Thanks for the PROPER review! I have a Six Moon Designs Skyscape (basically what REI combined with the Six Moon Lunar Solo tent to create this tent). I deal with condensation and a damp sleeping bag from time to time. It's just the nature of the beast. But the water rolling into your floor from the side wall that has no mesh...that's definitely "special" characteristic of this design and is likely a non starter for me. Thanks very much for pointing that out! That is an unfortunate oversight by their design team. Even the similar Tarptent ProTrail and Big Agnes Scout tents have the mesh separation to their panels. I don't think I ever would've caught this difference - thank you for taking one for the team and finding out the hard way!
Interesting review. Not many single wall designs can beat a inner/outer with that air gap. I believe this tent is actually a nice option for PCT thru hike. Warm, moist breathing into small tent with cold outside, almost any single wall will have condensation. A quick wipe with a small micro fiber worked great for me. Personally I’d opt for the 2p model, little heavier but more livable. I used a Sierra Designs Tensegrity 1p with what I think is still a great design. Takes a bit to get pitched but a great trekking pole tent. Thanks for review!
Yep..thanks again & good night from d hammock. Similar night out here. Not quite as bad but close. Cozy though. Yes it does suck when something comes & seems good then dissapoints.
I have this tent and it failed in Glacier National Park 2 weeks ago. Had a steady light rain the second night in and I got wet. The fabric doesn't seem to be even water repellent and actually soaked through. Fortunately it was warm, if it had been cold it could have turned into a survival situation. I've had it over a year (this was the first real rain I was in) so they probably won't take it back.I wish I would have watched your review before I bought it. Thanks!
This video is EXACTLY why I own a double wall TT Moment DW and TT Notch Li. No problems with condensation with those particular double wall tents. Their ventilation options are excellent, both high and low and side-to-side.
Original setup video located here: ua-cam.com/video/DY6Pl7hd8EY/v-deo.html If for some reason you want this tent REI Flash Air 1 Original bit.ly/2TVjHMs REI Flash Air 2 Original bit.ly/3G97nA9 REI Flash Air 1 New bit.ly/3Mb85k9 REI Flash Air 2 New bit.ly/3JYmH3E I am not recommending this tent nor am I not not recommending this tent. Do more research and see if this tent will work for you, I can not decide that for you. I genuinely do not care either way if you purchase this tent or not. Get the right tent for your needs, not because some weirdo who plays in the woods on UA-cam told you so)
Good review ! I like this tent, and think it looks great for a mid summer tent. My favorite thing about the tent, unlike other single wall tents, is the sky view capability .
Justin McKinney just thinking that! I’d like it for when if I get caught in the rain, it wouldn’t be freezing rain. Cold wet weather, I’m still going double walled.
Hello my outdoors friend, thank you for sharing this very informative video. This video is very helpful in the decision making process. The very best to you for safety and good health. 🤗
This is the most straight up review of an REI product I’ve seen. They should hook you up with product so we all can get this great content! Good vid thanks man!
I think this is one of your best reviews. I was intrigued by this tent, particularly because of its price, weight, and the fact that it is made by REI. That would have been a bummer to have that happen while deep in the woods. I think I'll stick with my tarp / bug bivy. Never had condensation except once when I was next to a lake with stunning clouds of fog blowing off it, and then it was nothing like you experienced. Also, the tarp doesn't have any zippers or as much stitching to worry about. Thanks for doing this; I hope you can get your money back.
This situation is literally worst case scenario IMO for condensation and I have seen nights like this on trail. Its something I would really want a tent to be able to at least reasonably handle. The lack of separation really dooms this tent IMO. Luckily they have the 1 year return policy. Will see about a return when able.
"Good for the desert." As people say. (Long as it doesn't rain..lol) These are great shows man: great work. Good job with everything. I know it aint easy to compile & edit & load a buncha' video: appreciated much the work.
Well, I won't be buying this tent anytime soon. I had my eye on it too! These are the kinds of tests that are extremely helpful to see. Thanks mate, well done!!
@@ChrisGoesOutdoors I noticed there was no tie-out tied to the side (of the fly) you got wet on. Would that have made a difference in ventilation? I imagine it would!?!?
@@Mike...921 Would have made no difference in ventilation. That whole area is all sewn together and the two corner guy out points made that entire area taut. Adding another guyline to the one at 5:21 would have done pretty much nothing for the setup. None of the vents were blocked. The wetness I was seeing was not so much from the side wall blowing up against me but from condensation leaking and pooling down the wall and in the bathtub area of the tent there. Thats part of the biggest issue. They sewed the rain fly and the floor / back wall together and there is nowhere for condensation to exit the tent. With the two vents on the bottom of the tent and one up top it just does not work well ventilating or getting rid of condensation build up period. This is just a poor design for the climate I live in and I would avoid recommending it to pretty much anyone who doesn't live in perhaps Arizona or an Arizona like climate
Many thanks for your sacrifice😁. I've been in worst condition than that, massive rain plus very very strong wind, in my Ferrino light tent and not a single drop of water got inside. I'm stick on double wall tents even if they weigh a little bit more.
Ya i've seen some pretty whacky conditions out there and if it cant handle this I wouldnt trust it really for my type of hiking. Once you start throwing in strong winds and such especially in rain and wind like this it could become nightmare status really quick
Just got this for $170 at the garage sale. I'm sad it has these issues, but I don't backpack often or in bad weather (if I can help it). It might be worth it for the price and for my knees. Thanks for your honesty!
Very thorough and enlightening. I’ve had my eye on this tent since it came out. Now I’m down to 60% wanting it. Great test series and yeah, pretty much expected from that design. Thanks Chris!
