Is the ProTrail Li fully waterproof?
Yes, it is fully seam-taped and fully waterproof. Dyneema® has a hydrostatic pressure rating of over 8,000 mm.
Which Dyneema fabric weights do you use?
The fly weight is 0.51 oz / yd 2
The floor weight is 1 oz / yd 2
Do I need trekking poles for general use?
Trekking poles are preferred but an 5.1 oz / 144 g pole set is available.
Can I use this for winter?
The structure will withstand light to moderate snow loading but is not intended for true winter.
Can I stuff the ProTrail Li to make it smaller?
We highly recommend rolling or folding, not stuffing, to extend the fabric lifespan. With careful rolling, the packed width can be made to fit horizontally into almost any pack.
Does the ProTrail Li accommodate tall people (over 6 ft 3 in / 190.5 cm)?
Lying down is no problem. The sloped design of the shelter makes sitting up harder. Boost your trekking pole to increase peak headroom.
What does my purchase include?
The ProTrail Li body, a stuff sack, aluminum stakes + stake bag and the necessary guyline cording. The ProTrail Li is designed for trekking poles to provide structure to the shelter. There are optional poles for non-trekking pole users that are available for purchase in the webstore.
Do I need a footprint?
Use of a groundsheet depends on the conditions you expect to encounter and your style of camping. The 1-oz Dyneema flooring is tough and does not usually require a separate groundsheet as long as the ground is clear of sharp objects. However, Dyneema, like all non-stretch fabrics, is subject to puncture under extreme pressure from sharp rocks or sticks. We sell optional Tyvek groundsheets which are very tough and great for sleeping out or taking a break, but generally heavier than you need for floor protection in most conditions. A groundsheet is recommended for use on very rocky ground and desert conditions.
Michael Reynolds (verified owner) –
I usually don’t post gear reviews. I’m making an exception for the Tarptent Protrail Li.
The Protrail Li deserves your consideration if you are looking for a lightweight backpack tent for longer treks. It’s one of those products so well designed it’s hard to imagine how it could be improved.
Like a lot of people attracted to Tarptent’s products, I love using minimal gear. My favorite sleeping method is cowboy camping either with or without a bivy. I have a collection of tarps and lightweight tents, and test gear a lot.
Before I bought the Protrail Li, I researched Dyneema single person tents that would fit my 6’2” frame.
I thought I wanted either the Tarptent Aeon Li or the ZPacks Altaplex. I liked the Altaplex, because of its size, which would be helpful for a person my height. I liked the Aeon Li, because I’m a sucker for tight pitches, and let’s face it, when pitched Tarptent products have those killer beautiful lines.
I’m sure the Altaplex is an excellent tent, but when a scoutmaster in the BSA troop where I assist showed me his new Aeon Li I was hooked. The quality of workmanship, and the details, such as the magnetic stays, impressed me.
I went home with the intention to hit “Add to Cart” on an Aeon, but then I saw the Protrail Li on the Tarptent site. When I considered the size differences between the Protrail and the Aeon, I thought the Protrail Li, being slightly longer, would be perfect for me.
I wasn’t wrong.
The Protrail Li pitches like its chiseled out of granite, and its low profile is great in windy conditions. Essentially, the Protrail Li is a Dyneema A frame tarp with a floating floor connected by netting – a simple and effective design.
The Protrail Li offers taller people a relatively spacious footprint with a greatly reduced risk of brushing against the side walls when sleeping at night. There is plenty of sleeping space for me, and I have space from my head to waist on each side to lay items I don’t want to leave in my pack. That’s a big plus.
Setup is quicker than any tent I have ever owned. With practice it’s easy to pitch the Protrail Li perfectly in well under two minutes. The instructional video on the Tarptent site is helpful in this regard.
The total Protrail Li footprint is very close to the extent of its pitch. The four required stakes are each placed about a foot from the tent corners. I like having short guy lines, which greatly reduces tripping hazards. Few tents have short guys.
Sitting/kneeling in the entry facing the back of the tent to fill a fully extended inflatable pad is game changing. Easy-peasy. Some mid-entry tents make me feel like a contortionist as I compress my Thermarest pump sack.
Sitting in the entry facing outside the tent allows convenient cooking opportunities in the open vestibule area.
At night, the closed vestibule is big enough for my pack and shoes. However, I never close the vestibule unless it’s raining from that direction. Same goes for the smaller opening at the foot end.
Everybody talks about condensation. Will there be condensation? Does a bear leave scat in the woods? Of course there will be condensation. Condensation is largely influenced by temperature conditions combined with the relative humidity at your campsite.
I’ve never seen condensation bead inside my Protrail Li. It forms as a thin film on portions of the inner walls. Interestingly, with the Protrail Li, even on rainy nights and on nights below 25-degree F, other portions of the inner walls have remained completely dry. I just wipe whatever condensation does form with a small microfiber towel. No big deal – on this or any other tent.
The Protrail packs small. I roll it into what becomes a 12-inch cylinder that is about five inches in circumference. The Dyneema stuff sack (don’t stuff this tent, roll it) is about six inches longer than you will need. Tarptent provides a Dyneema stake bag, and I like the provided Easton stakes, too.
There are no perfect tents. However, there are some tents perfectly designed for their intended purposes. The Protrail Li is one of those perfectly-designed tents.
I think the Tarptent Protrail Li offers an excellent option for long distance hikers, who want a low-profile lightweight tent. Compared to other single wall Dyneema options, it’s economical. Compared to many lightweight single person options, the Protrail Li accommodates taller people with some room to spare. The quality is as good as you will find in the industry, which is to say, it’s excellent. If your needs include any combination of the above, the Tarptent Protrail Li is worthy of your consideration.
Jeff Dionne (verified owner) –
Used this for the first time this summer on 90-mile sections of AT and surrounding areas in NC/TN. Outstanding tent, one of my all time favs. All the details are so well thought out. Downsized from a Gossamer Gear The Two which I love but 12oz lighter is a lot. SO light! I found that setup does take practice before it gets foolproof and then it’s extremely easy and quick. I brought 4 small guylines and stakes for the 4 corner tabs and used them a few times, glad to have that option at minimal weight cost as it sometimes helps with condensation issues or if you can’t get that taut setup because of hard ground or whatever reason. I’m 6’2″ and found it very roomy, and I had no difficulty with the entrance. I didn’t need it but I felt better using a ground sheet; I am very careful with my gear. Got lucky with not much rain so it wasn’t truly rain-tested but I have no doubts it would be great. Everything feels super high quality and this should be my main tent for many years to come. Tarptent is legit!
David Huycke (verified owner) –
This is a wonderful tent. Having taken my new ProTrail Li on backpacks in the Cascades and Wallowas I am very happy with it and expect this is the last solo tent I’ll ever purchase. But a few things potential buyers should know:
The good: This tent is remarkably lightweight; it practically levitates. It rolls up into a compact bundle and easily straps onto the outside of my pack. For a one-person tent, there is plenty of head and foot room. If you have pitched it properly you’ll have no worries about rubbing up against walls or ceiling. It ventilates well and does fine in light/moderate wind (haven’t yet experienced strong winds in this tent).
The issues: Because it’s an A-frame design, the ProTrail is not free standing and you must maneuver in and out of a front entrance — which took me some getting used to after backpacking with side-entrance tents for decades. Entering and exiting isn’t a problem once you get in the habit of repositioning your front pole to the side.
While very easy to set up, you must practice. ProTrail’s sturdiness in wind and proper ventilation depend on near-perfect staking of the corners; if your geometry is off, even a bit, the sides won’t be taut. This is especially challenging when pitching on rocky ground where tent stakes don’t always go in where you want them to.
The DCF single wall is translucent enough to be almost transparent. Beware of full moons shining from without . . . and from within (!).
The overall footprint of the ProTrail is larger than other one-person tents (REI Quarter Dome, for example); when staked out it occupies more area.
There is adequate room in the vestibule for storing some gear; don’t expect to bring large items into the interior with you.
I recommend buying the custom-sized Tyvek ground sheet that is offered with the Protrail. (Wad it up and wrinkle it thoroughly when you first get it. A sheet of new, stiff Tyvek is as loud as rattling sheet metal.)
Would I recommend this tent? Absolutely: the ProTrail’s many positive qualities substantially outweigh its few inconveniences.
Robin Mayo –
Finally, the perfect tent for my needs (after 3 miss-steps). The door at the end is far more convenient for inflating my air mattress (try sitting in middle of a tent trying to inflate a 78″ mattress). The width at the doorway is ample for an old guy to make a 180 degree turn without leg cramps. Best of all is sleeping with my head and feet not rubbing against the ceiling. I’m 6′ 4″ and the room is perfect and the walls will not sag like my wet nylon tent. I had light wind blowing all night during my test run, so no condensation during cool rain. I could put my size 12’s in the vestibule and the rain did not touch the shoes or my pack and I still had room to exit. And much easier to setup than putting out 9 stakes, trying to find a spot without rocks or roots for each. I look forward my next AT section hiking with this tent.
alexpovh –
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Todd Bennett (verified owner) –
This tent is a complete game changer! Oh my goodness, THE SPACE!!! I’m now realizing what complete nonsense it is to have a wall mere inches from my face, not to mention having not sweating condensation on the footbox of my quilt. Perfect pitch the first time – so simple. If for some insane reason you ever decided to discontinue the Protrail Li, please please let me know because I’d go into debt to buy a couple more beforehand. I don’t ever want to sleep in another tent!
I took it out on an overnighter shakedown the other night in the Montana mountains before a multi-night trip next week in the Utah canyons. Held up perfectly to strong winds and 2″ of snow overnight. Magnet tie backs are a stroke of genius with frozen fingers. Thank you so much for designing and building this amazing shelter. Oh, and on a less important note, it’s architecturally elegant to boot :).
Galileo West –
Perfect tent. I’m an idiot and even I could put this gorgeous tent up. Well priced, easy on the eyes and strong in the wind.
I’m so stupid that when I started the AT I was carrying two sets of town clothes and a pair of trail runners tied to the outside of my pack. And for me it was an easy set up.
Furthermore, as a 220 lb, 6’3 dude I thought it wouldn’t fit. It does. I can sit up in it and sleep comfortably.
Philip Werner (verified owner) –
Packs up small and lite and is super comfortable inside. Pitch stays taut all night and ventilation is excellent. Really glad my mother-in-law treated me to this tent. I reach for it for all of my more extreme trips where I need a compact load for hiking and scrambling in really tough terrain.
James Bohannon –
Quite possibly the perfect solo shelter. I’m absolutely loving this thing.