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The North Face Solo 12 Tent

The North Face Solo 12 Tent

Item # 747799
!
This item is currently sold out or unavailable online.

For your reference, this page contains historical product information.

The North Face® Solo 12 is an ultralight, one-person, single-wall tent with excellent high/low venting and high wind-resistance.

  • From the Flight Series™, a collection developed by The North Face and tested by outdoor athletes; designed for done-in-a-day adventures
  • Enhanced single-wall tent design uses a Nano-Knuckle™ swivel on the top cross-pole to create a zip-closeable overhead vent
  • Lower perimeter tent venting works in conjunction with this top vent to create cross-tent chimney-style ventilation while keeping elements out
  • In addition to great ventilation, the Nano-Knuckle and overhead vent combine to optimize structural support
  • DAC Featherlite® poles have a high strength-to-weight ratio, slide in/out of sleeves easily and use extrusions, not inserts, minimizing breakage
  • Fusion Pitch combines continuous pole sleeves with Microclip™ construction, easing setup and improving ventilation without sacrificing strength
  • Silicone-treated nylon canopy is strong, resists UV breakdown and compresses down small for easy packing
  • Canopy is fully seam-sealed and ultralight nylon taffeta floor is fully taped for the ultimate in weather protection
  • Features a convenient L-shaped door and color- coded poles for easy setup
  • Includes reflective guy line and zipper cording for better nighttime visibility
  • Comes with compression stuff sack for easy packing
  • Average minimum weight specification is based on tent and poles only

Please note: The North Face products can only be shipped to U.S. addresses.

Imported.

Item 747799

Related Items:

The North Face Solo 12 Tent Specs

Specification

Description

Season3-season
Design typeNon-freestanding tent
Sleeping capacity1
Average minimum weight2 lbs. 2 oz.
Average packaged weight2 lbs. 8 oz.
Average weight - metric1.13 kilograms
Floor dimensions84 x 35 inches
Floor dimensions - metric213 x 89 centimeters
Floor area18 square feet
Vestibule areaNot applicable
Peak height35 inches
Peak height - metric89 centimeters
Doors1
Canopy fabricNylon
Floor fabricCoated nylon taffeta
Number of poles2
Pole materialAluminum DAC Featherlite
Pole diameter8.8 millimeters
Packed size5 x 23 inches

The North Face Solo 12 Tent Customer Reviews

REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

by PowerReviews
The North Face Solo 12 Tent
 
3.4

(based on 12 reviews)

50%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Pros

  • Lightweight (11)
  • Easy to set up (8)
  • Sturdy (7)
  • Comfortable (5)

Cons

  • Collects condensation (4)
  • Too cramped (3)

Best Uses

  • Backpacking (10)
  • Hiking (4)
  • Reviewer Profile:
  • Avid adventurer (7), Casual adventurer (4)
  • What Is Your Gear Style:
  • Minimalist (3)

Reviewed by 12 customers

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Oct

8

2007

(4 of 4 customers found this review helpful)

 
3.0

Not as good as sliced bread

By girl with the little black dog

from Colorado Plateau

About Me Avid Adventurer

Pros

  • Comfortable
  • Lightweight

Cons

  • Heavy Condensation

Best Uses

  • Backpacking

Comments about The North Face Solo 12 Tent:

I have been using solo tents for 25 years and thought that the North Face Solo 12 would be the answer. It is lightweight and packs really small. I am 5'3", 125 pounds so I found the tent roomy for me and my pack, and "seemed" to have great ventilation. However, I used this tent in a snowstorm, rainstorm and good weather, on a 3 night backpack, and it condensed each night. When my head hit the sides, my hair got soaked. I had to wake and dry the tent with a towel during the night. In bad weather, when you open the door, rain or snow comes in. I was very disappointed and reluctantly returned it.

Bottom Line No, I would not recommend this to a friend

(4 of 4 customers found this review helpful)

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Apr

21

2008

(3 of 3 customers found this review helpful)

 
3.0

NF Lookin' Out for the Little Man!!!