Terrific review! You took it to real conditions. I've got the Flash Air 2, but when I saw 'Storm' I had to watch. There are few things more pleasurable than being dry in a tent in the rain, unless enough of that water is getting inside to ruin things. There are two vents in the Flash Air 2, and there's mesh on two sides. (I wonder how many one man tents are really made and sold. But then I've been known to carry 50+ lbs backpacks (so clearly I'm missing some key parts of my backpacking brain). Thanks Chris
Nice job. Now if get single wall I'll make sure has lower mesh for condensation run-off! I have REI QD1 2-wall older orange lighter version and it's very decent for the price and weight.
Nice review and it makes me happy I don’t own it. I have multiple tents and my go to tents are either my Duplex or my BA Tiger Wall. Both are great lite weight tents. The Tiger Wall tent I purchased on sale for 300.00 at REI and for the money it’s a great unit for one person. The Duplex is pricey but for us who live to backpack its really no big deal. You get what you pay for, cry once.
Best review of this tent thank you. I got the air 2 which is the 2 person version and i would assume the same will happen with the condensation but luckily it doesnt rain much here in california. The air 2 also has a bit more ventilation. Thanks for the help! This definitely helped with my purchase! Now i know to have a tarp if I do see rain so it wont leak through the zipper seem. Cheers.
Hey Chris, Massdrop is taking preorders on the Dan Durston X-mid 1 person ⛺️ $200. Not affiliated just thought I’d pass it along, thought you might be interested after the issues with the REI Tent.
I would buy a couple of cans of silicone waterproofing...this will keep your tent from soaking through... Specially spray around the sewn through areas...
Great review! I tried a Lunar Solo for a trip last season and had the same issues. I had that stupid thing on Marketplace before I even got home! I'll stick with my tarp and bivy setups.
Glad I watched this before impulse buying on REI on sale - the separation of the wall from the mesh net on your Solplex is definitely a better design - obviously more expensive but still. Thanks for getting out in the trenches, saved me some $$$
Hay Chris awesome video. I am totally appreciative of this gear review. You saved me some bucks. Was going to get it, love the concept but the outcome not so much. Needs to go back to the drawing board. REI gear is usually pretty good, half my gear is REI.
Gotta think about drying a single wall vs tent with rain fly as well. A lot of times my msr hubba 1's rain fly will still be very wet when I have to put it away, which gets the rest of tent wet too. Could just hang the single wall tent during a dry part of the day, say over a lunch break, quite easily. Not saying you couldn't do that with a any other tent/ fly combo, but a single piece tent makes it a bit more convenient
Thats one of the major pros in my opinion for the solplex and cuben fiber /dyneema. 1 piece and Cuben fiber which doesnt absorb water at all. I would take the solplex I used out for like 20-30 minutes at lunch in sun it would be essentially dry again
Great review, Chris. So appreciate your sacrifice for our common good and decision making. I would recommend the Altaplex for your size and height. I loved the Solplex because of the back ventilation that is better then the Pleximid, IMHO, but even at 5’7”, found the Solplex too cramped! And you did the AT in it.. amazing! Try the Altaplex and return the REI tent... unless you like staring at the REI Co-Op logo in its full oversized glory!!
Altaplex has been a consideration but dropping another $600 on a tent right now seems unnecessary haha. My solplex is still kicking pretty good too which is awesome and I would have a hard time selling that bad boy. But if the solplex becomes unusable the altaplex is definitely up on the list. Wasn’t a fan of the plexamid design at all. If you want to talk about small logos check out my big Agnes copper spur ul2 expedition series video 😂
I saw that the vestibule was completely closed. Would opening the vestibule some helped with the condensation? Thanks for the review. For better or worse, I have one coming (took advantage of the 25% off sale and dividend, so OOP cost was low). I'll probably keep it but not use it in situations where heavy rain is likely.
opening it a bit probably would've helped at least a little bit. its a delicate balance as far as keeping rain out and condensation minimal. If I rolled up the door totally rain would have started coming in through the front net for sure. In fair weather conditions I think it will be ok for you, hope it does!
Thanks Chris , your review was huge, I was going to buy this tent because I am a REI member, because of a comment Darwin made I looked up a review by , "Justin Outdoors" for the 3 F UL Lanshan which he has been using for 2 years!! Okay great work and thanks again. Hike On !! Rich N Pismo..
Thanks Chris for your review. I was hesitant about buying a single wall tent because of the condensation issue. I just ordered an Aliexpress LanShan 2P Pro. Thought I would give it a try when it arrives.
I've heard great things about the lanshan, i picked up a 1p pyramid style tent off ali about a year ago. I think its the lanshan 1 but it just wasnt named that haha. Was planning to use it for winter this year but no winter hikes panned out due to life cirumstances. Literally havent even set the thing up!
It could be ok for that but I imagine rain in Oregon can get pretty messy. A lot of people have been recommending the six moon designs stuff here. I’d keep an eye for a sale on their stuff
You said you could probably make this tent work. I just bought one before seeing your video. Chris I would appreciate if you could tell me how would you make this tent work???
I feel confident enough where I think I would be able to manage any major issues with water pooling personally. But in all honesty its not worth the headache. I would personally not choose to use this tent especially where I live where rain is such a high probability
Thanks for the upload Chris, this was a great review. I ordered the Flash Air 2, which has a door on each side so inevitably there is the spacing on each side that apparently is much needed. Hopefully that solves the majority of the condensation issues you were having. I don't mind a few more ounces for the added interior space and I thought mesh on each side would be a nice bonus on starry nights.
Ya the majority of the water seemed to come down that wall to my left. The condensation at my head I would say would be easily manageable with like a small towel or something. May not even be an issue comparatively with having two doors Hope the 2p works out for you!
@@ChrisGoesOutdoors Thanks for your response. Also, just came across a comment of yours on Reddit involving the review of Gossamer Gear's The Two, another tent I been eyeballing. You get around I see!
