Comments about REI REI Chrysalis UL Tent:

Super light-weight and compact.

I just used this tent on a two day backpacking trip. It's December, so I was interested in how it insulated from the cold conditions. The first night, it was in the low, low 20's with mild wind. It performed great. Some condensation on the inside of the tent, but I had it all zipped up, so there was little "Breathing" for the tent to do.

The second night, the temps were warmer, (Mid 40's). I set up the minimalist rig, with rainfly only on ground cloth, no tent. It worked well. I had a little rain, but the rainfly had good coverage and I was kept dry for the most part.

The vestibule was large enough to get my entire pack inside and closed up.

The only limitation that I can give this tent is that the tall folks might want another tent. It fit me okay, but I am around 5'9" tall. Those that are 6 foot and above will certainly be cramped.

Overall though, I would recommend this tent to anyone who is not physically too big for it.

Comments about REI REI Chrysalis UL Tent:

Easy to set up--it has only one shock-corded pole that pops into place just by shaking it. My 5-year old daughter said "It sets itself up!" She managed in two minutes (in my living room) with the only instruction being to go ahead and flex the poles to make them fit into the four eyelets. After that, clips make for quick work.

Small? No, it accepts a full size (76 x 25.5 inch) Therma-Leak pad without folding; easily fits me and I'm 6' 1". Most soloists would use narrower pads except on snow. The two triangular spaces remaining are usefully sized and sensibly at the head end, and the vestibule is roomy, especially for a solo tent. The side walls are steep, so the space is very habitable, even at the foot, and I'll bet it won't collect wet snow on top.

The weight is amazing for a free-standing tent. Mine is lighter than 3 lb. With a trimmed Tyvek ground cloth and four pegs it still packs under 3.5 lb. It sets up tightly with the four fly guy lines only. In 30 MPH winds it shook occasionally, but didn't flap.

Requests? I'd want all the fly guys to be cord locking like the front one and to use thin Spectra string (like I've substituted) instead of fuzzy nylon that stretches when wet. Also, an orange tent is easier to find in a whiteout (and looks cooler in photos, too).

Great tent! Be nice to it.

Comments about REI REI Chrysalis UL Tent:

I bought this tent as when I got on the kick of weight reduction. As we all know, the less the weight, the more the price. I bought this tent shortly after it came out, [...]. The tent is very light weight and I can set it up in 2 to 3 minutes, including the fly and footprint. I recently used it in cold windy weather on the AT in northern New Jersey. When I awoke in the morning, it was 34 degrees. There was little to no condensation inside. During a trip earlier in the season, I fell on it, as I slipped in the mud. One of the poles broke, but I was able to use the tent pole repair sleeve to get me thru the night. The next day, I was able to order a new pole section and fixed the broken segment easily. All in all, I love this tent.

Comments about REI REI Chrysalis UL Tent:

Forecast was for wind, then rain changing over to rain/snow then all snow this evening. Decided that would be perfect realistic conditions for testing the tent. Set the tent up in the back yard and crawled in awaiting the storm. As the night passed all of the above conditions materialized - 3 inches of snow. Tent performed just great. Was able to undress/dress without being cramped. Didn't try to cook in the vestibule yet (which stayed dry).

Comments about REI REI Chrysalis UL Tent:

Very easy tent to setup. I purchased this tent to save some weight and it exceeded my expectations. I love the FS design.

Comments about REI REI Chrysalis UL Tent:

Wow!! This is what I've been looking for in an UL minimalist solo tent for two years. At 6'1" and 200 lbs I've got ample room, even to sit up. I was really surprised at the volume of the interior; no claustrophobia & feels bigger than it is. Other tents in this class just have not had enough length. I had tried the Hubba, Marmot EOS, and a couple of Sierra Designs, none "fit me" like the Chrysalis. The full coverage fly is critical to me for wind-blown rain, and the vestibule is really roomy: more than I expected. The tent kept me bone dry in heavy blowing rain the first night out.

The tent set up easily: 2 - 3 minutes at a leisurely pace with the one piece hubbed pole skeleton, including the fly. Getting in and out is easier than in many larger tents, although in muddy conditions a side door would be better, and the user does have to have rain cover for gear, although a weekend size pack could actually fit in the vestibule. Mesh seems plentiful for ventillation. At a significantly lower regular price than comparable tents and the Chrysalis' size, weatherproofness, and ease of set up, it seems to be the ideal minimalist solo tent.

