1 Person Tent Recommendations

[Pigeondave]

Hi,

I'm on the hunt for a 1 person tent that's affordable, light weight & compact. Ideally under 1kg.

I'll expand on affordable - Terra Novas & Hilleberg Aktos are a little out of budget.

I was just wondering if anyone had any suggestions.

I'm used to a tarp/ hammock setup but am planning a trip where I don't expect to be able to to use it.

Thanks

 

[bopdude]

What style do you want, tunnel, geo, tipi, do you need a floor, an inner ?

 

[Conuda]

Hi There. I use a Vango Zenith 200. It's very light, packs very small and can be put up and down very quickly. It's a "two man" but that basically means one man and a bag just fit! I like that I can fold it up into any shape for my main bag and there's no need to unhook the inner liner so you can put it up in the rain without getting the inside wet (big plus!) I know Vango doesn't seem like the highest quality but I've used it a bunch of times over two years and it's never let me down. It can get hot in the morning if it's sunny but that's the price one pays for a thinner tent which can pack smaller I suppose. It can be vented quite nicely.

I do envy my mates Vango Banshee 200 though! It seems a bit bigger inside and perhaps a slightly smarter design. Then again mine has a better side port for boots an stuff.

 

[Alan De Enfield]

When I'm trying stealth camping the 1-man tent I use (I use a 2-man for normal use as I like the space) is a Gelert Solo.
price is only about £24 at the moment at Sports Direct, but all-in (Tent, pegs, poles, flysheet, groundsheet and Guy ropes it is 1.6kg inclusive of a spare peg and extra 'bungees')

The price may mislead you regarding quality - I have been extremely happy with this tent, it is not a 'party tent', or a 'festival tent', the price has been reduced and reduced for the last couple of years as its no longer a production item and is on 'clearance'. It is a good strong, well made tent. I would not sell mine to swap it for anything.

Look very carefully at some quoted weights they are often not 'inclusive' as the supplier tries to convince you it is a lightweight tent.

The Track-1 is a very good specification with a HH of 3000mm, the specification states 1.8kg but I have weighed mine

https://www.sportsdirect.com/gelert-track-1-tent-783070?colcode=78307090

(Also available in 'matt-green')

The Gelert Track 1 Tent features an ultra lightweight pack size and benefits from No-see-um mesh ventilation and a darker bedroom for added privacy and a better nights sleep.

> 1 person tent
> Quick and easy to pitch
> Compact pack size
> No-see-um mesh ventilation
> Darker bedroom
> Side storage space for additional gear
> Ideal for backpacking
> Fabric outer: 190T polyester with waterproof PUT coating
> Fabric inner: 190T breathable polyester
> Groundsheet: 120g/m2 polyethylene
> Poles: 6.9mm fibreglass
> Pitch: Inner first
> Taped seams: Yes
> HH: 3000mm
> Fire retardant inner and outer
> Weight: 1800g
> Dimensions: L256 x W181 x H70cm
> Pack size: W48 x D44cm

I think you'll find that 'cheap' (affordable has so many meanings depending on the depth of your pocket) and 'under 1kg' do not sit well together.

My 3x3 DD Tarpaulin with a few pegs, some line and the bag weighs in at 1.030kg. There is not much of a tent (unless you want single skin and no groundsheet) for under 1kg

 

[Alan De Enfield]

Gelert Track-1 Tent Component Weights (grams)

14x Pegs, + Spare Elastic Bungee, & Peg-Bag = 262 g
Poles, & Pole bag = 294 g
Fly-Sheet, & Guys = 420 g
Tent = 613g
Tent Carry bag= 66 g
Total = 1655 g

 

[RichardJackson]

If you are using walking poles on the trip and dont expect to not hammock camp very often again, then I'd consider using your tarp with walking poles as, well, tent poles. If midgies are a problem buy a single person net for under the tarp. Otherwise an ex-mod bivvybag over a mat and sleeping bag is all you need as in Paul Kirtleys Lightening the Load: Sleep system vid. Yes he's in a wood, but the tarp van be set up many ways to suit the tarp, the terrain and the weather. Just a thought...

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

 

[Pigeondave]

Thanks for all the responses, very helpful indeed. In response to Bopdude, I was looking at the tunnel designs, not fussed about floor but mosquito/ inner would be handy. That said I saw quite a nice video featuring a poncho and pole and I didn't know about the 1 person mosquito nets so will definitely consider them in conjunction with my tarp!

 

[Billy-o]

Make sure the net you buy has a close enough weave to actually keep the little pests out. There's lots of good self supporting one person midge tents .. ideal for watching the stars whilst avoiding getting eaten alive and, being moveable, work well in conjunction with an adjacent tarp

e.g https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5035-...MIm8eqrNOr3AIV0cDACh2QRgXmEAQYASABEgISfvD_BwE

 

[RE8ELD0G]

Check out backpackinglight.co.uk
they sell the Luxe sil hexpeak V4a.
Awesome little lightweight tent

 

[nobby8126]

I have two budget hiking tents and both do well The gelert solo (now track 1 I believe) good but small. as long as you dont mind sleeping in a coffin you'll be golden.

Tiger paws (now hike lite) This tent has been awesome, loads of height, plenty of ventilation and a cracking all rounder

 

[Janne]

Some good info on previous posts!

Personally I prefer a 2 man tent, and am ok with the additional weight.

