I can't believe it, a real world review instead of some guy putting up a tent in his back yard and telling everyone how marvelous it is. Congratulations!! Actually, I use the same tent here in the Rocky Mountains and it has become my best buddy; roomy, sturdy and easy up and down. Keep on hiking.
Thank for you this comprehensive review! Was on the fence with so much other research and this was the icing on the cake. Owned it for 3 trips now and its the absolute best!
Thanks for the video bro. It's always nice to see a video of someone who is and has actually used the gear instead of someone who just set it up for one night. I like to know the gear can actually be used and last. I just purchased this tent tonight and had them seam seal. Looks like this tent is everything I've been looking for ie...light, small but big enough for me/pack and a nice vestibule to cook in. Best of all it looks simple to set up in the rain and keep the insides dry. And it keeps out the mossies.
I think that this is one of the best 1+ person tents currently being produced at a reasonable price. Forget about ZPacks tents $$$$$$$$. I'm going to order a Lunar Solo and have it factory seam sealed. Thanks for the review.
Hey Tom, what a great review. I know it was 7 years ago, but I've got a shiny new Lunar Solo arriving tomorrow so it was good to hear your enthusiasm! It'll be the first time I've used a single skin tent, and I'm looking forward to the simplicity - and a lighter pack!
Hope you have a good trip planned. Fully recommend the Pyranesse HRP, Chamonix to Zermatt, and The Alpine pass route in Switzerland. Don't forget to add lots of silicone to the seams, there are 2 types too, so get the silicone nylon one.
@@thomasstudd6693 Cheers, had a few nights in it (UK) and loved the simplicity of it! Good tip - took a wipedown cloth (and used it!! ;-) Your recommended routes sound great. Happy trails!
I just bought one of these for $85 on Ebay (the guys cat wanted out and ran through the bug netting, hence the deal) About 30 minutes on the sewing machine and some grosgrain ribbon and it is good as new. Pitched it in the front yard....Can't wait to try it out.
Thanks Tom. I’ve just bought one as an upgrade from a nemo and I wasnt sure if the bathtub on the lunar solo was deep enough but it seems you’ve stayed dry.
Hi Tom - just got one of these. Used it once so far. As to the condensation I found that when it rained it caused condensation to "rain" on me inside. This wasnt a big deal as it was a couple of hours of rain, but i was wondering how wet it might get if it rained all night. Any comments? Did you have to mop up every few hours or what? All the best
Nick Hudson I think you just got unlucky there. Were you in the UK? I have only noticed condensation in the early hours and I do keep that cloth ready to use incase I need to sit up or climb out in the night.
@@thomasstudd6693 Hi Tom. How do you solve the problem of the door flaps unhooking from the hook on the front guyline in strong winds? To the plastic hook on that prusic knot that slides. Just spent a couple of nights in The Brecon Beacons and just couldn't keep both hooked on all night. Even with tensioning and assorted other 'fiidles'.
@@Ge1ert Hi, I imagine this was a new tent issue, new rope is slippery, same for boot laces and climbing rope. I think may have purposefully dipped my guide lines in a puddle and ruffed them up a bit to make them courser.
Hey there question for you. I just bought this tent, and have some problems setting it up. I have trouble getting the doors to stay taught for the vestibule. I can't seem to get the loops at the bottom of the doors to stay in the piece that slides up and down the guyine at that front of the tent. Did you have this problem at all? Any advice?
I want to buy a tent or tarp or even a bivvy bag, that I can carry around when city hopping (and sleeping for free) as well as going hiking and nature. My big concern is storing my backpack and ukulele inside the shelter of my choice (as well as the fact that I will probably get a down sleeping bag, which I'm still not sure about). Do you think I could put my backpak/gear inside without it having any problems? Cheers for an answer
You've had this tent for a few years now, would you chose it again to make the same trip? I assume you didn't bother with a footprint with the LE? I'm looking at doing the GR11, but have no idea what the pitching is like, did you ever wish for a freestanding, or smaller tent? I'm a bit shorter than you at 5'11", so the solo will be roomy. This feels like the tent I want, but it's a big change from my more traditional tents. Cheers, Andy
@@tomstudd7900 nice review, i think those hailstones have persuaded me this is a perfectly decent tent for dartmoor and the likes ! ? Pyrenees what a great place to try out a tent 👍:)
Ha great video, nothing better then being in a well made tent in a storm. So with all the condensation, what your saying to your fellow campers is please dont wake up before me and shake my tent ^^
Tom, I see you are using the caldera cone and what looks like a msr titan kettle. I am deciding between an evernew 900 or titan kettle, but what are your impressions of the caldera cone? Worth the money? Thanks in advance
I think the caldera cone is a really good system. My burner however has become quite crumpled which slows its cook time down. Perhaps order a spare burner with your cone kit or dont save weight and keep it stored in the big plastic tub it comes with. The MSR pot is great and will probably last for many years ahead. There are some good beer can cooker designs on you tube. I built the one using the metal beer bottle. its really durable and efficient but not very stable and not really compatible with the cone. ultralightweightoutdoors has some good titanium burners that look intresting.
