tent question

Similar problem when not packed.
I store all my tents together in a loose condition inside a huge box (no folding, no rolling, no packing of any kind when in storage). All of them have been doing fine for years, but the rain fly of my MSR Hubba has turned gooey and a bit sticky to the touch after just a few years. It started happening after about two years, if I recall. It still works, but I can see how leaving it tightly packed for an extended time would be a disaster. The stuff bag, which is made of the same material as the fly, has had the same thing happen to it.

Solo tents and comfort

– Last Updated: Feb-15-13 8:57 PM EST –

I know what you mean. I use a solo tent quite often, though only in the summer because that's the only season my solo tent is good for. Actually, I use the same tent you are considering and I like it a lot (though you might check out my "very slight complaint" about the tent which I posted in response to an earlier remark in this thread). I find that I can put as much overnight gear and clothes to be needed in the morning as I could ever need, along with my shoes, inside the vestibule, and still have more than enough empty ground leftover on which to walk/crawl in and out. Usually I use a solo tent to reduce the weight and volume of stuff that I carry, because sometimes I simply enjoy having less stuff with me. Other times I don't care as much about gear size and load, or perhaps the weather will help me decide to use a two-person tent instead. It's all a matter of what my priorities are for a given trip.

Anyway, I usually just chuckle when someone is adamant that solo tents are way too small. In most cases when someone says that, my immediate reaction is "okay, here's another guy who became really big on his path toward middle age." That's not an insult to anyone in general or in particular, especially because many of my very good paddling friends fit that description, but of course that's something that colors a person's perception of what size tent is "too small". I didn't become huge in reaching this age, and I also didn't become less flexible as I got older (much the opposite in fact, and that was my choice even more so than not getting bigger), and therefore I can be just as comfortable in a solo tent now as was the case when I was in high school (and even more comfortable for things like changing clothes on account of my greater flexibility). This means I can understand perfectly when a small person says a solo tent is what he/she wants.

Too small is very much psychological
too.



If you are putting a solo tent under a tarp or can run from tent to tarp that is one thing. The tarp gives you “that other view” that we need to keep us sane when the weather turns sour for days.



OTOH if rolling around and having lots of room inside makes you mentally more comfortable during miserable day long downpours in camp you really do have to consider how your head feels as well as how well your body fits.



For some a solo tent is not unlike a coffin mentally.



The newer H tents have a longer fly. When I tried one the H had a short fly and it did indeed soak people.

solo tents
I spent several years camping out of a motorcycle and using a “solo” tent. I understand that it can be done and I did not mind at the time. But the fact is you have more options with a so-called two person tent and there is little or no sacrifice in space or weight for kayaking. YMMV, but it is easier to keep the gear you need dry if it rains and you will have more headroom. So wear a hair shirt if that fits your style. Or make things easier and more comfortable. The cost of doing so is very small.

yeah,
… that’s exactly the sort of thing I was thinking of when I said that the weather can affect my priorities. In summer when I could choose the solo tent, I probably use a two-person tent instead at least half the time.

“Why” solo
Sorry, typo.



One way to think of it is that the terms “one- person,” “two-person,” etc. indicate some general measurements rather than the recommended number of people. A 2P is generally about 50" to 54" wide, for example.



Very few backpackers who backpack alone use a solo tent. I’m guessing that 90% of solo backpackers use a 2P. For a kayak camper, the weight and bulk difference between a 1P and a 2P are insignificant, yet you gain very valuable space with a 2P. For a backpacker saving 2 lbs might make it worth giving up the extra space but most don’t want to make that sacrifice. Kayak campers just don’t have a compelling reason for the sacrifice.

Yes, but I don’t write too well
I meant to say “Why solo?”



The OP wrote that s/he “have not much experience in the different types of tents out there.” So I proposed several tents that are lightweight and compact enough to work well for one person in a kayak.

We 2 just finished 2 weeks of "bliss"
in a 3P tent. I kept wondering how person 3 would have liked all the kicks s/he would have received being in the middle. I love how all the tent diagrams show people lying on their backs with arms at sides and legs extended.