When I was single ( decades ago) I used a two man tent outer and a one man inner. Fjällräven brand.
Saved some weight, but still had the space to put all my stuff away from rain.

I hate the modern tent designs, too heavy and most have lots of wasted space.

 

[mickos]

ive just bought the vango blade 100 recently for £80 on outdoor camping direct. Really light and easy to pack away. im used to heavier cheap 2-3 man tents so was really surprised how light it was.
Haven't tried it in anger yet only in good weather.

 

[Barney Rubble]

Some good suggestions on the thread so far. The Luxe Hexpeak v4a (from backpackinglight.co.uk) is well worth a look and probably closest to your requirements in terms of weight and budget.

If you're wanting a sub 1kg tent without breaking the bank then you might want to look at the Chinese offerings from 3F UL Gear and Nature Hike. The 3F UL Gear Lanshan 1 is around 900grams (not incl the necessary walking pole) and costs approx. £65. I've not used one myself but it gets good reviews. The only downside seems to be condensation.

Worth also considering the tarp, walking stick and bivvy combo. Can make for a very light and comfy camp providing you're not being pestered by insects.

 

[Tiley]

Have you thought about Tarptent (www.tarptent.com)? Although from across the herring pond, they are still cheaper than the Hilleberg/Terra Nova crowd and are truly superb. Won't save you as many pennies as the other suggestions here but they might be worth a look. I have a Scarp 1 and have used and abused it for seven years now and it still performs perfectly, especially when I need it to - in vile and violent weather!

 

[Billy-o]

That has so convinced me to press the Buy button on a Scarp Tiley. .. (well, maybe ) I have had one on the wishlist for an age and keep going back to it.

Did you get extra poles and mesh lining, as that hikes the price. up but they look like they really work for different weathers and it seems to make for one tent that does it all. But you are right the basic model isn't killer expensive anyway. I went Hilleberg in the end, and whilst I dont regret that at all, the Tarptents are so tempting ... and I like his kind of one-man-show approach to it all

Just another thought for the OP .. MSR tents are really popular here. I have a Hubba Hubba from abou t2011 and it is fine, but I understand they have been redesigned with improved splash resistance now ... mainly meant to better deal with parking on hard surfaces with biblical northwest rain

 

[Stew]

I have two budget hiking tents and both do well The gelert solo (now track 1 I believe) good but small. as long as you dont mind sleeping in a coffin you'll be golden.

Tiger paws (now hike lite) This tent has been awesome, loads of height, plenty of ventilation and a cracking all rounder

I have a tiger paws too - great tent for one person use, if you can find one!

 

[Tiley]

That has so convinced me to press the Buy button on a Scarp Tiley. .. (well, maybe ) I have had one on the wishlist for an age and keep going back to it.

Did you get extra poles and mesh lining, as that hikes the price. up but they look like they really work for different weathers and it seems to make for one tent that does it all. But you are right the basic model isn't killer expensive anyway. I went Hilleberg in the end, and whilst I dont regret that at all, the Tarptents are so tempting ... and I like his kind of one-man-show approach to it all.

I did get the extra poles but not the mesh lining as it wasn't available when I bought mine! The extra poles really do make the Scarp utterly bombproof, making it a superbly versatile yet lightweight package. But, even without the extra cross-over poles, the Scarp is a hardy little tent: I remember camping just below Tryfan one night when the wind and rain decided to do its thing. In the morning, mine was the only tent left standing; I knew then that this was the only tent I'd ever need!

Enjoy your Hilleberg - they, too, are great pieces of kit.

 

[Billy-o]

You got a Scarp 1 or 2, Tiley?

The Akto is great, it is true, but doesn't really cut it for the heavy wet snow you can get here. The Soulo was amazing for that, and self standing but a bit heavy for the warmer months ... in fact a bit heavy for the colder months too. It just really came into its own when you needed something like a little portable house.

Maybe a scarp 2 over a 1, I am thinking... I like the idea of just getting a one-person inner for it, if that's possible tecnically. Those are the kinds of decisions that have been flummoxing me.

 

[Tiley]

You got a Scarp 1 or 2, Tiley?

The Akto is great, it is true, but doesn't really cut it for the heavy wet snow you can get here. The Soulo was amazing for that, and self standing but a bit heavy for the warmer months ... in fact a bit heavy for the colder months too. It just really came into its own when you needed something like a little portable house.

Maybe a scarp 2 over a 1, I am thinking... I like the idea of just getting a one-person inner for it, if that's possible tecnically. Those are the kinds of decisions that have been flummoxing me.

I have a Scarp 1. It's plenty big enough to be really comfortable for me, whatever the season; you could use it for two at a pinch in warner weather. I notice that the fly on the new tents comes down a little lower than it does on mine - a great little tweak/improvement. I've not seen a Scarp 2 in the flesh, as it were, but I'm pretty sure it'll offer quite a bit more space. I notice you can buy a Scarp 1 inner separately. Maybe it would be worth emailing them to see if you can't combine the 1 inner with the 2 outer, if that's what you think would suit you best. They were extremely helpful when I first got in touch with them, so it'd be worth giving it a go.

 

[Billy-o]

Snow Peak have some nice looking things but I don't know anything about them. Glamorous and inventive. The affordable Cell 2 and their Hammock Tent caught my eye among the more conventional offerings

https://snowpeak.com/collections/tents-tarps/products/stp-180?variant=918633689

https://gearjunkie.com/snow-peak-hammock-tent