Please note just how close to the ground this Sublite prototype by Tarptent is pitched . The pitch reduced the ventilation during this mid-April trip to the Southern Sierra cutting off any significant circulation. The earth was very soft requiring the tent pegs be driven level to the ground to remain upright. Reducing the ventilation also allowed a pretty good test of the limits of Tyvek’s breathability. There was no noticeable condensation on either night.

I have been testing a slightly smaller Tyvek Contrail since last fall and the latest roomier model, the Sublite, discussed in another thread, is a side-entry design that provides easy access and exit. In my continued testing I have yet to experience any noticeable condensation even with the Contrail version pitched in an open meadow last February. The tent walls were dry in the early morning but objects inside the tent including my sleeping bag were wet with condensation. There was no moisture dripping from the ceiling during the night and I have no explanation for it.

The Tyvek is a slightly heavier grade than that used in safety clothing. The seam sealing process utilizes glue that will allow the fabric to retain its flexibility. Although not recommended because it dries stiff, Elmer’s Glue will work as a field repair for leaks. This Sublite prototype weighs approximately 17 ozs, and, as already mentioned, has more room than an ordinary Contrail.

A change in my normal nighttime behavior illustrates the side entry convenience. I have for some time used a bottle to obviate leaving the tent at night, but this side entry model allows me to effortlessly roll out with much less fuss than fumbling with a bottle.

The mesh that connects the canopy to the bathtub floor completely surrounds the circumference of the tent with the closure below the tent door. The production model will use a zipper connection to form a complete seal of the mesh. There is also an adjustment just in from the pole holster along with the familiar Tarptent adjustments at each end to allow a taut pitch on the bathtub floor.

The tent can be pitched allowing for 360º of ventilation but, as pointed out, can be nailed right to the ground so that venting is cut-off. In fact I have urged Henry to manufacture a completely enclosed tent without mesh but he has ignored that request. The material behaves somewhat similar to ToddTex fabric used in Bibler tents with the inside surface being slightly textured which I believe absorbs moisture and expels it.

The tent material is the big news for me. It weighs less than Sil and is considerably less expensive. After the initial release, Henry plans to ramp up production as demand dictates. The introduction of the Sublite will allow us ultra-lighters to have practically everything we desire in a shelter: a lightweight, breathable, waterproof, inexpensive fabric that provides protection.

As a lightweight backpacker, I have a personal interest in the success of the Sublite. This tent answers my need for a small footprint, lightweight, SINGLE-WALL tent that will allow me a night of sheltered sleeping without being rained on by my own condensation. I am hoping that the success of the Sublite will spawn a whole line of excellent lightweight inexpensive tents. Not only would these tents be highly functional, but will provide a shelter that can affordably be replaced when the seduction of new designs lures me back to the marketplace.

I would like to see a fully enclosed 4-season version for cold breezy nights. Both prototypes mentioned above have been tested in the rain. I have given them the garden hose test and pitched the Contrail version in a storm last February and it remained completely dry inside. Henry recently had the Sublite pitched overnight in rain and reported that the inside was dry in the morning. Another very positive characteristic of Tyvek is the lack of sag or dip as experienced with Sil-nylon with cooler, damp evening air. Once pitched in a taut fashion, Tyvek remains tight.

In spite of the testing, Tarptent will most likely not recommend this Tyvek line of tents for regions that experience regular periods of prolonged rain. For climes that experience storms of limited duration in three-season use such as the Sierras and Southwest, it will be highly recommended. I urge anyone who wants a lightweight, breathable shelter to snatch this tent up as soon as it becomes available. Special attention should be given to the new Sublite by prospective through-hikers this summer. If you are a PCTer you are most likely are already on the trail but if you are gearing up for the John Muir Trail you should really consider taking the Sublite as your shelter this summer.

Edited by johnk on 05/12/2008 11:52:21 MDT.