Great review, spot on observations, this is the best all condition test I have seen on this tent and great to hear the comparisons to a top of the line Cuban fiber model. It looks to me that given the trail weight this is a good alternative to a bivy sack for 2 season use although a little fussy to set up. The fact that the Solplex makes a path for the condensation to exit the tent makes it a much better 3 season tent but at twice the price.
Great , honest review. I know what you mean, that being an attractive tent for the weight. And I know those were terrible conditions but c’mon man ! To bad , I like the design. Even in my SMD Luna Solo , I have never had condensation that bad ! Thanks,Cheers
Ya tough to see. I view things from a "would it work on a thru hike" basis. 100% it was a worst case scenario test but there were multiple nights I experienced like this in the AT. You will realistically face weather like this at some point on a thru hike and it just didnt do good at allllll. If they put mesh between the floor and rain fly and somehow kept the weight down I think this thing could be great
Timely and comprehensive review. I'm tent shopping and this tent was on my list. Was. I'm out there on and around the AT twice a month regardless of the weather. I think this tent would be a fail for me.
I figured this was going to be on a lot of peoples radar once the first pre hiking season coupon dropped. I thought it looked really interesting so felt like a no brainer to check it out. Really unfortunate as I think there are some pretty small things that they could do to vastly improve it but maybe next years model
Nearly bought one in the sale but it is now sold out as of 3/25. Thanks for enduring the rain to do this test. Looks like it works as a "just in case" bivvy alternative for a fair weather overnight but not for so good longer trips in changeable weather. The Flash Air 2 might fair better since it has mesh on both sides and only single wall at the ends. Still no "drain" on the ends and the flatter angle of the foot end seems like it is going to encourage dripping. Also that tent is quite a bit heavier and has a much larger footprint. Shame there is not more protection over the roof line zip as you predicted. Seems like a 1/2 inch back fold below the zip would have helped. I wonder if it is not apparently seam sealed there because they considered it protected? Have you used the Six Moons Luna Solo...the other tent I am considering.
Thats too bad man cause it is a cool tent! Im done with these kind of tents. Unless its summer time and very dry out. Also my days of not being able to sit up straight without my head touching the roof are over with too. The big agnes copper spur hv series tents are the only double walls i will use these days other than that a dyneema style tent with plenty ventilation will be my go to's. Thanks for the update and putting it through some paces. Def gives people an idea of what to expect. Their is no 100% condensation free tent out there really, but this one is unacceptable! Would love to try the locus gears Djedi tent. Dyneema fabric with e-vent material to prevent condesation very cool but very expensive! Hike on!!
Excellent video Chris...yeah man, I have a lot of concerns with that tent from just looking at it. V-cuts on the ends, the flap over the zipper (as you mentioned), the side opposite of the door and the lack of enough material to cover the side....yeah wow. Keep up the great work man.
I’d be curious to know how it would work if you were able to open the door on nights to vent when it wasn’t raining or how it would handle if it was a warmer temperature while raining. That condensation was pretty awful but those conditions you were in aren’t usually the norm for 3 season use. I pulled the plug and got the two person version of this while it was on sale. Hope that wasn’t a mistake 😬
kookkamajunga thanks for the info. I live in Michigan so we don’t have the dry air as you do during our three seasons. I agree, hoping the fact that there are two doors and more netting my husband and I won’t have too much condensation. Have fun on your coast trip!
I would think having the double doors would be a big help especially if using the tent solo. You could in theory leave at least one door open during rain like this or at least partially open. The wall wouldn’t be super close to you and then the only concern would be the lack of mesh at the head but could still avoid possible water leaking down more easy in that case. I’m tempted to order one to check it out haha
I tried this tent yesterday, and the pole going into the hub crunched up and fits in janky now. Also the tent is far too short for a 6'2 person to sit in. There was no position i could take where my head didnt touch the condensation laden roof. I didn't realize how important having a spacious tent is fpr your comfort.
about the water drops and condensation in this tent, i think its also from the fly material. the waterproff coating of the outerfly could be low, lower than the standard tent. i used extensively montbell UL dome shelter 1p, the waterproff mm is 600mm, and the condensation pretty same like this. i used it in heavy rain and suddenly theres rain inside my tent :D. the the fly material absorbs the water gets through it inside :D
Someone else mentioned this may have been the case too in one of the comments. I would argue that if its water leaking through the tent than its even worse than condensation build up haha. Condesation in this case was worse case scenario but if you have the tent setup in the rain say in warmer weather and it still leaks through that is simply unacceptable
@@stevymaradona2838 an REI employee says in the q&A portion of the tent its 15d ripstop nylon but they give no other info on the fabric and its waterproofness. Indeed quite sketchy haha
Rode out Hurricane Irene (11 in. of rain) ina $75 Ereka solitaire tent in the hundred miles wilderness. Also 6 in. Of snow 20 degree weather in the Smokey's. Warm and dry in both cases
Really? I have a solitaire. Was my first 1p tent. Albeit the northeast is a little different, but on both dry nights and light rain, I had pretty decent condensation.
Nice vid!!!! In my experience, all tents develop condensation and that is the nature of the beast. I always use double-wall tents now. Hilleberg and Fjallraven are my favorite tents, but even those develop condensation. It's funny because my Sierra Designs Clearwing 2 has had minimum condensation so far.
Ya every tent is going to get condensation for sure. The double wall shelters tend to do alittle better in that regard as water usually is able to run down the fly and back out side. Unfortunately not the case for this tent haha
@@ChrisGoesOutdoors I was really hoping the REI Air would be a game-changer for people! :( I'm wondering if companies REALLY test their products extensively.) If I owed a company I would put the product through some serious+ tests before ever bringing it to market.
I own some double wall tents but mostly use my single wall Duplex simply because of the massive weight reduction. Condensation for me has not been a big issue. It’s a two person tent and I only use it alone. Venting is very good with the doors open. I am older am weight is a big deal for my older body.
