2020 SOLOMID XL | 4.5′ X 9.2′
Often Copied, Never Surpassed.
WEIGHT: 14-16 oz | 396-453 gm
PEAK HEIGHT: 55″ / 140cm
SQ FOOTAGE: 44+ sq/ft | 4 sq/m
SLEEPS: + GEAR
The SoloMid XL is as strong, fast to setup, and capable in high winds and moderate snow as the SoloMid, with some truly XL features. It’s a bit larger, and it’s asymmetrical shape, offers 70% of the user space behind the one center pole, while the front 30% functions as a vestibule. This offset design allows entry and exit in rainy conditions to help keep the sleep side of the shelter dry!
Single pole pyramid shelters like the SoloMid XL offer the fastest set up of any lightweight shelter design and because they don’t have any large vertical side panels (like other two-poled designs) they don’t buzz, hum, flap and roar in the wind. The SoloMid XL is a bomber shelter with 17 tie-out points! Available in SilPolyester and .75 DCF (Dyneema® Composite Fabric A.K.A. Cuben Fiber).
“Alison and I recently shared a Mountain Laurel Designs SoloMid XL on a 350 mile bike-packing trip where we were really trying save on space (a SilPoly Solomid XL takes up insanely little space).” – ADVENTURE ALAN
“2004 Best UltraLight Florless Tarp” “It weighs less than tents with a bathtub floor and bug net and is more stormworthy than most trekking pole shelters.” -Treeline Review. https://www.treelinereview.com
Read our “Options” tabs to learn more about all the great options that can be added to this ultra-tough shelter!
FEATURES
• At 44+ sq ft | 4m, it’s big enough to fit an X-Long 78″ X 28″ Pad !
• Large Peak Vent is held open by a flexible and removable wire. Can be folded closed to stop blowing snow or rain from entering.
• Great for moderate snow loads and strong wind from any direction
• SILPOLY VERSION: Strong and fully waterproof with triple stitched seams.3,500+mm waterproofness
• DCF (DYNEEMA® COMPOSITE FABRIC A.K.A. Cuben Fiber) VERSION: All bonded main seams
• #8 YKK Aqua Guard Zipper.
• Interior Apex Hang Loop + Exterior Apex tie-out loop
• Reinforced Peak: Tough DX 210D RipStop in SilPoly Version. Thick + multiple layers of bonded DCF in the DCF Version
• Both doors roll open.
• 8 ground level perimeter tie-outs with LineLocks. LineLocks make winter use with buried snow anchors MUCH easier. Can be removed to save about 0.8 oz
• 1 tieouts on each of the 4 main seams.
• 3 center panels tie-outs: Rear and Both Side Panels. Use the supplied bungee cord on these tie-outs to reduce stress on the shelter. NOTE: Only tighten very SLIGHTLY so the main bottom edge tie-outs take most of the force – do not use to pull the panel out and change the shape of the mid. Always stake out this point last.
• Overhead gear hang loops on all four main seams to clip up bivy hoods, lights, InnerNets, or to make a clothesline.
• Works perfectly with all 140 cm adjustable poles. Free 6″ pole jack included for shorter poles.
INCLUDES
• Stuff Sack
• 40′ MLD Pro Guyline
• 1.5 oz Tube McNett Silnet Seam Sealer
• 6″ Pole Jack
DIMENSIONS:
LENGTH: 110 in | 280 cm
WIDTH: 54 in | 142 cm
HEIGHT: 55 in | 140 cm
SQ FOOTAGE: 44 sq/ft | 4 sq/m
MATERIAL: SilPoly
WEIGHT: 16 oz – 453 gm
COLORS: Gray Green, Orange Citrus
MATERIAL: .75 DCF (Dyneema® Composite Fabric A.K.A. Cuben Fiber)
WEIGHT: 14 oz – 396 gm
COLORS: Green
MLD PRO SILPOLY SEAM SEALING
COST: $60
WEIGHT: 1.0 oz | 28 gm
The SilPoly version of this shelter requires seam sealing, which is why we include seam sealer with all our SilPoly & SilNylon shelters. You can seam seal this shelter yourself in about 30 minutes with the supplied seam sealer OR as an extra service we can do it for you! Watch a how to video HERE.
We use a diluted 100% Silicone Sealer on the exterior stitching above the lower hem. Factory seam sealing can add about 1 week to the order process. Seam sealing adds about 1 oz | 30 gm +/- depending on the shelter size.
Factory sealed shelters are returnable under the regular return policy, where as DYI seam sealing is not.
We STRONGLY suggest you pitch the shelter and test before a trip. Set up before a good rain or spray with a garden hose nozzle arching up in the air and down on the shelter simulating rain for at least 15min. Touch up or resealing may be needed eventually.