Nice report John.
Trying to work out how that Tyvek is lighter than silnylon gives me a sore head, but indeed it is 1.25 oz per yard.
Good comment about the fuzzy stuff, now it makes sense to me how it "breathes" and doesn't drip. ( I have a Bibler)
Sounds like the ideal UL tent for most of Australia, better sun protection (afternoon nap) and it hardly ever rains.
Franco

So do I Franco, an I-Tent, which is almost too short for me at not quite 5’10.” But I carried it for many years never experiencing condensation even in wet weather. Your comment about the “afternoon nap” shows some prescience or experience regarding Tyvek for it is much cooler than Sil-nylon. As you know Sil heats up very efficiently, so for the “afternoon siesta” this would be much better.

Great review. I've got one question is the length of the tent really only 86in, as I saw reported on another site (please say no...) If it is true, I am guessing that this is not a shelter for those of us much bigger than 6'? It seems like the GG "the one" and the SMD wild oasis suffers the same problem.

So does cutting the length really cut that much weight? I'd like something cheaper and simpler than the contrail, but I don't want to give up the length.

Yes, floor is 86" long but it's all useable (and 2" longer than most of our other shelters) as the floor is inset from all the perimeter canopy. It will certainly fit a "long" sleeping bag with no problem.

-H

"For climes that experience storms of limited duration in three-season use such as the Sierras and Southwest, it will be highly recommended. I urge anyone who wants a lightweight, breathable shelter to snatch this tent up as soon as it becomes available."

I have used my Epic BD Firstlight in the Rockies and I think this shelter would work there as well.

What do you think the long term life of this shelter is? IS it the Bic lighter of tents or do you think multiple years of use?

Thanks

2'' longer than most of the other tarptents? I was going off of the website where the shelters are all listed as 94''+. And while I'm sure that a long sleeping bag will ideally fit, I tend to move/slide around a couple of inches.

I realize that you have an impossible position here. If you make it longer, a bunch of people will complain that it is too "heavy" at least compared to the other guy who cut things a little shorter. But if you make it shorter, you get a small minority of people that have a tougher time with fitting in. Its just the idea of by the time my feet feel wet in my sleeping bag, its probably too late.

I'm sure that the production costs/logistics make it impossible, but yet I would still like to see a day where these tight tents are made in a regular and tall.

Edited by row435 on 05/12/2008 17:40:35 MDT.

John can share his own thoughts but in my testing over the last year or so, I'm confident that the material should last multiple years provided you care for it. All the stress points are reinforced but it's not something you want to give to your 3-year-old child and expect it to survive for too long. Same can be said for just about any ultralight fabric, especially the really pricey stuff currently in vogue ;-) I'm also not ready to recommend it for a thruhike just yet but it will handle stuffing/rolling and wind stress without a problem. I have about 3 weeks (20 nights) on an earlier prototype and it's not showing any wear, for what that's worth.

A great thing about the fabric is that it's very easy to do your own repairs and fix any tears or punctures, not to mention the ease of seam-sealing. We'll ship the Sublite with scrap fabric and some glue and patching the fabric literally takes a few seconds. Even Elmer's Glue works but dries stiff and it's better to use a more flexible glue (included).

-H

>2'' longer than most of the other tarptents? I was going off of the website where the shelters are all listed as 94''+.

Yes, the shelters do list an outside length (which is longer than the floor; all floors are inset from the driplines).

> .... I would still like to see a day where these tight tents are made in a regular and tall.

I hear you though, honestly, I don't think length is really concern here. Height, if you're well over 6 feet, is a bigger issue though our 6'3" employee can sit inside the Sublite and not (just) touch the ceiling.

Edited by 07100 on 05/12/2008 17:48:44 MDT.

And this is the 6'3" employee sitting on the job....
Franco

Thanks for the clarification on the lengths. I like the flat foot end, it helps for extended foot sizes

Any reason why you can't pitch it a bit taller by extending the poles out, and extending the guy lines?

Yes, it will go higher than the default (135 cm poles). The strap connectors to the pole handles lengthen to suit pole length. I've had mine at 145 cm length and peak height goes up another 2-3". It will also pitch with an overhead connection to a tree branch (but you'll need two extra stakes to where the trekking poles contact the ground).

