Before I buy a Lunar Solo...

Talk about anything.

Moderators: Bearbonesnorm, Taylor, Chew

User avatar
Shewie
Posts: 662
Joined: Sat Oct 05, 2019 5:27 pm
Location: Leeds
Contact:

Re: Before I buy a Lunar Solo...

Post by Shewie »

Lanshan Pro 1 maybe?
User avatar
Boab
Posts: 2177
Joined: Wed Nov 06, 2019 11:36 am
Location: Cloud Cuckoo Land
Contact:

Re: Before I buy a Lunar Solo...

Post by Boab »

Shewie wrote: Fri Aug 28, 2020 9:07 am Lanshan Pro 1 maybe?
Unless someone on here is getting rid of one. Yes, it's very tempting price wise, but as previously discussed in the mists of time, I'm not wanting to buy from China (or Planet X for example).
There are theories at the bottom of my jargon.
firestarter
Posts: 812
Joined: Sun Oct 18, 2015 12:15 pm

Re: Before I buy a Lunar Solo...

Post by firestarter »

I got the regular lanshan 1 used from ebay recently I paid more than I would have from China but arrived in 2 days I got a pole from stu, looks good , I wanted the old one so I can use it with or without bug net as to me it seemed more useful
lune ranger
Posts: 2380
Joined: Thu Dec 15, 2016 7:52 pm
Location: Peoples Republic of Devon

Re: Before I buy a Lunar Solo...

Post by lune ranger »

sean_iow wrote: Fri Aug 28, 2020 8:05 am
K1100T wrote: Thu Aug 27, 2020 10:00 pm After the last few experiences in the bivy bag, I want a tent. The Gatewood Cape and Serenity Bug Tent are a bit too spendy for me at the moment.
The Serenity bug net is really quite small, if you look at the dimensions of the floor it's only 214cm long x 66cm wide. That's not much bigger the a full length mat. This was the reason I've made my own inner. With the Serenity I think you'd have to blow your mat up and sort your kit before you get inside.

The Lunar is IMO the best usable space per £ for the weight there is. You can easily sit up inside, sort gear, blow up mats etc.

Obviously having said all that I didn't buy one :lol: I have the Deschutes BUT if I lived somewhere where I'd want insect protection, so basically anywhere north of the Isle of Wight :wink: I'd have bought the Lunar Solo.
I can confirm the Serenity bug tent is pretty small and IMO not great value. It serves its purpose however. I’ve mostly used mine to take advantage of the bathtub floor when it’s been very wet rather than for keeping midges at bay.
If you are going through hell, keep going.
WSC
User avatar
Shewie
Posts: 662
Joined: Sat Oct 05, 2019 5:27 pm
Location: Leeds
Contact:

Re: Before I buy a Lunar Solo...

Post by Shewie »

K1100T wrote: Fri Aug 28, 2020 9:45 am
Shewie wrote: Fri Aug 28, 2020 9:07 am Lanshan Pro 1 maybe?
Unless someone on here is getting rid of one. Yes, it's very tempting price wise, but as previously discussed in the mists of time, I'm not wanting to buy from China (or Planet X for example).
Well as it happens ... :grin:

I bought one earlier in the year and have bought another 3 shelters since so can't see me using it if I'm honest.

It's been pitched once in the man cave and been packed up since.

Think I paid £110 for it, would take £95 posted
User avatar
Boab
Posts: 2177
Joined: Wed Nov 06, 2019 11:36 am
Location: Cloud Cuckoo Land
Contact:

Re: Before I buy a Lunar Solo...

Post by Boab »

Shewie wrote: Fri Aug 28, 2020 10:23 am
K1100T wrote: Fri Aug 28, 2020 9:45 am
Shewie wrote: Fri Aug 28, 2020 9:07 am Lanshan Pro 1 maybe?
Unless someone on here is getting rid of one.
Well as it happens ... :grin:
You have a PM... 🤣
There are theories at the bottom of my jargon.
User avatar
Shewie
Posts: 662
Joined: Sat Oct 05, 2019 5:27 pm
Location: Leeds
Contact:

Re: Before I buy a Lunar Solo...

