Eureka Solitaire Tent (Picture Intensive)

[Murph]

Here's a pictorial setup of a Eureka Solitaire tent:

Step 1: Pull everything out


Step 2: Unroll the tent out and set the stakes, poles aside


Step 3: Expand the poles and push them through the pole tube. You'll be left with a female end that goes into this ring and post


Step 4: Do your best to stand the thing up


Step 5: Stake down the rear of the tent


Step 6: Pull the front of the tent, so it is nice and taunt, then stake the front down


Step 7: Stake sides of the tent and then rain fly


Step 8: Pull back the vestibule and enter the tent - Your Done!


EDIT:
Link to more info:
http://www.eurekatent.com/p-22-eureka-solitaire-tent.aspx

[Electricity]

Haha cool. I have the older, 2 (1.5ish) person model. Mine is pretty light weight, but kinda bulky. Mind lying the packed version out next to something standard so I can see the size? Ows the weight?

[Paulie771]

Seriously been kicking around getting one or two of these. How's the durability seem? How long do you think it took you to put up? How much does it weigh, etc.

[Woods Walker]

For some reason I remember another review of this bivy on ZS but could be wrong. If the poles are fiberglass than it would be a no go for me. I like aluminum poles for shelters. Thanks for taking the time to post the photos. Have you taken it out in the field yet?

[Baba Brad]

I own 2 of these. One, I took on the West Highland Way with me (Scotland hike, Glasgow to Fort William) and loved it. SO much I bought another.

Can't remember the weight off hand, but it's not heavy. Use the metal rod style pegs, roll the pegs and support rods (which are fiberglass) in the tent when you pack it.

You'll like your's Murph. Just enough room inside for me and my pack. All that's really needed on the trail.

[Murph]

Let's see the website ( Eureka Tents ) says it weighs 2lbs. 9oz.

All packed up it's about the size of two keyboards stacked on top of each other. I'll see if I can get a picture later for reference.

I'm going to have to find a suitable ground tarp for it. I felt like it would be too easy snag the bottom of it on something.

As far as setting it up, I think I spent just as much time swatting the nats away as I did putting it together, it took me a few minutes to understand what the directions meant, but now that I've done it once it's pretty simple. Although I'm still not sure where to tie the guidelines to, or what kind of knot to use.

I haven't taken it out in the field yet, but I will the end of this month. I'll make sure to rely anything I find about it.

[buffalosoldier]

I just got one and used it on a ZSNY outing. It was a breeze for even a novice like me to throw up, it is pretty durable (no seam issues, kept the damp off) and it has tabs so you can just hang it with paracord and a few wood bits to save an ounce here or there (though I prefer tent stakes). As it was already so light, I didna bother.

The only issues that came up were

1) trying to get in it requires you either peel back the rain cover and unzip it down the back (think of a taco, where you would step into itand lay down) which would mean tracking in dirt or wet and makes putting the rain cover back over problematic, or opening the end slit towards the head and either crawling in head first and doing some contortion to get the right way round, or taking off your boots and shimmying in it in a more than somewhat amusing fashion.

2) and if you are at all claustrophobic, it isn't the tent for you

They may be non issues to experienced woods-people, but they are what I noticed. Hope that helped.

[B3]

Not to hijack Murph's thread but I did a post on this tent last summer. Great minds think alike--and it's a good tent. However, the mesh does not stand up well to puppy claws...

Anyway: viewtopic.php?f=14&t=31007

[northernxposure]

I looks like a valid, heavy substitution for those that don't tolerate bivy sacks well, but in terms of actual usability I'd pass on it -

1) It's not free-standing.
2) There's no coverage for cooking, extra gear, etc
3) the entry point (with the exception of the top, but how do you secure the fly if you enter through the top?!) is similar to a bivy that weights less than a 1/6th of it.

By the time I added up the extra weight of a tarp, etc, I'm into a full blown tent with easy access, the ability to cook under it's vestibule, most are free-standing, and have better protection for other gear (a 1.5 man that you can actually put things in).

As always, my needs may be vastly different that yours -

But for a cheap, open, bug-proof bivy (minus the poles), I think it's got something going for it.




NXP

[Murph]

Not to hijack Murph's thread but I did a post on this tent last summer. Great minds think alike--and it's a good tent. However, the mesh does not stand up well to puppy claws...

Anyway: viewtopic.php?f=14&t=31007

No, I was actually hoping you'd post up a link to your's!

[Murph]

Haha cool. I have the older, 2 (1.5ish) person model. Mine is pretty light weight, but kinda bulky. Mind lying the packed version out next to something standard so I can see the size? Ows the weight?

[colinz]

1) It's not free-standing.

Eh? It looks pretty free-standing to me. Uses poles to support the tent, and requires no tie-offs to external supports.

What's your definition of free standing?

Murph, I always found it easier to peg the tent out before putting the poles through, does this method work for this tent?

[Murph]

Murph, I always found it easier to peg the tent out before putting the poles through, does this method work for this tent?

I could try it, but I think it would easier to set it up as mentioned. You have to wrestle it a little bit to get a straight pole to bend to a half dome. Putting the poles in is similiar to putting on socks. The male (toes) end of the pole is covered with a rubber nub, and the tent pole sleeve is actually sewed up on side (like the toes of a sock.) Only the female end has the ring and post as pictured.

