I've decided to make a "Baker's Oven" style tent out of SOL emergency blankets. After quite a bit of testing and futzing around I came up with the dimensions that I think will work well for solo use (for me) and lend itself well to the dimensions of those blankets.

The design will take 4 of the blankets to make the tent. The blankets only weigh about 2.5 oz each. I'll also use a 80"x64" ground sheet made from something else, so I'm guessing that all together it will weigh around 1.5 lbs, maybe 2lbs with stakes and guy lines.

Because it's a "Baker's" style tent, and made from the SOL blankets, it will work like a "Super Shelter" and warm right up with a small campfire in front of it, and because it's small it should also heat up some with just your body heat.

In the mock-ups I've done the interior dimensions feel a lot more comfortable than a bivy tent like the eureka solo solitaire tent I had. There's room to sit up without hitting my head. The back wall is high enough to give me some elbow room, and I can store some gear in there with me. Since it's for winter use here I won't be adding any bug net for the front opening. I'll pull down the awning to close it up at bedtime. The awning is longer than the opening is tall, so I can pin it down at an angle for some extra room and ventilation, or pull it in and close it up to be warmer.

I realized while playing with this material that you can see through it, which adds something new. It acts like a two way mirror, you can't see in, but you can see out. I suppose if you had a light on inside you might be able to see in, but I haven't tested that yet. It should be nice to see the moon and things lit up by it while inside the tent.

I've found the Baker's Tent design to be pretty comfortable and useful, and easy to set up. I haven't seen one for sale that's designed for solo use yet, but the MSR Fast Stash is a pretty cool two person tent based on it:



Here are the dimensions I'll be using:




And mine will look more like this laugh



I'm going to try and get enough blankets tomorrow to make it, that's hit or miss around here but if I can get them I should be able to test it out this weekend.
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