Of the 12 light solo tents I compared, my pick for walking or motorcycle is Snow Peak's Fal Pro.air 2 (1,710g, JPY 14,465 per ㎡ of floor). For a car, ogawa's Stacy ST-II (vestibule depth 110cm); if you also use it in winter, Coleman's Touring Dome/SDX (with a full skirt). I chose among 12, converting to weight and price per ㎡ of floor.
The Gear Nerd's Pick
I divide weight by floor area before comparing. Most of a tent's weight is fabric and poles, and a wider floor adds just that much. Divided by the official numbers, the 3.9kg Stacy ST-II is 1,182g per ㎡ of floor, lighter than the about 4kg Touring Dome/ST's 1,587g. So I do not decide by a ranking table of total weight alone.
Key points
- Official weights mix numbers that include pegs and guy lines and numbers that do not. mont-bell's Moonlight Tent 1 has two weights written for the same tent, 1.49kg and 1.71kg
- For vestibule depth, the Stacy ST-II's 110cm is the deepest, with the Tani Osmo 1P at 75cm and mont-bell's two at 55cm
- Bundok's Solo Tipi 1 goes from about 2.2kg to about 4.8kg when the fabric is changed to polycotton. In exchange for an explanation that it resists sparks, it adds 2.6kg
What is in this article (11 items)
- Solo tent weight runs from 822g to 4.8kg
- How I chose
- Comparison table of 12 solo tents: lightest first
- Official “weight” comes in 3 kinds: total weight vs minimum weight
- Calculating weight and price per ㎡ of floor
- Light solo tent for walking or motorcycle: my pick is the Snow Peak Fal Pro.air 2
- Car: my pick is the ogawa Stacy ST-II
- Winter use: my pick is the Coleman Touring Dome/SDX
- TC (polycotton) costs 2.6kg
- Who is it for?
- FAQ
Solo tent weight runs from 822g to 4.8kg
NEMO's Hornet Osmo 1P has an official minimum weight of 822g. Bundok's Solo Tipi 1 TC is about 4.8kg. Both are for solo use. The weight differs by about 5.8x (4,800 ÷ 822).
You cannot say that the lighter one is the better tent. Floor width, vestibule and what the weight includes all differ by maker.
How I chose
The first thing I did was divide official weight by floor area, and next I looked at whether the vestibule depth is written as a number in the official diagram or text. Without numbers, you cannot compare a place for shoes and wet gear.
I decided my picks by price per ㎡ of floor among the seven under 2kg for walking or motorcycle, by vestibule depth for a car, and by a build that stops wind from the hem for winter. I ranked among those you can buy on Rakuten.
Comparison table of 12 solo tents: lightest first
| Model | Weight | Floor area | Official price |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEMO Hornet Osmo 1P | 822g (minimum) | 1.9㎡ | JPY 68,200 |
| NEMO Tani Osmo 1P | 1.12kg (minimum) | 2.2㎡ | JPY 88,000 |
| mont-bell Stellaridge Tent 1 + Rain Fly | 1.15kg | 1.89㎡ | JPY 49,000 |
| Arai Tent Trekrise 0 | 1,250g | 1.64㎡ | JPY 50,600 |
| Arai Tent Airrise 1 | 1,360g | 2.05㎡ | JPY 53,900 |
| mont-bell Moonlight Tent 1 | 1.49kg | 1.89㎡ | JPY 32,000 |
| Snow Peak Fal Pro.air 2 | 1,710g | 2.73㎡ | JPY 39,490 |
| ogawa Stacy ST-II | 3.9kg | 3.30㎡ | JPY 54,780 |
| Coleman Touring Dome/ST | About 4kg | 2.52㎡ | JPY 21,780 |
| Coleman Touring Dome/SDX | About 4.3kg | 2.52㎡ | JPY 25,300 |
| DOD Riders One-Touch Tent | About 4.3kg | 3.26㎡ | JPY 23,580 |
| Bundok Solo Tipi 1 TC | About 4.8kg | 2.20㎡ | JPY 49,500 |
My picks are the Fal Pro.air 2 for walking or motorcycle, the Stacy ST-II for a car, and the Touring Dome/SDX if you also use it in winter.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Snow Peak Fal Pro.air 2
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 38,000 (as of 10/13). Prices vary by up to JPY 86,850 between shops. Prices change daily.
Official “weight” comes in 3 kinds: total weight vs minimum weight
The contents differ. The weights in the quick table are not numbers with the same meaning. The minimum weights for mont-bell, Arai Tent, Snow Peak and NEMO are body + fly + poles only. For mont-bell's Moonlight Tent 1, the total weight with pegs, guy lines and bag is 1.71kg, a 220g difference, so depending on which number is lined up in a shop's product name, it shifts by more than 10%.
Calculating weight and price per ㎡ of floor
| Model | Weight per ㎡ of floor | Price per square meter of floor | Price per gram |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hornet Osmo 1P | 433g | JPY 35,895 | |
| Tani Osmo 1P | 509g | JPY 40,000 | |
| Stellaridge Tent 1 + Rain Fly | 608g | JPY 25,926 | |
| Fal Pro.air 2 | 626g | JPY 14,465 | |
| Airrise 1 | 663g | JPY 26,293 | |
| Trekrise 0 | 762g | JPY 30,854 | |
| Moonlight Tent 1 | 788g | JPY 16,931 | |
| Stacy ST-II | 1,182g | JPY 16,600 | |
| Riders One-Touch Tent | 1,318g | JPY 7,228 | |
| Touring Dome/ST | 1,587g | JPY 8,643 | |
| Touring Dome/SDX | 1,706g | JPY 10,040 | |
| Solo Tipi 1 TC | 2,182g | JPY 22,500 |
Weight per ㎡ of floor runs from 433g to 2,182g, about a 5x gap. The 3.9kg Stacy ST-II is 1,182g, lighter than the about 4kg Touring Dome/ST's 1,587g. The order changes from the total weight ranking.
