Tarp Tent, Six Moon Designs or Lightheart?

[jdb]

I'm looking for a new ultra light solo tent. Right now I have a Eureka Spitfire 1. It's a great tent but just a bit on the heavy side. I've been looking at all 3 mentioned above and wanted to get some opinions. Any other ultra light tents you might recommend?

[XrayDuke]

I have a Six Moon Design Skyscape Scout that is a great 1 man tent. The good thing you will not go wrong with any of these companies.

[Chaco Taco]

Tarptent Double Rainbow is sweet

[capehiker]

I'm eager to hear any replies as well. Does anyone have experience with using both the Lightheart and the SMD? On paper they both appear to be equal with a slight edge to Lightheart in space.

[Kookork]

I have all the options to buy a tent ( ultralight ) and has been obsessed about it for the last year . I will buy my tent from Lightheart gear. Standard SoLong 6.

[Marta]

I've used the Lightheart and a couple of Tarptents, the original Virga and the original Cloudburst. I love the Tarptents and they've held up extremely well. The Cloudburst I bought in 2002 is about to hit the AT again with an aspiring 2013 thru-hiker.

The Lightheart is my current go-to tent. Condensation just isn't an issue because there's a full mesh lining that keeps you from accidentally brushing against any wetness on the underside of the fly. I love the way you can roll up the fly for a better view and ventilation, or tighten the fly low against the ground when it's cold. By extending my hiking poles as far as possible, I can create quite a lot of headroom, which I appreciate as a tall person. There's plenty of storage space inside the tent for pack, shoes, and other stuff. If you don't want to being something inside, there's a reasonable amount of rain-free space under the fly but outside the mesh.

For full disclosure, I'll say that Judy is a personal friend, but even if she weren't, this would still be the favorite tent in my collection.

PS--My next tent purchase (like I need more tents...) will be a SoLong 6.

[10-K]

I've got a Solo, Tarptent Rainbow, Lunar Solo, and Lunar Duo

1. Lunar Solo - never use it. Dated design and not for a tall person (I'm 6'2"). Big learning curve to pitch it correctly. If you use it for 25 years you'll still be figuring out ways to get a better pitch....

2. Lunar Duo - best 2 person tent I've ever seen. It's a palace for 2, you could sleep 3 in it in a pinch.

3. Lightheart Solo - Not freestanding, requires trekking poles or poles purchased separately. Takes several stakes to pitch - I typically use 8. Takes a lot of space (in length, not width) to pitch. Roomy but the ends are pointy...

4. TT Rainbow - can be pitched freestanding, will mist in a hard rain, very stable in strong winds/storms. Roomy, lots of usable space for 1 person.

Like someone else said you won't go wrong with any of them. I have been using my Solo for the past 2 years because it's made out of cuben fiber and it's not a bad tent but I like the Rainbow most and have started using it again.

[garlic08]

I have brand loyalty to Tarptent. I've been using one Contrail for the last six seasons and have over 6000 hiking miles and 5000 bicycle miles on it. Cost per night so far is down around $1. I will soon replace it with another TT Contrail. I have not had any problems with mine, but others who have report excellent customer service. Prior to the Contrail, I wore out an old Virga with about the same amount of use. These are good reliable products at a good price.

Rave over.

[Don H]

I have a Lunar Solo and a TT Rainbow.

I did not find the Lunar Solo hard to pitch. It is the lighter of the two, uses a hiking poor for its pole, has a large footprint and is easy to stuff and go in the morning since it doesn't have the poles in the sleeves to pull out like the Rainbow does.

Rainbow, capable of freestanding with 2 hiking poles. More headroom (although the new Solo has 2" more headroom than mine), 6 oz heavier than the Solo.

Both are good tents. If weight is the primary concern than Solo is the winner.

[topshelf]

you looking for a cuben tent or nylon?

[Praha4]

I've used the Tarptent Moment, Contrail and Notch. My favorite of the 3 by far is the Notch, and still use it, but all are good shelters. I've also used the Lightheart Solo, it was okay but I did not like the long pointy ends, seems like wasted space. My other bad weather tarp is the Black Diamond Betalite, it's a fantastic roomy 2 person silnylon shelter.

I just bought a MLD Grace Tarp (silnylon), it arrived 2 days ago, looks great, just seam sealed it and plan on using it with the MLD U/L bivy on my next hike.

I really like the TT Notch, the inner floor/bugnet can be removed and you can just use the fly for a tarp shelter too, weighs less than a pound.

[Japp]

If cuben fiber is on your radar ZPacks makes great tents that weigh less than 19 oz with ground sheets and stakes included. Set up with a trekking pole. Joe makes great products and awesome service.

[daddytwosticks]

Used the Lightheart Solo. Very nice tent. Sold it and am now trying out a Tarptent Notch. Both are fine products. :)

[MuddyWaters]

You currently have a ~ 2lb 14 oz tent with Ti stakes.

I would shoot for a tent under 1.5 lbs for the money you will spend. You might as well make a decent difference.

The cheapest, would probably be the tarptent contrail.

[Del Q]

Have a tarptent and a Lightheart So Long 6 Cuben Fiber.

Saved for over a year.............great gear. Do not like the "misting" with sil nylon.

I hike with poles so might as well use them for tenting.

Like the mesh and two openings..............like 22 ounces vs 34 ounces.

Spacious.

