Gear Review - REI Chrysalis UL Solo Tent

The Chrysalis in action at Silliman Lake

The REI Chrysalis UL is a free-standing, single person backpacking tent.  It weighs in at just over 3 lbs., and while it certainly isn't the lightest solo tent available, this tent's reasonable price and features makes it a good choice for budget-conscious backpackers looking to lighten their load (I purchased this tent to downsize from a 5+ lb. Kelty, so it's lighter weight is heaven to me).

The Chrysalis has a unique, asymmetrical shape and a slightly unusual pole set-up, which means the first time I tried to put up this tent there was some confusion.  But once I got the hang of it, it's easy to set up and when staked out, is a bomber tent that has withstood some serious winds without issue.

 This tent has nice height and doesn't feel as claustrophobic as some single person tents do, in part because of the generous amounts of mesh fabric on the tent body.  The asymmetric shape means that taller users would probably have to sleep diagonally to fit in the tent, but for shorter hikers, this tent is perfect and spacious.  I especially like the generous size of the vestibule--I was able to store my pack and assorted gear with no problems.  Thanks to the mesh on the tent body and venting window on the rainfly, I haven't had any problems with condensation with this tent.

The Chrysalis packs down pretty compact (6"x20") and I appreciate that the stuff sack comes with compression straps to pack it down even further.  The tent fabrics feel tough and sturdy, though I do recommend pitching this tent with the footprint, as the floor does feel somewhat thin.  If I have any criticism, it's that the tent poles are slightly bulky and I do think taller/larger backpackers might find the floorspace confining.  But if you're on the shorter end of the spectrum, this tent is a solid and simple tent for backpacking adventures.