Page 1 of 4

Bikepacking tent

Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2021 7:13 pm
by Mactheknife68
So I received £200 of vouchers from ultralightgear.com. Plan to use them to a one man tent/shelter. Any recommendations real life experience would be great regarding

1. MSR Elixir 1
2 Lunar Solo
Or
3. Buy a different tent from a different retailer and use the vouchers for something else?

Re: Bikepacking tent

Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2021 7:20 pm
by Bearbonesnorm
You'll not go wrong with a Lunar or if you prefer something more tarpy and less tenty, a Gatewood cape. Nice thing about the Lunar aside from the thing itself, is the quick and easy resale should you not gel.

Re: Bikepacking tent

Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2021 7:21 pm
by Richpips
I'd go for the Lunar over the MSR.

Much sturdier. I've owned both makes, though not that particular MSR model.

Re: Bikepacking tent

Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2021 8:50 pm
by rudedog
Elixir seems heavy for a 1 man tent?

Re: Bikepacking tent

Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2021 8:59 pm
by Mactheknife68
Indeed hadn’t noticed that.

Also noticed I would need to seam seal the lunar solo. Any tips?

Re: Bikepacking tent

Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2021 9:10 pm
by Bearbonesnorm
Also noticed I would need to seam seal the lunar solo. Any tips?
Never did mine, never leaked.

Thin it down with white spirit and paint it on with a brush. Resist the urge to apply a load thinking it'll seal better - it won't and is much more likely to come off. Less is more.

Re: Bikepacking tent

Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2021 9:15 pm
by fatbikephil
Deschutes - more flexible than a lunar solo and you don't have to wear it :grin:

Re: Bikepacking tent

Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2021 10:30 pm
by JohnClimber
Luna Solo for the win, but get the pole from Stuart from these here parts

https://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/shop ... ific-poles

Re: Bikepacking tent

Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2021 10:54 pm
by ChrisF
Another happy Lunar Solo user here. Simple, sturdy and roomy enough for me at 6’. Also Stuart’s carbon poles work a treat and are super light.

Re: Bikepacking tent

Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2021 11:38 pm
by Mactheknife68
Been doing a bit more research on the lunar solo and condensation seems an issue. Any tips on dealing with that.

Re: Bikepacking tent

Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2021 12:10 am
by ScotRoutes
Mactheknife68 wrote: Mon Mar 15, 2021 11:38 pm Been doing a bit more research on the lunar solo and condensation seems an issue. Any tips on dealing with that.
I've had condensation in mine twice.

Once was at the beach in a haar - everything was covered in it.

Once was in a very damp forest - everything was covered in it.

I don't actually think it's a problem if it's pitched correctly, though just like any other shelter/tent you really need a through-draft to remove any moisture. TBH, I mostly use mine with the door wide open.

There is a very good reason they are popular (on here and elsewhere). Many years ago I was "designing" my perfect tent in my head. I described it to someone on STW and they posted a link to the SMD website. :lol:

Re: Bikepacking tent

Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2021 12:15 am
by Rob S
The msr Elixir is a great tent, but you can't ignore the weight if you're carrying it on your bike (1800g!) I put the poles in my frame bag and strap the rest to my handlebars, but it's a bit bulky. If I start doing more trips I've promised myself a Lunar solo at some point.

Re: Bikepacking tent

Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2021 12:24 am
by Borderer
Mactheknife68 wrote: Mon Mar 15, 2021 11:38 pm Been doing a bit more research on the lunar solo and condensation seems an issue. Any tips on dealing with that.
Lightweight single-skin tents are always going to gather condensation to some extent, although you can mitigate this with good ventilation. The Lunar solo will be no worse or better than many others in this respect - do it up tight and it will be ringing wet by morning. The weather will also play a big part.

One thing to watch for with these sort of minimalist tents is to make sure the condensation has a free run to the ground. I'm not sure if that is the case with the Lunar Solo as the lower mesh skirt is sewn in to the outer from what I can see. If the condensation that runs down the walls can gather in the bathtub it will make your gear wet. Other tents with a completely separate inner and outer can be better for this - also as your sleeping gear will be slightly held back from the wet outer by the mesh you won't get wet bedding to the same extent.

The other option is a bivvy bag inside something like a Gatewood cape, which is pretty much a shaped tarp but with greater weather protection.

The only time condensation has really bothered me was in a very small tent that was a pain to climb out of because it had an end (as opposed to side) entrance. Every morning I got a cold shower from the condensate as I unzipped and wriggled out. It wasn't much fun. In my three-person tent or my Gatewood cape I just accept condensation as inevitable. It doesn't bother me that much because I don't really come in contact with it. If you carry the outer skin of your tent in a separate dry bag it will stop it making the rest of the tent wet - not something you want on multi-day trips.

Re: Bikepacking tent

Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2021 9:15 am
by Bearbonesnorm
I think people sometimes overlook the fact that Lunar solo's and similar aren't 'tents' in the true sense or at least the sense most people understand. They do require a little more thought and user input ... it's not much, just a little. As Colin says, keeping the door open will make a big difference as air is then completely free to enter and leave, taking moisture with it.

