not another solo tent question!

Hello all-I'm in the market for a new one-person, three season tent. The camping store in my town is having a tent sale next week and have the Microzoid and North Face Solo 12 in stock (I've already scoped the merchandise ). Just wondering if anyone has experience with these two tents, both under three pounds and the reviews I've seen on them are good. Also, anyone have experience with single-walled tents? I've heard the condensation will kill you in summer.

GBKDalton said:

Just wondering if anyone has experience with these two tents ... ?

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Not I but being a bit of a tent-aholic I will say this: I do not care for 1) one person 2) non-free standing or 3) single wall tents. So why am I responding ? Dunno, except to say for another $100 you could get a BA Seedhouse SL2. It's about the same weight, sleeps 2, is free-standing and has a reasonable vestibule.

I recently purchased the North Face Solo12 but haven't spent a night in it yet. Can you pitch it at the store and climb in? It's not a tent for big people. I'm about 165 cm (5.5 ft), 60 kg (130 pd) and I thought it was just about right for me. I could bring all my overnight gear in with me but it'll be crowded and would probably require putting my pack under my legs.

It has two good sized vents at the top and some venting around the bottom at the head end but that's it. Even the door is single-wall.

The TNF Solo12 weighs in at 1.18 kg (2.60 pd), including stakes and stuff sacks. I weighed it on my electronic balance at home. The tent comes with a compression stuff sack and packs down to about the size of a half-dozen bagels if you keep the poles and stakes separate.


I also checked out a solo Nemo tent...with the inflatable structure. I liked the idea but the tent was way too small even for me. My bag would have been touching the sides of the shelter from my hips down. On the other hand, the door was 2-wall so you'd have good ventiliation at your head. I think this was a sub-2-pounder.

Good luck!
-vegematic

My answer is exactly as Chips... except for #1 - I don't mind 1-person tents.
IMO, after experience in the rain with a single wall, never again!
Plenty of lightweight, double wall, freestanding out there if you don't mind an extra pound. BA Seedhouse SL1 @ 2lb 13oz, Marmot Eos @ 3lbs 5oz, Sierra Designs Lighting @ 4 lbs 5 oz , MSR Hubba @3 lbs 4 oz...

One thing you might consider is how good is the tent if you need to wait out a day or so of heavy weather? Many of the solo tents are fabric coffins without enough height to sit up and hardly enough space to move around or bring a toy or two inside.

Thus I generally agree with Chip--a small two-person tent often makes a good solo tent. I've also used a single layer tent--been there, pretty wet inside due to condensation, particularly if it is raining. The SD Clip Flashlight CD (non-free standing) and the REI Quarter Dome (free standing) are both fine solo tents.

Doug

I have been using a SD Clip Flashlight for over ten years. Its not free standing but its light, lots of room for one and gear, cheap, and its bomb proof in bad weather. I know its an old design, but its a good one.

The MEC Tarn 2 fits "1 person and a half", the "half" part either being your tender half, or your gear

Pretty roomy for one, although I can't sit in it. That's why I always carry a tarp...so I can go stretch my legs in case it rains.

It's very decently priced too, 184$ CDN last I checked.

Fish

May I suggest the Mountain Hardware PCT 1 ?

I find it to suit my solo backpacking needs just fine--with the exception that it doesn't breathe well when pitched on snow?? (not sure why)

It's not freestanding but I haven't found that to be a problem. If the stakes don't go in to hard ground, it holds up well with rocks laid on top of the stake out points. It's also cheap at Campmor--$89. It's light too, 3 lb 12 oz. I bought the footprint as well: you can pitch just the fly and footprint with one pole as an even lighter weight option. I did this last weekend when camping in the high desert and it worked great.

You can't have a dance party in there, but it's perfect just for sleeping and you can toss your boots and pack under the vestibules to keep em dry.

seedhouse sl 2 rocks

Chip said:

Not I but being a bit of a tent-aholic I will say this: I do not care for 1) one person 2) non-free standing or 3) single wall tents. So why am I responding ? Dunno, except to say for another $100 you could get a BA Seedhouse SL2. It's about the same weight, sleeps 2, is free-standing and has a reasonable vestibule.

