I know 2 hoop bivy tents aren't recommended but I've ready good reviews so far and the price is right. Anybody have any experience with this one? At 17"x4" packed it's perfect for the BOB.

I got one as a gift but I haven't slept in it yet. I set it up in the backyard once and it didn't really excite me. You have to wiggle in from the front if I remember correctly and there was barely enough room (6'5" and 210lbs). Set up was pretty easy as long as you followed the directions though there were a number of guylines springing out from it that annoyed me.

Plus side, good ventilation.

Note: I'm not the best person to review a tent as tents generally annoy me.

-Blast

Hi Hacksaw,

Can't comment on that tent personally but I have been looking at the Kelty Gunnison 2 tent. Packed weight is about 5 lbs. 11oz. (OK a little heavy) dimensions are 7'8" x 4'10" packed is 25" x 7". What I like about it are the 2 vestibules, 2 doors and aluminum poles. It is also a freestanding design with a full coverage fly. Out of the tents I have looked at (a whole lot) this seems to be the best for the money IMO. I have read many, many reviews as well and they all seem good.

BTW I'm not affiliated, I just want one.

The Eureka Spitfire 1 is a much better option. Taller inside, easier side-access, and about the same weight.

Nice tents...but I can't afford any of them.

I've used the Solitaire for years. I found it to be the perfect size for just me and my pack. Only problem I had is the poles dry-rot after a few years and can break. When that happened I would fix it with duct tape, then get a replacement set after the trip. Otherwise, it's a fine tent. Kept me dry and warm during a few nice storms.

Huh?

The Eureka Spitfire 1 is only $30 more than the Eureka Solitare on campmor.com.

Campmor lists the Solitare for $69.90 & the Spitfire for $99.90.

On ebay you can get a "Buy It Now" price for the Spitfire of just $79.91 + $8.50 for shipping. Their ebay stores have the Spitfire for as low as $69.50 (plus shipping).

Oh, and I hadn't mentioned that the Solitare uses fiberglass poles, whereas the Spitfire uses aluminum poles. Big difference!

Ken K.

I was only looking at the MSRP. No eBay until I get home from work (damn firewall).

I would whole heartedly suggest the Spitfire. I own one and love it! I also own a Solitare lookalike from Sportsmans Guide. Here's the scenario that sold me on the Spitfire.

You've been hiking all day and 30 minutes before you reach camp it starts raining. The Spitfire and Solitare both set up fast and easy...but the real problem comes when you go to enter your retreat from the rain. The Solitare basically forces you to get the entire insides of you shelter dirty, wet and muddy, while the Spitfire comes with a rainfly that has a vestibule..you can sit inside and leave your muddy feet out, not possible with the Solitare unless you bring a tarp and hang it up as well to create a vestibule.

Just my two cents worth, but the Spitfire is hands down better and not the much heavier.

One drawback that I will mention is that the poles on the Spitfire are longer and have a funky shape that doesn't pack down real small....but once set up, it beats the crap out of the Solitare in my book.

My plan includes hanging up my new Siltarp poncho as a big rain fly to sit and cook under anyhow. I just want something small and inexpensive to keep my sleeping bag and some of my gear dry (off the ground). I'd rather pack a bivy bag but can't find any for a reasonable price that I'm confident will meet my needs.

A few years ago I went backpacking and shared a tent with my friend, which I'm nearly positive was the 2 man version of the solitaire. However, this tent may have been made by another manufacturer and just looked like the solitaire. Anyway, after spending a week in the thing, my only complaint was was my friend's obnoxiously loud snoring. The tent performed just fine, not too hard to set up, reasonably light, collapsed down pretty small, etc. I say go for it

Well I think I may need to reconsider my budget. I just found out that I've been accepted to volunteer for a local Search and Rescue group for a county that covers 246,652 hectares. I'll be required to carry my own 'spend the night' gear at all times while on a search. Might be worth it to re evaluate some of my options and make sure I'm getting something light and high quality.

Could the poles be removed, and what kind were they? Poles aren't usually that hard or expensive to replace.

The poles are like these:

http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores...p;keyword=61982



They work fine, but they aren't super strong. Especially after a few years of use.

I had one for a while and it was roomy enough, but I got rid of it because of the reason mentioned. I prefer a free-stander. I ended up replacing it with a Eureka Aurora Lite. Free-standing, low profile and a huge vestibule.

To be clear, the Spitfire is NOT free-standing. It requires stakes in front and back, and preferably stakes on the sides to pull out the rainfly/vestibule.

Also, there won't be a whole lot of room in either the Solitare or Spitfire 1 for gear. When my son uses his Spitfire 1 he puts his backpack in a large plastic bag for the night and leaves it outside. Many feel packs shouldn't come inside a tent anyway, just to protect it from accidental damage.