Exped Mira 1 HL £365
This well-engineered tent uses a hubbed pole design with a central spreader bar. This means that when pitched it offers plenty of headroom and generous length, making it ideal for taller backpackers. It also boasts two impressive porch areas, one of which is accessed at the rear of the tent via a half-moon shaped zipper. This gives quick access to all manner of items, from boots to water bottles.
The inner lacks storage pockets but is fitted with hanging tabs for a gear line or loft, and also incorporates plenty of mesh to ensure good airflow. There’s a vent in the flysheet above the door, which is also fitted with a two-way zipper to further improve ventilation.
The flysheet offers good allround coverage, with reinforced pegging points to add strength at critical areas. We really liked the useful door clips,
which are far less fiddly than toggles or tabs and make for quick, fuss-free entry and exit.
The tent pitches inner first, which is a drawback in some scenarios (such as wet weather), but fortunately it is relatively quick to set up – though we found it needed a fair bit of fine-tuning to pitch consistently on anything other than perfectly level ground.
IF WE’RE BEING FUSSY
The inner is fairly narrow, especially compared to most of the rivals tested here. Weight and pack size are also middling for a one-person tent.
■ PACKED SIZE 42x12cm ■ TRAIL WEIGHT 1.61kg ■ DOORS 1 ■ PORCHES 2 ■ DESIGN TYPE Semi-freestanding
■ MATERIALS 20D ripstop sil-nylon fly (1500mm HH), 15D ripstop nylon and NoSee-Um mosquito mesh inner, 20D ripstop nylon sewn-in groundsheet (1500mm HH)
Verdict
Well built and airy with good headroom and generous porch areas, but there are lighter and more packable solo shelters.