Lunar Solo - Six Moon Design UL Tent......

[nawlunz]

Anybody have any experience with this gear? Looks like it has great reviews..

[ChinMusic]

Lots of folks have and like this tent. I have had one for three years now and it is my primary shelter for areas like the AT. I would want something free standing for rocky areas.

Pluses: Light, easy to set up (once you get used to it), room for pack and/or dog in the corner, good ventilation if staked properly, large vestibule, has performed well for me in nasty rain situations, being a single-wall tent makes it easier to set up in the rain.

Minuses: cramped if much over 6', cramped for sitting up and packing (is for me anyway), sags under any snow load (still functions but your ventilation is gone), all stakes must find good dirt (frustrating in rocky areas, get several stakes in only to find you have to start over), fairly large footprint for a solo tent (limits locations just a bit)

[nawlunz]

Lots of folks have and like this tent. I have had one for three years now and it is my primary shelter for areas like the AT. I would want something free standing for rocky areas.

Pluses: Light, easy to set up (once you get used to it), room for pack and/or dog in the corner, good ventilation if staked properly, large vestibule, has performed well for me in nasty rain situations, being a single-wall tent makes it easier to set up in the rain.

Minuses: cramped if much over 6', cramped for sitting up and packing (is for me anyway), sags under any snow load (still functions but your ventilation is gone), all stakes must find good dirt (frustrating in rocky areas, get several stakes in only to find you have to start over), fairly large footprint for a solo tent (limits locations just a bit)

attaches to the sides? I have a picture but it doesn't do it justice. Is the floor connected to the top with a mesh siding making the inside protected from insects? Or, is it a separate floor with the tarp protection above....I guess my question is whether it really is a tent...

[ChinMusic]

Can you provide a description of how the floor .... attaches to the sides? I have a picture but it doesn't do it justice. Is the floor connected to the top with a mesh siding making the inside protected from insects? Or, is it a separate floor with the tarp protection above....I guess my question is whether it really is a tent...

It's a tent. Everything is connected and free from bother. There is nothing regarding the floor to remove/install. You stake out the tent and everything is in place, no fuss. The floor turns up a bit (bathtub style), is connected to the netting, then connected to the underside of the main body. The main body then extends further to help prevent splash.

It is a good design that has been "copied" by other manufacturers (not saying SMD didn't copy it from someone else).

[nawlunz]

It's a tent. Everything is connected and free from bother. There is nothing regarding the floor to remove/install. You stake out the tent and everything is in place, no fuss. The floor turns up a bit (bathtub style), is connected to the netting, then connected to the underside of the main body. The main body then extends further to help prevent splash.

It is a good design that has been "copied" by other manufacturers (not saying SMD didn't copy it from someone else).

UL2 (an excellent tent) to this one..looks like a weight savings of two lbs..

THANKS

[10-K]

Before you decide, compare it to its big brother, the Lunar Duo. For not much more weight and darned near the same footprint you can have a palace - room for 2 adults, all their gear and 2 vestibules big enough to cook Thanksgiving dinner under.

I've got both of them and if I'm not going far (less than a week) the Duo wins hands down. For long distance hiking - say more than 150-200 miles then I take the Solo. I'm 6'3" and I agree with Chin that the Solo is close quarters but it's manageable. I get my pack in the tent with me, boots in the vestibule.

Regardless of which one you get you'll still be figuring out better ways to pitch it 20 years from now.

[nawlunz]

Before you decide, compare it to its big brother, the Lunar Duo. For not much more weight and darned near the same footprint you can have a palace - room for 2 adults, all their gear and 2 vestibules big enough to cook Thanksgiving dinner under.

I've got both of them and if I'm not going far (less than a week) the Duo wins hands down. For long distance hiking - say more than 150-200 miles then I take the Solo. I'm 6'3" and I agree with Chin that the Solo is close quarters but it's manageable. I get my pack in the tent with me, boots in the vestibule.

Regardless of which one you get you'll still be figuring out better ways to pitch it 20 years from now.

The lightest weight, but protective.
Also, are you implying it takes some practice to get it pitched correctly?

[10-K]

The lightest weight, but protective.
Also, are you implying it takes some practice to get it pitched correctly?

Then you'd want the solo.

You can get a workable pitch within an hour of setting it up for the first time. But, you'll continue to find ways to get an even better pitch the more you use it.

Another thing I've noticed is that the more I use it the more creative I get about where it'll go. I passed up a lot of sites before that I'd have no trouble with now.

[nawlunz]

Then you'd want the solo.

You can get a workable pitch within an hour of setting it up for the first time. But, you'll continue to find ways to get an even better pitch the more you use it.

Another thing I've noticed is that the more I use it the more creative I get about where it'll go. I passed up a lot of sites before that I'd have no trouble with now.

with the use of a trekking pole for support? Do you have to put a more blunted rubber end on the pole to protect the floor? I am assuming it is a center pole..

