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The Lone Trapper
02-27-2013, 13:48
Im currently looking at Eureka Backpacking tents and i was wondering if any one had feed back on either the solitaire tent (I love the low price), or the Spitfire 1. any help would be appreciated

mrcoffeect
02-27-2013, 14:03
i have the solitare. its like sleeping in a coffin. never any problems with leaks or anything.
just not enough room to even change your clothes in.

toonnee
02-27-2013, 14:15
I also have the solitaire. I agree with the above post. No leaks but not much interior room.

partinj
02-27-2013, 14:23
I have the Spitfire 1 it a great tent and it set of fast

vamelungeon
02-27-2013, 14:32
I have the Spitfire, I love it. I've never had any problems with it whatsoever.

ChuckBrown
02-27-2013, 16:17
I used a timberlite2 on my Ga to ME hike, but that was 13 years ago. It was great tent and survived the whole 2000 miles, barely, then i had to kill it.

wornoutboots
02-27-2013, 16:45
I have the Spitfire & +1 on both earlier remarks, Great light tent, easy set up, never had a problem. It isn't free standing though.

daddytwosticks
02-27-2013, 16:56
I have a Spitfire solo purchased in 2005. Very good tent for the money. Have not used it in the last two years because I've gone to lighter, more expensive silnylon tart tents. :)

Tennessee Viking
02-27-2013, 20:29
I have a Solitaire. Never had a problem with it. I admit its small. But if your doing nothing but sleeping then whats the point of a bigger tent. But I am looking at getting a lightweight 2person

max patch
02-27-2013, 20:44
But if your doing nothing but sleeping then whats the point of a bigger tent.

Thats the philosophy I used on my thru; I had a Walrus Soloplus which appears to be the same size and shape as the Solitare. I'll repeat that changing clothes inside the tent is very difficult. The concern I would have about the Solitare is that it comes with fiberglass poles. Thats a deal breaker for me.

rocketsocks
02-27-2013, 20:49
Another Solitaire user....no head room, but it's cheap, pretty light, did I mention no room...been a good tent to me, but at my first convenience I'll be getting rid of and going for something that is lighter, more room......but I'll work!

Tennessee Viking
02-27-2013, 20:52
Another thing, it does get moist inside on frosty nights. Other than that, its basically an average but good weekender tent.

Mags
02-27-2013, 22:26
Eureka makes good, basic gear that is not overly expensive. There is lighter gear and perhaps "better' gear, but you won't suffer for making a purchase of a Eureka tent.

The $35 tent is definitely a great deal.

Chuckie V
02-27-2013, 22:54
Eureka makes good, basic gear that is not overly expensive. There is lighter gear and perhaps "better' gear, but you won't suffer for making a purchase of a Eureka tent. The $35 tent is definitely a great deal.

I did the PCT+ in '02 with a Eureka ("you reek-a") Zephyr (now known as the Backcountry 1) and it stood up to all kinds of abuse (but all the meanwhile abused my back, for having to lug it all day each day). It made little sense for me to carry the weight when I had slept under the Milky Way most nights anyhow, so I upgraded to a single-pole/hiking pole tarp, for a backup shelter to the stars. I still have the Eureka and it's great for car camping or motorcycle camping.

20033

Just Jack
02-27-2013, 23:24
I have a Eureka Zeus 1 Exo. Rarely used. About 3 pounds. $100 plus postage.

Starchild
02-27-2013, 23:32
The Solitaire did well on a overnight backpack for one in the group and I was considering it. I found out if you can order it from a Canadian seller you will get aluminum poles instead of the heavier fiberglass they sell in the states. I eventually dismissed it due to no ability to sit upright in it, went with a much more expensive tent (MSR Carbon Reflex), then even more with a cuban fiber model.

Mags
02-28-2013, 01:50
I did the PCT+ in '02 with a Eureka ("you reek-a") Zephyr (now known as the Backcountry 1) and it stood up to all kinds of abuse (but all the meanwhile abused my back, for having to lug it all day each day). It made little sense for me to carry the weight when I had slept under the Milky Way most nights anyhow, so I upgraded to a single-pole/hiking pole tarp, for a backup shelter to the stars. I still have the Eureka and it's great for car camping or motorcycle camping.

20033

Yowsers. A bit different than the 3 lb tent being discussed. :)

This looks like something Tipi W. would use!