I watched four videos of yours today. I liked him so much I just subscribed to your channel and gave you like. Thank you so much for testing the gear while reviewing it in a true situation while backpacking. What is your favorite tent? Thank you so much for your videos. God bless you.
Thanks Erick. The zpacks solplex has been my go to for 3+ years now. It is no longer sold unfortunately. It’s also very small almost like a glorified bivy. I will be messing with the zpacks altaplex soon too
Single walled tents suck in the rain. I have yet to see one that’s any good. I stick with a 10x10 sil tarp and MSR big net tent. Have enough to cover the tent and have an awning if I want.
I personally would not use this tent at all. The 2p maybe a better option with the double doors and more mesh for ventilation but I feel like the overall design of this and having the floor and rain fly connected was a really bad decision. For one night I would even consider just taking a tarp of some kind or borrowing something from a friend perhaps and save yourself a couple hundred
I am looking for a solo tent. Watching your experiment is very helpful. Soloplex may be the way to go. Any thoughts on why the Soloplex is so expensive?
Solplex is made of cuben fiber / dyneema and its a very expensive fabric. Solplex is also made in america so that factors into price as well. Solplex unfortunately is no longer made so you would have to check on ebay for one. If i were looking at a cuben / dyneema tent right now I would probably go with the zpacks altaplex
What is the best lightweight backpacking tent for a rainy environment such as Washington? Was interested in this one based on price but clearly not going to do the trick.
Could you tell us about those corner floor vents in the bottom of the tent? Are they mesh covered vents? Can they be zipped or velcro closed? You never mentioned them on this video or previous video.
covered in bug mesh, same as front of tent like the door. Cannot be closed up. The over hang portion of the rainfly covers them however so shouldnt have to worry much about rain getting in in that regard
The copper spur UL1 is still one of my favorite tents. If big Agnes made the copper ul1 in their cuben line I would consider it even with the crazy prices haha. Ul2 is great too!
Well you dont have to worry about gear getting wet since theres no room for anything lol. Still like it alot. Wish it was a tiny bit wider and taller to sit in and keep a pack.
It’s the fabled melanzana microgrid fleece hoody. You used to be able to buy them on their website but can only buy in store in Leadville CO or super over priced on eBay. I’d check our alternatives like the Patagonia r1 or some of the knock off versions other companies have been releasing lately
Inexperienced backpacker question -- if there's mesh between the fly and bathtub (e.g. Solplex) to let condensation drain, and you have adequate space to keep your bag off the walls of the tent, does condensation pose any other concerns? Or is it a non-issue if you can keep it off the floor/yourself?
I have had nights like this in my solplex. The situation where rain was hitting the outter fly and then bouncing condensation off from the inside onto my quilt would occur with the sol[lex as well but it seemed significantly less serious in the solplex. I believe that has to do with the entire back side of the solplex being mesh which gives it some significant venting even if the doors are both closed. I had essentially 0 major issues with my solplex and thats with close to or over 150 nights of on trail use
Chris, the Altaplex would be my recommendation for your size and height. I’m only 5’7”, but wanted the extra space and on short trips with two overnights bring my Helinox chair and can sit comfortably!
You could possibly finagle it to do so but I don’t think it’s intended to actually go much higher. Rei says roof height of 48” not sure if that’s intended as bug net height or fly height
Finally a gear review that isnt the unboxing and how pretty its looks when set up.
Now , that’s how you do a gear review , Sir . Chrisgoesoutdoors, well done and thank you
Getting moist in the tents so you dont have to!
How all tent reviews should be done! Awesome work mate 👌
Thanks Tony!
I wanted to love that tent, but after your review... not so much. Thanks for testing it out in real conditions and for the unbiased opinion.
Thanks for the PROPER review! I have a Six Moon Designs Skyscape (basically what REI combined with the Six Moon Lunar Solo tent to create this tent). I deal with condensation and a damp sleeping bag from time to time. It's just the nature of the beast. But the water rolling into your floor from the side wall that has no mesh...that's definitely "special" characteristic of this design and is likely a non starter for me. Thanks very much for pointing that out! That is an unfortunate oversight by their design team. Even the similar Tarptent ProTrail and Big Agnes Scout tents have the mesh separation to their panels. I don't think I ever would've caught this difference - thank you for taking one for the team and finding out the hard way!
Interesting review. Not many single wall designs can beat a inner/outer with that air gap. I believe this tent is actually a nice option for PCT thru hike. Warm, moist breathing into small tent with cold outside, almost any single wall will have condensation. A quick wipe with a small micro fiber worked great for me. Personally I’d opt for the 2p model, little heavier but more livable.
I used a Sierra Designs Tensegrity 1p with what I think is still a great design. Takes a bit to get pitched but a great trekking pole tent. Thanks for review!
Yep..thanks again & good night from d hammock. Similar night out here. Not quite as bad but close. Cozy though.
Yes it does suck when something comes & seems good then dissapoints.
Did REI see this video? If so what did they say? I feel like their feedback would be interesting... If they haven't seen it, send it to them!
Thanks so much for such a great test. Really appreciate the effort.
I have this tent and it failed in Glacier National Park 2 weeks ago. Had a steady light rain the second night in and I got wet. The fabric doesn't seem to be even water repellent and actually soaked through. Fortunately it was warm, if it had been cold it could have turned into a survival situation. I've had it over a year (this was the first real rain I was in) so they probably won't take it back.I wish I would have watched your review before I bought it. Thanks!
This is an outstanding review and should be a benchmark for others. Appreciate the speed between the first video and this one. Well done!
This video is EXACTLY why I own a double wall TT Moment DW and TT Notch Li. No problems with condensation with those particular double wall tents. Their ventilation options are excellent, both high and low and side-to-side.