Price and fabric
If you want to reduce the price of a tent, going with a 1P is not the best way to do that because of what you give up. The Hubba is $280. There are many fine 2P’s for less than $200. The REI Half Dome 2 is one of the best tents you can buy. It’s made of rugged materials and can stand up to abusive conditions (like all REI tents). Same for the Alps Zephyr 2.



Be aware of the quality of the materials and the thickness of the waterproof coating. Example: the floor and fly of the Hubba are 40D, compared with 75D on the Zephyr.



If you really want a 1P, consider the Alps Zephyr 1. It has significantly more area than the Hubba (23 sq ft versus 15.5 sq ft) and costs less than half the price.



If price is a concern, MSR and Big Agnes aren’t the best brands for you. Solid, low-cost brands: REI,Alps, Sierra Designs, Kelty, Marmot. Some low-cost Marmots are available at Dick’s Sporting Goods.


Not only that, …

– Last Updated: Feb-16-13 12:38 AM EST –

... back when I paid attention to such things (and I haven't looked at a camping-gear catalog in ages), the diagrams showed the people alternating which direction the head and feet were pointed, JUST LIKE SARDINES IN A CAN. I remember that the diagram for sleeping in a 4-person Timberline showed the people oriented crosswise to the door and alternating like sardines. I have a 4-person Timberline and it's great for two people lying side-by-side with their heads toward the door, especially since the length of the tent is greater than its width. I think three could lie lengthwise if need be, but without alternating like sardines. I sure hope that with four people inside, no one except the one who's blocking the door has to get up in the middle of the night to pee!

I also remember that the diagrams for some large dome tents showed three people side-by-side and alternating like sardines (no other way to fit three in a row like that), and an additional person oriented at 90 degrees at each end of the first three.

Contact MSR
They may just replace your tent for you, GREAT customer service, which is another reason to go with MSR…

All solo tents are not the same size
For a long time, I used a Eureka Mtn Pass 1XT that was warm (full double-wall) and compact due to use of shorter poles than standard. GREAT for packing into kayak hatch compartments. I bought it from Campmor in either 2003 or early 2004. Last year I finally sold it via craigslist.



Later, I bought a Hilleberg Unna that is also warm and has a full double-wall structure. I like how it is set up with the fly poled up first, and then the body is hung underneath–good for when it’s already raining. It also is a few inches wider than the Mtn Pass 1XT, and boy that few inches is nice to have. Hilleberg refers to the Unna as being a 1-person tent that can host two in a pinch, and I agree with their description. It’s a wonderful size for one person and dry bags. But it cost much more than the Eureka tent did.



So check out the actual product size specs when comparing 1-person tents. They do vary.

Maybe bit off topic - but not really
If, like me, you always travel with a good tarp - one option is to carry just the body of a tent and sleep under the tarp sans tent in good bug free weather and use the tent body under the tarp if it gets buggy. It is not a great option for really bad weather - especially wind, but 99% of the time it works well. Having a nice light big tarp - such as the tarps made my Cooke Custom Sewing - adds a huge amount of comfort to the canoe/kayak tripping experience.

West Nile, Triple E, etc.
I don’t think tarp camping is a good idea these days. People aren’t even doing yard work outside after dinner, much less sleeping in the woods without full protection.

So, there’s no such thing as …
… “good bug-free weather” then?

We have all been affectied
by the marketing of fear. Now its just dangerous in some eyes to even go outside.



Look at any ad…look for the basis of the add. Chances are its based on fear.

Insect protection for a tarp…
http://www.bearpawwd.com/shelters_floors/pyraNet1.html

E-mail rejected
Kanaka, I’d like to answer your e-mail but my IP can’t connect with your IP. Send an alternative address if you have one. Thanks.

Lots of choices
http://www.backpacking.net/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=170798#Post170798

Be sure to explore the links in the responses. There are a lot of tents that will work for you.

A small one person tent is a great option on islands with minimal space to camp.

Goodness I hope
it hasnt’ come to this. I recall two one week canoe trips in the deep woods of northern maine when we did not see one single bug. Surely a night under the tarp would be safe in those conditions - no? It was delightful by the way. Warblers had all returned and the days were gorgeous and sunny with temps in the 60s and low 70s. Of course, there have been other trips as well but I wont’ mention them.