[ChinMusic]

Do you have to put a more blunted rubber end on the pole to protect the floor? I am assuming it is a center pole..

No, there is a metal ring that the end of the pole goes into. This is one step you CANNOT be sloppy at. MAKE SURE the tip of the pole stays in that ring as you raise the tent. I have a friend who got sloppy and ripped it big time.

It's not tricky. You just have to pay attention.

[Smile]

Yes, it takes practice to pitch it correctly....then come back 15 minutes later and tighten it up, silnylon stretches a bit after pitching. Great tent, but I sold mine for a freestanding tent, no hassles.

Great weight savings on the Lunar E though

[Kerosene]

I purchased the original version of the Lunar Solo 4-5 years ago I believe. Works very well for me, with the limitations of a single-wall tent on still nights when the temp reaches the dewpoint. You may also have to re-tension the guylines after a few hours or on a damp night to keep the silnyl from sagging.

I use five 8" long Easton aluminum tent pegs to keep the fly above the mesh on the sides, plus one titanium nail peg to use as a peg driver for hard, rocky ground and then for the front guyline.

I purchased the lightest weight silnyl floor and use a 1 ounce Polycryo ground sheet from MLD.

Never had any problems using my trekking pole, besides of course leaving them behind at a rest stop and having to backtrack for them!

You might also check out The One from Gossamer Gear. I've been looking at it for awhile now, but I think I might try a Cuben Fiber tarp first, at least for early Spring/late Fall use.

[Country Roads]

I am on my second Lunar Solo. I really like it. This is my go to shelter when I take my dog; we can both be comfy. Last trip out was a lot of rain. The advantage of this shelter (or most any tarp style tent) is that the inside stayed dry while I set it up in the rain, sweet. The first couple of set ups have a learning curve, but Ron has set-up directions on the website. I set my trekking pole to about 46 or 47 inches; stake out the front corners loosely, stake out the back corner, insert pole and stake it out, stake out other two corners and tweak it where needed. Let it sit while you make dinner and then retention guy lines.

I also have a Gossamer Gear One. Pretty much the same rough design as the Lunar Solo, but more head room since it uses two trekking poles and the Spinnaker cloth does not stretch much at all. This shelter road out a pretty nasty wind one night; The rear trekking pole came out of the "boot" (the Spinnaker does not stretch much, but the guy lines stretch a little) but the shelter held and it was dry inside.

[skinewmexico]

I had one and really liked it. Big footprint though. I sold it to finance a Tarptent Moment, I was just fascinated by two stake set up, and not using trekking poles.

[Tinker]

Here's another one to consider: http://www.lightheartgear.com/solo.html
I did a review of a prototype and suggested some design changes which were implemented by the manufacturer.
The spreader bar at the top of the tent makes it very roomy. It is a true double walled tent with the fly sewn on at the ridge. I haven't tried the Lunar Solo, but I can vouch for the easy setup of the Lightheart tent, the usable space (I'm a little under 6 feet and 215 lbs.) and the storm worthiness. If I used a tent I would've kept this one. I much prefer to hammock.

[yari]

Here's another one to consider: http://www.lightheartgear.com/solo.html
I did a review of a prototype and suggested some design changes which were implemented by the manufacturer.
The spreader bar at the top of the tent makes it very roomy. It is a true double walled tent with the fly sewn on at the ridge. I haven't tried the Lunar Solo, but I can vouch for the easy setup of the Lightheart tent, the usable space (I'm a little under 6 feet and 215 lbs.) and the storm worthiness. If I used a tent I would've kept this one. I much prefer to hammock.

How well do you think that one would hold up to a dog sleeping in it for most of a thru hike? I worry about ultralight material being ripped to shreds just from normal use with my beast.

[Colter]

I used one on the last half of the CDT and in Washington on the PCT. This is probably the best 3-season backpacking shelter I've ever used.

It's fully enclosed, very light, simple, roomy and provides good rain coverage. Personally, I almost always use the extra tie-out points at the head and foot of the shelter. It really helps "square" the tent and provide more usable room at both points.

[Doc]

.....and I happen to have one for sale in the selling gear forum.

[fudgefoot]

I've used a lunar solo the last 3 years and have no complaints. It's a great lightweight shelter. Being a DuPonter, I use a Tyvek(r) footprint to protect the floor.

[chili36]

I have the SixMoon Europa (probably their first model that came out) and it has been a great piece of gear. Dry as a powder house in heavy rain and roomy enough for two, but one and gear it a better fit.

We just bought a Lunar Duo. Customer service has been excellent with 6Moon. I had a guyout on the Europa look like it was working loose and they said ship it back. Re-worked it and sealed it and shipped it back in less than a week at no charge.