and it is still much less miserable than many of the hardships people live with today. Thanks again!:D

briarpatch
04-07-2005, 09:27
Have you tried using a short piece of cord to extend the loop for the stake so that you can put the stake all the way in, but still have the extra clearance? I haven't seen this tent, so i don't know if this will work, its just an idea based on the descriptions in this thread.

rumbler
04-07-2005, 13:06
Have you tried using a short piece of cord to extend the loop for the stake so that you can put the stake all the way in, but still have the extra clearance? I haven't seen this tent, so i don't know if this will work, its just an idea based on the descriptions in this thread.

On his website Ron suggests using the 8" Easton tent stakes, which are very light despite their length. He also has a very good price on them.

Spirit Walker
04-07-2005, 21:26
Why not call up Ron, ask him his recommendation? He has designed and used the tent and should have some understanding of how it works. If you can't talk to him, email him. If there is a problem, he needs to know about it from more than one source.

Boonga
04-18-2005, 22:46
I have a Lunar Solo. I picked it up at Ron's house. He put that puppy up and everything was taut. I took it home and can't get it taut. So I am going to go back and put it up in his yard and have him show me where I am going wrong. I'll let you know what I am doing wrong - probably what everyone else is doing wrong.

Skyline
04-18-2005, 22:58
Easton 8" stakes are the best tent stakes available IMHO. Tough and very light. I like the ones REI sells--they have a small rope loop through the top which makes pulling them out of the ground easier--at no extra charge.

Kerosene
04-19-2005, 10:59
Note that the Easton 8" stakes weigh half and ounce each. You can also pick up a stronger titanium stake that weighs the same at Backpackinglight.com: http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/vargo_titanium_nail_tent_stake.html

Tramper Al
04-19-2005, 11:22
Note that the Easton 8" stakes weigh half and ounce each. You can also pick up a stronger titanium stake that weighs the same at Backpackinglight.com: http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/vargo_titanium_nail_tent_stake.html

It looks like the Vargo Titanium's are 14 grams (very close to half an ounce), but are shorter at 6". I thought the 8" height was key to getting the Lunar Solo's floor in order, no?

ronmoak
04-25-2005, 15:38
Jeremy,

Sorry for getting back to you so late. I've been out of the office the last 3 weeks on the CDT hiking and at the ADZPCTKO this last weekend. If my answer sounds a bit loopy it's because I'm working on an hours sleep in the 24 hour drive home from the kickoff.

When setting up the Lunar Solo it's kind of like balancing a plate on the end of stick. Since the tent is a floating canopy, it takes a bit of practice to get it figured out, after that it should be fairly straight forward to set it up. The Lunar Solo E is a bit easier to setup than the first version but both can be a bit confusing.

I first loosely insert the front and rear and the two stakes on either side of the front door (ignoring for a bit the two back corner stakes). These four stakes are the primary balance points. Adjust the pole to the proper height, 44 to 46 inches. The higher the more air flow around the tent.

Now set the front and rear stake (with the pole in place) so that the pole is vertical and there is several inches of clearance in the rear. Then do the same for the two stakes on either side of the front door. You may need to move the stakes some to achieve the correct balance.

Once the tent is balanced front to rear and side to side, extend and stake out the two rear corner stakes. On the origional Lunar Solo it may be advantageous to replace the shorter yellow stake guylines with longer cords. This will allow the stakes to be set out further from the tent and lower in the ground.

The Enhanced has been reshaped so that it'll setup correctly with the stakes fully set into the ground. With the Enhanced you've also got individual tensioning on each stake so can adjust the tension without moving the stakes.

Also so make sure to tighten up the tension at the top of the pole. Let the tent rest a half hour then retension the tent.

With the origional Lunar Solo you may see some dips in the netting (2 to 3 inches) in the two rear corners of the tent, this is normal. It occurs inpart because the tent floor tends to rise off the ground and due to the cut of the canopy material. In either case there still should be excellent air flow around the tent perimeter. Most of the dip has been cleaned up in the Enhanced version.

I hope at least some of this is clear. I'll try and review and reedit it after I've caught a few hours sleep.

Ron

Two Speed
04-25-2005, 15:49
I've just completed about 100 mile section hike on the AT using the Lunar. I bought one of the clearance Lunars, with the heavy floor, and got the carbon fiber tent pole Ron Moak recommends. I tried pitching it at the house with some tent stakes borrowed from my Sierra Designs Lightyear, and promptly took myself over to REI to pick up six of the Easton 8" stakes.

Night time weather varyied between 50 degrees, dry and calm to 25 degrees, snow/sleet and moderate wind, and can offer these tips:

1) Using the longer tent stakes, sticking out of the ground definitely helps. One inch is better that flat to the ground, two is better than one, and three inches was far better. Just don't forget the trip hazard.
2) I "re-rigged" my Lunar so that the three tie outs in the back of the tent were somewhat longer than as shipped.
3) I think that the floor was placed "back" under the tarp somewhat, resulting in a sloppier bug net. I got the impression that the tarp was stretching (settling, getting broken in, getting the good mojo going?) and that it was pitching somewhat better each time I set it up.
4) Practice helps. Gaining experience with how this shelter pitches was a big plus for me.
5) Getting the tarp off the ground seemed to reduce condensation substantially.
6) I did find that viewing the tie outs for the tarp and floor as separate considerations helpful. On my Lunar (not the Lunar E) the bungee for the floor needed to be substantially longer than the tie out for the tarp. Could be true for the Lunar E, but I don't have one.
7) The Vargo Ti stakes look expensive, but I may have to consider that. I drove one stake a little harder that I probably should have and bent that sucker pretty badly getting it out of the ground the next morning. It ain't bent like a banana, but it definitely shows signs of being used in the field. Titanium should resist bending a heck of a lot better than aluminum. I think the benefit will be stronger stakes; I don't see data in the specifications to make me believe the weight reduction is going to be substantial.

BTW, using the "tab" on the back of the tent was a big plus in terms of head room. If you're using a Lunar, learn to use a second pole, tie off to a tree, but use that tab if there's any way to do it. Really made the shelter more comfortable and user friendly.

I'm not sure that I'll ever get a completely taught bug net. A taught bug net would be nice because it would indicate that the tarp is far enough off the ground to minimize condensation, but I'm not convinced that a completely taught bug net is entirely necessary.

I'm transitioning from a Sierra Designs Lightyear, and on the average, the Lunar beats the socks off of the Lightyear. Lighter, larger, usable vestibule and I can actually cook inside the vestibule while it's raining without getting doused. And there's even room for my pack out of the rain without obstructing the entrance! :banana

Two Speed
04-25-2005, 21:09
For the record, I'm going to print Ron's post, stick it in my pack, and refer to it when setting up my Lunar the next time I get a chance to get out. I did get some snow/sleet/ice the night of the 23rd, and the Lunar held up pretty darn good. Kind of windy in the tent, tough to stay warm, some sagging in the AM, but I don't think any tent made wouldn't sag with the snow/ice accumulation that I had. Was just north of Damascus, and trail conditions sucked royal.