Bronk
02-28-2013, 04:16
The times I really want a tent are in bad weather, and in such cases I want a tent big enough for me to sit up and move around in it and store all my gear. So I don't shop for the smallest and lightest weight tent. If all you're going to do is sleep in it, why not use a bivy sac?

Pingus
02-28-2013, 08:36
I also have a Solitaire. while there is no headroom, I did like full length moon roof and the zipper that let's you stand straight up instead of having to crawl in and out the front. However, I prefere the MSR Hubba.

atbackpacker
02-28-2013, 09:06
i've been using the spitfire 1 for the last four years. nice tent with no issues in the rain or wind. setup is quick and the vestibule has enough room for my boots and water bottle. my pack stays outside.
it's not the lightest option available...not the heaviest either. i'm not an ultra-lighter, my pack with gear and food is around 32lbs. this weight is manageable and never seems to bother me much.
paid $79 at campmor (it's a little more than that now)...can't beat the price vs. quality. just my two cents...i'm cheap!

cathyss2000
02-28-2013, 09:33
My daughter had the solitaire, had problems with the poles breaking several times. She went with the contrail tarptent, you use you trekking pole instead of tent poles and it has much more room.

ifusaidplease
02-28-2013, 10:12
I have the solitaire. Have not taken it out on a trail yet, but after a couple set-ups and tear downs I feel like my poles are gonna snap at any moment

Drybones
02-28-2013, 11:35
Im currently looking at Eureka Backpacking tents and i was wondering if any one had feed back on either the solitaire tent (I love the low price), or the Spitfire 1. any help would be appreciated

I have the Spitfire 1, I take only 2 stakes to get the weight down to 3lb-2oz, cut other stakes. Great tent for the money, roomy, was able to sleep myself and a 108 lb doberman, was very tight fit tho, best buy IMO. I've since aquired much lighter tents but still occassionally use the Spitfire, don't believe I would be happy with the Solitaire...too cramped and only a few ounces lighter than the Sitfire.

Altarboy
03-02-2013, 22:37
In a long rain, you're going to want to sit up and read or something. I have a solitaire and while it's not let me down yet, the poles seem like they want to break and indeed I've read (after buying it) many reviews of the poles doing just that. Go with something less bivy-like.

Monkeyjaz
03-02-2013, 23:12
It's a good tent can't sit up that's why I got the nemo meta 1 but price is much more. I just got back for doing a Section of the AT with snow I would not of liked the tent that's for sure. But did see one person with it.

Grampie
03-03-2013, 12:04
I hiked 1/2 of my thru using a Eureka Solitaire tent. The tent worked fine. If I was going to buy another tent I would look at something with a little more room. The big problem, I had was you have to sit on the ground, next to the tent to enter it. I carried a small piece of plastic to sit on. It doesn't offer much room inside to store stuff. I don't think you can go wrong for the price.

Bearleg
03-04-2013, 12:59
Have used the Spitfire 1, seamed sealed it, works great, i am please with the room.

Dogwood
03-04-2013, 14:29
Make sure the Spitfire is roomy AND LONG ENOUGH if you are a tall hiker. The Spitfire comes to sharp pts on either end which may effect the usable room you actually have or might entail your slleping system to touch the tent walls. If you want lighter wt and like the Spitfire design you should check out Light Heart Solo and Solo Long Tents. And, YES, I too have heard of the Solitaire poles breaking by more than a few who owned that tent.

LOL. Yes, I too owned a Eureka BackCountry 1. Plenty of room(length, ht, etc). It's more like a 1 1/2 person shelter. Owned it for 8 yrs. Still no problema with it. It's like 3 lbs. 6 ozs though. Just car camp with it now or use it as a loaner.

daddytwosticks
03-04-2013, 16:35
Make sure the Spitfire is roomy AND LONG ENOUGH if you are a tall hiker. The Spitfire comes to sharp pts on either end which may effect the usable room you actually have or might entail your slleping system to touch the tent walls. If you want lighter wt and like the Spitfire design you should check out Light Heart Solo and Solo Long Tents. And, YES, I too have heard of the Solitaire poles breaking by more than a few who owned that tent.

LOL. Yes, I too owned a Eureka BackCountry 1. Plenty of room(length, ht, etc). It's more like a 1 1/2 person shelter. Owned it for 8 yrs. Still no problema with it. It's like 3 lbs. 6 ozs though. Just car camp with it now or use it as a loaner. I'm 6 foot even and slept comfortably in my Spitfire Solo with a long (6'6") sleeping bag on a 1" inflatable. Plenty of room for me. :)

Skyline
03-05-2013, 02:23
I've been using the Eureka Zeus 2 for over a decade. In fact am now on my second one as the original bit the dust a few years back (got over 400 nights out of it first, tho).

