Tarptent ProTrail Li

An excellent ultralight shelter.

This is a bittersweet review. On the one hand I love this tent and the idea behind it. In real world use though (and understand this is mostly just me) it leaves a lot to be desired.

I'll go over the cons first. Firstly, in real world use I found this tent to be annoying to get out of. Not necessarily in, but out. I am getting up there in years and occasionally nature will come calling unexpectedly. When this happens, you must move quickly and having to move a pole out of the way while getting out of your bag isn’t the easiest thing to do quickly.

Further, there’s no real way to put on your boots until you are free of the tent. You better hope the ground isn’t wet. In short, getting in and out of this tent is more than I bargained for. However, for a younger person I bet it wouldn’t be as much of an issue. Still the added time needed to get out takes away from your time to dig a hole BEFORE.

I also did not like that when inside it looks like you have a lot of space when you do not. Nothing can go on the sides of your sleep system. No jackets, clothes, or other items. If those items touch the bathtub floor, they will easily overpower it and ultimately have those items laying on the mosquito netting as a result.   

The pros? Ultralight, easy setup. Small footprint. Very well made. Relativity low-cost comparative to the rest of the market.   

Background

I have used many many tents and hammocks over the years trying to find the best lightweight solution for all conditions.