Post by Shewie »

K1100T wrote: Fri Aug 28, 2020 10:43 am
Shewie wrote: Fri Aug 28, 2020 10:23 am
K1100T wrote: Fri Aug 28, 2020 9:45 am
Shewie wrote: Fri Aug 28, 2020 9:07 am Lanshan Pro 1 maybe?
Unless someone on here is getting rid of one.
Well as it happens ... :grin:
You have a PM... 🤣
PM replied to :wink:
User avatar
fatbikephil
Posts: 6511
Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2014 10:51 pm
Location: Fife
Contact:

Re: Before I buy a Lunar Solo...

Post by fatbikephil »

We do like a happy ending!
Re poles (hur hur) the BB pole is well stiff which means you can throw the tent up and pull everything tight without worrying too much about bending it. My first attempts with an alloy pole meant you had to be very careful tensioning everything to avoid it going banana shaped.....
User avatar
Cheeky Monkey
Posts: 3915
Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2011 1:48 pm
Location: Leeds ish
Contact:

Re: Before I buy a Lunar Solo...

Post by Cheeky Monkey »


I can confirm the Serenity bug tent is pretty small and IMO not great value. It serves its purpose however. I’ve mostly used mine to take advantage of the bathtub floor when it’s been very wet rather than for keeping midges at bay.
Thought the Sea2Summit bug net was a practical and financially beneficial alternative:

Image

https://rockrun.com/products/sea-to-sum ... gJ34fD_BwE

Other vendors exist but thought it only sporting as I nicked their pic ;-)

Doesn't have the complexity of the Serenity but but for the cost of a sheet of tyvek seems a bit of a no-brainer to me :cool:
User avatar
RIP
Posts: 9009
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 7:24 pm
Location: Surfing The Shores Of Sanity Since 1959
Contact:

Re: Before I buy a Lunar Solo...

Post by RIP »

Make sure it's the "Nano" - think might be a "heavio" version too?
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP

The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....

"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
User avatar
fatbikephil
Posts: 6511
Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2014 10:51 pm
Location: Fife
Contact:

Re: Before I buy a Lunar Solo...

Post by fatbikephil »

Yes and no - its quite fiddly to put up and being asymmetrical not that well suited to a deschutes et al - it does work but tends to sag around you a bit unless you peg it out and faff alot. Getting in and out is also quite a challenge as there is no zip. You can wear it as an all over anti midge net though as well as use it to go to the loo midge free which is justification for one in itself.
User avatar
RIP
Posts: 9009
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 7:24 pm
Location: Surfing The Shores Of Sanity Since 1959
Contact:

Re: Before I buy a Lunar Solo...

Post by RIP »

Agreed tis faffworthy. But only 92g worth of faff :smile: .
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP

The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....

"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
User avatar
fatbikephil
Posts: 6511
Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2014 10:51 pm
Location: Fife
Contact:

Re: Before I buy a Lunar Solo...

Post by fatbikephil »

RIP wrote: Fri Aug 28, 2020 2:33 pm Agreed tis faffworthy. But only 92g worth of faff :smile: .
:roll: :grin:
User avatar
Cheeky Monkey
Posts: 3915
Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2011 1:48 pm
Location: Leeds ish
Contact:

Re: Before I buy a Lunar Solo...

Post by Cheeky Monkey »

Yes, apologies, the nano version :cool:

Faffage to my mind not that big a deal, certainly not c.£120 worth of big-deal given the price difference.

HYOH, of course :cool:
jamiep
Posts: 473
Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2013 7:34 pm
Location: Edinburgh
Contact:

Re: Before I buy a Lunar Solo...

Post by jamiep »

Cheeky Monkey wrote: Fri Aug 28, 2020 3:07 pm Yes, apologies, the nano version :cool:

Faffage to my mind not that big a deal, certainly not c.£120 worth of big-deal given the price difference.

HYOH, of course :cool:
It's not just the price difference though. There is also a difference in usable floor/head space; much more with a Solo than with a bug net and a Deschutes or Cape.

Im a new convert to the Solo. Since buying one recently I'm nipping for an overnighter much more whereas I'd go out only 2-3 times a year outwith special trips such as TNR last year. Versus a bivi bag, it's made me realise I appreciate the large, slug-free floor space, safely away from midgies, but still a fairly open, unobstructed view.

Ps the BB pole is excellent
User avatar
Cheeky Monkey
Posts: 3915
Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2011 1:48 pm
Location: Leeds ish
Contact:

Re: Before I buy a Lunar Solo...

Post by Cheeky Monkey »

I may not have made it clear but I was comparing the Serenity inner for (IIRC) £150 with a S2S bug not at c.£20 (or £30, if you allow for some Tyvek :wink: as a groundsheet).