Having said all that, I think the Lunar Solo is a good example of how to design a tarp-tent well and I never really suffered condensation with mine.

Re: Bikepacking tent

Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2021 11:58 am
by Mactheknife68
@Bearbonesnorm, do you use the recommended 49” pole or a slightly higher one as some people are recommending?

Re: Bikepacking tent

Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2021 12:01 pm
by ScotRoutes
I use the standard length pole.

I bought the Easton but it's very flexy. Stus pole is much more rigid. As a result I can tighten up the whole tent better.

Re: Bikepacking tent

Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2021 12:31 pm
by FLV
I think I am the only one ever to not really rate the Lunar solo.

Its fine. that's as far as I will go though, just fine.

My issues with it is that its not a tent and not great at being one. Faff to put up, breezy when in and lay down etc.
Its also not a bivi / tarp, enclosed like a tent so no star gazing, not enclosed like a bivi bag so windy. Doesn't pack as small as a bivi

I'd rather a tent for questionable weather or a bivi bag for superlight one nighters.

Re: Bikepacking tent

Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2021 1:29 pm
by Bearbonesnorm
@Bearbonesnorm, do you use the recommended 49” pole or a slightly higher one as some people are recommending?
Yep, standard 49" / 125cm works fine.
My issues with it is that its not a tent and not great at being one.
Exactly.

Re: Bikepacking tent

Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2021 2:11 pm
by woodsmith
FLV wrote: Tue Mar 16, 2021 12:31 pm I think I am the only one ever to not really rate the Lunar solo.

Its fine. that's as far as I will go though, just fine.

My issues with it is that its not a tent and not great at being one. Faff to put up, breezy when in and lay down etc.
Its also not a bivi / tarp, enclosed like a tent so no star gazing, not enclosed like a bivi bag so windy. Doesn't pack as small as a bivi

I'd rather a tent for questionable weather or a bivi bag for superlight one nighters.
Not the only one. I bought a Luna Solo a couple of years ago and spent several hours trying to get an acceptable pitch on a perfectley flat lawn. Tried longer and shorter trekking pole lengths. There was no way to get the bathtub floor to stand up at all. It was so far from pitching as it should that I could only surmise it had been sewn incorrectley.Absolute POS in my opinion. Sent it back for a refund and bought a cheaper and far lighter trekkertent Stealth 1. The Trekkertent haas over 200 fault free nights on it and i cant recommend it highly enough. Also its made in Scotland rather than China.

Re: Bikepacking tent

Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2021 2:19 pm
by Lazarus
Never tried the lunar but also a happy Strekker stealth owner- probably not for the taller person though

I like the fact its sort of half way between a tent and a bivvy and as it fully unzips at the back[ extra option] i can use it as atarp is required and easily get more air flow through it

Lunar has more usable space inside it but seems to be at a cost of how good a tent it is


YMMV

Re: Bikepacking tent

Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2021 2:45 pm
by ScotRoutes
I think I pitch my LS opposite to the instructions.

Loosen off all the guys.
Peg out the rear corners.
Insert pole. Make an angle of 85 degrees or so (base of pole a bit further forward than the peak).
Pull out front guy and peg down.
Now peg out the rear and the front corners.
Adjust guys to match whatever ground level you have.
I will usually use a lifter on one of the main panels (the upwind one). Often that's just using my bike as a pole.

That's about it. All pretty straightforward.

You certainly don't want to cinch down the guys too much as that reduces the airflow considerably. I wonder if some folk overdo that.

Re: Bikepacking tent

Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2021 3:02 pm
by Mactheknife68
I do like the Trekkertent but I’m stuck with the vouchers from Ultralightoutdoos unless I use them for other kit.

Re: Bikepacking tent

Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2021 3:10 pm
by sean_iow
woodsmith wrote: Tue Mar 16, 2021 2:11 pm spent several hours trying to get an acceptable pitch on a perfectley flat lawn.
I've got a Deschutes, basically the Lunar Solo without the sewn in floor. I must have tried dozens of times to get a good pitch on my lawn and I'm never happy with it. For example, pitched in the daylight at home for a lock-down BAM, back to close to the ground and doors to high off the ground and flappy.

Image

However, when out I always seem to get it right first time :???: Pitched in the dark in Scotland after a days riding at the first flat-ish bit of ground I spotted

Image

or even the first time I used it, pitched in the wind of the night before

Image

I've no idea why I can pitch it on a ride but fail in the garden, I'm sure I'm following the same procedure :???:

Re: Bikepacking tent

Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2021 3:12 pm
by woodsmith
Mactheknife68 wrote: Tue Mar 16, 2021 3:02 pm I do like the Trekkertent but I’m stuck with the vouchers from Ultralightoutdoos unless I use them for other kit.
Are they transferable or in your name? Perhaps you could sell them on classifieds?

Re: Bikepacking tent

Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2021 5:47 pm
by Mactheknife68
No they are just a set of codes, mixture of letters and numbers