TarpTent ProTrail Review and Set Up 

Thanks for the review! We use 30d fabric on the floors of our silnylon tents and 1.0 oz DCF on the floor of our Dyneema tents. We've found that they are equally as durable! In most conditions, you shouldn't have to use a groundsheet with any of our tents. Glad to see some Tarptents going to Philmont!!!

Well done even if it's a little long Just got the protrail and looking forward to spring as I live in Canada ;) Thanks for posting

Great detailed video thanks

There is no perfect tent, although you can buy the closest thing to perfection, but it'll cost ya, like you said, $699! Having said that, this tent sells for $199 right now. I think having the full ventilation awning on the sides and full front and back mesh does the most to work against that eternal enemy of condensation-issue we all have. Plus if there is condensation in the walls in the morning, they are super easy to wipe off. I need a tent. I currently have other different setups that are my go to such as the: 1) OR Helium Bivy (head hooped) - Paid $127, 16 oz. - The Pertex shell is really waterproof and condensation is not too bad but it is really tight inside. It's small footprint means it fits in well into shelters. This is the most versatile solution, super easy to setup at the end of a tiring day, but too small. It would be game over if OR made this in a 1.5 size and maybe add a hoop at the feet. I wouldn't mind a 50% increase in weight (to 24 oz) 2) MSR thru hiker mesh house 1 - Paid $115, 12 oz with 5 stakes/bag - A half-pyramid with some head space which combines with my Equinox Tarp/Poncho extended (104 x 58 in, 9.9 oz, $80) but I need another 8 stakes/guylines/linelocs (3 front, 2 sides, 3 rear) to properly cover it with the tarp, adding more weight, complexity and time at setup....."How many stakes you need to setup?" A more proper tarp/poncho would be the more expensive SMD Gatewood Cape (11 oz, $155), made for pyramid shapes or MLD Rain Poncho ( 108 x 66-60, 11 oz, $189) which is bigger. I believe the tarp/poncho is a great solution due to its 3 uses: Tarp, Rain Poncho and Pack Cover. I also have and combine with the Tarp/Poncho the OR Bug Bivy (hooped) which weighs in at 16 oz ($70) and has the same dimensions as the Helium above. This was bought a while back when I only did shelters (mice/critter/mosquito protection). 3) MH Ghost UL 1 - (paid $175, 32 oz) An almost freestanding tent (the foot end can wiggle if not staked out or weighted down) whose front entry is a PITA. Using the fly will also expand the interior mesh for more space (through clip-on connections) but it is on the narrow end. Condensation abounds in this tent. The only reason I will keep this tent is due to the freestanding feature for those above treeline rocky sites out West. Bonus: The Tarp/Poncho can be used as a huge awning in front of the OR Helium Bivy or any tent for that matter by using hiking poles (middle), 2 guylines (at the other end) and a couple of clips to connect it to the tent. In this way you can use your mesh door for ventilation in the worst rainstorm, minimizing condensation. I can sit under this in my 10 ounce cheapo Amazon stool and cook or put my shoes on. For those of you thinking that I could have bought the dream tent for all the money I've spent, let me tell you that: 1) It was a learning process. I was initially outraged at the cottage industry prices. I could not see myself spending that much money. 2) All this gear has been put together over the last 7 years or so, after much learning and trying. So the expense has been spread out. As you can see these are 3 different styles (bivy, tent, tarp/mesh) for which I've learned to appreciate each one's features. I will not try the heavier hammock camping for sure. Thanks for your video....This is not only about researching, I need a better tent, that's for sure. As such, this long write-up is some sort of therapeutic justification for the departure of $200 out of my wallet.

Great review. Ordering my ProTrail here shortly! Thanks for the info

Thanks for the information great video

Easy to set up tent, very useful!

I’ve owned a ProTrail since 2017. It worked well with hiking poles on my 80miler in the Uintas. Easy to setup after some practice and is spacious for one person. It did very well during downpours, but I always pitched it carefully, which plays a factor in ensuring water doesn’t pool and the tent is taut. I was able to place my backpack inside with me me. Condensation was an issue. It’s unavoidable with this type of tent so it’s baked into the pros/cons of a lightweight one-wall tent. Preparation and management for condensation helps and is worth the benefit of using this tent.

Picked up the Protrail li. Even though it's cubenfiber (dyneema) for all intents, I still use a piece of tyvek for the floor and cut it so that it extends into the vestibule area. With that I lean my pack against the walking pole support, attach it with a nite ize gear tie so it doesn't fall over and it has the tyvek to sit on. More than enough room for the pack, and my shoes. Perfect piece of gear in my mind or at least haven't found anything better.

My Tarptent Contrail is great! I'll be living in it for two months on the GDMBR this summer. Skip the groundsheet, use a small square of Tyvek or plastic at the front door for getting in and out of the tent. :-)

Easy setup for sure! I don’t know if i could sleep open without a bug net to close the front off. I did cowboy camp before with just a sleepbag by a fire.. the ground ants and bugs kept crawling all over the bag. Zpacks Duplex has been a winner for me for awhile. Before that i carried the REI half dome tent 2 plus was my tried and true for a long time. Great video!

Nice review. I am doubted to buy protrail or big sky or sixmoon. It did make a good attraction for me to purchase it :) thank you

Pop some small grommets in the corners of your ground sheet and tie some shock cord loops with mitten hooks on there. Then you can just clip it into the bathtub of your tent and you won't have to fight with it anymore.

Try some silicone on the bottom of the sleeping pad too.

Thank you for the review. I've been looking at this one for a while. Just one question about setting it up on rock where you can't stake it out and are limited to using rocks to tie it out. Have you had to set it up on a hard surface? If so how did it go? Thanks

Do you have a video of your Philmont trek? I couldn't find one on your channel, is it on another channel?

Hi Tim. Just saw your video on this tent, have subscribed to your channel. Question: Since this is Dec. 2022, would you still recommend this tent? I'm a section-hiker of the AT, and need a lightweight 1 person tent in case I can't sleep in a shelter. As of this date, do you have any different or additional recommendations? Look forward to viewing more of your videos. Thanks!

Considering this tent. How does it hold up in the wind?

You should check out the Six Moons Design Lunar Solo. No ground cloth needed, cheaper and roomier.

So heavy for a 1 person tent.

Still hanging your food? Bushcrafter.

These tents not coming sealed is such a ripoff. I refuse to pay $200+ for a tent I have to fix