Mountain Designs Redline 1-Person Tent: Tested
A lightweight one-person tent is often a compromise of space, size and weight, sometimes at the expense of durability. Some brands take a more balanced approach to the weight-vs-room equation to offer a robust, roomy shelter that, for a minimal weight increase, provides peace of mind for the user. The Mountain Designs Redline 1-Person tent is one such.
Design of the Mountain Designs Redline 1P tent
The three-season rated Mountain Designs Redline 1P presents: its 930mm width (at the head; 570mm at the foot), 2250mm length and 950mm height put it at the ‘roomier’ end of the one-person tent spectrum. The vestibule space is a generous 0.58m2, too, while packed size is a compact 500mm x 125mm x 125mm. It weighs a respectable 1.52kg (with the minimum eight required pegs).
These dimensions are ‘usable’; even though it is a tapered shape, the tent has steep walls and enough wiggle-room to be comfortable. The hubbed pole setup is well known these days in tent design, and it works effectively here. The high-tub floor and seam-taped outer fly – with a high 4000mm hydrostatic head (HH) waterproof rating – ensure water ingress is not an issue.
There are peg points on its base, along with additional guy ropes to ensure a taut fly and in case of wilder, windier conditions. Add in a high-set vent, two gear pouches, a handy mesh shelf for the roof, YKK zips and you’ve got a solo tent that is the embodiment of common-sense shelter design.
In the field
The tent arrived a little over a month ago, for our initial review in Issue 8 of Aus Geo ADVENTURE, so at that point we’d only had it out for two hiking weekends. During this time, though, the tent has performed as designed, with an easy and fast setup, and enough room for a solo adventurer and their gear. It is quick to set up, thanks to that single hubbed-pole system. The fly clips on just as quickly; in five minutes you’re done. The freestanding design has been handy as we’ve had to move it around once or twice (especially on one windy night, to ensure its narrow end faced the wind), and the mesh areas and vent came in handy on one particularly humid night. The Redline 1P simply works.
Since that initial print review last month, testers have snuck away for another long weekend of hiking and report that the Redline 1P has continued in that same “simply works” vein. All of those who have used it have said how quick – and straightforward – it is to set up. The other standout for testers has been how, for its diminutive footprint, the tent has quite a bit of interior space. One night of rain on this last test weekend also put the outer fly to the test and, as expected, it performed with aplomb.
The D-shaped door is just adequate enough in terms of ease of ingress/egress; we’d love to see it a bit larger and those over 180cm will agree. Having said that it’s not a chore getting in and out. We managed to store our 55L pack inside the vestibule and had a bit of space for hiking boots and poles, too. That 950mm interior height (at the head end) was enough to be able to sit up without having to bend your neck/head, but we’d love to see that height extend further along the tent.
The final word on the Mountain Designs Redline 1P tent
Mountain Designs has come up with a great all-rounder solo shelter. Its three-season rating, the adequate interior space, and the straightforward design and construction combine to make it an ideal shelter option for soloists. We intend keeping the tent for another few months of testing, into the middle of summer, so look to a long-term report online in February.
For now, we can say that, for the asking price (especially if you become a MD Club Member – it is free, and a no-brainer) it represents good value and really impresses with its ease of use in the field.
RRP: $250 (Note: MD Club Member price is $180) See Mountain Designs for its complete range of hiking tents.
