Solo tent for the taller goys

[kroppr77]

Looking for an all season tent and been looking a lot at the hilleberg and msr tents. I’m looking for something to run above tree line, and lower elevations for early winter. I’ve always been a tarp and tipi guy for archery elk, but get sick of the condensation for sure. Also, I don’t think any of my seek outsides or tarps will hold up during an alpine storm, nor do I care to find out. Anyways I’m 6’4” and I’ve read that most all these tents are very tight and borderline problematic for tall guys. Would I be better off in a 2p? I know the weight is gonna go up either way from a tarp or tipi, but I want a tent that will cover Ak, to highcountry mule deer, to late season rifle. I’m not into the stove fad anymore, especially in steep country.
The solo tents I’ve considered are the akto, soulo, ennan, msr ultralight 4 season solo, anjan, niak, and rogan. I’ve been leaning towards the akto or soulo, but don’t know if it will be big enough.

 

[Montana Slim]

Following...
I've used a fly creek 2p all over the place, but at 6'7" I sometimes sleep with my head in the vestibule, and the materials/pole setup don't "inspire confidence" in anything too rowdy. Curious what other mansquantches have had luck with

 

[Mykolaivka887]

Noth Face tents .....

 

[SoloWilderness]

2 person for sure. I'm only 6'2" so I would be the little guy in this bunch, but I have been through all manner of 1p-2p tents, and there is no way I would give up the extra room of a 2p for a few ounces. I'm currently using a North Face Mountain 25 for 4th season (heavy AF, but completely, totally bombproof), I use a Kuiu Mountainstar until about the end of October. Definitely look to something with 2 vestibules. 1 for boots and cooking, 1 for rifle and pack.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

2 person for sure. I'm only 6'2" so I would be the little guy in this bunch, but I have been through all manner of 1p-2p tents, and there is no way I would give up the extra room of a 2p for a few ounces. I'm currently using a North Face Mountain 25 for 4th season (heavy AF, but completely, totally bombproof), I use a Kuiu Mountainstar until about the end of October. Definitely look to something with 2 vestibules. 1 for boots and cooking, 1 for rifle and pack.

Yeah, those North Face Mountain 25's are a helluva tent, for backpacking. Not as roomy as the VE 25's, but a really good tent for late October and November mountain goat hunts. I certainly like mine.

 

[sneaky]

6'4" you'll be cramped in all those tents you mentioned. Look at a Scarp 1 from Tarptent with the crossing poles. Plenty of YouTube videos of them in some hellish weather. Lots of English and Scottish campers rave about them. Those guys get blasted by winds constantly. Way more room than any of the tents you mentioned. LightHeart Gear SoLong 6 is another, but for true 4 season use I'd stick with the Scarp.

 

[*zap*]

At 6' a 1 person tent is tight.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

6'4" you'll be cramped in all those tents you mentioned.

I beg to differ. I'm 6' 5" and not cramped at all in a Mountain 25 or a VE-25.

 

[kroppr77]

Would that kuiu mountainstar be a solid option if late season is below tree line? They describe it as a 3+ season. They do have that storm star also…

 

[SoloWilderness]

Would that kuiu mountainstar be a solid option if late season is below tree line? They describe it as a 3+ season. They do have that storm star also…

I've used mine in some pretty serious snowstorms (up to 18"+ overnight storms) above treeline at 11,000-12'000 feet and never had any structural issues. Below treeline it should be fine, although it can get a little chilly in the winter, as its all mesh sidewalls under the fly (which is awesome in September). 90% sure the build is the same as the Storm Star other than the sidewall material. You can also use the Storm Star with just the fly for earlier season, and then the body later in the season. Unless the weather is supposed to be calling for multiple feet of snow, I typically take it instead of my North Face (roughly 1/3 the weight and bulk). If I was going to buy just one, I would probably get the Storm Star, my Mountain Star is a first generation, before they released the Storm. It would be a bit warmer, maybe 1-1/2 lbs heavier (don't quote me on that), and as I mentioned using just the fly is a great early season option. Below treeline, I would also probably put a Siltarp above it strung between a couple trees to keep snow from piling up at the doors, as you do have to do a bit of snow shedding at the entrances.

