Tarptent MoTrail Single-Wall Tent

Product detailed description

You can set it up at the front using one or two trekking poles—two obviously provide greater stability—and at the back, you can use either the original small support pole (300 CZK extra) or a trekking pole. The setup instructions may seem complicated at first, but it’s actually easy. By the second time, you’ll be able to set up the tent in 3 minutes. All you need are the 4 stakes included in the package. For extreme conditions, I recommend purchasing an additional 4 stakes and a few guy lines.

The tent has a floor and is completely enclosed by a mosquito net. It can be fully opened at the front and back for better ventilation, views, and minimal condensation. It pitches perfectly and is incredibly wind-resistant. That’s why we took it with us on a section of our nearly 5,000-kilometer trek along the mountain spine of the North American continent—Continental Divide Trail. For the nearly 1,000-kilometer section across Colorado, constantly at altitudes between 3,000 and 4,000 meters, it was a great choice.

The tent does have a large vestibule—just over a square meter—but we still bring our backpacks inside because of the pesky mosquitoes. I’m 182 cm tall, and I can fit inside with my backpack at my feet. The tent is spacious enough for two people. That’s a rarity for an ultralight tent. In a pinch, three people could even sleep inside. The guy lines at the corners have line-lock tensioners for easy tensioning of the tent. The packed tent is a bit larger, but the weight is excellent. The workmanship is perfect, and you get corresponding quality and value for your money.

Tarptent is a legend in the world of ultralight gear and, to the great satisfaction of thousands of users, has been on the market since 1999. In America, Tarptent is synonymous with lightweight tents. Behind the brand is Henry Shires, who made his first Tarptent for himself on the Pacific Crest Trail. Since then, he has tested his tents on thousands of kilometers of trails in Europe, New Zealand, Nepal… The tents are still sewn in the US, made from proven material (Silnylon), simple, original, and superbly crafted—ensuring they will serve you for many years to come. Few brands have consistently received such excellent reviews for all their products as Tarptent—just read the hundreds of journals from long treks all over the world…

If you’re concerned about condensation, we recommend reading our article dedicated to condensation.

Warning! The tent does not have taped seams!!! As with other UL tents and tarps, you have to do this yourself. For tarps made of siliconized nylon, you can purchase this adhesive or mix your own blend according to these instructions. 

It might be a hassle, but at least you’ll get to try setting up the tent and get familiar with it while taping it together. If this is an insurmountable problem for you, then you aren’t ready for the ultralight concept and should look for your gear in a different category… Ultralight is about knowing your gear and its limits, and treating and caring for it accordingly. My reward is a feather-light backpack that makes it a joy to spend whole days roaming the mountains!

Tarptent MoTrail:

• Weight: 964 g (including stakes).
• Single-wall tent for two people – a larger version of the ProTrail.
• Excellent ventilation and storm resistance.
• Easy to set up—just 4 stakes, and with a little practice, you can do it in 2 minutes. You can find a great video right on the website.
• Plenty of space for two people + gear. Two sleeping pads fit inside in their extended, wide versions!
• The front can be set up using one or two trekking poles (two are always more stable in strong winds).
• If you don’t use poles, we can supply an original, stable (12 mm diameter) folding pole weighing 113 g. Additional charge of 600 CZK.
• We definitely recommend using trekking poles at the front—thanks to their adjustable length, they make it much easier to tension the tent on uneven terrain.
• At the back, you can again use a trekking pole or an original lightweight folding pole (36 g; additional charge of 300 CZK).
• Large mesh panels for better views, ventilation, and insect resistance – complete protection against insects.
• The large vestibule covers an area of 1.17 m², which you can use to store gear.
• The low end at the foot of the tent can be fully opened from the inside for good ventilation, or closed in case of a storm to prevent rain from blowing in.
• An additional mesh panel is located at the foot of the tent to prevent the sleeping bag from touching the dew-covered flysheet.
• Flysheet material – 30D Silnylon.
• Quick-drying materials.
• Lightweight and compact when packed – 41 x 10 x 10 cm.
• Reflective guy lines with integrated line tighteners.
• For perfect tent tension and greater wind resistance, the seams are not straight but have a catenary curve (catenary ridgelines).