I have owned a Gelert Solo since May 08 and have used it on a weekly basis until Nov 08 in Snowdonia.
The Solo costs peanuts and the next tent of comparable ability is twice as expensive. The tent is double skinned, so you don't wake up at 4am in a wet nylon mess.
At 1.5kg it is very ... Read review
KEY FEATURES A lightweight, compact solo tent ideal for bikers, cyclists&trekkers looking ... more
for a no-fuss tent. Quick pitching Small pack size Ultra lightweight Pre attached guylines aid pitching Poles: 2 x 6.9mm Fibreglass Pitch: Inner first Taped Seams: Yes
Postage & Packaging:free Super Saver Delivery Availability:Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
KEY FEATURES A lightweight, compact solo tent ideal for bikers, cyclists&trekkers looking ... more
for a no-fuss tent. Quick pitching Small pack size Ultra lightweight Pre attached guylines aid pitching Poles: 2 x 6.9mm Fibreglass Pitch: Inner first Taped Seams: Yes
Postage & Packaging:Check Site. Availability:Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Advantages: Sturdy/Practical/Lightweight/Cheap Disadvantages: weak poles
I have owned a Gelert Solo since May 08 and have used it on a weekly basis until Nov 08 in Snowdonia.
The Solo costs peanuts and the next tent of comparable ability is twice as expensive. The tent is double skinned, so you don't wake up at 4am in a wet nylon mess.
At 1.5kg it is very light and the Solo's carry bag is as big as two rolled up newspapers. It ACTUALLY fits in it's zip up bag and has a repair kit in a zip ... ...have found this watertight, as Gelert "weathercheck " most of their kit. One bloke recently lay in his tent and had his old dad turn the garden hose on it with no adverse result, so enough said.
The only downside is the use of lightweight fibreglass poles that have cracked. I only had the smaller main spar develope a hairline crack which was fixed with parcel tape from Tesco's in Porth Madog. Job done.
I have owned a Gelert Solo since May 08 and have used it on a weekly basis until Nov 08 in Snowdonia.
The Solo costs peanuts and the next tent of comparable ability is twice as expensive. The tent is double skinned, so you don't wake up at 4am in a wet nylon mess.
At 1.5kg it is very light and the Solo's carry bag is as big as two rolled up newspapers. It ACTUALLY fits in it's zip up bag and has a repair kit in a zip pouch within. This small pack size means it straps neatly on any number of places on your bergen ("pack ", to you civvies!). To pack the Solo actually inside your bergen would be no drama either and it is ideal for all you cycling and canoe freaks who delight in shaving your legs, or drowning in rapids.
The tent has two poles. a big one and a small one, so even in the dark you can't mess up. The inner pitches first which is a pain in the wet but the whole rig can be up and habitable in 5 mins.
At 6ft tall and 15 st, I can stretch out and have a good night's sleep without ripping the thing to bits and contorting into a foetal position. The inner tent is well thought out with a niknak pocket and a strop for a lantern...albet a small one!
The door runs the whole length of the tent and is mesh..ideal for hot nights with Scottish midget trying to get in to eat you. That considered, the tent's low profile means draughts are non existant and gales do not affect stability.
I can lean on my side and comfortably read a book or cook, with the door open. The vestibule (porch to you and me ), between the inner tent and the fly lends itself to accomodating a smallish bergen but hey, if you want to sleep with your pack then buy a caravan.
If you don't trust the weatherproofing on your bergen or it's integral cover then buy an MOD "BERGEN COVER" in fancy desert camo for £19 new on the net ; and be the envy of all the locals.
The fly has a single vent with a flap. So long as this is pegged out then you stay dry and don't suffocate.
The fly is also proofed and advertised as a 1500mm hydrostatic head. I have found this watertight, as Gelert "weathercheck " most of their kit. One bloke recently lay in his tent and had his old dad turn the garden hose on it with no adverse result, so enough said.
The only downside is the use of lightweight fibreglass poles that have cracked. I only had the smaller main spar develope a hairline crack which was fixed with parcel tape from Tesco's in Porth Madog. Job done.
I have written to Gelert about perhaps using alloy or aluminium poles and received the following reply today:
"Thank you for your comments and feedback, we are always happy to receive comments so we can better our products and customer satisfaction.
Following the comments from others we are looking to improve the quality of the poles moving forward. Because this tent is designed to be more of an entry level product we are not looking at Aluminium poles as this would double the price
Kind Regards
Kim Farrant
Customer Service Administrator
Gelert ltd"
...fair enough.
In conclusion, this tent works and is cheap. There is nothing on the market to touch it for practicality and compact design. In fact, most of it's cometitors are around £100 .
I am a true fan of my trusty Solo and Gelert have done themselves proud with a backpacker's equivalent of the Model T Ford! You can have any colour so long as it is green!
Advantages: Lightweight, Small Pack Size, Durable, Attractive Design Disadvantages: Small living/ sleeping space; Flysheet not easily secured to inner; Inner-First pitching
The Gelert Solo is a lightweight, 2-skin tent which is great for cyclists or walkers. It is also good for those campers who enjoy the group camping but not the sleeping in a big tent. You can think of this as a, seperate sleeping space once all the festivities have died down. The inner-first construction can be seen as a disadvantage seeing as the inner is almost completly mesh and would get incredibly wet if you were pitching it in adverse weather ... ...apart. But, come morning, my Gelert Solo was in one piece whereas my companions Gelert Mongoose (basically the same tent just a 2-man version) had sustained damage. The groundsheet will keep dampness out from the ground, and although cnodensation is a big issue in winter, in the summer it's not so bad. One unpredicted advantage must be that the mesh inner is a great way to ease you out of a phobia of creepy-crawleys! Knowing they can't get you is ...
RhysLawson 06.09.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Gelert Solo
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Advantages: lightand compact/sturdy and comfortable Disadvantages: inner pitches first
I am a regular backpacker and walker and the trade off between weight and space in a tent is perfectly balanced here. At a tad over 1kg the solo straps neatly onto the outside of most packs/bergens. The only downside is the necessity to pitch the inner tent first but putting the whole rig up takes less than 2 mins if you are against the weather.
There is plenty of room to move about and the tent has been well thought out when it comes to little details like a strop to hang a lantern from, inside.
I am 6ft tall and had no problem propping myself up to rread in bed at night. The porch was big enough for my pack and the full length insect net in the inner tent has allowed me to have a cool night in the heat of the summer.
I last used my tent in an october gale and rainstorm and it's low profile and sturdy construction kept me warm ...
A lightweight, compact solo tent ideal for bikers, cyclists & trekkers looking for a no-fuss tent.
* Quick pitching
* Small pack size
* Ultra lightweight
Poles: 2 x 6.9mm Fibreglass
Pitch: Inner first
Taped Seams: Yes