Comments about REI REI Chrysalis UL Tent:

I am new to the camping/hiking scene, but needed a lightweight tent for trips into the mountains of Central Asia to bring health care to those without. I tried it out on a short camping trip in Arkansas and it was awesome. I had never put a tent together before, but it went up in just a couple of minutes! I felt all cozy inside without feeling claustrophobic. I would recommend it to anyone who has to sleep alone and carry their house ont heir back!

Comments about REI REI Chrysalis UL Tent:

this tent is the perfect size for me and i love the colors

Comments about REI REI Chrysalis UL Tent:

I used this tent to through hike the AT in 2007. It was lightweight, east to set up and enough room for one person. I even had enough room to keep my backpack inside the tent. The air vent on the fly eliminated all condensation (never even one drop). I am 5'8", but if you were over 6' you propably should consider a larger tent.

The tent was so easy to set-up and so comfertable that I chose to tent in stead of sleep in a shelter almost every night, even when it was raining.

Comments about REI REI Chrysalis UL Tent:

I used the REI Chrysalis during my thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail in 2007. I loved it. It's easy to set up: the poles are all attached; the tent and rain fly have color-coordinated straps that remind you the correct way of setting up the tent; and it's freestanding, so you can move it after the tent is hooked up to the poles if you need to find just the right angle with the ground. Also, because it's freestanding, you can pick it up and hold it upright to shake out any dirt in the morning as you are breaking down camp. The vent at the top of the rainfly prevents condesation from forming inside the tent when used properly (VERY easy -- all you have to do is open the vent and open the top of the rainfly a little to get airflow coming through). I spent between 20 and 30 nights camped out in the rain throughout my thru-hike and did NOT ONCE have water leak into my tent, and I didn't seam seal it or use any of that stuff. I felt very, very safe when inside of it. It is also very easy to pack and dries out fast. The only complaint I can think of is that it is small, although it IS a one-man tent, and has more room than any one-man tent I looked at when I was shopping for tents back in March (I looked at probably half a dozen one man tents). Another thing I liked about it -- the vestibule is real nice, plenty of room to put your pack under it.

Tip for anybody who purchases this tent: get rid of the tent stuff sack and just roll up the tent and rainfly and stuff it down in your pack. Stash the stakes in an outside pocket and strap the poles to the side of your pack.

Comments about REI REI Chrysalis UL Tent:

Please, PLEASE, try this thing in the store before you buy it. The design of the floorspace is such that anyone over 5'-6" tall is going to stick out of the tent. You wouldnt buy a car so small your head stuck out the sunroof, would you?

Comments about REI REI Chrysalis UL Tent:

Great lightweight tent. I've used this tent in conditions ranging from freezing rain and snow to 100 degree weather and I couldn't be happier. It holds up really well in rainy conditions, I have yet to have problems keeping dry. It can get a little snug and it has a fairly small vestibule, but it has been a great backpacking tent especially for the NW.

Comments about REI REI Chrysalis UL Tent:

When I was looking for a solo tent, I originally looked at the Hubba and another by mountain hardware. Needless to say that the mh tent was not at all what they claimed it to be. The hubba was a bit pricey for my wallet at the time. The Chrysalis was considerably cheaper and just a bit heavier. It withstood a pounding rain in the Linville George and high winds. Set-up is a bit difficult at first with the hub system if you are not used to it afterwards though it is a breeze and the optional minimal shelter with the footprint is equally simple. Mesh up-top and towards the rear of the tent keep it at the right temperature as well. For much less money and a bit more weight it has been an excellent tent.

Comments about REI REI Chrysalis UL Tent:

A sturdy little freestanding tent. A very good buy for the price.
Very easy to set up, reasonably light
I have last year's model and it takes some tinkering to ensure fly is taut and held away from inner tent. This applies especially to the vestibule which tends to flap noisily in wind, and also the foot of the tent
Seems warmer than some other lightweight designs maybe because inner tent is mostly solid fabric rather than mesh -- have used it snow camping several times
Asymmetrical design means one side of tent is longer than the other -- not so great for tall people, or short people who roll over to the short side of the tent during the night.

