MSR Thru-Hiker Mesh House 1 vs Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo
Two shelters, measured against each other on the figures that decide whether they work on a bike.
The short answer
The Thru-Hiker Mesh House 1 takes weight and price; the Lunar Solo takes floor space, headroom and vestibule space. Their pole sets are close enough that neither wins on the bars, so this comes down to what you want from the shelter itself.
Assembled from the differences below rather than written over them. Every figure is a published measurement or computed from one — nobody here has used either one.
Where they differ
5 of the 5 things we can measure come out differently.
Minimum weight
460g lighter on the Thru-Hiker Mesh House 1Trail weight where the maker publishes one — fly, inner and poles, without the stuff sacks or the footprint. Worth reading against the pole length rather than instead of it: a Bikepack edition is usually a few grams heavier for shorter poles.
Floor area
0.89m² more floor in the Lunar SoloInner length by inner width as published. On a bike trip the floor also has to take whatever you brought inside off the bike, so a few centimetres is not nothing.
Peak height
29cm more headroom in the Lunar SoloWhether you can sit up, which decides how a rained-out afternoon goes.
Vestibules
1 more on the Lunar SoloWhere wet kit and panniers go. On a bike trip it is also where the bags off your bike spend the night, which is more volume than a hiker brings.
Price
$110 between themAs we hold it. Shelter prices move more than most gear, so check before you commit.
Side by side
Including the rows where they are level.
| MSR Thru-Hiker Mesh House 1 | Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum weight | 280g | 740g |
| Floor area | 223 × 84cm — 1.87m² | 228 × 121cm — 2.76m² |
| Peak height | 96cm | 125cm |
| Vestibules | 0 | 1 — 0.8 cm² |
| Price | $150 | $260 |
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