Hi Tom, we have the same height. Was it hard to prevent your sleeping bag from touching the tent walls? As I use a down bag, I don't want it to get wet.
you can raise the side with your pole but the fabric is weak and at the end of my trip there were tiny holes along the stitching of the black square attached to the wall of the tent. if you are 6" 2 or bigger your toes are likely to reach the end of the tent sometimes when you slide down or stretch out a lot. keep the solo as a summer tent. I would not want to use it in the winter.
Thanks great field trials... too many backyard salesman in tubeland pushing "reviews"... which are often merely an un boxing and set up without any interior gear placement actual use in weather etc... so is the grey fabric more transparent vs standard model green ..anyone?
Thanks for sharing this vid/review. I am giving serious thought to buying one of these to use on hiking trips.. Obviously it wont ever replace my mountain tent in circumstances that such a tent is designed for but can i ask if you have used this in colder weather and if so did you need a bivi bag to prevent draughts/windchill? My main concern is unlike a tent the mesg inner wont be windproof, i suspect it might give a small amount of wind protection but little... im hoping to use the shelter in scotland in march on the whw which will be low level walking so should be perfect...but having spent 30 years trekking with heavy tents its a leap of faith i guess lol...
there was only one night out of 20 where I had to stack up a wall to get shelter the rest of the time you need the ventilation. I was between 1500 and 2500m most nights. it was not a cold tent. I has a bivi bag to but never used it.
Cheers for the reply.. i crossed the same route you did nearly 20 years ago with an old vango tent that weighed a silly amount .. wish i had this one back then.. thanks for the reply will put a vid up if i get one. All the best.
+J Bradshaw I'm thinking of this shelter too for the WHW in May, Very interested to hear about your experiences if you get one. I'll be watching your channel. :)
Hi used the tent now a few times and its been great. Not leaked in heavy rain. Weighs very little indeed a d tiny pack size!very easy to put up! I added some loops to the tabs that the pegs go through and this has helped pitching no end. Also use a sliding prussik knot to secure the front door to the main guide line from the pole....
+J Bradshaw ah that's good to know, thanks. Have you seam sealed and treated the canvas in any way? Also did you find any need to couple it with a water resistant sleeping bag? Cheers
+tom studd I ended up picking one up from ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk for a 7 day hike on the Kungsleden, Northern Sweden (no free sweeties though). I had a few issues with it, primarily the stitching where you'd peg it down start coming lose after only a couple of days. I also had a bit of misting coming through the fabric (definately not condensation). I ended up sending it back and getting a Nemo Hornet 2P.
+sekroob Have you been able to use the hornet 2p much on the trail? How do you like it? Any issues ? I have never used a single wall shelter. was thinking about getting a nemo veda 1p or a six moons lunar solo le to cut down on trail weight. My current tent weighs almost 6lbs. Part of me wants to stick to a lightweight tent, so I dont have to worry about condensation. The hornet 2p was probably going to be my third option, but may also be my first. Tough choice. So many shelters look good on paper or in a backyard but are not very functional in the field, during a storm or on a cold night.
+tyerel raven I used it on a 4 day hike wild camping and 3 days in a camp site. I like it and there's enough space for one person. Not sure I'd want the 1p version though as it would probably be very tight! I had it out in fairly strong winds where a couple of tents got completely destroyed and it held up well. My only big complaint would be that the floor is made from very thin material, only 20D silnylon (I think the LS is 40D). I'd probably look at getting a footprint for it. I haven't had it out in rain yet so can't comment on it's performance in that respect.
1:56 Next time use a sponge, you'll love it (There are many type of sponges, I mean one like this: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-bFmvc0P1fQc.html Thanks for the video, l'm considering the Lunar solo myself...
The quality of Lunar Solo is poor actually. My tent came with a big hole in the seams. The mistake is not compensated appropriately. I would not take the risk with Six Moon Designs poor product quality.
I thought that when i opened mine hence the kids tent pic in the slides at the start but the silicon I added to the seams worked to cover the stitching holes. I was also worried about the 2 squares that hold the guide lines for head and foot room as they started to open the stitching holes. But again silicone sealer did the trick. Mine has lasted 3 long summer alpine treks and I think has another 1 or 2 in it.
hi skroob, unlucky on the solo, the stitching is a bit poor hence my slide about the kids tent. I compensated by giving mine a heavy dose of silicone sealer. I will have to check out your replacement option, I had not heard of it.
I used one tube of sealer on the outer. its tricky to do a neat job so squidge lots on. I did not use any on the groundsheet. its has risen bath tub sides if you dont peg it out to wide. I would not plan to use this tent in bad weather but it does the job when it needs to.