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I'm 100% with Chip

I was looking for a solo tent. After trying out a couple of 1 person tents, I ended up with the BA Seedhouse SL 2. It's a great tent!

For trips where I really want to go light, I carry a bivy sack and tarp.

tents

just bought this one...marmot titan $129. @sierratradingpost...free standing,2 big vesabules..4#10ozs. though..sleeps 2 comfortably and is doulble wall..i love it..idem #88182 if you wanna look at it....twodoors not sure if considered 3 season..

I'll throw in another recommedation for the Big Agnes Seedhouse line of tents. I have the Seedhouse 1 and its a great solo tent. It weighs about 3 and half pounds packed and is pretty spacious for a solo tent. You can definitely sit straight up inside the tent. When the fly is on, it provides a nice vestibule.

I've used it heavy rains/winds and found it stands up pretty well. It's especially sturdy when fully secured with the external guy lines. The inner body of the tent is full mesh, so the ventilation is great. I don't remember exactly what I paid for it about 2 years ago, somewhere in the $150 range I think. If you take a serious look at the Big Agnes Seedhouse tents, keep in mind there are two versions, the regular Seedhouse (which is the one I have) and the SeedhouseSL line which is the lightweight line recommended by the posters above.

I suppose I should put in a plug for a camping hammock. They make very good lightweight solo shelters as long as you have some trees at hand. The leading manufacturers are Hennessy http://www.hennessyhammock.com/ and Speer http://www.speerhammocks.com/.

Disclaimer: I am partial to and own a Speer hammock. IMO, a more practical and versitile although slightly heavier design than the Hennessy.

Doug

Chip said:

Not I but being a bit of a tent-aholic I will say this: I do not care for 1) one person 2) non-free standing or 3) single wall tents. So why am I responding ? Dunno, except to say for another $100 you could get a BA Seedhouse SL2. It's about the same weight, sleeps 2, is free-standing and has a reasonable vestibule.

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I agree. The BA Seedhouse SL2 may even be lighter than most solo tents. I love mine, and it weighs in at about 3 1/2 lbs.

Kevin

DougPaul said:

I suppose I should put in a plug for a camping hammock. They make very good lightweight solo shelters as long as you have some trees at hand. The leading manufacturers are Hennessy http://www.hennessyhammock.com/ and Speer http://www.speerhammocks.com/.

Disclaimer: I am partial to and own a Speer hammock.

Doug

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I was wondering if someone would go this way. I am a Hennessy preferential guy. A long time confirmed solo bushwhacker, the first time I tried a hammock (4 years ago) I never looked back at another tent again (except in winter). If you get a large rainfly and the snakeskins for the Hennessy, you can have the option of staying in comfort under the fly out of the rain all day if need be. Better yet for a bushwhacker, no worries about what lies beneath or searching for a long time to find some tiny flat spot for a tent. You can learn all about hammocks from Sgt Rock.

I have the 2006 version of the Big Agnes Seedhouse SL1. It's a bit less than 3 pounds, including footprint and stakes - lots of stakes because the fly is staked separately. I thought that might be a pain, but it's quick and simple. There's only one pole, but the whole set up is very stable.

I finally used it last weekend and it rained all night and there wasn't a drop of condensation, because the fly is held way out from the tent body. Lots of room for your stuff, too. You can sit up and still have room above your head.

Can you guess that I really liked it?!

I have an LL Bean Microlight one person tent, which until this past weekend, I have been happy with. But - I've only been out in good weather. I was with Audrey this past weekend and it poured Friday night. This tent appears to have several design flaws that weren't apparent until it started to rain. The fly was near impossible to stake out so that water wouldn't puddle above my feet. Additionally, the tent and fly come into contact in several places, and with the rain Friday, I was less than dry inside. The tent is going back. Not sure what I will replace it with.