User Review: The North Face Solo 12

The North Face Solo 12
Above: The current Solo 12, which may differ slightly from the version reviewed.

Reviewed October 30, 2006 by Andy Park

Rating:
Design: 3? season superlight
Sleeps: 1
Ease of Setup: extremely easy, simple, no guys, 2 poles, 7 pegs
Weight: see the spec sheets
Price Paid: £150

Recently used in gale force winds in the Cairngorms, Scotland, as first real test. Very strong! Wobbles and shudders in large gusts but didn't buckle, amazing for something with no guylines. Love the small pack size, light weight and rapid pitch.

Couple of minor niggles, stuff sack with large webbing and buckles just adds pack weight for no reason and the door zip has a tendency to catch the storm flaps where it curves from the vertical to horizontal. I'm 5 foot 8 and fits like a glove without being too claustrophobic but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone much bigger.

Venting better than expected, yet it's not as draughty as say Mtn Hardwear's 2 skin PCT1 which used mesh inner. Highly recommend if you can cope with cooking outdoors, if not buy a Hilleberg Akto.