I'll keep this simple. This tent is well made, storm worthy, and light. I didn't like the design with just one single pole over the spine of the tent... it tends to deflect from side to side in strong lateral winds. I also don't like the front entrance... it is hard to get in and out... especially with gear in it. This tent is not a bad choice, just not my personal favorite... but, for the money there aren't may lighter.

Used this tent in eastern Idaho in Sept '07. At the top of a mountain a huge thunderstorm hit just before dark. I had already set up the tent, but during the first of the storm I had to seek refuge in the mid-level trees because of the lightning. The bolts were hitting 100 yards from me. Then the hail, rain and wind came. The rain was the heaviest downpour that eastern Idaho had seen in ten years, and it lasted for 3 1/2 hours. The wind was at 30 mph for a while. After the lightning passed, I made it into the tent. There was a small problem trying to figure out how to get in without the rain coming in. I just did it quickly. After that I stayed completely dry the whole night. The bathtub design was crucial since the amount of rain caused a river of water under the tent between the floor and the ground tarp I had put down. It was like sleeping on a waterbed. I had also taken the precaution of sealing all of the seams of the tent before I ever used it,,,even though they had been sealed with tape during manufacture.

This is a great tent for what it is! The downsides are that it can be a little hard to get into, but I"m assuming that probably goes for most 1 person backpacking tents. This is my first. It is really lightweight. The poles are incredibly easy to set up, it takes me almost no time to get the tent up. Once inside there's actually a bit of room to keep some gear. I usually end up having some clothes and electronics like GPS, headlamp, etc in there. I'm very happy with this tent. I love how open it is when you don't need the rainfly.

Hillbilly Dave found this to be poorly designed. I disagree, this tent has a specific function and satisfies many if not all ultralight backpackers. Yes, it is more difficult to enter and exit than a side door tent, but what isn't? Hikers that buy this tent are usually more concerned with quality construction, WEIGHT, space, and how it sheds water. The SL1 IS freestanding, the foot area can be staked out but does not need to be unless using the rain fly, with the fly you must stake the tent. I usually set it up, stake it out, set the fly, then remove the fly from one side and fold it over the top laying it on the ground next to the tent. This way I can enjoy the stars and keep the creepy-crawlers out, but if weather arrives I can quickly re-attach the fly and I am dry. I have never found it too much trouble entering this tent, it is definitely easier than getting into a bivy, but definitely harder than a side door tent. The spitfire is a great tent, but lacks the length of the SL1, I am 6'1" and found the spitfire too short, but my hiking companion who is shorter loves it. I have no vestibule problem, My pack becomes my pillow and goes inside the tent with me, one of the reasons the SL1 is so great, tons of room at the head. I have tried and I own many tents, always looking for the lightest and best, the SL1 still tops my list. Love the Nemo Go Go, but it's nearly a bivy without the room of the SL1.

I went from the Mountain Hardware Meridian 1 to this tent. This tent is not only roomier, but probably half the weight as well. So far, I've used it in the Wind Rivers, Wasatch and the Uintas. No rain either time, but it keeps the bugs out nicely, ventilates fine even with the fly, and really weighs next to nothing.

Another awesome benefit: If you buy the groundcloth, you can forego the netting part of the tent and just use the fly, poles, and groundcloth for an ultralight, rain-proof alternative. It won't keep the bugs out, but when you're flying down the trail with your awesome UL setup, who cares?

I would highly recommend this tent based on tests that I have done to it. This includes taking it out, setting it up in the rain, getting inside and I was absolutely amazed at the quality of the tent. With no condensation at all, or leaks, this is the ultimate tent. My son has one too and he has the 2 person version and he loves that one just as much. Great buy, worth every cent!! Our whole troop will be getting these tents, i wish to ask Big Agnes to keep making these tents. i would also advise other troops to take a look...

First time I used this tent it was in ideal conditions without the fly. I was a little concerned because my bag was touching the end of the tent (I'm 6'1"). Thought about taking it back but took it out again last weekend in opposite conditions at 7700' to see how it would hold up. Heavy winds that had to be gusting 50 or so mph brought down wet snow through a good part of the night. There were times when I thought for sure I would get picked up and taken away but since I had the tent tightly guyed out I stayed warm and dry despite the wind and snow accumulation. Compact, light, roomy enough for a solo, and sturdy - this is a keeper.