This tent is 3 lbs.+, single wall, very easy to set up/take down. Plenty of room for one plus gear plus a dog. Will do for two adults plus gear but kinda crowded. A very affordable choice, too.

The #2 complaint about this tent is that the door zipper snags too easily. Yes, aggravating the first time it happens but you learn intuitively how to avoid that.

The #1 complaint about this model is that users create a lot of condensation. Note I said users create it. If you adjust all the ventilation features correctly (especially the velcro-assisted hi/low vent near the front) the tent itself doesn't create it. No worse than most other single wall tents, anyway. Some mornings it takes a few minutes to wipe down the interior before packing. I carry several reusable "shop towels" for just that purpose. Not a big deal IMHO.

Overall, a very solid tent at a reasonable weight and cost. My first Zeus 2 survived more than a few nights in extreme wind, while some of the other lighter weight tents, tarp tents, and tarps not far away did not. They also made a Zeus 1 and a Zeus 3 at one time. Not sure if they still do. I've seen new-looking Zeus 2's at Trail Days in recent years so I'm thinking at least this one is still available. Anyone know for sure?

There is a video I found on YouTube showing the setup. This guy takes about three times as long as necessary to set it up, but at least you can see it in action. It's a freestanding tent, so I set mine up first (he doesn't), position it, then stake it out tight. Works better and gets done faster than shown in the video. YMMV.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyJelnKzx-E

Tipi Walter
03-05-2013, 08:54
Yowsers. A bit different than the 3 lb tent being discussed. :)

This looks like something Tipi W. would use!

I favor that remark, or maybe I resemble it---can't decide. Anyway, the backcountry 1 is only 4 lbs 3 oz which is half the weight of my Hilleberg 8 lb 10 oz tunnel I use. I consider a 4.3 lb tent to be ultralight.

Back to Eureka---I would be suspicious of anyone applauding any particular tent (like the Solitaire) since after many years of hard use NO TENT doesn't have a list of flaws. What's the denier of the floor? How does the floor do in a heavy deluge with standing ground water? How long do the zippers last? Fiberglass poles are a problem waiting to happen. At least the Spitfire has aluminum poles vs the fiberglass of the Solitaire. Point is, I could make a long list of Hilleberg tent flaws and I'd like to see the same with any other tent brand. After we attack it, THEN we can hand out cigars.

I used an old 1970's Eureka Timberline tent for a couple years and while it kept me dry from the top it sponged up water from the wet ground and was therefore fairly useless.

slims
03-05-2013, 12:10
I used a Backcounty 1 on my thru-hike last year. Sure it's heavy but for $100 I had a freestanding tent that was roomy and lasted the entire trip. Near the end of the journey it definitely wasn't as waterproof as it was in the beginning but overall it held up great considering that I slept in it most nights on the trail and never used a groundcloth/footprint with it. Also loved that I could pop it up in about 5 minutes and easily move it around if I had to.

Saw a lot of Solitaires and a few Spitfires. Never really heard anyone complaining about them. Eureka makes great budget gear.

Mags
03-05-2013, 12:24
The tent in question is a good budget tent. For $35, and for a person just starting out, it's not bad at all and will get the job done reasonably well.

Think it is more important to get out there personally.

When I started backpacking, I had one of those 1lb propane tank coleman stoves, a very heavy Eureaka tent w/ fiberglass poles and a Campmor Hollofill II mummy.

Was it the "best" gear? Nope.

It was heavy, bulky and inefficient.

But, it got me out there and enjoying the backcountry.

I was dry, I was warm and I was fed.

For a 22 year old on a budget, it was good enough. And I started learning the skills and (more importantly) the love for the outdoors that I still have after those first initial forays into the mountains.

The Lone Trapper
03-06-2013, 14:02
Thanks for all of the info! this has really helped my desision making!!

lemon b
03-06-2013, 17:03
I have a spitfire I used as an extra for my sons friends. Also have had two versions of the Backcountry 1. The spitfire's hoops were alittle bit of a PIA. The newer backcountry was a big improvement over the older ones. The older one required alot of tie outs in windy rain. Had over 20 nights in it. The newer one is tighter as in the fly clips on tight. Got maybe a dozen nights in it. All three are extras. Currently I use a NorthFace Mica 1.