Solo backpacking/canoeing tents

I find it interesting
how the SD Flashlight has such staying power.



I had one of the originals (not clipped) which I used for bike touring. It went to the Virgin Islands with an old GF and never returned. Nor did she.



It is a simple and functional design, and a decent price.



Jim

(but I still like my MSR HH better)

well, it’s not 3.5 lbs
and it’s not $60, but it is a pretty good deal nonetheless: http://www.rei.com/product/781041









Think I’m gonna get me one for my cold weather tent.

Clip Flashlight & Hubba
I have a Flashlight that I used for about 20 years until the fly finally sprung a leak two years ago. That is a very nice one man tent.

I thought hard about simply replacing it with a new one but ended up spending an extra $100 to shave off 1 lb and now use an MSR Hubba. That is just big enough for me though it has more head room than the Flashlight. There is some room for gear under the fly. I find it quite functional as well as light.

tents…
I looked at the eureka’s too …too small …ended up with a cabela’s XPG ultralite 1P tent …easy set-up …might be the better choice. I’m pretty sure i’m going to get the XPG 2person tent this season for kayak camping.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/index/index-display.jsp?id=cat20103&navAction=jump&navCount=1&cmCat=MainCatcat20075&parentType=category&parentId=cat20075

Solitaire
I have one and use it.

It stands up to storms well (Its so low it doesn’t catch much wind) and is dry enough. Like all the Eurekas I’ve seen, its well made. I think I would prefer a separate rain fly and clips connecting the tent to the frame rather than having to thread the poles through sleeves. I like it for summer nights when mosquitoes might be bad but I want to see the stars anyhow. It was very affordable. Its light and packs small.

I’m 6’4" and it fits me for length but it is definitely not roomy. There’s not enough room to read in it and there’s no place to bring anything in with you. Barely room for a pair of boots under the fly. You can’t sit in it to change clothes. Its all netting and doesn’t hold heat worth a darn. It’ll sag under a snow load. This isn’t a tent to weather a long spell of bad weather in. I suspect most folks would go nuts after 24 hrs in one.

Its OK for what it is meant for (bicycle touring I’d guess), but something a little wider, taller at the head end, with clips and a separate rain fly would be better. Free-standing would be a plus.

I don’t know where one would find one to purchase but the Eureka web site has a tent they make for the military - they call it a TCOP (tent, combat, one person) - that looks like about the right idea to me. A lighter version without the black-out fly would be a great solo river tripping tent.