Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo Tent Review
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The Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo is one of our favorite ultralight one-person tents. It packs down small, it's easy to pitch, and it's got a great amount of space inside for a single hiker and their gear. It also holds up better in bad weather and has less condensation issues than some of our other favorite single-wall tents from our Best Ultralight Tents list.
Quick Specs
MSRP: $250
MEASURED WEIGHT: 1 lb. 10 oz.
FLOOR DIMENSIONS (L x W x H): 90 x 48 x 49 in.
The Lunar Solo feels luxuriously spacious for one
PROS
AFFORDABLE - We haven't seen a one-person tent that's comparable in floor space and weight that even comes close to the value price of the Lunar Solo. Sure, you could go lighter with a Dyneema shelter or a tarp, but most of those options are more expensive and aren't fully enclosed like the Lunar Solo.
ULTRALIGHT - At just 1 lb. 10 oz., the Lunar Solo is very lightweight. The popular Gossamer Gear The One (1 lb. 2.7 oz.) is lighter, but it costs more and has considerably less floor space.
The Lunar Solo makes a great addition to any ultralight backpacking setup
SMALL PACKED SIZE - The packed size of the Lunar Solo is 11 x 4.5 in., which is already nice and small. But since there are no tent poles or carbon fiber struts to worry about, you can squish it down much smaller and fit it into pretty much any small space in your pack.
LOTS OF FLOOR SPACE - Man, were we impressed the first time we set up our Lunar Solo. The total floor area is 26.25 sq. ft., and it feels like a luxurious amount of space for one. There's plenty of room to store your gear at your feet (even if you're over 6' tall) or next to you in the little side kickout area that we've dubbed "the garage." This bonus space at your side is also the perfect spot for a dog to sleep.
There’s plenty of space inside for a solo hiker, their gear, and a four-legged friend
EASY TO SET UP - Follow Six Moon Designs's super simple setup guide the first time you pitch your Lunar Solo, and you'll quickly become a pro. There's a small learning curve since this tent is non-freestanding, but we were able to set the whole thing up in under two minutes after only a couple of pitches.
The strap guyouts on the Lunar Solo are easy to adjust
SHEDS RAIN WELL - The harsh slant of the sidewalls on the Lunar Solo give it a pyramid-like shape, which is super efficient for shedding rain and light snow. This not only helps the tent to dry faster, but it also cuts down on condensation wetting through to the inside since there's nowhere for water to pool up on the outside.
The pyramid-like shape of the Lunar Solo sheds rain well and the ventilation design helps keep condensation at bay
GOOD VENTILATION - The Lunar Solo has a pretty unique and highly effective ventilation design. The end of the vestibule sits up about a foot off the ground and the floating floor is surrounded by mesh, so there's always a good cross breeze coming through. Not enough to make you cold, but enough to keep condensation from becoming a big issue inside.
CONS
NOT A TON OF HEAD ROOM - The sidewalls of the Lunar Solo come down at a pretty dramatic angle, so there's really only enough room to sit up comfortably in the center or in the door. Since all we're really doing in here is sleeping, we didn't find this to be too big of an issue.
There’s only enough room to sit up comfortably in the center of the tent
NON-FREESTANDING - We often use non-freestanding tents when we want to go as light as possible on a trip, but they can be a little intimidating if you've never used one. You may also have to get creative with your pitch if the ground is not suitable for tent stakes.
Non-freestanding tents can be challenging to set up in some conditions - like high wind
SINGLE-WALL TENTS CAN HAVE CONDENSATION ISSUES - We've gotten absolutely soaked with condensation in some single-wall tents. It's kind of the nature of the beast. But we're happy to report that the only real condensation issue we've had with the Lunar Solo comes when the footbox of our sleeping bag rubs against the wall of the tent or during prolonged periods of heavy rain. You're gonna have that issue with pretty much any single-wall tent though, so we don't find this to be too big a deal.
The Lunar Solo is a single-wall tent, meaning the inner tent body and outer tarp are one single unit
DOESN'T COME SEAM-SEALED - The Lunar Solo doesn't come factory seam-sealed (meaning it's not fully waterproof) unless you pay a little extra ($35). If you want to save a bit of money, you could always seal the seams yourself with a little bit of Seam Grip.
You can seal the seams yourself with Seam Grip if you want to save some money.
NEED MORE SPACE?
If you’re looking for a tent that can accomodate two, the Six Moon Designs Lunar Duo is a great value with an excellent balance of space, low weight, and durability. We’ve put the Lunar Duo through the wringer on multiple thru-hikes, and it held up like a champ in all kinds of conditions. It’s a little heavier than the similarly designed Gossamer Gear The Two and Zpacks Duplex & Triplex, but this tent is more affordable and is one of the most spacious tents on our Best Ultralight Tents. It has plenty of room for two people and their gear, convenient seperate entrances, and excellent dispersed headroom.
The Six Moon Designs Lunar Duo is one of the most spacious and affordable two-person ultralight tents available
BOTTOM LINE
The Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo is a great choice for solo hikers on a budget looking to save weight without sacrificing quality. The pyramid shape makes it a sturdy shelter in bad weather, and the excellent ventilation system cuts down on condensation issues that come with single-wall tents. Check out how the Lunar Solo compares to our other favorite ultralight tents on our Best Ultralight Tents list.
The Lunar Solo is one of our absolute favorite tents for solo hikers
MORE INFORMATION
We hope this review helps you determine if the Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo is right for you. As always, please leave a comment below if you have any recommendations, questions, or suggestions or visit our Facebook page and Instagram to join the community conversation. If you found this review helpful, please share on social media and click the little heart button below to give us a digital high five!
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