NOTE: DCF shelters do not need seam sealing.
INNERNET OR FLOOR
INNERNET(S): Add a pyramid shaped InnerNet to this shelter to create an ultra-light, double walled tent that is modular and strong in wind, rain, and snow. An InnerNet comes with your choice of DCF (Dyneema® Composite Fabric A.K.A. Cuben Fiber) or SilNylon 5 in | 12.7 cm tall bathtub floor with corner struts, Nanoseeum net walls, and #3 YKK zippered right side single door. MORE INFO…
DIMENSIONS: 90″ Long x 32″ Wide x 46″ Tall | 229cm x 81cm x 116cm
SILNYLON INNERNET WEIGHT: 11oz | 311 gm
DCF INNERNET WEIGHT: 9.5oz | 269gm
* Will fit up to 6’4″ person with a long bag.
FLOORS: Keep you, and your gear, cleaner and dryer in camp with a waterproof pyramid shelter floor! Your choice of SilNylon or DCF (Dyneema® Composite Fabric A.K.A. Cuben Fiber) bathtub floor with 5 in | 10 cm walls and corner struts keep the floor upright and tight. MORE INFO…
DIMENSIONS: 94″ Long x 34″ Wide x 44″ Tall | 238cm x 86cm x 111cm
SILNYLON FLOOR WEIGHT: 5.5 oz |156 gm
DCF WEIGHT: 3.75 oz | 104 gm
CF POLE
COST: $42
OMNI CAMLOCK TENT POLES
Lightweight + Strong + Simple
WEIGHT: 5 OZ | 142 GM
FOLDED LENGTH: 16″ | 40 CM
ADJUSTABLE LENGTH: 53″ to 65″ | 134.6 to 165.1 CM
Don’t hike with trekking poles? No worries, get an UL Carbon Fiber Pole in exactly the right length for this Mid. Our Pyramid Tent Poles are made from 0.5″ | 13 mm unidirectional cello carbon wrapped carbon fiber tube, with fabric weave carbon fiber ferrules – it’s a mouthful to say, but it means they’re super bomber and light! MORE INFO…
TITANIUM STAKES
COST: $28
Add FOUR Titanium Skewer Stakes and FOUR Easton Aluminium Stakes to your purchase.
MLD 2.7 MM PRO REFLECTO GUYLINE
COST: $6
WEIGHT: 2.9 oz | 82 gm
This product includes 40′ of our regular, non-reflective Pro Guyline in your choice of Yellow or OD Green. You can upgrade this to 40′ of 2.7 MM Reflecto Pro Guyline which has properly spaced reflective markers that are bright enough to see, without making your shelter look like that obnoxious house on your block with the out-of-control Christmas lights.
ZIP CARE: ZIPPER LUBE & CLEANER
COST: $10
We HIGHLY recommend Zip Care™ Liquid Zipper Cleaner & Lubricant be purchased with all our zippered gear.
Q: WHAT SIZED POLES FIT THE SOLOMID XL?
A: One regular length 55 in | 140 cm or longer adjustable trekking pole will work. A single pole can be slightly offset to the front leaving enough room behind the pole for a full sleep pad. An inverted V double pole set up is not needed.
Users with shorter adjustable or fixed length trek poles can use the included 6″ pole jack with purchase. Optionally, you can purchase the SoloMid 3 oz 46 in | 117 cm, 3-Section CF tent pole before checking out.
Q: WHICH FABRIC TYPE SHOULD I GET? DCF OR SILNYLON?
A: The main decision is cost vs. weight. The .75 DCF is very strong, has low stretch, and low weight. The SilPoly will have a slightly longer service life and stuffs a little bit smaller. Both fabrics are very durable and strong.
Q: CAN I TRIM MY SOLOMID XL FOR LOWER WEIGHT?
A: Yes. Remove all the LineLocks, use only small loops of smaller diameter cord and cut off metal zipper pulls and replace them with short line loops. This will save about 1.0 oz on the shelter and 1.5 oz on the guylines.
• Most of the time you will want to pitch the corners fairly tight to the ground with about a 6 in | 15 cm corner guyline length. The middle long side edge tie-outs can then be staked out to give good ventilation along the edge.
• One 55 in | 140 cm pole is needed; you can use the included 6″ pole jack if you pole is shorter.
• ONLY zip the zipper up OR down when the bottom buckle is fastened to relieve stress on the zipper. Clean and Lube the Zipper as needed with ONLY Mc Nett Zip Care.
• Extra Ventilation Trick: Pitch the front and/or backside a bit loose and then use the middle tie-out on a 3 in | 7.5 cm line to pull the side out tight forming a large eyebrow shaped edge to let more air underneath.