 

[TheGDog]

Dunno if it'll offer you the 4-season aspect, but I really like my MSR Hubba 2P. I'm 5'11" 220 Lbs. So wide at the shoulders and I love having the 2P space inside of it! I can put everything inside the tent at night. And being 2P it allows you the ability to rotate your sleeping bag angle within the tent floor to find best flatness so you sleep the best.

Ugh... when I started, just used an REI Quarter Dome and that thing just plain sucked. You feel like you're doing a constant sit-up when you're in it whenever you have to sit up or grab for anything while inside.

Having that Hubba 2 I can sit up and tuck my forelegs under me and still have a little headroom. That part is real nice.

Also if you go to hot places, their venting design works very well. And inside that Hubba 2 I've not had condensation issues. That Quarter Dome? Ugh, condensation inside of it was annoying.

And I don't know how some guys do the floorless tent thing. No spank you. Call me crazy but I really like not having ants and who knows what else trying to crawl on me while I'm sleeping.

 

[Montana Slim]

I've spent months and months in VE-25's and older TNF mountain tents... they are fantastic, but I don't think I'd want to pack one very far unless I was staying a long while

 

[slick]

I beg to differ. I'm 6' 5" and not cramped at all in a Mountain 25 or a VE-25.

No one could cramp your on-camera talent Rob, not even in a small tent.

 

[Dos Perros]

SoLong 6 - Sil-Nylon

Designed for the ‘BIG & TALL’. The SoLong 6 is SO Long, that hikers over 6’8” will fit comfortably in this tent. There is so much room in this tent that 2 ‘regular size’ people can share it. Made in the USAUS Patent No.8555908 Made in North Carolina, U.S.A. 3-season, fully enclosed, roomy 1+...

lightheartgear.com

 

[Superdoo]

Silex and nest?

 

[sneaky]

I beg to differ. I'm 6' 5" and not cramped at all in a Mountain 25 or a VE-25.

And those tents are heavy, and not one man tents either. The Scarp 1 is 5lbs lighter than either of the NF 25s and pitches fly and inner together. The Scarp 2 is 4lbs lighter than either of the NF 25s if we're going to use 2 man tents in this comparison.

 

[Gapmaster]

I would call Tarptent and ask them about your dilemma. They are pretty good in my experience about helping out. They have some excellent options as well

 

[sneaky]

I've used mine in some pretty serious snowstorms (up to 18"+ overnight storms) above treeline at 11,000-12'000 feet and never had any structural issues. Below treeline it should be fine, although it can get a little chilly in the winter, as its all mesh sidewalls under the fly (which is awesome in September). 90% sure the build is the same as the Storm Star other than the sidewall material. You can also use the Storm Star with just the fly for earlier season, and then the body later in the season. Unless the weather is supposed to be calling for multiple feet of snow, I typically take it instead of my North Face (roughly 1/3 the weight and bulk). If I was going to buy just one, I would probably get the Storm Star, my Mountain Star is a first generation, before they released the Storm. It would be a bit warmer, maybe 1-1/2 lbs heavier (don't quote me on that), and as I mentioned using just the fly is a great early season option. Below treeline, I would also probably put a Siltarp above it strung between a couple trees to keep snow from piling up at the doors, as you do have to do a bit of snow shedding at the entrances.

The Storm Star has a different pole structure than the Mountain Star. Mountain Star has the short 3rd pole that tensions over the doors Storm Star has a full 3rd pole. Difference pole diameters, 15d material on Mountain Star, 30d/40d on Storm Star. Xpac reinforced seams on Storm Star. Lots of differences between the two tents other than sidewall material. Both are good tents, just some pretty significant differences between them.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

And those tents are heavy, and not one man tents either. The Scarp 1 is 5lbs lighter than either of the NF 25s and pitches fly and inner together. The Scarp 2 is 4lbs lighter than either of the NF 25s if we're going to use 2 man tents in this comparison.

Mountain 25 is a one man accommodation, Wouldn't want to squeeze two guys in that tent.

The VE-25 on the other hand could accommodate two guys, but again, I wouldn’t want to share a VE-25 with another dude.

Neither tent is for the so-called "gram weenie" bacpacker, but they are bombproof tents when it comes to severe, high altitude, winter-like weather.

 

[kroppr77]

Tarptent seems to have some real solid options after looking at that. I like how you can run a mesh or solid wall, depending on the time of year. Anyone run those in late Oct and November? It reminds me of an akto or enan. I’m just wondering on the durability?