REI Chrysalis UL Solo Tent - '09 Special Buy

Comments about REI Chrysalis UL Tent - '07 Overstock:

It may not be the lightest on the market, but it's much better than any 2-person tent. It's surprisingly roomy for an ultralight with lots of headroom. The odd shape allows for plenty of room at the front to tuck away items you don't want to leave outside under the fly. Also, there are 2 good-sized pockets in the front corners. There are loops at the top to hang a light or a triangular attic if you love storage space. Because it's not all mesh, it kept me plenty warm on cold nights but the mesh it does have prevented condensation in the morning. My only qualm is that while I love the fly, I would have made a square vestibule rather than triangular for even more space. But I guess that would also make it weigh more.

It's an overstock item now (last season's model), but if you get one before they're gone, I definitely recommend it. It's successor is the Quarter Dome T3 which is very tight with no extra room. If you count grams, go for the T3. If you like spacious ultralights, get the Chrysalis.

Comments about REI Chrysalis UL Tent - '07 Overstock:

This tent is the best solo freestanding tent by any measure I can think of. It's tall (large head clearance), has a large vestibule (big enough to cook in during a storm), has plenty of room, and is light and small to carry. I'm 6' tall and 200 lbs and I fit comfortably in this. Could fit another small person in the tent in a pinch. Wouldn't mind sharing it with girlfriend. I went out and bought a sea-to-summit stuff sack (size XS) and packed the tent into it. Then carry the pole and steaks in the pole case and you can carry the tent, rain fly, poles, and stakes in a very small form.

Comments about REI Chrysalis UL Tent - '07 Overstock:

This is an excellent tent. I looked for a nice light weight freestanding tent and they are hard to come by for a good price. I spent 2 nights in it with the temps around 10-13 degrees. I also had about 35mph winds the first night. I didn't have any condensation. I had the rainfly set up as well. Ground stakes are really nice, made of t6 aluminum so they are strong. The vestibule is big enough for my pack and boots.

Comments about REI Chrysalis UL Tent - '07 Overstock:

I purchased this tent for section hikes on the AT, and perhaps to use for a 2010 thru-hike. I had looked at the other "usual suspects", including the Hubba and the Seedhouse SL1. I thought the Hubba was like sleeping in a coffin and didn't like the complete lack of privacy and the draftiness of the 100% mesh bodies of the Seedhouse and the Hubba, and the new tent from Sierra Designs.
After using it a couple of nights into the 40s, I can say I like the comfortability of the mostly fabric body, and feel the non-drafty flow-through ventilation works well. I like the little vent in fly, over the ceiling, but can't comment on whether it does any good to stop condensation, since I didn't get any. Also, with the fly off, you still have some privacy, which helps adjacent to an AT Shelter if you don't want to use your fly. I can see how it might not have enough ventilation on a hot, humid night; but how many of those do you encounter on the AT? I don't know.
The fly is a nice color, however I am going to tie some reflective cord to the guy out points, to find it after nighttime nature walks. And my only complaint is a very minor one: you have to pass the two center hook/loop fly attachment ribbons through the circular pole hubs to keep the fly aligned. Other than that, setup is child's play!
Finally, I think previous comments about this tent being "small" are absurd. Compared to a Hubba, the floor space of this tent is palatial. Yes, if you are over 6 feet tall, you might feel cramped; and there is not enough room, really, to stow your pack inside. But you can't do that in the other tents, either. I am 5'11' and 220# and I could sit up, turn around, curl up my knees when sleeping, keep tomorrow's clothes inside, etc. So from my perspective, the Chrysalis is a great tent at a great price nowadays. Grab one!

Comments about REI Chrysalis UL Tent - '07 Overstock:

I use this tent year round. Great for backpackin'. Lite, easy to set up and stays dry on the inside. I have a condensation problem with all my tents. Heavy mouth breather. This one seems to handle it better than most. Handled torrential rain as well as bitter cold (-13)winds. Footprint is a nice lite protective piece. Have 3 other tents but use this one the most.

Comments about REI Chrysalis UL Tent - '07 Overstock:

This is the best deal on a solo tent out there. It's just big enough for me and my gear. The odd shape gives room to have my back right next to me, and plenty of room in the vestibule for boots and other gear. The over-sized stuff stack with straps is sweet. I don't have to waste time folding it to fit in a small bag. Just cram it in and cinch it down small. I love the one pole design, makes putting it up easy. I'm always the fastest putting my tent up, which means a lot when it starts to rain.

Comments about REI Chrysalis UL Tent - '07 Overstock:

Was in the market for a freestanding 3 season and selected this after a bit of research. It has been great. Very easy to set up, no leaks, was solid in the wind and is fairly light. I am not a gram counter but am conscience of what I carry. I am 5-10" and am comfortable in it; not a lot of room for extras in the tent if that is important to you. The only issue, and I new this when I bought it, is getting in and out is not as easy as some of the side entry tents I tested.

Comments about REI Chrysalis UL Tent - '07 Overstock:

Great deal, kept me dry in a bad storm. Packs down well, warm in 30 deg. weather.

Comments about REI Chrysalis UL Tent - '07 Overstock:

I'm really impressed with this tent. It sets up quickly and easily, and is a good size for one person.

The rainfly is very effective: after a night of solid rain, I remained completely dry.

The rainfly has an ingenious little vent, and once I propped it open, the venting worked well for me: on a 40-degree night there was a small amount of condensation on the inside of the rainfly, but my sleeping bag and the inside of the tent were dry.

The vestibule is a reasonable size, and there's even a small amount of space inside the tent for gear.

The zippered door is easy to use with one hand if you've staked the front of the tent down.

What would make this even better for me personally would be if the area at the foot were as wide as the area at the head: this would make it kind-of a 1.5-person tent, so more gear would fit inside. Still, it's a great tent as it is, and I don't think you can find a better one-person tent for this price.

Comments about REI Chrysalis UL Tent - '07 Overstock:

This is a great tent. I have had it for about a year and have used it on many backpacking trips. I love how small and light it is. I usually strap my tent to the outside of my pack but I can pack this one inside. Makes it much easier. Haven't had any problems out of it