Original setup video located here: ua-cam.com/video/DY6Pl7hd8EY/v-deo.html
If for some reason you want this tent
REI Flash Air 1 Original bit.ly/2TVjHMs
REI Flash Air 2 Original bit.ly/3G97nA9
REI Flash Air 1 New bit.ly/3Mb85k9
REI Flash Air 2 New bit.ly/3JYmH3E
I am not recommending this tent nor am I not not recommending this tent. Do more research and see if this tent will work for you, I can not decide that for you. I genuinely do not care either way if you purchase this tent or not. Get the right tent for your needs, not because some weirdo who plays in the woods on UA-cam told you so)
What's the coupon code?
Also great review i appreciate your efforts.
Good review ! I like this tent, and think it looks great for a mid summer tent. My favorite thing about the tent, unlike other single wall tents, is the sky view capability .
Justin McKinney just thinking that! I’d like it for when if I get caught in the rain, it wouldn’t be freezing rain. Cold wet weather, I’m still going double walled.
Hello my outdoors friend, thank you for sharing this very informative video. This video is very helpful in the decision making process. The very best to you for safety and good health. 🤗
Thank you Ronald. Stay safe in these crazy times!
I'm a brand new subscriber. I have to say great great review. U can't do better. Thankyou sir.
Damn. Now that’s a review. Sad to see the results turn out like this but kudos to you for doing so so we didn’t have to
This is the most straight up review of an REI product I’ve seen. They should hook you up with product so we all can get this great content! Good vid thanks man!
Appreciate ya watching
Outstanding review! Thanks for the freezing night's test. You're the man! This is the standard for tent reviews.... thanks
Thanks for watching!
I think this is one of your best reviews. I was intrigued by this tent, particularly because of its price, weight, and the fact that it is made by REI. That would have been a bummer to have that happen while deep in the woods. I think I'll stick with my tarp / bug bivy. Never had condensation except once when I was next to a lake with stunning clouds of fog blowing off it, and then it was nothing like you experienced. Also, the tarp doesn't have any zippers or as much stitching to worry about. Thanks for doing this; I hope you can get your money back.
This situation is literally worst case scenario IMO for condensation and I have seen nights like this on trail. Its something I would really want a tent to be able to at least reasonably handle. The lack of separation really dooms this tent IMO. Luckily they have the 1 year return policy. Will see about a return when able.
I am so glad i saw this review before my purchase
Such a good video and honest!!!! Good stuff
"Good for the desert." As people say. (Long as it doesn't rain..lol)
These are great shows man: great work. Good job with everything.
I know it aint easy to compile & edit & load a buncha' video: appreciated much the work.
Well, I won't be buying this tent anytime soon. I had my eye on it too! These are the kinds of tests that are extremely helpful to see. Thanks mate, well done!!
Glad it was helpful!
@@ChrisGoesOutdoors I noticed there was no tie-out tied to the side (of the fly) you got wet on. Would that have made a difference in ventilation? I imagine it would!?!?
@@ChrisGoesOutdoors @5:21
@@Mike...921 Would have made no difference in ventilation. That whole area is all sewn together and the two corner guy out points made that entire area taut. Adding another guyline to the one at 5:21 would have done pretty much nothing for the setup. None of the vents were blocked.
The wetness I was seeing was not so much from the side wall blowing up against me but from condensation leaking and pooling down the wall and in the bathtub area of the tent there. Thats part of the biggest issue. They sewed the rain fly and the floor / back wall together and there is nowhere for condensation to exit the tent.
With the two vents on the bottom of the tent and one up top it just does not work well ventilating or getting rid of condensation build up period. This is just a poor design for the climate I live in and I would avoid recommending it to pretty much anyone who doesn't live in perhaps Arizona or an Arizona like climate
Many thanks for your sacrifice😁. I've been in worst condition than that, massive rain plus very very strong wind, in my Ferrino light tent and not a single drop of water got inside. I'm stick on double wall tents even if they weigh a little bit more.
Ya i've seen some pretty whacky conditions out there and if it cant handle this I wouldnt trust it really for my type of hiking. Once you start throwing in strong winds and such especially in rain and wind like this it could become nightmare status really quick
Just got this for $170 at the garage sale. I'm sad it has these issues, but I don't backpack often or in bad weather (if I can help it). It might be worth it for the price and for my knees. Thanks for your honesty!
I think if you are out in fair weather it should treat you well. In all honesty even in normal rain you may be ok too. Hope it works out for ya!
love the sound of the rain.
I bought one of these n am going to seam seal it n spray it down with the treatment for water proofing/resistance.
I learned something about tent design from this, thanks.
Very thorough and enlightening. I’ve had my eye on this tent since it came out. Now I’m down to 60% wanting it. Great test series and yeah, pretty much expected from that design. Thanks Chris!
Ya unfortunate really. Think it could be improved with some design changes but then the weight may go up and.....ya 🤷🏼♂️
I think the R E I logo could have been slightly larger.
Look at the copper spur ul2 expedition I used for a bit if you want to see a very undersized logo 😂
You got that right!! Any larger and you’d have it wrapping around the door flap!!
Terrific review! You took it to real conditions. I've got the Flash Air 2, but when I saw 'Storm' I had to watch. There are few things more pleasurable than being dry in a tent in the rain, unless enough of that water is getting inside to ruin things. There are two vents in the Flash Air 2, and there's mesh on two sides. (I wonder how many one man tents are really made and sold. But then I've been known to carry 50+ lbs backpacks (so clearly I'm missing some key parts of my backpacking brain). Thanks Chris
thank you for making the time to make and post this video! I've been looking at this tent for while. Good job!
Thank you for following up. Great reviewer!!
Nice job. Now if get single wall I'll make sure has lower mesh for condensation run-off! I have REI QD1 2-wall older orange lighter version and it's very decent for the price and weight.