• Cut the corner guylines at 2 in| 5 cm and the center ones at 3 in | 7.5 cm. Try it out, then, if you never expect to tie off dead men sticks in snow, you may want to shorten them .
Each of our SilPoly and SilNylon shelters comes with one tube of McNett Sil-Net Seam Sealer. It is STRONGLY recommended you use this supplied seam sealer to seal and strengthen the seams of your shelter.**DCF (Dyneema® Composite Fabric A.K.A. Cuben Fiber) Shelters do not need seam sealed.**
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Pitch and inspect your shelter for any issues. Once it is seam sealed, it is non-returnable except for significant defects.
2. Use the supplied SilNet Sealer and ONLY the SilNet Sealer. (If you want to dilute it or use some other silicone sealant it should work OK and is common (research this yourself online) but, you are on your own- results may vary and are not covered by warranty! If you go this route, it is assumed you know 100% what you are doing and have done it before!!!)
3. Pitch the shelter tightly. Temperatures should be above 60 F and humidity below 80%. You may do this indoors. You may also do one seam at a time indoors if the seam is stretched slightly. Pinning one seam from each end on the floor between two heavy objects works OK.
4. We use the SilNet straight from the tube. Do not make a big hole in the sealer tube – start small so that you can control flow. Multiple small application is a lot better than one big smear.
5. Main Seams: Place a small bead on the seam along the stitching. Work on a 3’- 4’ section at a time. Use a finger to press the sealer into the stitching and the small valley at the edge of the seam where it is rolled under.
ALLOW AT LEAST 24 HOURS TO FULLY DRY.
NOTE: You only need to seal the OUTSIDE of the shelter. You do not need to seal the bottom perimeter roller edge stitching. It is OK to add a small bead on the leading edge of the triangle tie-outs reinforcement stitching, but it is not required.
SPECIAL AREAS: Add a little sealer to any tie-out stitching on the middle of a panel (Mids, Cricket, and SuperTarps). Seal the zipper storm flap stitching and tie-outs on the Mids. Seal the stitching and apex tie-outs areas on the Mids, Crickets, and TrailStars.
IMPORTANT: Do no go back and forth over the wet seam too much – after a minute or three it will get gummy and look bad; it is better to wait for 8 hrs and then add some over any area you missed.
Watch a how to video HERE.
A four-sided pyramid tent is one of the easiest shelters to set up! After a few test pitches, most users can set it in in under 2 min on a normal day, and under 1 min when properly motivated!
PREPARATION:
Cut four 18 in | 46 cm guylines. Tie a 2 in | 5 cm stake loop on one end. Thread the free end of the guyline into the corner LineLocks on the shelter, then up through the rear LineLock slot/hole, over the bar and down through the front LineLock slot/hole. Tie an overhand knot with a 1 in | 2.5 cm tail to prevent the line from pulling out of the LineLock.
FIRST SET UP:
1. Adjust the corner guylines to be short – no more than 2 in | 5 cm of slack from the LineLock.
2: Stake out the rear corners to the ground. The rear wall baseline between the corners should be medium tight, with no slack.
3: Stake out the front corners. The side baseline of the shelter should be tight. Watch the angle formed by the rear and side walls of the shelter at the rear corners and position the front corners so that the rear corners form 90-degree angles. The goal is to have a perfectly square/rectangle floor base. As viewed from overhead the corners and corner guylines form a perfect X shape right out to the stakes.
4: Unzip the front door leaving the bottom buckle snapped.
5: Reach or step in and insert the center pole – adjust it’s height to make the shelter tight.
6: Now you can cut and add any other mid-panel or mid-baseline guylines as needed. The lengths needed will be obvious.
NOTE: Use a small bungee loop on any center panel tie-outs to limit wind force on that tie-outs. DO NOT stake out a center side panel tie-outs too much – it should only move the wall a couple of inches out at most! DO NOT pull it so far it changes the shape of the mid-wall.
That’s It!!! The shelter should be tight and square. You can slightly tighten each corner LineLock if needed.
Almost all setup problems occur when the shelter floor is not square, with all corner angles as close to 90-degrees as possible, or slack is left in the corner guylines.
NOTE: See the setup info for attaching the InnerNets on the InnerNet product page.
Your first setup is a good time to seam seal your shelter IF you have purchased a SilNylon version and did not have it factory seam sealed. Use the SilNet supplied to seal the main seams, center panels tie-outs, door zipper stitching, and the apex stitching. Use only a SMALL amount and do not go back over an area after 5 min. You can use your finger to push the sealer into the seams. If you miss a spot, wait until it is dry and then re-coat as necessary. See ‘Seam Sealing’ tab for instructions.
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