Scarp 1 User updates...?

[farefam]

Just got back from my first trip using a Scarp 1 for a week in WA's Stirling Range. I camped on the top of 4 mountains in a variety of exposed positions.

After many years of carrying an Olympus the much lighter weight of the Scarp 1 was much appreciated on the steep climbs. For a single person I found the floorspace was adequate to fit all of my gear inside the tent (rather than having to leave some in the vestibules). It is a shame that the tiny internal storage pocket isn't significantly bigger so that you can keep more stuff off the floor (it's just big enough to hold a couple of small mobile phones). But I guess that is the price of the low tent weight.

In some pretty windy conditions I found the tent stood up well so long as you could peg it down properly. Even without the optional crossing poles it didn't feel like it would collapse. However, if you are forced to camp on rock shelves you'll need to find some pretty heavy rocks to hold the tent in shape in windy conditions.

Set up is fairly quick once you get used to it. The supplied pegs are okay for use in soft ground but I also carry some different thinner sorts of pegs that are better suited for harder ground.

I didn't find the floor of the tent to be too slippery for my sleeping mat to stay put, so long as you avoid steeply sloping sites.

I didn't have any rain during my trip but did experience some cold nights. The outside of the fly got covered in heavy dew (as all tents do) but very pleasingly there was none on the inside of the fly or on the inner tent. So a credit to the ventilation. And if you seam seal the fly competently it is very waterproof.

On the downside though, in windy conditions due to the light fly fabric weight and being a single hoop design I found that this tent is very noisy. Don't forget your earplugs if you want to get a good night's sleep as on some night's I only got 3-4 hours sleep.

The Olympus isn't retired (or for sale) but the Scarp 1 will be my choice of tent for 5 day plus walks from now on.

Overall I'm pretty happy with the Scarp 1 (it is far better and lighter than my ancient Eureka 1 man tent which I can now throw out) and look forward to more field testing in Tassie next year.

[Franco]

It pays to have different pegs.
I like the holding power of the 8" Easton but I also take some nail stakes as well as a couple of the Y type too.
Now I have some MSR Mini Groundhogs. Very strong for the weight but I would prefer longer ones.

"in windy conditions due to the light fly fabric weight and being a single hoop design I found that this tent is very noisy."
Do you use guylines on the main pole ?
(it wobbles if you don't)

[farefam]

Yes I was using two lines attached to the hoop whilst on Toolbrunup Peak (for the price these lines should have been included (along with two more Easton pegs) I feel).

All tents flap in the wind; it's just some more so than others. Which is why I reckon hell is an exposed campsite (heaven is a sheltered campsite), but the compensation is the mountaintop views.

Agree with your comment regarding pegs (I take the 3 types you mentioned).

[Franco]

"for the price these lines should have been included (along with two more Easton pegs) I feel). "
They say that nothing is free and it is correct in this case too.
Adding guylines and extra pegs would add to our cost therefore to the retail price also would annoy folk that already have extra pegs and have or buy their favourite kind of guyline.

[farefam]

Did my first serious hike with the Scarp 1 along the Prince of Wales Range in January. That's one spot in Tasmania where you can't afford to have your tent fail on you. During the 12 days I had to camp most nights in exposed locations. I'm pleased to report that the Scarp 1 held up well in the windy conditions (was using the guy ropes only rather than taking along the weight of the extra crossing poles) and it never felt like it was going to collapse. The tent also went through 48hrs of rain and drizzle without any leaks or any condensation issues. And pleasingly it didn't feel like I was stuck in a coffin during the rained out days. Overall I'm pretty impressed with the performance versus the weight.