Nice review and it makes me happy I don’t own it. I have multiple tents and my go to tents are either my Duplex or my BA Tiger Wall. Both are great lite weight tents. The Tiger Wall tent I purchased on sale for 300.00 at REI and for the money it’s a great unit for one person. The Duplex is pricey but for us who live to backpack its really no big deal. You get what you pay for, cry once.
thanks man....good, useful review
Best review of this tent thank you. I got the air 2 which is the 2 person version and i would assume the same will happen with the condensation but luckily it doesnt rain much here in california. The air 2 also has a bit more ventilation. Thanks for the help! This definitely helped with my purchase! Now i know to have a tarp if I do see rain so it wont leak through the zipper seem. Cheers.
Hey Chris, Massdrop is taking preorders on the Dan Durston X-mid 1 person ⛺️ $200. Not affiliated just thought I’d pass it along, thought you might be interested after the issues with the REI Tent.
I would buy a couple of cans of silicone waterproofing...this will keep your tent from soaking through... Specially spray around the sewn through areas...
Great review! I tried a Lunar Solo for a trip last season and had the same issues. I had that stupid thing on Marketplace before I even got home! I'll stick with my tarp and bivy setups.
when you say you had the same issue? what issue would that be? very curios. I have a SMD skyscape.
Glad I watched this before impulse buying on REI on sale - the separation of the wall from the mesh net on your Solplex is definitely a better design - obviously more expensive but still. Thanks for getting out in the trenches, saved me some $$$
This is why I camp in a hammock. Or just under a trap you can control your air flow so much better then a tent.
Hay Chris awesome video. I am totally appreciative of this gear review. You saved me some bucks. Was going to get it, love the concept but the outcome not so much. Needs to go back to the drawing board. REI gear is usually pretty good, half my gear is REI.
Gotta think about drying a single wall vs tent with rain fly as well. A lot of times my msr hubba 1's rain fly will still be very wet when I have to put it away, which gets the rest of tent wet too. Could just hang the single wall tent during a dry part of the day, say over a lunch break, quite easily.
Not saying you couldn't do that with a any other tent/ fly combo, but a single piece tent makes it a bit more convenient
Thats one of the major pros in my opinion for the solplex and cuben fiber /dyneema. 1 piece and Cuben fiber which doesnt absorb water at all. I would take the solplex I used out for like 20-30 minutes at lunch in sun it would be essentially dry again
Great review, Chris. So appreciate your sacrifice for our common good and decision making. I would recommend the Altaplex for your size and height. I loved the Solplex because of the back ventilation that is better then the Pleximid, IMHO, but even at 5’7”, found the Solplex too cramped! And you did the AT in it.. amazing! Try the Altaplex and return the REI tent... unless you like staring at the REI Co-Op logo in its full oversized glory!!
Altaplex has been a consideration but dropping another $600 on a tent right now seems unnecessary haha. My solplex is still kicking pretty good too which is awesome and I would have a hard time selling that bad boy. But if the solplex becomes unusable the altaplex is definitely up on the list. Wasn’t a fan of the plexamid design at all. If you want to talk about small logos check out my big Agnes copper spur ul2 expedition series video 😂
Nice video
Where you get the hoodie sweater I really like that
I saw that the vestibule was completely closed. Would opening the vestibule some helped with the condensation?
Thanks for the review. For better or worse, I have one coming (took advantage of the 25% off sale and dividend, so OOP cost was low). I'll probably keep it but not use it in situations where heavy rain is likely.
opening it a bit probably would've helped at least a little bit. its a delicate balance as far as keeping rain out and condensation minimal. If I rolled up the door totally rain would have started coming in through the front net for sure. In fair weather conditions I think it will be ok for you, hope it does!
Thanks Chris , your review was huge, I was going to buy this tent because I am a REI member, because of a comment Darwin made I looked up a review by , "Justin Outdoors" for the 3 F UL Lanshan which he has been using for 2 years!! Okay great work and thanks again. Hike On !! Rich N Pismo..
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks Chris, it's what we've been waiting for and probably expected. Oddly not a show stopper for me as a three season fair weather fan.
In which case it could work for sure. My worry would be taking it out on a fair weather day and it unintentionally turns into a mess haha
I live in Utah, I should be fine…I hope. How do winter tents handle condensation?
Thanks Chris for your review. I was hesitant about buying a single wall tent because of the condensation issue. I just ordered an Aliexpress LanShan 2P Pro. Thought I would give it a try when it arrives.
I've heard great things about the lanshan, i picked up a 1p pyramid style tent off ali about a year ago. I think its the lanshan 1 but it just wasnt named that haha. Was planning to use it for winter this year but no winter hikes panned out due to life cirumstances. Literally havent even set the thing up!
Thank you! Shoot, I was just about to buy this on sale. Looking for a light tent for my get home bag in Oregon.
It could be ok for that but I imagine rain in Oregon can get pretty messy. A lot of people have been recommending the six moon designs stuff here. I’d keep an eye for a sale on their stuff
You said you could probably make this tent work. I just bought one before seeing your video. Chris I would appreciate if you could tell me how would you make this tent work???
I feel confident enough where I think I would be able to manage any major issues with water pooling personally. But in all honesty its not worth the headache. I would personally not choose to use this tent especially where I live where rain is such a high probability
Thank you so much for this video. I'm trying to find a good tent for northwest weather. Good to know this one won't hold up in the rain very well.
Thanks for the upload Chris, this was a great review. I ordered the Flash Air 2, which has a door on each side so inevitably there is the spacing on each side that apparently is much needed. Hopefully that solves the majority of the condensation issues you were having. I don't mind a few more ounces for the added interior space and I thought mesh on each side would be a nice bonus on starry nights.
Ya the majority of the water seemed to come down that wall to my left. The condensation at my head I would say would be easily manageable with like a small towel or something. May not even be an issue comparatively with having two doors Hope the 2p works out for you!
@@ChrisGoesOutdoors Thanks for your response. Also, just came across a comment of yours on Reddit involving the review of Gossamer Gear's The Two, another tent I been eyeballing. You get around I see!
