Macpac Sololight - Viking Razor Circuit 2014
Mt. Clear - 2015
Owner: Thomas
Used since: 2014
Tested by: Thomas
Review by: Thomas
Primary Use: Light-weight, multi-day hiking
Review:
I was looking since quite a while for the best possible combination of a very lightweight tent but at the same time provides enough inner space for me and my backpack, a floor that is not too thin yet not so thick that it adds more weight, a shelter that is reliable, wind and waterproof. I almost bought the MSR Hubba NX but stumbled across the Macpac Sololight by accident when browsing a store in Canberra late 2014. The tent was a brand new release from MacPac. As I had made only good experiences with my other two Macpac tents, I purchased this one as it had the same weight as the MSR Hubba NX (approx. 1.3kg) and is slightly roomier inside. Used it several times on multi-day hiking trips, some days I was exposed to rain and wind - the tent had no issues with any of the elements. I really enjoy the small pack size and weight of this tent. Would probably not use it for car camping but if multi-day hiking/cycling and weight saving is important - this is definitely a great buy.
Pros:
- Excellent ventilation, which makes it a great tent for hot seasons and climates
- Very waterproof despite the thin fabric
- Lots of points for stabilising the tent in strong winds with additional strings and pegs
- Super Lightweight
- Small pack size
- Inner or outer tent can be pitched separately
- As with all Macpac tents - you need to seam seal it yourself with the Silicon glue provided in the pack. Although it is annoying to do that initially and takes good 2 hours (+ 12-24 hours drying time), I see it as an advantage because that type of sealant lasts forever whereas I have seen many tents with pre-sealed seams where the seal-strips start to break/crack or peel off after some 6+ years or so.
Cons:
- Not ideal for the winter season or very cold and windy climates. As ventilation is quite good in this tent, it doesn't provide much insulation from the cold air - hence makes it quite cold to sleep in winter or in conditions where a strong, cold wind blows (ie. on exposed mountain areas).
- Setup could be better as it is sometimes a bit cumbersome to fiddle around with the small poles on either side of the tent and set it up if you are on your own. But you get used to it. In comparison, the Macpac Microlight is easier to setup (but provides less internal space and ventilation).
- You are likely to end up buying another set of 4-6 tent pegs if you want to stabilise the tent in strong wind because by default there are not enough pegs in the pack that allow you to attach every mount point to a tent peg.
- The flashy green colour - I am not sure why insects love this colour more than others but especially in hot climate/seasons, hundreds of flies, bugs - big and small - fly under the tent and then get trapped on the roof inside the tent. I don't have this issue with my dark green Macpac Microlight. Another team member (Dinesh) also has no issues with his dark green Macpac Minaret. My own yellow Macpac Minaret is somewhat better in this regard but still worse than dark green. Maybe a tip for manufacturers to consider the annoyance of insects when producing tents in certain colours.
Manufacturer Website:
http://www.macpac.co.nz/equipment/tents/microlight-hiking-tramping-travel-tent.html