by Sherry Law

Created on: November 11, 2008   Last Updated: December 15, 2008

The Wild Oasis tent, by Six Moon Designs, is proof positive that great things do come in small packages. Weighing less than a pound (13 ounces) and taking up less space in your backpack than an extra pair of blue jeans (about 6" x 5",) the Wild Oasis is the one of the lightest one-person shelters on the market today. And with a price tag of around $175, campers from Texas to Canada are choosing to use this ultralight little tent for their wilderness adventures.

While the Wild Oasis is a three-season tent and not constructed for extremely cold conditions, its 35 square feet of 360 degree protection will give you a nice place to sleep and will keep the morning dew or a summer rain shower off your back. Though floorless, the Wild Oasis offers an 18" No-See-Um skirt around the bottom to help protect against insects. The skirt is tapered to avoid the tendency to creep beyond the canopy and wick rainwater up into the tent. The Wild Oasis also features the ability to adjust the height so that it can be pitched with a lower profile during windy weather, or made taller to increase the ventilation when the wind is not a factor. Fabricated from 30 Denier Silicone Nylon, the hexagonal Wild Oasis features a vent set high in the shelter to aid in minimizing condensation and a zippered entry to make getting in and out a snap. Once familiar with the shelter, both setting up and taking down the Wild Oasis can be accomplished quickly, even in windy conditions. The Wild Oasis can be set up using a single hiking pole, an optional Carbon Fiber pole ($25, weight 1.8 ounces,) or hung from a tree limb making it extremely versatile.

The Wild Oasis comes with a Sack and Guylines; however the stakes must be purchased separately. For $12, Six Moon Designs has a Lunar Solo Stake Kit that contains five 6" stakes and one 9" stake (for the main guyline) - combined weight 2 oz. They also offer the stakes singly. For additional rain protection, you can choose to either have the Wild Oasis seam sealed by Six Moon Designs (an additional $20) or you can purchase a tube of SilNet Seam Sealer (for $6.50) and do it yourself.

Let's face it - when you're carrying a backpack, whether for a day or a week, every ounce becomes critical. Everything in the pack seems to weigh ten times more at the end of the day than it did when you packed it in the morning. Six Moon Designs knows that. So whether you're camping for the weekend or for the summer, if you're looking for an extra lightweight, inexpensive shelter, the Wild Oasis by Six Moon Designs might be just what you're looking for!

Check it the Wild Oasis or other Six Moon Designs items here!

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