Ultralight Shelters

For backpacking, a solo tent under 2 lbs (32 oz) is considered ultralight, while anything under 3 lbs is lightweight. Most conventional backpacking tents weigh 3.5–5 lbs. Our lightest enclosed shelter, the Lunar Solo, weighs just 26 oz (1 lb 10 oz), and our Gatewood Cape starts at 11 oz.

As a general rule, experienced thru-hikers aim for shelter weight to be about 15–20% of their total base weight. For a 10 lb base weight target, that means a shelter in the 1.5–2 lb range—exactly where most of our lineup falls.

A trekking pole tent uses your hiking poles as the structural support instead of dedicated tent poles. You place one or two trekking poles inside the shelter body, then stake out the corners and guylines to create a taut, weather-resistant pitch. This design eliminates 12–20 oz of redundant pole weight since most hikers already carry trekking poles.

All Six Moon Designs tents (except the Lunar Orbiter) are trekking-pole tents. Our single-pole designs, like the Lunar Solo, allow for a very quick setup and pitch, while our two-pole designs, like the Haven and Skyscape Trekker, offer more headroom and wind resistance.

Single-wall tents combine the rainfly and tent body into one layer, simplifying setup and saving weight.

Double-wall tents use a separate inner mesh body and outer rainfly, which reduces condensation but is more complex and weighs more.

For three-season backpacking and thru-hiking, single-wall designs offer the best balance of weight and protection. Our shelters effectively manage condensation through the use of breathable fabric and strategic ventilation. In humid conditions, leaving the door partially unzipped and making sure the vents are open helps keep the interior dry and comfortable.

Non-freestanding tents require stakes to maintain their shape, which can seem intimidating at first. After just a little bit of practice, most hikers are able to master their set up. Our non-freestanding shelters weigh 10-50% less than comparable freestanding tents, a substantial difference in weight.

The trade-off is that you need terrain you can stake into. For extremely rocky terrain, tent platforms, or snow camping, a free standing tent may be more practical, but for 90% of backpacking scenarios, non-freestanding shelters are the smarter choice for weight-conscious hikers.

For solo thru-hikers, the Lunar Solo is our most popular shelter for all three Triple Crown trails. It offers the best balance of weight, interior room, and weather protection for 2,000+ mile journeys.

PCT hikers often opt for the Gatewood Cape for dry desert conditions and the Lunar Solo for the Sierras and Cascades.

AT hikers favor the Lunar Solo or Skyscape Trekker for the way they handle the rain in the eastern landscape.

CDT hikers chose the Skyscape Trekker because of the stability with two poles in the exposed, windy ridgelines.

We offer tents in a couple of different fabric options to match your needs. 190T Polyester is our more affordable option, but it’s still durable, proven on thousands of thru-hikes, and offers excellent weather protection at a great price if you’re willing to sacrifice some weight. SilPoly is our lightest shelter fabric and the most commonly used material in our tent lineup. It is a bit pricier, but it delivers the best weight savings while maintaining excellent strength, weather resistance, and long-term performance on the trail.

Both fabrics provide excellent UV resistance and waterproofing once sealed. We recommend GearAid Seam Grip + Sil Net for all our SilPoly tents and GearAid Seam Grip +FC for our 190T tents.

This depends on the terrain and how much longevity you want in your tent. Our shelter floors are durable for most backcountry use without a footprint, but we recommend a lightweight groundsheet (Tyvek or Polycro) to extend the life of your floor, especially on ricky or abrasive surfaces. It only adds around 2-4oz and will protect more fragile ultralight materials.

Many thru-hikers skip the footprint to save weight, but weekend hikers where weight isn’t as big of a factor and who camp on rougher terrain may benefit from the extra protection.

Every Six Moon Designs shelter comes with lifetime product support. This means we’ll help with repairs, replacement parts, setup guidance, and any questions about your gear for as long as you have it. Some repair fees or shipping costs may apply.