By bigpacker1979

from Los Angeles, CA

About Me Avid Adventurer

Site Member

Pros

  • Easy to set up
  • Lightweight

Cons

  • Collects Condensation
  • Too Cramped

Best Uses

  • Backpacking

Comments about The North Face Solo 12 Tent:

So the bottom line is...great featherweight gear for anybody under 5'11".

Well constructed, good design, could be fairly weatherproof with good seam sealing, but If you're a big person, buyer beware. This tent features a single wall design, making it a good half lb. lighter than the nearest competitor. Unfortunately, this also means that any point of contact between you and the tent wall will, in colder/high alt. conditions, produce a fair amount of condensation.

Bear in mind, this is a great product. I'm only rating it a 3 because it is NOT suited for taller individuals.

Incidentally, I traded mine for a Big Agnes Seedhouse, and am loving it.

  • What Is Your Gear Style:
  • Minimalist

Bottom Line No, I would not recommend this to a friend

(3 of 3 customers found this review helpful)

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Jan

28

2008

(3 of 4 customers found this review helpful)

 
1.0

Disappointing condensation problem

By alex b

from Encinitas, CA

About Me Casual/ Recreational

Site Member

Pros

  • Easy to set up
  • Lightweight

Cons

  • Collects Condensation

Best Uses

    Comments about The North Face Solo 12 Tent:

    Easy to set up, and you can't beat the weight. BUT, with all the vents fully open the condensation resulted in my head and the perimeter of my bag getting wet. The tents of the the others in my group were nice and dry. I returned this tent. I wish I had read the reviews before I bought it.

    • What Is Your Gear Style:
    • Minimalist

    Bottom Line No, I would not recommend this to a friend

    (3 of 4 customers found this review helpful)

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    Oct

    24

    2007

    (3 of 3 customers found this review helpful)

     
    1.0

    Just Returned it

    By Corky1

    from Denver, CO

    About Me Avid Adventurer

    Site Member

    Pros

    • Lightweight
    • Sturdy

    Cons

    • Collects Condensation
    • Difficult To Setup

    Best Uses

    • Desert Camping

    Comments about The North Face Solo 12 Tent:

    Just used this tent on a 3 day/2 night raft trip. Cramped for my 6'1" frame, but better than the bivy bag it replaced. Shorter hoop so tight, it is difficult to stretch the tent to fit, took a long time to get everything stretched just right to get the pole into the grommet. Still OK until a cold rainy night. The condensation/leakage was so great, it looked like someone put the hose sprayer on mist and sprayed the entire inside of the tent. Everything inside was wet, my bag, me, my stuffsac/pillow, my clothes inside the tent, everything! Previous night was a dry night and the vents/door were open and I still had enough condensation to dampen my sleeping bag. This tent a loser if you like to be dry!

    Bottom Line No, I would not recommend this to a friend

    (3 of 3 customers found this review helpful)

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    Sep

    13

    2007

    (3 of 3 customers found this review helpful)

     
    3.0

    But I took a shower yesterday...

    By Luna - See

    from Pleasant Hill, CA

    About Me Lightweight backpacker

    Site Member

    Pros

    • Lightweight
    • Sturdy
    • Waterproof

    Cons

    • Condensation
    • Too Cramped

    Best Uses

    • Backpacking

    Comments about The North Face Solo 12 Tent:

    I slept in this tent about 15 nights in climate ranging from calm to thunderstorm, with lows from the low 40's (F) to the high 70's (F).

    This tent is well built and will stand up to very high winds. It is a snap to set up, and at 2 lb.-4 oz. (without stake & pole bags & compression sack), is light as a feather. It employs a 2-hoop design and is more like a bivy than a tent in shape and function. The coffin footprint is very efficient, but still allows plenty of room to move around horizonally. The head clearance at the peak is lacking and the overall volume is minimalist, like a bivy. I am a male at 5'-5" and 155 lbs. and found it to be roomy horizontally, but a challenge while sitting up or changing cloths.

