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
Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo
Price: $250
Measured Weight: 1 lb. 10 oz.
Floor Dimensions (LxWxH): 90 x 48 x 49 in.
Pros
- Affordable
- Ultralight
- Small packed size
- Lots of floor space
- Easy to set up
- Sheds rain well
- Good ventilation
Cons
- Not a ton of head room
- Non-freestanding
- Single-wall tents can have condensation issues
- Doesn't come seam-sealed
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
There’s plenty of space inside for a solo hiker, their gear, and a four-legged friend
The top vent helps cut down on condensation building at the apex
The Six Moon Designs Lunar Duo is one of the most spacious and affordable two-person ultralight tents available
The Lunar Solo is a single-wall tent, meaning the inner tent body and outer tarp are one single unit
The pyramid-like shape of the Lunar Solo sheds rain well and the ventilation design helps keep condensation at bay
