User Review: Sierra Designs Light Year 1

Sierra Designs Light Year 1
Above: The current Light Year 1, which may differ slightly from the version reviewed.

Reviewed February 17, 2008 by Neilthemeal

Design: three season hoop
Sleeps: 1
Ease of Setup: easy
Weight: 3.3 pounds
Price Paid: $50

I'm doing an initial review after getting this on a supersale brand new at REI. So two things to keep in mind, I'm reviewing this after picking it up for cheap ($50) and I've only ever set it up in my basement.

So let's review the pros...

1. It set up easy. I don't have many guyout points in my basement but it still went up. I couldn't get it as tight as I might want but I think that as it was setup it would shed rain.

2. It's got headroom. I have always imagined that a one person tent would be tight. This one was pretty roomy, except for the foot box.

3. Everything seems pretty sturdy. The fly hooks up tightly. The tent seems sturdy, and I've always liked Sierra Designs products.

4. Light. It weighed 3 pounds 5 ounces on my scale, so it's about what they claim which I can appreciate. It stuffs down to about 5.5in by 18in. Much smaller if you pack the poles and tent separately.

5. The price. I had no intentions of getting a non-freestanding tent, but I couldn't say no to $50. Keep in mind, for another $50 I could order and retrofit a third pole that would make it free standing and have a cheaper tent than most 1 person freestanding tents.

6. Once I get the footprint, the fastpack option is light. Under 2 pounds.

The things that worry me...

1. Getting it guyed out tightly enough/ freestanding design. See point 5 above, it doesn't worry me too much.

2. $30 for a footprint sucks. I didn't get that yet. I will though.

3. My rectangular sleep pad doesn't fit as well as a mummy shaped one would.

Things I'll report back on...

1. Ease of pitching in the outdoors.

2. Ventilation

3. Fastpack option and what kind of protection it offers.