    I was caught in a Sierra thunderstorm and had a small river hit the tent broadside in the middle of the night but I stayed completely dry, which is remarkable considering the extensive ventilation. It has a double vent at the peak, and another at the foot, which is the air intake and must be facing the prevailing wind. The head is surrounded by vents at ground level on three sides. This extensive venting is meant to overcome the non-breathable, single-wall construction. I pointed it into the wind, left the door partially unzipped, and even rigged up a computer fan in the peak, but always had significant condensation upon waking in the morning. In a double-wall tent, this would not be a problem, but the minimal volume of this tent would not allow me to get out of my bag and get dressed in the morning without getting drenched. I ended up using a towel to dry off the interior surfaces before rising, but this turned out to be too much of a hastle and the fabric was still very damp after the mop-down.

    In conclusion, this ingenious, well built tent could not overcome the condensation problem inherent in a waterproof, non-breathable, single-wall design.

    Bottom Line No, I would not recommend this to a friend

    (3 of 3 customers found this review helpful)

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    Sep

    9

    2007

    (2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

     
    4.0

    Light Weght

    By James W

    from Lillooet, BC

    About Me Avid Adventurer, Casual/ Recreational

    Site Member

    Pros

    • Comfortable
    • Easy to set up
    • Lightweight
    • Sturdy

    Cons

      Best Uses

      • Backpacking
      • Beach
      • Car Camping
      • Hiking
      • Mountaineering

      Comments about The North Face Solo 12 Tent:

      This tent is very light and it is easy to set up. It has one problem, it gets a lot of condensation on the inside of the tent. Other than that it is a great tent.

      Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

      (2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

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      Sep

      5

      2007

      (2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

       
      5.0

      Great in wet weather

      By Earthworm

      from Minneapolis, MN

      About Me Casual/ Recreational

      Site Member

      Pros

      • Easy to set up
      • Lightweight
      • Sturdy
      • Waterproof

      Cons

      • Condensation

      Best Uses

      • Backpacking

      Comments about The North Face Solo 12 Tent:

      Went on a three day hike in the Washington Olympic Mountains with 2 other friends, and knew there would be rain (rain forest duh). This was our first real hike in wet weather, so all 3 of us bought new tents, all different. It rained all night the first night, I was the only one to wake up in the morning with no water in my tent. This tent was lighter than both of theirs, and easier to setup in the rain due to no fly.

      If I was camping where it would be warm and dry at night, this would not be the tent to take because I did have some condensation problems, but nothing a hike towel couldn't handle. Of course then i would sleep outside anyway.

      For wet weather camping this tent worked like a champ.

      Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

      (2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

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      Oct

      29

      2007

      (1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

       
      5.0

      excellent light weight tent

      By 858jason

      from San Diego, CA

      About Me Casual/ Recreational

      Site Member

      Pros

      • Comfortable
      • Easy to set up
      • Lightweight

      Cons

        Best Uses

        • Backpacking

        Comments about The North Face Solo 12 Tent:

        I thought this tent was the perfect size, I had plenty of room to stretch out and sit up. I just returned from Joshua Tree and had no condensation problems.

        • What Is Your Gear Style:
        • Minimalist

        Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

        (1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

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        Oct

        22

        2007

        (1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

         
        4.0

        Great single wall tent

        By thruhiker1912

        from Savannah,Ga

        About Me Avid Adventurer

        Site Member

        Pros

        • Comfortable
        • Easy to set up
        • Fly Works Well
        • Lightweight
        • Sturdy

        Cons

        • Collects Condensation

        Best Uses

        • Backpacking
        • Hiking
        • Mountaineering

        Comments about The North Face Solo 12 Tent:

        As with most single wall tents, you need to get the air flow right so there is no condensation. This tent has performed well in all temps.

        Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

        (1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

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        Sep

        21

        2007

        (1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

         
        3.0

        Get a Big Agnes SL1

        By hikenm

        from Albuquerque, NM

        About Me Avid Adventurer

        Site Member

        Pros

        • Sturdy

        Cons

        • Heavy
        • Too Cramped

        Best Uses

        • Backpacking
        • Hiking

        Comments about The North Face Solo 12 Tent:

        Tried this tent but took it back. Heavy for its size, compared to Big Agnes SL1. Felt cramped for my 5' 10" height.

        Bottom Line No, I would not recommend this to a friend

        (1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

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        Please let us know what kind of issue this is:

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