-H

First, the length is a factor I have given no consideration to until raised above by Dave. I have had a few tents where this has been an issue even with my medium height. However, as Henry point out, the length is all usable space due to the sharp pitch up front and the boxed foot.

As far as durability goes, this stuff is wear resistant. On a lark, many years ago, I bought a box of Tyvek pants and I wore the original pair pulled from the box for many years giving them heavy use during winter hiking trips in the GCNP. They have withstood heavy abrasion at the cuff and lower legs as well as in the crouch but I have continued to wear them until recently when they shredded walking off-trail through brush.

I don’t think many of you drag your tent through brush and durability won’t be a problem. It will last as long as you want it to. My remark concerning “replacement” was directed to cost and not durability. This tent will give us characteristics of some of the most super-expensive lightweight tents but will not break the bank with the purchase. We will have money left over to buy the newest design if we are snagged by the lure.

Edited by johnk on 05/12/2008 22:22:57 MDT.

When is it expected for the Sublight to be available for orders? Do you think anyone could order and receive one prior to July 10, 2008?

The Tyvek version will be out in June and up on the site for ordering in a few weeks. Not sure yet on timing for the silnylon version--more venting at head and foot and a couple of ounces heavier--but aiming for late June on that one.

-H

The main design problem I see is that the Sublite's entrance exposes the floor to rain when opened. I had this problem on my Jansport 2-man dome tent in the '70s and really learned to dislike it.

For me that's a problem that could be overcome by making that side of the tent vertical and adding a small "eyebrow" with a thin plastic rod stiffener over the entrance.

Howsomever this still leaves one without a "vestibule" for cooking in rainy weather as I have in my Contrail but ya can't have it all in a mimimalist shelter.

Eric
P.S. Congrats on trying something new.

Edited by Danepacker on 05/14/2008 10:45:49 MDT.

The silnylon version has a drip-free entrance option--think Rainbow/Double Rainbow rain curtain. No way to make the Sublite side vertical (without losing stability and cutting off an unacceptable amount of interior space) but the angle is already pretty steep--55 degrees--and since the floor is inset 6" from the canopy edge at the entrance exposure is limited. Everything is a tradeoff, for sure.

-H

I really like the fact that folks like Henry, Glen, Ron, etc. have come up with niche products that serve to broaden the selection for everyone. There are already plenty of feature-rich but heavier tents -- and it's just good to have something like the Sublite that does a lot -- but not everything -- for almost no weight!

The Sublite is not for everyone. Why not evaluate it for what it's designed for -- rather than evaluating it for what it is not?

Edited by ben2world on 05/14/2008 12:18:46 MDT.

I think its great that these guys are willing to get on the boards and give direct feedback. I also agree with you that its great to have a couple of shelters available that are just enough, and no more. And really, the weight differences between the Sublights of the world vs the Contrails of the world are not huge (compare these relative weights to those of other traditional 1 person tents, 8oz difference is nothing). So it just comes down to a few less connivence features vs a little bit of weight.

So can anybody else tell that I am trying to talk myself into one of these?

Dave, I see absolutely no conflict between the Sublite and the Contrail. You get the Sublite for when you want to go lean and mean and have a good laugh at those guys that spend half an hour fiddling with their tarps, and you use the Contrail for when you suspect you could spend a day inside so that you have a vestibule to keep your entrance protected and cook under it if Yogi is not around and you have the right stove.
Franco

I like the design of this tent because it adds most of the headroom by the head. I find this preferable to tents like "The One" and the "Refuge (X)" which peak in the middle of the body (while laying down). That is a personal preference thing, as there are those who like to sit up without scooting.

I also find it fascinating that we are getting more fabric options as we are getting more design options. Not to say we didn't always have design options, but when this review came out, you can see that the state of the art was very similar (both in design and in material).

Now, there are a bunch of different designs, but the biggest difference I've noticed is that many are designed with the pole (or poles) by your head, while others have the pole in the middle.

