Tent:Northface Stormbreak-1 vs Marmot Tungsten 1P?

Hi all...

I've got a couple of good Marmot tents from years ago (Zoom 2-person and Monarch 3-person), but they're a bit big/heavy for carrying while backpacking or bicycle touring.

I'm going to be doing a 2-week bike trip soon, and want to get a light 1-person tent to lighten the load, and have broken it down to about 3 of them (based on my desire for a simple tent with only 2 or 3 poles). Here's the answers to the FAQ's questions first:

1. I've traveled all over the world with a backpack, though my backcountry experience is limited to about 3 weeklong trips and a few long weekend trips. Lots of car-camping though.
2. Basically just need a lightweight 1-person tent; expense isn't important, I like good quality; must be free-standing and pack reasonably small for fitting on a bike rack
3. Will be using this at first for bike touring, but in the future for solo backpacking trips of varying lengths
4. I just need a 3-season tent, mostly May-September
5. Price is not important (within reason - less than $500)
6. Most important to me are easy/clever setup, high quality and durability, good design
7. I'm 51 years old, 5'11", good at carrying loads
8. I don't like the newer tents with complex pole systems (split poles at the end, poles going over the front/top to add more width or height, etc.). My first tent was a Moss Starlet, just 2 sleeved tent poles, very simple.

... so, here's the tents I've found that fit the bill:

• North Face Stormbreak-1
• Marmot Tungsten 1P
• MSR Hubba NX 1-Person

The first two are reasonably cheap, the third much more expensive. Also, the Stormbreak-1 has less netting in it (which is good for privacy), and the top 3/4 of the Marmot is almost all netting... I'm a bit concerned about privacy and maybe always having to use the fly on the Marmot due to that.

So... does anyone have any recommendations for a small solo tent of quality? Any opinions about the above?

For reference, here's a Moss Starlet - in my opinion, the most perfect tent I ever had (tho' a bit heavy by today's standards, and mine has lost its water resistence):



- Tim

Perhaps add the BA Flycreek 1 or 2 to the list? I bought the FC2 Platinum last year and while it's a tight 2-man tent it's pretty spacious for 1 and still very light.

BTW, I don't find the Platinum's extra weight savings is worth the price increase over the standard but I got mine during a significant sale on BA tents.

Alternatively, a look at the Tarptent lineup, something for everybody there.

ETA the new (to me) MSR Nook looks very similar to the Fly Creek, decent volume/weight specs for a two-wall tent.

Cheers,

I had a Moss tent, way back when, too - I forget the name; it was similar to yours, but had only one pole (and may have been the first one-person tent I ever saw?) It's been too many years, but I do remember it was good.

Also, as I remember, MSR bought Moss and essentially turned it into the MSR tent line. The original Hubba sure had some of the feel of a Moss tent.

Of your 3 choices, I have about a year with my Hubba NX, and really like it. It has a bit more room than the original Hubba, and a bit less mesh. I've had it in rain and cold, and it's done extremely well. I can't compare it to the other two, since I've never used them or any other tent from the same makers.