Six Moon Designs Deschutes Solo Tarp Shelter

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Six Moon Designs’ Deschutes Tarp bridges the gap between rectangular tarps and a tent giving great protection at a very low weight.

Six Moon Designs says

The Deschutes is a lean, mean, no frills, down and dirty shelter for ultralight hikers on the move. It packs so small and light it might literally get lost in your pack, yet it is large enough for a comfortable night’s rest without the claustrophobia of a small tarp.

The Deschutes shelters have 44 ft ² of coverage and a setup height of 49”. Inside you have plenty of room to sit up and the extra room lets you spread out your gear. The full-length vestibule zipper makes for easy entry.

Constructed from tough but light Silicone Nylon, the Deschutes Tarp weighs 13 ounces and is quite affordable. When mated with the Serenity NetTent you have a double wall solo tent, that weighs a mere 24 ounces.

Most tarps have one or more gaps that you need to address in order to stay dry. The Deschutes has 360 ^o weather protection. This tarp helps shelter you from the worst storms while staying nice and dry. Its single pole pyramid structure makes it easy to set up and very stable. It easily handles both wind and light snow loads.

When using a trekking pole for setup, you can vary the height of the tent to optimize for prevailing conditions. Setup higher for maximum ventilation and low for stormy conditions.

Our Verdict

Six Moon Designs’ Deschutes Solo Tarp is their key tarp shelter, pitched using a single trekking pole it provides a huge amount of space for one person and can be paired with the Six Moons Designs Serenity Bug Shelter for when you need more protection.

It has a differential cut such that you can pitch it close to the ground at the rear & sides and the front will be comparatively open, set quite high off the ground – while still providing the necessary protection. A zipper allows easy access.

If the openness of Tarps has you a bit worried about the UK conditions the Deschutes Tarp bridges the gap between a rectangular tarp and a tent – whilst still remaining very light indeed.

– Reviewed by Ultralight Outdoor Gear

Features

• Long Zippered Entry for easier entry
• Top Vent
• Single Pole Setup with hexagonal shape provides maximum protection at minimum weight
• Easy Setup

Specifications

• Weight: 364g (excludes bag)
• Storage bag weighs: 12g
• Season rating: 3
• Sleeps 1
• Comes with Tent, Stuff sack
• Pack Size: 38 x 15cm
• Height: 122cm
• Length: 266cm
• Floor space: 44 ft ² – 4 m ²
• Pegs: Takes 6 (not included)
• Usage: Ultralight Backpacking
• Type: Tarp
• Frame: Single Trekking Pole required (not included)
  
• Entry: Side entry
• Materials: 30D Silicon Nylon
• Zipper: #3 YKK

Product FAQ:

Do the Six Moon Designs tents and shelters come already seam sealed?

Six Moon Designs currently only offer non-seam sealed tents and tarps to their dealers. Due to the volume of seam sealing for their own direct orders this service is also not currently available for special orders either. SMD are hoping to be able to start offering this service to dealers again in the future.

If you want to seam seal your SMD tent, the product to use is Gear Aid Seam Grip Sil (also known as McNett Silnet but recently rebranded).

Help & advice:

• Six Moon Designs About Us
• Six Moon Designs Meet the Team
• Choosing a Tent
• Tent Features
• Tent Considerations 1
• Tent Considerations 2