Discovering the suitable tent for a backpacking journey is at all times difficult. It’s a must to stability packed measurement and weight in opposition to livability and the way nicely it stands as much as wind and rain. I’ve at all times erred on the facet of a sturdy tent over any weight issues, which is why I like the Hilleberg Akto, however I do not at all times want the Akto.
There’s a brief season in my neck of the woods referred to as summer time, when storms are much less probably and temps do not drop a lot under the 60s. That is after I’ve been utilizing the Lunar Solo, Six Moon Design’s flagship ultralight one-person tent. After a number of late and early summer time journeys across the north woods of Wisconsin and Michigan, it has proved itself a succesful shelter. It weighs simply 2 kilos, packs down fairly small, and checks an entire lot of different bins on my tent want listing.
Loads of House
{Photograph}: Scott Gilbertson
There is no such thing as a one tent to rule all of them, and looking for one is a mistake. You are higher off with two tents, realizing the restrictions of every and utilizing every when it is the most effective for the job. Which is to say, I like the Akto, however I additionally assume Six Moon Design’s Lunar Solo is great for summer time journeys if you prize touring mild over withstanding intense storms.
That is to not say the Lunar Solo will not hold you dry. It’s going to. The silicone nylon, or silnylon, is a lot waterproof, although you may both must seam-seal it your self with some Seam Grip, or have the Six Moon Designs workforce do it for you earlier than they ship it, which prices $35. My testing tent arrived seam-sealed, however being sufficiently old to recollect if you needed to seam-seal nearly each tent, I’ve finished it sufficient instances to say it isn’t exhausting must you select to DIY it.
The Lunar Solo is single-wall, single-pole tent supposed to be pitched with a trekking pole. This makes for a really small and lightweight tent but additionally has two potential drawbacks: structural integrity and condensation. Extra on these in a second. As soon as pitched, the Lunar Solo presents 26 sq. ft of dwelling area and a peak top of 49 inches, and the vestibule presents 8.5 sq. ft of further gear storage. Total I discovered the Lunar Solo to be a lot spacious for one individual with gear. The rear wall expands out barely, supplying you with a spot to stash often wanted objects with out pushing them up in opposition to the tent wall.
The 20D silnylon and mesh partitions really feel as sturdy as something you may discover at this weight, until you need to go together with a Cuben Fiber/Dyneema tent, however to my thoughts the excessive worth of Cuben places it in a distinct class. The ground of the Lunar Solo is a extra sturdy 40-denier (40D), and has a bath form to assist guarantee water would not get in. The rear of the Lunar Solo has a 6-inch mesh portion between the ground and the primary wall that helps with air flow.
Any single pole tent goes to wrestle in wind, irrespective of what number of guyline factors it presents. I did discover the Lunar Solo compressed a very good deal after I pitched it in excessive winds on the uncovered shores of Lake Superior. It was admittedly not an amazing campsite from a seeking-shelter viewpoint, not one I might choose if I wasn’t testing the wind resistance of a tent. Nevertheless it did persuade me that the Lunar Solo wants both a trekking pole or a heavier tent pole than the ultralight pole Six Moon Design supplied. (I did a very good portion of my testing whereas bikepacking so I did not have trekking poles.)