@@ChrisGoesOutdoors I impulse bought one of these and I'm so nervous to take it out now.
Great review, spot on observations, this is the best all condition test I have seen on this tent and great to hear the comparisons to a top of the line Cuban fiber model. It looks to me that given the trail weight this is a good alternative to a bivy sack for 2 season use although a little fussy to set up. The fact that the Solplex makes a path for the condensation to exit the tent makes it a much better 3 season tent but at twice the price.
For many campers, condensation is a concern. Wondering and suggesting a battery powered fan. Any opinions?
Great , honest review. I know what you mean, that being an attractive tent for the weight. And I know those were terrible conditions but c’mon man ! To bad , I like the design. Even in my SMD Luna Solo , I have never had condensation that bad ! Thanks,Cheers
Ya tough to see. I view things from a "would it work on a thru hike" basis. 100% it was a worst case scenario test but there were multiple nights I experienced like this in the AT. You will realistically face weather like this at some point on a thru hike and it just didnt do good at allllll. If they put mesh between the floor and rain fly and somehow kept the weight down I think this thing could be great
ChrisGoesOutdoors Spot on ! You hit it right on the head my friend !
Timely and comprehensive review. I'm tent shopping and this tent was on my list. Was. I'm out there on and around the AT twice a month regardless of the weather. I think this tent would be a fail for me.
I figured this was going to be on a lot of peoples radar once the first pre hiking season coupon dropped. I thought it looked really interesting so felt like a no brainer to check it out. Really unfortunate as I think there are some pretty small things that they could do to vastly improve it but maybe next years model
Nice to see this put to the test. Bummer on that condensation.
Nearly bought one in the sale but it is now sold out as of 3/25. Thanks for enduring the rain to do this test.
Looks like it works as a "just in case" bivvy alternative for a fair weather overnight but not for so good longer trips in changeable weather. The Flash Air 2 might fair better since it has mesh on both sides and only single wall at the ends. Still no "drain" on the ends and the flatter angle of the foot end seems like it is going to encourage dripping. Also that tent is quite a bit heavier and has a much larger footprint.
Shame there is not more protection over the roof line zip as you predicted. Seems like a 1/2 inch back fold below the zip would have helped. I wonder if it is not apparently seam sealed there because they considered it protected?
Have you used the Six Moons Luna Solo...the other tent I am considering.
Thats too bad man cause it is a cool tent! Im done with these kind of tents. Unless its summer time and very dry out. Also my days of not being able to sit up straight without my head touching the roof are over with too. The big agnes copper spur hv series tents are the only double walls i will use these days other than that a dyneema style tent with plenty ventilation will be my go to's. Thanks for the update and putting it through some paces. Def gives people an idea of what to expect. Their is no 100% condensation free tent out there really, but this one is unacceptable! Would love to try the locus gears Djedi tent. Dyneema fabric with e-vent material to prevent condesation very cool but very expensive! Hike on!!
Great review, just the information I was looking for. I think I can accept another pound for a free-standing double-wall 1-person tent.
Bummer, I was thinking of getting the 2 person version but sounds like the zpacks duplex is the better choice but pricey. Thanks for the review.
Good job, Gimli!
Excellent video Chris...yeah man, I have a lot of concerns with that tent from just looking at it. V-cuts on the ends, the flap over the zipper (as you mentioned), the side opposite of the door and the lack of enough material to cover the side....yeah wow. Keep up the great work man.
Ya they could definitely make it better with some tweaks but then the weight goes up and yada yada yada haha
Nice review. Is that a Melanzana Micro Grid Hoodie? Funny, I have the exact same color on. Love them.
I’d be curious to know how it would work if you were able to open the door on nights to vent when it wasn’t raining or how it would handle if it was a warmer temperature while raining. That condensation was pretty awful but those conditions you were in aren’t usually the norm for 3 season use. I pulled the plug and got the two person version of this while it was on sale. Hope that wasn’t a mistake 😬
kookkamajunga thanks for the info. I live in Michigan so we don’t have the dry air as you do during our three seasons. I agree, hoping the fact that there are two doors and more netting my husband and I won’t have too much condensation. Have fun on your coast trip!
I would think having the double doors would be a big help especially if using the tent solo. You could in theory leave at least one door open during rain like this or at least partially open. The wall wouldn’t be super close to you and then the only concern would be the lack of mesh at the head but could still avoid possible water leaking down more easy in that case. I’m tempted to order one to check it out haha
ChrisGoesOutdoors please do😃 I won’t be testing mine for a few months.
Also on the website they have the guylines tied further out allowing more airflow
Great review. Do you think this would be okay in a dry Colorado environment?
Good video man, subscribed!
I tried this tent yesterday, and the pole going into the hub crunched up and fits in janky now. Also the tent is far too short for a 6'2 person to sit in. There was no position i could take where my head didnt touch the condensation laden roof. I didn't realize how important having a spacious tent is fpr your comfort.
A gear review worth its salt ! excellent for an initial try out !
about the water drops and condensation in this tent, i think its also from the fly material. the waterproff coating of the outerfly could be low, lower than the standard tent. i used extensively montbell UL dome shelter 1p, the waterproff mm is 600mm, and the condensation pretty same like this. i used it in heavy rain and suddenly theres rain inside my tent :D. the the fly material absorbs the water gets through it inside :D
Someone else mentioned this may have been the case too in one of the comments. I would argue that if its water leaking through the tent than its even worse than condensation build up haha. Condesation in this case was worse case scenario but if you have the tent setup in the rain say in warmer weather and it still leaks through that is simply unacceptable
And do not forget that... in this tent web page rei does not provide exact spec of the fly and floor 😆
@@stevymaradona2838 an REI employee says in the q&A portion of the tent its 15d ripstop nylon but they give no other info on the fabric and its waterproofness. Indeed quite sketchy haha
Great video. Saved me some money...thanks!