Nice and big. Doesn't feel like a coffin. The door is kind of annoying, but the floorspace makes up for it. It would be nice if they put a high vent on the fly.

All in all, this is a pretty great tent. At 6'4" its one of the only solo tents that I could find besides the non-free standing Sierra Designs Light year that's long enough for me to fit in without my feet hitting the tent wall. The tent is lightweight and roomy for a solo, and relatively easy to set up. My biggest beef is the lack of a pole hub on the foot of the tent so you have to stake it out to make full use of the interior space. Also, the tent uses loops and not snaps to attach the "spine" of the tent to the poles. Not a big deal, just adds a little time/thought to the setup process. As for getting in/out of the tent, yeah its a bit snug, but hey, its a solo tent. What did you expect?

Bottom line: For a tall guy, it'd be hard to go wrong with this tent. Though, personally, I upgraded to the SL2, which is roomier and still far lighter than just about every other solo tent out there.

This is a great three-season tent. It's very lightweight, packs down to next to nothing, and sets up quickly. Given the low weight and small size, it's surprisingly roomy inside - you can fit two people. Good vertical space, too. Ventilation is about average, nothing stands out on that point.

I'm unable to comment on the durability of tent in harsh weather - although the fly and guy lines secure the tent very well in my experience.

Again, what stands out is:
- Low weight (even with fly)
- Quick set up
- Small pack size
- Provides more room than other solo tents

Highly recommended for spring, summer, and fall backpacking.

This 1 person tent is definitely that, a 1 person tent. The good thing is it has room at the opening to snuggly fit my pack inside if there is bad weather or just for the comfort of proximity in lieu of the vestible which it would also fit. The length is great for a 1 person tent as well and the small side of the length is still not too small for maximum comfort. Overall very light and compact, perfect for backpacking and minimizing on camping trips when needed. The only qualm I have with this is getting the full setup for the outer sides to fully go out and not cave in. Maybe I need more time with it and to set up the guywires but then that would defeat use on backpacking. Oh and an added benefit of this tent is definitely ease of setup...5 minutes max on a slow day.

The tent is called free standing but BA decided to save a few ounces and not put a hub system on the foot end so it has to be staked to have any foot room. The door is too short. I am 6 ft. tall and I could not crawl through the door without catching on it. Speaking of the door. I will never buy another tent that is not side entry. It makes no sense to have to do a 180 to get your feet at the door. Plus, once you get your boots on, it is very awkward to get out the door from a seated position. This tent has no vestibule space large enough for a pack. The largest vestibule is the doorway which will block the door you if you fill it. There is only one tiny little pocket on the inside above the door and there is no inside loop for hanging things like a light. I will sacrifice a few ounces of weight and stick with my good ole Eureka Spitfire.

Thought this was going to be too small, but it worked out just great. Extremely light and easy to pack/unpack--it went up in just a few minutes--no problem. The rain fly actually adds a couple of feet of "porch" space in front to put boots, day pack, etc. Held up just fine in the rain. Best purchase I've made all summer.

I used this tent for the first time in southern New Mexico in late March. Nighttime temperatures were well below freezing, but all the frost from my breathing ended up on the underside of the fly walls, not inside the tent. No little ice storms when I got up and began moving around. I am very impressed with the light weight of the tent -- especially considering that it is free-standing, its sturdiness, and small packed volume. My only other solo tent was a single-walled tent of about the same weight, and the SL-1 Superlight is far superior.

I thought it might be too small for me as I am 6'2" tall and a little claustrophobic, but I found it to be just fine on my first trip with it to the Uintas Wilderness in Utah.
I can sit up in it, turn around in it, and never felt clastrophobic. At 2 lbs, 13 oz. it was about 2 lbs lighter than my previous tent. Construction and features seemed very good. As we had perfect weather on this trip, I haven't tested it in the rain yet, so can't tell how waterproof it is.

