WhiteBlaze Pages 2024
A Complete Appalachian Trail Guidebook.
AVAILABLE NOW. $4 for interactive PDF(smartphone version)
Read more here WhiteBlaze Pages Store

Results 1 to 5 of 5
  1. #1
    Registered User
    Join Date
    06-16-2007
    Location
    anniston, alabama
    Age
    52
    Posts
    65

    Default Quick review of 2018 Lunar Solo

    Just completed my yearly fall trip of a section of the AT
    This year was a 94 mile north bound from mt rogers visitor center to woods hole hostel
    the weather was very warm first two days, raining/storms for two days, then cooler (50's)
    and windy final two days
    I have been using a hennesy backpacker ul for quite a while now so this was my first trip going to ground.
    Ordered the tent from SMD.
    I seam sealed it and it weighed 26 oz.
    I ordered and cut a polycro groundsheet for it which weighed 1.5 oz with tiny grommets and some minimal reflective tie outs.
    I set the tent up in the yard probably 5 times, added 7-8 foot 2 mm relective shock chord to the
    tie outs
    I used ul hook stakes from lawsons equip, and one msr groundhog for the main line.
    The tent functioned well for the trip
    After finding/clearing an appropriate spot, i laid out the poly, staked out the four corners, with
    the straps let all the way out, made sure the beak zipper was zipped, placed the pole(extended to 51), staked the front, the back(again with strap all the way out), then went around and
    tightened all tie outs, usually tightening them again in 15-20 mins
    The wall shock chord tie outs were usually tied to a tree nearby, only had to stake them a time or
    two
    I watched many vids on the tent and similar before my trip and learned many tips..
    5 days isnt long i know but i did learn a few things about the solo which i thought
    may benefit others....
    -let the straps out all the way before pitching
    -the wall tie outs add significant foot,head room to the shelter and the reflective shock
    worked well for this. Tie them out as at waist level or higher if possible, both lines parrallel to
    the back corner stake straps
    -Zip the front zip pre pitching as it is easy to apply the stake too far out then u cant zip up the door
    -The key to getting the "bathtub floor" effect is to have the corners/back straps out as much as possible, and also, if you can, attaching the straps to the stakes 1-2 inches off the ground

    I appreciate the community and info I've gotten from this site.
    Maybe this will help a hiker or two...

  2. #2
    Registered User
    Join Date
    06-16-2007
    Location
    anniston, alabama
    Age
    52
    Posts
    65

    Default

    -something else i "discovered" is that it is easy to cook sitting in the tent with one's
    stove/pot in the vestibule. I did this by sitting on my thermarest with the door open, cookset on
    my sitpad under the beak. -s

  3. #3
    Registered User
    Join Date
    06-16-2007
    Location
    anniston, alabama
    Age
    52
    Posts
    65

    Default

    Interested in others comments on this shelter. Is it out of date? A design that has been much
    improved by other companies?
    thanks -s

  4. #4
    Registered User
    Join Date
    03-07-2016
    Location
    Providence, RI
    Age
    57
    Posts
    62

    Default

    i just bought one during the black friday sale, cant wait to use it...

  5. #5
    Registered User
    Join Date
    01-13-2012
    Location
    Mid Atlantic
    Posts
    1,047
    Images
    9

    Default

    It's a good shelter. I have about 500 AT miles on mine and no real complaints. It's kept me dry through all kinds of storms. I've had condensation a few times, but so will all enclosed type shelters.

++ New Posts ++

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •