Our lightest non-Dyneema® double wall arch pole design, the patented Moment DW is the marriage of elegance and performance. Made with 30D nylon 66, the Moment DW is light enough to take on your next thru-hike and versatile enough to be at home on a snowy Scottish mountaintop. The Moment DW is also one of the fastest-pitched tents on the market and is up and ready for the elements in less than one minute and with only two stakes. This is the best choice when lightness, quick set-up, and weather protection are your main priorities, especially if you don’t use trekking poles. With the versatility and ease of use the Moment DW we bet it will be your go-to tent for years to come.
Your order includes:
- Moment DW fly
- Mesh or solid interior
- Arch pole
- Two 9” aluminum stakes + stake bag
- Silnylon tent bag
Chris Sewell (verified owner) –
I’ve used the Moment DW twice (5 nights) since getting it in late January.
The first weekend was cool (5ºC, 40ºF) calm with a little rain overnight. I had the tent completely sealed up and of course condensation couldn’t escape.
The following night more rain and almost a frost. I opened up the end flaps and also adjusted the top vent to be opened but not let the rain in. Much better. Very little condensation. I’m 6’2″ and cooked in the vestibule without any problems.
The next trip was Easter in the Snowy Mountains. Heavy rain and snow with strong winds for the first two nights. (temps between -5ºC / 23ºF & 2ºC/36ºF) and I used my walking poles as was suggested to give the outer less chance of flapping. Properly pitched there was no flapping and much quieter than my previous tent (The Notch). With this set up, the snow easily slid off (we had freezing rain at first (a rarity in Australia) then snow). The inner was also much further away from the fly, so no touching or sticking the two together. I’ll be using this combination more often as it was more comfortable when cooking inside. No condensation at all on the solid inner. I had the rear vents closed to make it warmer, but opened the top vents a little on the windward side and more on the leeward so snow & rain didn’t enter the tent. The last night was very still, foggy and damp. Snow fell during the night and again, just slid off without any assistance from me.
stephen.frank (verified owner) –
I’ve had this tent for about 3 years. I have used my Moment DW on I think ~8 trips so far, in summer, winter, and fall; with the mesh and solid liners; and with no liner as a single-wall shelter on snow. For reference, I backpack mainly in the Colorado Rockies. I would give it 4.5 stars overall. This tent is a “jack of all trades, master of none”; if you want to own just one 1-person tent that can do almost anything, this is it.
Advantages: Extremely easy to pitch. Handles well in the wind due to the profile. Low fly minimizes splashback in poor weather. Has stood up well to snow loading (with crossing pole) as well as one night when freezing fog left about 1/8″ of ice on the outside of the fly (see photos). Very livable inside vertically; I have lots of space when sitting up in the middle. (For reference, I am 5′ 10″ and around 160 lbs.) Plenty of room for gear inside the liner. Ability to swap liners as well as remove the liner makes this tent very versatile. In particular, removing the liner in winter opens up a lot of space for gear (but does make it colder). Quality and material durability is superb like all Tarpents I have seen and owned.
Disadvantages: The Moment DW does most things quite well, but is not the best at anything, in my opinion. At 2+ lbs., it is heavy compared to the UL shelter competition (e.g. tarps, trekking pole shelters). With the solid liner, it feels a bit tight inside due to the proximity of opaque fabric to your face, especially in winter with thicker sleeping pads and bags. I had some trouble not brushing the liner with head or feet in winter (summer conditions are fine). The fly edge is low, but not tight to the ground, so in winter spindrift still gets in. The vestibules are adequate but not spacious (unless you adjust the tent to take away space from inside the liner). Head and foot ends are tight, but that’s to be expected due to the strut design (which is shared with the Notch). Silnylon sags when wet; again expected.
Compared To:
Conventional Free-Standing Tents – The Moment DW beats any conventional 1-person tent hands-down, in my opinion. It has more durable materials, better space, and weight is comparable.
Trekking Pole Shelters – The Moment DW is quite a bit heavier, but you can leave it at a base camp more easily. But I would likely take a trekking pole shelter for thru-hiking.
Tarps – Used without a liner, the weight is only a bit more than a large silnylon or silpoly tarp, and the weather protection is much better
Winter Tents – The Moment DW is MUCH lighter than a true winter tent, but it is also tight inside for winter camping (unless used without a liner). The fly edge is not low enough to fully cut out wind and spindrift. In my experience, in a sheltered location (like trees) the Moment DW is adequate as a solo winter tent as long as you aren’t really tall.
Andyp (verified owner) –
I used this tent for part of the Pennine way. It was really homely. The twin vestibules were perfect for my gear and the tent goes up within 5 minutes. I really do like this tent a lot. I did mod it slightly, in that I put pegs I the 4 corners for strong winds. So it would be nice if the next model just has a loop I each corner to give the option for extra storm pegging but that was my only issue. Otherwise, along with the Notch, it’s by far my favourite tent.
Eric B. –
I began with the original single wall Moment. I liked it a lot and used it for several years but sold it when Moment DW came out as I wanted to use the tent for solo winter camping and a double wall is essential for winter use.
For handling snow load better I shortened the optional crossing pole 6″ and ran it UNDER the fly.
There are European tents that have a similar shape to the Moment DW but none with a better design for all seasons.
This new “Gen. 2″ version of the Moment is even a bit better and so I got one for my grandson who, at 17, is now 6′ 1″ and growing and can use the Moment DW until he reaches 6′ 7” or so (unlikely).
With main pole guys and mid fly guys my Moment DW has withstood steady 30 – 40 mph winds and recorded 60 mph gusts for several hours with no problems and virtually NO flapping with the fly hem staked down.
Thank you Henry for a superb solo tent.
Vince DeWitt (verified owner) –
I do like all the features of the Moment DW, compared to other one-person tents. The interior does stay dry, even when the tent is rolled up wet; ingenious. I haven’t set the tent up in a driving rain, yet, but did set up in a light rain and the interior was bone-dry.
My only complaint- and I only seem to be the only commenter stating such- is the pole pockets for inserting each end of the hoop pole into. I had a really tough time keeping the end of the pole in the tiny (in my opinion) pole pockets when I walked around the tent to insert the other pole end in a pole pocket. This problem, as Henry Shires wrote me, was due to my not tensioning the straps (with pole hoop pockets) securing the tent floor to the rain fly correctly. He helped me solve my dilemna, but not before the arch pole sleeve had ripped in a few spots from the arch pole popping through.
Can pole pockets be lengthened to accommodate newbies who may try and set up the tent without realizing the correct tensioning aspect?
Aidan L. –
I received this tent as a gift and have used it on a number of occasions. It is extremely easy to set up and take down, it is very sturdy, it has luxurious vestibules, and it has amazing ventilation. I also found that the inside not only remains dry during takedown in the rain as advertised but it also stays dry even when it is packed in the stuff sack wet and left for a day.
One thing to be careful about with this tent (especially if you are using carbon fiber poles) is to make sure that you do not unseat the any segments of the arch pole when un-bunching the sleeve. I made this mistake and one of the pole sections snapped. However, when this happened I contacted Tarptent and they quickly sent me a replacement section for which I am very grateful.
I am very much looking forward to using this tent again.
Thank you to Tarptent for both an amazing product and amazing customer service!
Aidan
WOODLEY FRAMPTON –
I purchased this tent because I it does not require trekking poles for set up. I used it on my 2019 1700 mile PCT hike through California. Overall it worked well for me. I enjoyed having 2 doors. It was roomy enough to bring gear inside at night. I generally brought in my clothes and left the backpack, shoes and food in the vestibule. I had a few small issues. When inserting the center pole one evening, the pole poked a hole through the material. Following that, I had to be more careful when inserting the pole. The other issue was that the pole bent during a windy night in the desert of SoCal. When I reached Kennedy Meadows, I was able to replace the bent pole. After my hike, when I reached home, I called Henry at Tarptent and I purchased a new pole section to replace the bent section.
Joshua S. (verified owner) –
My search for the perfect solo tent is over! The Moment DW strikes a wonderful balance between a tent that is lightweight, fully featured, and incredibly easy to setup. With the additional crossing pole, mesh and solid liner, it will easily handle backpacking, canoe tripping, and bike packing in all 4 seasons. Support a small business and get the Moment DW. You won’t regret it!
Klaas van der Veen –
I’ve owned this tent for 5 years, and spent over a hundred nights in it, in early spring conditions in Scotland, the Alps and Italy. Therefore, my review is about durability and build quality. It is excellent. No wear and tear at all, and I’m not especially careful…
By the way, when using two more guy lines on the hoop, it gets a lot stiffer and can stand quite high winds.
JohnnyMac (verified owner) –
I’ve owned the 2019 Moment DW for a few months now. The design offers almost twice as many features than most one person tents. Double walls, two doors, two vestibules and only two stakes needed to set up. The flawless construction quality is what I have grown to expect from Tarptent dating back to their early years. I upgraded the arch pole from aluminum to carbon fiber. I also had them seam-seal the shelter for an additional nominal fee.
My Moment weighs 34 oz. I know there are lighter and heavier single person shelters and I’ve owned my share of them. I mostly purchased the Moment for its unique features and design.
These days I mostly got solo canoe trips until the waterways start freezing and then switch over to winter gear. Then my preferred shelter of choice is a tarp with a bivy. So I was quite impressed that another cool feature on the Moment is the rain fly can be set up alone. Unlike a typical tarp though which needs trees or hiking poles and a bunch of stakes to set up. The Moment just needs the included pole and two stakes. I haven’t separated the outer rain fly from the inner mesh interior so am not sure of the weight savings if you just use the fly.
The set up couldn’t be easier. I found it helpful to first stake out one PitchLoc end, then insert the pole through the sleeve. It keeps it from moving all around as you slide the pole in. The same for when you take the shelter down, keep one end staked out as you remove the pole from the sleeve. I have no issue keeping the shelter fabric rigid with just 2 stakes. I always have a few extra stakes & cordage but never had the need to use more tie outs.
The weather on my most recent trip was hazy, hot, humid, buggy reminding me why I prefer the other seasons. The evening provided winds blowing off the lake and heavy rain. I had to keep the doors mostly closed but the unique zipper design allows you to vent near the protected top. Leaky seams? Nope. Condensation? None but your results may vary. The two huge pitchloc vents, two doors plus with duel zippers flat out provide air flow from every where.
When it’s not raining, I can open both doors and with other minor adjustments can see everything around me. Which is why I am out there in the first place.
The only feature that could use a redo are the small internal mesh pockets which are pretty much useless. Tarptent cordage is also a bit old school but it works. That’s about it. Would I purchase the Tarptent Moment all over again? Absolutely.
Linda G –
PS. Another great feature is I can roll up tent, sleeping bag and matt into one roll in the morning. I secure with a couple of straps, slide it into a bag made from tyvek and carpet tape, and I’m ready to go.
Linda G –
I have used this tent for 4 weeks of bike packing. The feature I love most is the rainfly that can be rolled up at night and if it starts raining, I can close the fly without leaving my sleeping bag. I especially appreciated this feature when a black bear came to visit. With the fly rolled up I could see who was outside my tent and send them on their way with a blast of bear spray through the mesh.
My concern is that it is difficult to set up a tight rainfly. It sags and bags and I know I will get wet if I ever face a rainy, windy night.
Kate C (verified owner) –
This tent is absolutely amazing! First off, though, kudos to the Tarptent team who helped me (and my husband) through the process of getting this to me. I work abroad, and part of my work involves hiking/trekking. So when I found this tent, and it ticked off my major needs in a tent (less than 1kg, easy to put up, minimal stakes)…I needed it! The tarptent folks (especially Seth), got us through the billing process and got the tent to me in record time! So, thanks so much for that!!
Now, the tent! I just used it for the first time last weekend and it worked like a dream. Our campsite was mostly gravel, so I ended up pitching under a covered deck area. No problem, since the Moment DW only needs two stakes, I just attached the two lines to some heavy chairs and boom! Tent up! The tent went up in about 5 minutes and came down in even less. The folks I was with were super impressed. It’s roomy enough for my tiny size (4’11”), and I could likely get my rucksack and boots inside as well if the weather required it. Seriously. This tent is everything you’d ever want in a tent: lightweight, no-nonsense, no-fuss.
Thanks, Tarptent! :D
Rob Newton –
Hi TarpTent,
Just wanted to say thanks a lot, I received my Moment DW on Christmas Eve ! My first TarpTent. Only just got my first night in it, full moon camp on the edge of a cliff in the Wicklow mountains, Ireland. Here are some pictures you might enjoy – https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Tj_w1xwuWsBqyt1W_4wJ1zQVvQ0GfCMM
I love the self-standing option, so easy to find just the right position on wild heather bushes without having to re-peg, two vestibules and venting options are superb, Ireland is very damp but only minimal condensation in the morning.
Keep up the great work, much appreciated and looking forward to many more supremely comfortable adventures !
-Rob
Jon Pendrous –
I have used my solid Moment DW extensively on multi-day backpacking trips in England and it has always more than fulfilled requirements. For years I used a similar tent with far more space weighing 2kg (the original of this type of design, a Saunders Lotus, described in the brochure as “a new type of hybrid”), so it was a godsend to discover the Moment and save all that weight. Since I nearly always camp wild and am usually left struggling to find somewhere to pitch the tent, or am looking to take advantage of a prime scenic spot on poor ground, its compact design means that only a coffin-sized piece of flat ground is required. At the same time, there is more than enough space for all my kit while I cook safely using a paraffin stove with the fly zipped shut (which I would obviously only do in bad weather), assisted by an excellent design of sliding groundsheets and all the ventilation options. It has coped with 50mph winds no problem – however like any similar tent the sides will get blown in, and since it is so compact this makes it more noticeable – recommend using a bivvy bag over your down bag inside. Pitching is superlatively easy – four stout rocks or the same number of pegs to suit the terrain – for UK I take 6″ V-pegs to enable secure bedding in peat. Slight gripe that it might make more sense to have both entrances in the same direction, so they can both be downwind? – but otherwise an excellent product, highly recommended. Jon
Hugh G –
I’m very happy with the service and the product. Used for 3 weeks on a bike packing trip and had no problems. I particularly liked the quick setup and twin vestibules – great for keeping grotty baggage out of the interior but nice and dry.
Ken L. –
Henry and Company,
Just wanted to let you know how pleased I am with the Moment DW. I have very little backpacking experience but I needed a lightweight tent for a bike tour. I just completed a 5 day trip from coastal CT to Quebec. The tent fit perfectly on a rear rack, set up in the dark in minutes, kept the mosquitos at bay and kept me dry in 2 windy squalls- what more do you need. I also learned, with the help of your video how to waterproof seams. I applied this handy technique to all of my bike bags as well.
Thanks for a good product,
Ken
Valerian –
Dear Henry & Tarptent-Team,
I want to thank you for the awesome tent you developed. After 3 weeks of rain, wind, and sometime both in stormy conditions, my Moment DW is still in perfect shape.
I think I have finally found a companion for the next few years.
Sadly my trip to Iceland ends soon but I’m looking forward to the next trip with the Moment DW.
Greeting from Iceland,
Valerian