Similarly, now we see 4 different material choices: Silnylon, Spinnaker, Cuben and Tyvek. If I'm not mistaken, we also have a couple options for netting; regular or nano-seeum. Since the makers can (and should) mix and match, you have the possibility of many combinations. For example, the Refuge X has Cuben for its walls, but its floor is Silnylon. With all these combinations of design and material, it is great for the consumer, but also a tiny bit frustrating, as there may be a design and material combination that simply isn't made (or won't be made for a while).

Franco - I agree with you, that there is no conflict between the SL and the Contrail, the niches are close but not identical, and agree with your assessment. Now I just have to get my wallet to agree.

Franco, I didn't think you had Yogis in OZ! I bet the SubLite would be ideal for you guys since it never rains where you are anyway.

Dave, I was watching a TV programme from England the other day about food wastage. Apparently almost 1/3rd of the food purchased there gets binned. Basically people buy more than they can eat. According to those figures if similar savings ( by buying according to need) can be applied to the US, you would have enough money to buy at least 20 Tarptents....

Allison
We have perfected the art of dehydrating water over here.
It is also a little know factoid that the sound of the didgeridoo (is that part of my base weight ?) keeps the bears away.
However they can be found inside most pubs. (didgeridoo free areas)
Franco
BTW you Kiwis, we sent the possums over there, how about sending some water ?
Please don't reply to this crap otherwise Roger will spank all of us.

Edited by Franco on 05/14/2008 20:56:53 MDT.

Franco, we don't even have winter anymore !!!
I'm still waiting for two cold days in a row, let alone a week of rain.

I've been drooling over the Contrail for some time now but waiting until I get to travel again. Hooray for the Sublite which is exactly (it seems) what I want.

I'm more of a fair weather camper and only for short bursts while overseas somewhere. On my last trip and my next trip I may stay at a campground, may do a hike for a day or two and may just camp in the bush somewhere (Yogi free zones!). The most minimal light tent is all I want to carry around as I use a large day pack and include basic camping gear.

The Sublite seems like it could be an important item in my (never ending quest for my) dream gearlist !

Wouldn't this make a good emergency shelter for e.g. disaster areas? Light, cheap, easy to set up, etc.

I guess an order from the Red Cross should keep Henry busy for a while!

Additional use of the Sublite at tree line pitched in the open failed to produce any condensation on the tent walls. I forgot to throw in a footprint and there was slight condensation on the floor in areas not covered by items stored in the tent. I woke with my head and mouth abutting the sidewall of the tent but no condensation there or any other place on the Tyvek itself. The Sublite was, again, pitched low to cut off significant ventilation.

Please do not blame Henry for the pole set-up. This is my own improvisation in lieu of hiking poles that I am loath to carry. These poles are from an old Sierra Designs tent and are way too long causing distortion to the top vent.



Day two:


Please notice also that on day three, with no adjustments to the pitch, the tent remains taut.

The camp is located on the South Fork Creek in Cottowood Lakes area just below the basin at approximately 10,700'.

Edited by johnk on 05/18/2008 08:52:01 MDT.

wow nice pics. Over 10,000 feet and alot of snowmelt already. Early season ahead!

Yeah Ken, it is melting fast. However there is still significant snow on the north facing slopes and under thick tree cover. Our camp was on a south facing slope.

Edited by johnk on 05/18/2008 09:16:56 MDT.

it's 103 degrees out in the valley, and the snow's melting away up high. time to start planning for some sierra hiking!

How waterproof is Tyvek? How would it fare in an all night downpour? Not at all uncommon here on the east coast.

David,

I'll defer to Henry on that. He will provide recommended use when he makes an official announcement.

I do expect, however, to endure rain of several hours, possibly most of the night, and expect to remain dry with this material based on my testing. On the other hand, expected rain that will last all day (24 hours) might test the limits of the Tyvek version and would likely exceed the limits of other popular tent materials sold today. Again, Tarptent will be providing the recommended usage and I am sure that those recommendations will be on the conservative side. But please note that I am not representing or making claims on behalf of Tarptent and my opinions do no necessarily represent the opinions of Tarptent. I am merely enjoying the role of a tester and reporting on my usage.