Thanks for watching!
Rode out Hurricane Irene (11 in. of rain) ina $75 Ereka solitaire tent in the hundred miles wilderness. Also 6 in. Of snow 20 degree weather in the Smokey's. Warm and dry in both cases
Really? I have a solitaire. Was my first 1p tent. Albeit the northeast is a little different, but on both dry nights and light rain, I had pretty decent condensation.
Good stuff, no surprises but nice to confirm it.
ya sad to see 😕
You took one for the team there. I wouldn’t fancy a night in that tent in constant rain.
I've had some practice camping in the rain. Felt like home to me! Wish the tent performed better in it though. Really unfortunate
Nice vid!!!! In my experience, all tents develop condensation and that is the nature of the beast. I always use double-wall tents now. Hilleberg and Fjallraven are my favorite tents, but even those develop condensation. It's funny because my Sierra Designs Clearwing 2 has had minimum condensation so far.
Ya every tent is going to get condensation for sure. The double wall shelters tend to do alittle better in that regard as water usually is able to run down the fly and back out side. Unfortunately not the case for this tent haha
@@ChrisGoesOutdoors I was really hoping the REI Air would be a game-changer for people! :( I'm wondering if companies REALLY test their products extensively.) If I owed a company I would put the product through some serious+ tests before ever bringing it to market.
I own some double wall tents but mostly use my single wall Duplex simply because of the massive weight reduction. Condensation for me has not been a big issue. It’s a two person tent and I only use it alone. Venting is very good with the doors open. I am older am weight is a big deal for my older body.
Well done. Typical of ultralight stuff
Good test, thanks.
I watched four videos of yours today. I liked him so much I just subscribed to your channel and gave you like. Thank you so much for testing the gear while reviewing it in a true situation while backpacking. What is your favorite tent? Thank you so much for your videos. God bless you.
Thanks Erick. The zpacks solplex has been my go to for 3+ years now. It is no longer sold unfortunately. It’s also very small almost like a glorified bivy. I will be messing with the zpacks altaplex soon too
Great review. Thanks
Single walled tents suck in the rain. I have yet to see one that’s any good. I stick with a 10x10 sil tarp and MSR big net tent. Have enough to cover the tent and have an awning if I want.
Sold out at REI now. Too bad there isn't a DCF Lunar solo
Maybe one day 🤞🏻
Would you recommend this tent for a one night backing trip to Yosemite in the month of September? Hopefully no rain....
I personally would not use this tent at all. The 2p maybe a better option with the double doors and more mesh for ventilation but I feel like the overall design of this and having the floor and rain fly connected was a really bad decision. For one night I would even consider just taking a tarp of some kind or borrowing something from a friend perhaps and save yourself a couple hundred
I am looking for a solo tent. Watching your experiment is very helpful. Soloplex may be the way to go. Any thoughts on why the Soloplex is so expensive?
Solplex is made of cuben fiber / dyneema and its a very expensive fabric. Solplex is also made in america so that factors into price as well. Solplex unfortunately is no longer made so you would have to check on ebay for one. If i were looking at a cuben / dyneema tent right now I would probably go with the zpacks altaplex
@@ChrisGoesOutdoors Thanks for the info! Happy trails! :-)
What is the green sweatshirt called?
Excellent review! So the tent is basically a fair weather BUG SHELTER. I guess you can't reinvent the wheel (double wall tents).
What is the best lightweight backpacking tent for a rainy environment such as Washington? Was interested in this one based on price but clearly not going to do the trick.
Thanks for the in depth review
Could you tell us about those corner floor vents in the bottom of the tent? Are they mesh covered vents? Can they be zipped or velcro closed? You never mentioned them on this video or previous video.
covered in bug mesh, same as front of tent like the door. Cannot be closed up. The over hang portion of the rainfly covers them however so shouldnt have to worry much about rain getting in in that regard
Great video review. However, at that weight all things considered, personally would go for a double wall like the Agnes Copper UL2
The copper spur UL1 is still one of my favorite tents. If big Agnes made the copper ul1 in their cuben line I would consider it even with the crazy prices haha. Ul2 is great too!
I hate getting wet and would pay extra to get a double wall tent. Time to cancel my order at REI.
Well you dont have to worry about gear getting wet since theres no room for anything lol. Still like it alot. Wish it was a tiny bit wider and taller to sit in and keep a pack.
Great review, thanks! What kind of hoody is that? Looks bomber.
It’s the fabled melanzana microgrid fleece hoody. You used to be able to buy them on their website but can only buy in store in Leadville CO or super over priced on eBay. I’d check our alternatives like the Patagonia r1 or some of the knock off versions other companies have been releasing lately
Inexperienced backpacker question -- if there's mesh between the fly and bathtub (e.g. Solplex) to let condensation drain, and you have adequate space to keep your bag off the walls of the tent, does condensation pose any other concerns? Or is it a non-issue if you can keep it off the floor/yourself?
I have had nights like this in my solplex. The situation where rain was hitting the outter fly and then bouncing condensation off from the inside onto my quilt would occur with the sol[lex as well but it seemed significantly less serious in the solplex. I believe that has to do with the entire back side of the solplex being mesh which gives it some significant venting even if the doors are both closed. I had essentially 0 major issues with my solplex and thats with close to or over 150 nights of on trail use
Chris, the Altaplex would be my recommendation for your size and height. I’m only 5’7”, but wanted the extra space and on short trips with two overnights bring my Helinox chair and can sit comfortably!
Can u set it up higher so u have more headroom? Great reviews here, Chris. Thanks.
You could possibly finagle it to do so but I don’t think it’s intended to actually go much higher. Rei says roof height of 48” not sure if that’s intended as bug net height or fly height
I almost purchased this tent.
Good review. I always carry a tarp to give me a dry tent and front area to hang out and cook.
Thanks for a great review
Thanks for watching Rob!