Light solo tent for walking or motorcycle: my pick is the Snow Peak Fal Pro.air 2
The deciding point is JPY 14,465 per 1㎡ of floor. It is the lowest of the 7 tents under 2kg, and its floor is also the widest at 2.73㎡. You can sleep with gear inside.
This part is a weak point. 1,710g is the heaviest of the seven. It is a tent for people who lash it to a carrier or carry by car from spring to autumn.
If you want it lighter, the Hornet Osmo 1P: At 822g, it is 888g lighter than the Fal. The price difference is JPY 28,710, so each gram saved costs about JPY 32 (28,710 ÷ 888). People who carry on their backs and can pay that for lightness choose it. If two people split the gear on their backs, the 1,630g Sabbatical RYNEL-2 is also a candidate.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
NEMO Hornet Osmo 1P
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 68,200 (as of 10/13). Prices vary by up to JPY 81,248 between shops. Prices change daily.
Extra: mont-bell Moonlight Tent 1 (bought at the official online store): 1.49kg and JPY 32,000, with JPY 21.5 per gram the lowest of the seven. A vestibule depth of 55cm is in the official diagram, and the floor is trapezoid with 70cm at the foot end.
Car: my pick is the ogawa Stacy ST-II
The deciding point is the vestibule. A depth of 110cm is the deepest among those with numbers officially. The floor is also 3.30㎡, 0.78㎡ wider than the Touring Dome/ST at almost the same weight. The weakness is space. The official category is 2 to 3 people, and the recommended pitching area is 6 × 6m or more. I recommend it to people who can check the plot size first.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
ogawa Stacy ST-II
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 50,803 (as of 10/13). Prices change daily.
If you want to keep cost down, the Touring Dome/ST: The price per ㎡ of floor is about half the Stacy's (8,643 ÷ 16,600 = 0.52). The poles are FRP. This part is a weak point. It suits people who want to buy a first tent cheaply.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Coleman Touring Dome/ST
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 15,720 (as of 10/13). Prices vary by up to JPY 22,800 between shops. Prices change daily.
Winter use: my pick is the Coleman Touring Dome/SDX
What works in winter is the cloth on the fly's hem (the skirt). Of the 12, this was the only tent that pitched both “full skirt” and “all-season compatible.” The price difference from the Touring Dome/ST is JPY 3,520. I read it as the one for people who want to stop wind at a winter campsite. I worked out the difference from the ST in the Touring Dome/SDX review.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Coleman Touring Dome/SDX
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 21,780 (as of 10/13). Prices vary by up to JPY 25,300 between shops. Prices change daily.
TC (polycotton) costs 2.6kg
Weight more than doubles. Bundok's Solo Tipi 1 TC adds 2.6kg just from changing the fabric from the same shape in polyester (about 2.2kg). What it pitches goes as far as “resists campfire sparks”; it does not write that it does not burn, and the fly has a caution “not completely waterproof.” It is a fabric for people who go by car and spend long near a campfire. I put how to read how much rain it withstands in the tent waterproof rating article.
Who is it for?
It suits people who go alone often and have a set way of carrying. The picks split: the Fal Pro.air 2 for walking or motorcycle, the Stacy ST-II for a car, and the Touring Dome/SDX for winter.
If it is only once or twice a year, a family tent will do. If you have not yet spent one night, trying one at a campsite that rents tents is also an option.
FAQ
For a solo tent, should I look at total weight or minimum weight?
If you carry it on your back, total weight. Match to “body + fly + poles” when comparing, and add about 220g to that.
For solo camping, a 1-person or 2-person tent?
If you carry on your back, a 1-person, choosing one with the vestibule depth written. People who want gear inside the tent and people who go by car are more comfortable with a floor width of 120cm or more.
Which solo tent has a big vestibule?
The Stacy ST-II. Among those with the depth written officially, 110cm is the deepest, with the Tani Osmo 1P at 75cm, mont-bell's two at 55cm and the Trekrise 0 at 40cm.
Gear in this article
Ads & images: Rakuten IchibaSources (17 official pages)
- mont-bell official online store: Moonlight Tent 1
- mont-bell official online store: Stellaridge Tent 1 body
- mont-bell official online store: Stellaridge Tent 1 rain fly
- Coleman official online shop: Touring Dome/ST
- Coleman official online shop: Touring Dome/SDX
- Snow Peak official online store: Fal Pro.air 2
- ogawa official online store: Stacy ST-II
- ogawa official online store: Tasso
- DOD official: Riders One-Touch Tent
- Kawase (BUNDOK) official: Solo Tipi 1 TC
- Kawase (BUNDOK) official: Solo Tipi 1
- Kawase (BUNDOK) official: Solo Dome 1
- NEMO Equipment Japan official: Hornet Osmo 1P
- NEMO Equipment Japan official: Tani Osmo 1P
- Arai Tent official: Airrise
- Arai Tent official: Trekrise
- Mochizuki (MSR's Japanese authorized distributor) official: Habahaba Shield