Used the tent for the first time this summer. No rain to compare the tent to, but the bugs were out in force. Not one bug got into the tent. I'm 5'10", and 180 lbs., and I brought my old flat rectangular sleeping bag along on this trip. I found the tent to be tight with the bag curled at the bottom. This tent is really meant for a mummy bag. I had enough room to move around in the tent, but a bigger person might need to plan ahead before twisting around inside. Any pack should be tied to a tree, as there is no extra room once the boots come off.
The tent is very light, and it did fit sideways in my pack. I bought the tent for long multi day hikes, and I find this tent to be the perfect solution. It was easy to put together, but the instructions were lacking.

I took this tent on a 14 day backpacking trip to Philmont Scout Ranch last summer and it held up and kept me dry through rain, thunderstorms, hail and high winds. I staked it out fully each time and that gets you the most space. While not technically free-standing, I cannot imagine not being in a position where the foot area couldn't be staked or tied off to give full length and width. I didn't miss the fact that no hub is at the foot. Getting out of the tent takes some getting used to, but once you get a system down, it's simple -- I would sit up, unzip the mesh door, put my feet out and put on my boots (stored in the vestibule), then unzip the fly from the top and stand up. I would then step out and rezip the fly from the bottom. Worked for me.

GKHodge

Used for the first time in the rainy Adirondacks. Tent stayed dry through heavy rains, not using the footprint. Only complaint is that while the tent is listed as "freestanding", you need to stake the foot area for it to lie flat as shown in the picture. Lightweight and packs small, which were my main goals.

Took this tent out this weekend and used it on an overnight camp. I decided to make sure all the parts were there before i went and then figure out how to put it together on the trail, so i had to figure it out no matter what : P Come to find out on the trail it was insanely easy to set up with extra tie down points for truly windy conditions which i didn't need to utilize this trip. All in all it took maybe 4-5 minutes to setup, which i didn't feel was horrible. The tent stakes are easy to get into the ground with a rock or something nearby, but if you don't have something that will grip them well, they can be a pain to get out of the ground due to their strong design and the hooks built into the stake that holds the tent to the ground. The fly collects a good amount of moisture on the inside and this was a slight pain due to packing up before it was able to dry out. I would recommend buying the footprint for the tent due to how thin the floor of the tent is and if it rained, i would have been screwed. A tarp would probably work just as well for you cash conscious out there.

http://www.backcountry.com/store/BAG0162/Big-Agnes-Seedhouse-Superlight-Series-Tent-Footprint.html

All in all a great tent. I recommend it to anybody who has a hard time finding tents that are long enough to hold them (I'm 6'1" and this was a roomy tent. In addition the trail weight was a godsend as i have been trying to slim down my pack with each trip. When you are holding the material of the fly and tent, it doesn't feel like it even has the strength of a piece of paper, but it is very strong and durable stuff. I imagine if you put some tent tape on the seams it would be phenomenally strong and last a lot longer.

Although I do not actually own the Seedhouse SL1, I do own the Seedhouse SL2. Since Backcountry doesn't have the SL 2 I decided on sharing my opinions on this one. I can't tell you much about the size since mine is a bit bigger but I will tell you about the construction. I primarily use this tent spending nights on rivers in Oklahoma, which is notorious for terrible weather. Some people even refer to Oklahoma as tornado alley if that tells you anything. I have spent many nights enduring 30-40 MPH wind gusts and if guyed out right this tent kept me dry no problem, not to mention I have had it for nearly 4 years. Though primarily a backpacking tent, I opted to get it anyway just for those special backpacking trips I get to attend. Its weight makes it great to carry along for great hiking trip. Also if you wanted to get even lighter you can purchase the footprint and leave the main tent body at home. My only gripe is that I have had to replace a section of the pole system. Like I said I use it in Oklahoma and the wind can be crazy so I totally understand why that was necessary. But fortunately BA has great customer service. I sent it to them and it was returned within 2 weeks repaired free of charge. If your like me and like to carry a bunch of crap I advise getting the gear loft, which hangs very easily and is adjustable. The tent itself is also very easy to set up. I was on crutches once and decided to go against my better judgement and go camping, I was able to set it up no problem. When not on crutches I can have the entire tent set up and staked down in a matter of minutes. And as we all no sometimes that really matters. All around a great tent.

This tent is awesome - cannot be happier with the choice I made. Simple to put together, very very light, and quite roomy for a single tent (granted I am only 5'4"). HIGHLY recommended!