[northernxposure]

1) It's not free-standing.

Eh? It looks pretty free-standing to me. Uses poles to support the tent, and requires no tie-offs to external supports.

What's your definition of free standing?

Murph, I always found it easier to peg the tent out before putting the poles through, does this method work for this tent?

We more than likely have different definitions of "free-standing".

To me, free-standing means the tent has the ability to hold it's shape without the need to stake itself out - not counting the rain fly. Eg, you assemble the tent and step back without securing it to the ground, it should resemble a tent or structure.

This:



doesn't have any structure to me, it's just two hoops with a lot of fabric inbetween it. Assembled this way it would be entertaining to use, and might be effective - just don't know if I'd call it a "tent" at this point.

An example of what I'd call a free-standing tent would be a geo-dome style tent, an A-frame style tent, etc - the tension from the poles push the base of the tent into it's form hold it there, the rest is supported by the overhead poles.

Murph -

Couple questions for ya,

1) Any chance that the rain fly can be completely removed from the tent, or is it attached and "rolled back" into one of the hoops?
2) If it CAN be removed, what is the overall weight of JUST the base/net part of the tent - no poles, no stakes, no rain fly.

Thanks!



NXP

[Murph]

NXP - As far as I saw the Rain Fly is permanently attached. The tent is all packed up now, but next time I have it out I'll try to remember to remember to check.

[the_klenzer]

Cool!

Though I think I'd probably opt for this slightly bigger one from Eureka if I was buying a solo tent. Same weight, more size.
http://www.eurekatent.com/p-45-eureka-s ... -tent.aspx

[Murph]

Cool!

Though I think I'd probably opt for this slightly bigger one from Eureka if I was buying a solo tent. Same weight, more size.
http://www.eurekatent.com/p-45-eureka-s ... -tent.aspx

Yeah, but that means it's bigger when it packs up too. I was looking for something for backpacking / hiking / Foot Bug Out

[Baba Brad]

Rainfly is permanently attached. Rolls up towards the head of the tent and is secured there.

[twitch1706]

I've got the Eureka! Gossamer, which is the exact same as the Solitaire, except the poles for my tent are made from aluminum. Due to this, I think it also shaved off an ounce or two. Anyway. I think both models came out simultaneously; my assumption would be that they got better sales from the fiberglass poles and stopped production of the aluminum ones.

It worked great for all the times I used it, except once. It was back when I was in the BSA and we were staying at some campground near Washington, DC for an airshow at Andrews AFB. Overnight it rained probably 3-4" and I woke up at probably 4am with water dripping onto my face. Because the guy-lines had been soaked by the rain they went a bit slack, causing the rainfly to touch the bug-netting (there is only about 2" of a gap between the two in the best of occasions). I'm not sure if it was a case of a poorly-sealed seam running down the spine of the rainfly or if the material itself let water through, but there was a goodly amount of water making its way into the tent from above. My sleepingbag and self were thoroughly soaked, but nothing a towel and nearby showerhouse (read: rain-free structure) couldn't fix.

I used the Gossamer on a one-weekend-a-month basis for the better part of 3 years before I left the BSA and as I said before, that was the only time it didn't live up to my expectations. From the OP's pictures it looks like they slightly re-designed the foot-end of the tent; I had to use an entire can of that same Camp-Dry spray sealant in the pictures to waterproof the fabric on the end past the smaller of the two hoops, which was largely not covered by the tapering end of the fly.

Oh, and this is my first post here after lurking for a couple months

[SurvivalGearDepot]

Do people who own these feel they are a good value for the price of them?

I've sold quite a few in the past 2 weeks, and havent really noticed many sold before that, so I'm curious if they are one helluva tent, or if they are just now becoming well known?

[Murph]

Do people who own these feel they are a good value for the price of them?

I've sold quite a few in the past 2 weeks, and havent really noticed many sold before that, so I'm curious if they are one helluva tent, or if they are just now becoming well known?

Um... It's camping season?

[Chase The hero]

Although I'm still not sure where to tie the guidelines to, or what kind of knot to use.

they attach to some little canvas loops on the ends of the hoops of the tent. There is one on the rear (mounted on the rainfly i believe) and 2 on the front (practically on the hoop). you tie the top using a taut-line hitch.

Thanks,
Chase T.

[Murph]

Although I'm still not sure where to tie the guidelines to, or what kind of knot to use.

they attach to some little canvas loops on the ends of the hoops of the tent. There is one on the rear (mounted on the rainfly i believe) and 2 on the front (practically on the hoop). you tie the top using a taut-line hitch.

Thanks,
Chase T.

Thanks Chase, I kind of figured as much, but I don't really see how that helps keep the rain fly off of the tent. I might try it out when I test the tent out this weekend.

[Baba Brad]

Do people who own these feel they are a good value for the price of them?

I've sold quite a few in the past 2 weeks, and havent really noticed many sold before that, so I'm curious if they are one helluva tent, or if they are just now becoming well known?

I feel they're a great value. I've used mine several times, 40 to 60 degree (F) weather, midges, light rain (luckily no heavy rain), I did leave it under the water sprinkler once, after sealing the seams, to see how it would hold up and was quite pleased. No water inside.

It's light, packs easy, sets up easy (after you get the hang of it). And in my case the price was right ($30 and $25 for my two).