Gear Review – Six Moon Designs Lunar Duo

Need a lightweight tent that is spacious for two, sturdy and does not feel too minimalist? Take a look at the Six Moon Designs Lunar Duo.

The purchase of this tent came out of two different backgrounds for backpacking:

• A partner preferred relatively short hikes into a campsite and making base camp for exploring the immediate area. A ‘real’ tent is needed for more than just sleeping in.  She desired spaciousness and comfort for hanging out in inclement weather.
• I come from a minimalist thru-hiking background. I want a shelter that is light, easy to set up, and packs down to a manageable size

Balancing these two needs required looking at some options currently in my backpacking gear collection::

1. I have an older Kelty Zen bought well over a decade ago. An excellent, sturdy, tent that I still use on occasion for car camping and as a loaner tent.  But, a bit too heavy and bulky for my current backpacking needs. It is also a bit snug for two adults esp. when in the more casual (more camping and less hiking) backpacking mode
2. An 8’x10′ or larger silynylon tarp would be more my choice. Light, easy to set up for the experienced tarp user, versatile. Cowboy camp on nice nights; set up on nights with suspect weather.  However, someone is not about to cowboy camp much less use a shelter that is partially open to the elements! 🙂

These two shelters did not work for both of us, unfortunately.  So we did some research, talked to other friends and found a tent that would work for the both of us.

The solution we agreed upon was the Six Moon Designs Lunar Duo. At about 2.5 lbs, it is a very light tent esp considering its spacious size.  For couples, the separate entrances and vestibules are ideal! Easy to enter and exit a tent without disturbing the partner.   The tent is an easy and quick set up that makes use of hiking poles for tent set up.  The tent proved its weather worthiness during one night in the Latir Peak Wilderness of New Mexico.  The rain came down in buckets and the inside of the tent was dry. Condensation was minimal.

Overall summary: A great shelter that is light enough for thru-hikers but spacious enough for more traditional backpackers. Somewhat pricey at just over $300, but if you are an avid backpacker. the money is well spent for the combination of roominess, reliability in inclement weather, lightness, and packability.

Disclosure: The tent was purchased with my own funds