I have only used the cheapy option but the faffage savings (and everything else) would need to be *significant* to offset the price difference, for me.

Like I said though, HYOH :cool:
Leerowe76
Posts: 443
Joined: Mon Jun 11, 2018 1:41 pm
Location: North Wales

Re: Before I buy a Lunar Solo...

Post by Leerowe76 »

whitestone wrote: Thu Aug 27, 2020 8:50 pm Lunar Solo is £245, weight is 730g
Gatewood is £170, weight is 300g, Borah Gear bivy was £71, weight is 175g

Just saying :wink:
Flame creed lunar solo copy is £85 weight is 730g, does a job tbh comes with removable midgey net. That leaves you with £160 to spend on, well whatever you want :-bd
Living On Dreams & Custard Creams
Mactheknife68
Posts: 623
Joined: Thu Oct 15, 2015 10:13 am

Re: Before I buy a Lunar Solo...

Post by Mactheknife68 »

Anyone using the trekker tent, looks a decent option at £190
User avatar
FLV
Posts: 4245
Joined: Tue Aug 28, 2012 9:12 am
Location: Northern Edge of the Peak - Mostly

Re: Before I buy a Lunar Solo...

Post by FLV »

I've used an actual tent the last few times I've been out. Nordisk Telemark 1
Very good so far, tho not as roomy as my lunar solo I currently prefer it due to lack off faff
middleagedmadness
Posts: 1799
Joined: Wed Nov 01, 2017 6:37 pm
Location: Tir Na Nog

Re: Before I buy a Lunar Solo...

Post by middleagedmadness »

Just posted in bargain alert thread , gatewoodcape for £128 if any good to op
Lazarus
Posts: 3598
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2013 10:49 am

Re: Before I buy a Lunar Solo...

Post by Lazarus »

Anyone using the trekker tent, looks a decent option at £190
Yes and I have the rear zip verson
advantages
* Fly sheet pitches first
* Inner can be left at homes so can be used as a tarp
* Solid and pretty well tested for UK conditions
* Can use bike for rear pole
* can just get two under it in tarp mode
*Reasonable size vestibule for storage

Negatives
* Not the tallest
* Coffin like -does not bother me but i consider it to be a bivvy tent rather than a tent
* lead times - my experience was he did not deliver in double the stated time
User avatar
Boab
Posts: 2177
Joined: Wed Nov 06, 2019 11:36 am
Location: Cloud Cuckoo Land
Contact:

Re: Before I buy a Lunar Solo...

Post by Boab »

middleagedmadness wrote: Wed Sep 02, 2020 11:06 am Just posted in bargain alert thread , gatewoodcape for £128 if any good to op
I have picked up an unused Lanshan 1 Pro from Shewie. Thanks for thinking of me though!
There are theories at the bottom of my jargon.
redefined_cycles
Posts: 9282
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2016 8:19 am
Location: Dewsbury, West Yorkshire

Re: Before I buy a Lunar Solo...

Post by redefined_cycles »

FLV wrote: Sun Aug 30, 2020 9:02 pm I've used an actual tent the last few times I've been out. Nordisk Telemark 1
Very good so far, tho not as roomy as my lunar solo I currently prefer it due to lack off faff
Dave... how's a Nordisk less faff than a lunar (genuine question as I like less faff)... I thought LS was the least faffy option out there without going into Gatewood territory :???:
User avatar
FLV
Posts: 4245
Joined: Tue Aug 28, 2012 9:12 am
Location: Northern Edge of the Peak - Mostly

Re: Before I buy a Lunar Solo...

Post by FLV »

As much as I like my LS, I find myself faffing about trying to get a taught pitch. Circling the thing, adjusting etc.
Once up, it's good.

So far, the Nordisk is up in no time, no adjusting.

Both are less faff than a square tarp and bivvi option.

This is of course, for me. I've seen other people do it more efficiently.
Last edited by FLV on Wed Sep 02, 2020 7:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Bearbonesnorm
Posts: 23904
Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2011 8:53 pm
Location: my own little world

Re: Before I buy a Lunar Solo...

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

Shaf, what makes you think the Lunar is a faff? 1 pole, 6 pegs and a couple of minutes.


EDIT: Dave's obviously crap :wink:
May the bridges you burn light your way
Post Reply