Sea to Summit Alto TR1 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 Alto TR1 takes pitching on hard ground; the Lunar Solo takes weight, floor space, headroom and price. On a bike the pole set usually decides it before the rest do.
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
7 of the 7 things we can measure come out differently.
Poles to carry
the Lunar Solo has no pole set at all, the Alto TR1 doesA trekking-pole shelter has nothing to fit across your bars, which removes the constraint entirely — but you then need poles from somewhere, strapped to the frame or bought separately. It is a different problem, not a smaller one.
Minimum weight
196g lighter on the Lunar SoloTrail 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.
Construction
Alto TR1 is double wall, Lunar Solo is singleA double wall puts a gap between you and the condensation; a single wall saves the weight of the second layer and puts the condensation on the inside of your shelter. Which is right depends on where you sleep, not on which is better.
Pitching
Alto TR1 needs less from the groundFreestanding matters on a bike trip more than on a hike: gravel bars, wooden platforms and hardpack are where you end up when you are following a road, and none of them take a stake.
Floor area
0.47m² 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
17cm more headroom in the Lunar SoloWhether you can sit up, which decides how a rained-out afternoon goes.
Price
$165 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.
| Sea to Summit Alto TR1 | Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo | |
|---|---|---|
| Poles to carry | 450mm folded | None — trekking-pole shelter |
| Minimum weight | 936g | 740g |
| Construction | double wall | single wall |
| Pitching | semi | Needs stakes |
| Floor area | 215 × 107cm — 2.29m² | 228 × 121cm — 2.76m² |
| Peak height | 108cm | 125cm |
| Price | $380 | $215 |