[daddytwosticks]

Ask yourself what features you want/need in addition to lighter weight. For me, I like the tent fly to be separate from the inner net and wanted a tent that could be set up in the rain w/o the inner getting wet. I went from a Eureka Spitfite solo (still have it) to a Lightheart Solo to a Tarptent Notch. :)

[Tipi Walter]

I've got a Solo, Tarptent Rainbow, Lunar Solo, and Lunar Duo

1. Lunar Solo - never use it. Dated design and not for a tall person (I'm 6'2"). Big learning curve to pitch it correctly. If you use it for 25 years you'll still be figuring out ways to get a better pitch....

2. Lunar Duo - best 2 person tent I've ever seen. It's a palace for 2, you could sleep 3 in it in a pinch.

3. Lightheart Solo - Not freestanding, requires trekking poles or poles purchased separately. Takes several stakes to pitch - I typically use 8. Takes a lot of space (in length, not width) to pitch. Roomy but the ends are pointy...

4. TT Rainbow - can be pitched freestanding, will mist in a hard rain, very stable in strong winds/storms. Roomy, lots of usable space for 1 person.

Like someone else said you won't go wrong with any of them. I have been using my Solo for the past 2 years because it's made out of cuben fiber and it's not a bad tent but I like the Rainbow most and have started using it again.

Which was the one that leaked a puddle of water inside during your Pinhoti hike??

[10-K]

Which was the one that leaked a puddle of water inside during your Pinhoti hike??

That would be the cuben LH Solo. I picked up a hiker the other day who's carrying the silnylon version and his has a leak in the same place (where the support runs across the peak of the tent). It leaks up top, runs down the liner and starts dripping right about where your head is.

These tents are well made so maybe it was caused by operator error - putting too much stress on it - not sure, but I haven't ever been rough with it since it's made out of cuben fiber. It's also 2 years old and all of my CF gear of that age is showing signs of wear, including the tent so that could be it too.

[q-tip]

+++ TT Contrail--+ Wild Oasis Tarp-+++TT Cloudburst 2-Person

[Banjo97]

I'm looking for a new ultra light solo tent. Right now I have a Eureka Spitfire 1. It's a great tent but just a bit on the heavy side. I've been looking at all 3 mentioned above and wanted to get some opinions. Any other ultra light tents you might recommend?

I have a six moon designs lunar solo. Great tent but my wife wants to starting backpacking so we need a bigger one. It is in excellent condition. Only used it a handfull of times. Well water proofed. $150.00. If you are interested.

[Nooga]

I used a Lightheart Solo (cuban) on my thru hike last year. Like any free standing tent, it took a little rigging to pitch on platforms, but really no issues. I really like. I'm carrying it on my hike from Springer to Damascus starting Friday.

[Timber_2011]

I started with a Tarptent Moment on my thru 2 years ago. It was my first single wall tent and I hated the condensation and the "misting" was a lot bigger problem than I was led on to believe. I met Judy in Franklin, NC and almost bought one of her Lightheart tents, but I was hesitant to drop the cash. By the time I got to Damascus for Trail Days, I had just gone through about 4 nights of continuous rain and all of my stuff was soaked from the misting. I purchased the Lightheart Solo in the silnylon and used it all the way to Katahdin.

All I have to say is that it worked wonderfully. The design is top notch, very easy to set up, and has tons of options. I also think the fabric she uses is thicker than the Tarptent material. (Maybe it has a higher hydro-static head rating. Don't know much about that except that it did not mist at all.) I got the wedge option and all of my hiking buddies were jealous of my front porch. Now I just want to get a cuben one as I'm trying to get my weight down!

I guess to sum it up, I haven't used the other options listed but I wanted to give my experience on the Lightheart solo. I had zero leaking/misting problems with it. (I was pretty meticulous when I seam sealed it though.) It does have a rather large footprint, and it is not freestanding, but there were only a handful of times when I had to sleep on a platform.

(Also, sorry if I didn't post this correctly as it is my first post. I checked out the FAQs to check on how to create a new post but it just tells you how to create a new thread on there.)

[English Stu]

I have had a Contrail and now have the Moment. I prefer the Moment, the side entry is better, has a narrower footprint at the ends so it is easy to find a stealth camp.I have had mine modified to be able to T zip the whole front net rather than just the door, as required a more tarp experience with that set up. Better sitting/height position in the Moment.I do have the Liner and the crossing pole for more challenging conditions.

I do carry the 10oz Equinox bivy so I feel confident in bouncing rain,which causes the misting, and any contact with side walls,plus it adds warmth.My most anxious night was in Boiling Springs in a bouncing rain thunderstorm in the Contrail without the bivy, I woke up with a damp sleeping bag.

[4Bears]

The Moment is now a true double wall tent, so the misting issues if any should now be pretty minor.

[Steve Jennette]

I have used a Contrail and a SMD Wild Oasis. I am a total klutz, and had lots of trouble getting a decent set up on the Contrail (it's me, not tent...my son had no problem). The Wild Oasis is dummy proof. And w/stakes and stuff sack mine weighs only 11.5 ounces. I use Tyvek treated with permithrin as my floor. The netting keeps bugs out if tent is closed....but then there are condensation issues. Still, for light weight shelter I find it satisfactory.

[smithcj06]

bump for the DW moment. Easiest to set-up and is engineered well all around.

[Franco]

Hi Steve"had lots of trouble getting a decent set up on the Contrail (it's me, not tent...my son had no problem'


Congratulation. I think that you are the first one ever to admit that, I'll thank your son for it...
There are much easier tents than the Contrail to set up, the Moment is definitely one of them .
I posted in the other thread (Moment DW) my video clip on the new features of the DW .
Still I think that in half an hour I could show you how to set up a Contrail no problem at all.
(my best set up time (not in the bush...) for the Moment is 49sec, Takes me 50sec to do the Contrail . (after 30 attempts, most around 1 minute) But I am a nerd)