Comments about REI REI Chrysalis UL Tent:

This tent is good although, i am 5'8", and i didn't even fit in it. So i would recomend not using it if you are over 5'5".

Comments about REI REI Chrysalis UL Tent:

I have used this tent for almost two years, and in a wide variety of conditions. It is a fantastic tent for the price. The outing in which this tent most impressed me was last year when I (and some others) went on a late season trip to our local mountains. We were expecting some snow, but ended up with a foot and big drifts. In the morning my tent was standing strong, but another guy with a two person dome had seriously bent poles. It is well built, and solid. There could be more mesh on the inside for less condensation, but it does well overall. It also has considerable room for the weight. Plenty of vestibule space. Also, this tent does really well in the wind (just point either end into the direction of the wind). In short, if you need a one man tent for 3.5 season use, get this . . . you won't be disappointed.

Comments about REI REI Chrysalis UL Tent:

I used this at Philmont for a week. Any one man tent is to small but this one worked great. Once I set the tent up and learned the poles it went up about as fast as any tent. No maintenace issues and held up in rain, hail, and wind. I would take it again.

Comments about REI REI Chrysalis UL Tent:

Overall the tent is a great sturdy easy to set up and get into tent. The vestibule size is comparible to most. One great thing is the extra room around your head. The design of the tent is unique in that it widens near the head leaving extra room in the front of the tent for you to shed clothing if you get too warm at night or a space to leave a small bag (or whatever you want). The only downside is that there is not a lot of ventilation.

Comments about REI REI Chrysalis UL Tent:

This solo tent is good performer! Sets up fast even in windy conditions and breaks down to a compact size. Super stable pole design and inside there's a nice amount of headroom, much better than those lightweight "tube" tents. Great value.

Comments about REI REI Chrysalis UL Tent:

This is a great single man backpacking tent. This tent traveled with me to New Mexico during monsoon season and withstood 10 days of downpours and thunderstorms without any leaks. At 6-0 and 220 lbs the name of the tent very much represents how much room you'll have. If you're taller than 6-0 you might want to look at alternatives. The vestibule is a bit small for my taste, but it was enough room to keep boots and other gear dry.

Comments about REI REI Chrysalis UL Tent:

I've used this tent for two summers on several backpacking trips of varying lengths from one to six nights. I've found it perfect for my height, 5'6". It has held up well in the rain, is well ventilated and produced little to no condensation. I especially like the prop open ventilation on the top of the tent and the porthole window in the rainfly.

The solid walls provide good privacy but I would like to have more mesh so that the more of the sky would be visible on those starry, starry nights.

Since my motto is "Less fatigue equals more fun," this tent suits me well. It's simple to set up, weighs very little, is inexpensive compared to comparable tents and has given me many nights of comfort.

Comments about REI REI Chrysalis UL Tent:

Light weight and quick to set up. Love the window!

Comments about REI REI Chrysalis UL Tent:

This is a great tent for solo backpacking. I have used it in desert windstorms and at 12,000 feet in the Colorado Rockies. It is very sturdy and weatherproof. Superlight in weight and fast to set up. Great for 3 season protection!

Comments about REI REI Chrysalis UL Tent:

This tent is nicely built and sets up quickly and easily. The vents are nice and well placed as well.

At 6'-0" 160lbs, it barely fits me in my mummy bag comfortably while utilizing the "vestibule" for boots and clothes. If you are taller than 6'-0", things are gonna be very cramped. Overall it works great for me when I want to go solo.

Comments about REI REI Chrysalis UL Tent:

A wonderful, lightweight and sturdy tent. I regularly used it above 10,000 feet in Colorado's San Juan mountains and it was perfect. It handled heavy thundershowers, sleet, and snow(a couple of inches) with ease. It also handled what I estimated to be 50 mph winds, with ease. The vestibule did not quite fit my pack, so usually I left my boots in the vestibule and the pack outside with a rain cover. I am 5'10" tall and fit nicely, but I would say if you are over 6'1" it could be a bit tight. In all an excellent three season solo tent