1P Swiftline

Just recently took this out for a revisit of some of the highlights in The Whites and realized I never left a gear review on my most important piece of gear! I got to chat with Gen before my 2018 AT thru hike to get a 1P swiftline (and to ask a ton of questions about hiking the AT in general). Gen was great to work with and the swiftline made for an incredible space to call home for six months. This shelter is wonderfully versatile for any conditions and can be pitched on most ground surfaces (I had some challenges in areas without a soil horizon since ground stakes are necessary to get a perfect pitch, but with a few rocks and well positioned trees I was always able to get it right). This tent has a ton of ‘useful’ space both inside (I can sit up and change!) and outside (my pack can stay dry and in reach under the extended vestibule) and got a lot of attention from day hikers and thru hikers alike with its practical if not a bit alien design! Here’s to trying it out on PCT 2020!

I've used this for about a dozen nights so far and absolutely love it. I remember initially being kind of thrown off by the design and pitch. Because of that, I tried several other ultralight shelters until I came back to this page and realized that what I had considered "weird", I now thought of as "desired features". At 28oz, it's my heaviest shelter, but it is by far and away my most luxurious shelter. I especially appreciate the storm-worthiness, the dual-vestibules, and the ability to have nearly 360 views when the fly is held back. It's my go-to shelter when I don't know which shelter to bring, and will likely continue to be so (unless a DCF version ever comes out :D).

So far I've got 6 nights in this tent and I'm very impressed. First of all...setup. You may think by looking at pictures and the setup instructions that it's difficult to set up. No so. After one practice setup I was good to go and it sets up very quickly after a few times. Ventilation is excellent with the ability to open up both sides of the tent. I even had a couple of nights when I had to close it up in wet, humid conditions and got no condensation inside...pretty amazing. It's a very storm worthy tent (had it in a couple of all night downpours) with its high bathtub floor and plenty of vestibule coverage to store gear. The Swiftline 1P has plenty of interior space. Headroom is excellent and the offset poles is a fantastic design. The tent is long enough for me to store gear above my head with my feet never touching the foot end (which is mesh anyway, so my quilt wouldn't get wet if they did). I was able to set the tent up in some tight spaces and there was no trouble with pitching on uneven spots. This will be my go to silnylon tent and I'll be putting my other two sil tents up for sale!

Every time I pitch this tent I marvel at how every detail, down to the smallest, has been expertly designed for simplicity and functionality. The quality of the craftsmanship of this shelter is evident in every element. The Swiftline feels strong, stable, and durable. Pitching the Swiftline is a breeze (after a few practice runs) and even when the site selection is slim, it can be pitched in some surprisingly small and awkward places. I’m about 6’1” and find myself with ample room inside for my bag, pad, and some gear. I can sit up and change easily. The large vestibule has more than enough room for packs, shoes, and pretty much whatever else you need to fit under it. The clothesline along the ridgeline is a nice touch and comes in handy to air out or dry clothes at the end of the day. The ventilation system in this shelter is brilliant. Not only are there multiple ways to roll back the main body to expose mesh panels, but the flap system on the one side allows for quick and easy ventilation even in poor weather. This is an excellent shelter and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for something light, strong, well designed, and versatile.

Bought the Swiftline 1p prior to a late January trip. I'm actually coming from a long-time hammock habit, but winter hammocking was just too bulky with two large quilts. Due to this, I decided to go to ground in the cold weather. I've only had previous experience with free-standing shelters in the past, though I could not be happier with the quick setup for the Swiftline. The instructions on the site are spot on and I got the shelter up just as fast as my buddy with an MSR Hubba. The shelter has a huge amount of livable space along with thoughtful quality of life features (clothesline across the ridgeline, huge vestibule, 2 doors(!), ability to become basically a net tent). Condensation wasn't an issue, either. The Swiftline is my favorite shelter in my quiver, and I look forward to getting it out in its element again! Thanks, Gen!!

I'd been looking forward to getting one of these ever since I saw an early beta version. As soon as I saw it I knew Gen had a winner! Tons of livable space (if you're tall, you'll really love this shelter compared to other 1P shelters), huge easily to access vestibule (I love the full length zipper that lets you access the whole thing!), packs up into a tiny package, and is sexy looking to boot! I've really been enjoying mine. There are some shelters out there that are just a means to an end. Then there are shelters like the Swiftline that are things you love and just give you a sense of pleasure and enjoyment.

I bought a 1P Swiftline based on Gen’s recommendation over a 1P Cirriform since I’m 6’4” 190. I also considered the Tarptent Notch and Protrail. The offset pole idea, the concept behind this tent, works really well. I’m very happy and think I made a great decision. I had Gen do the seam sealing because there are a lot of seams in this tent and I wanted to be sure it was done right. There are nice features everywhere such as a string that runs along the ridgeline inside the tent. I use this to store my glasses and dry my socks. The fly opens up around the tent giving great views. I used the tent about 10 nights now and endured one storm on the Vermont Long Trail where I stayed completely dry. I put the tent in a garbage bag and set it up early the next day and it dried out quickly. The side entrance is super convenient. No spinning around as you need to in an A-frame. Interior is roomy with plenty of space for a few items that you might want with you in the tent. The ceiling is high enough to comfortably sit up, even in the few times when there is some condensation on the single wall areas. Lengthwise my toes do rub slightly on the netting but this is an area where the tent is double wall so my bag has never gotten damp. While this tent is great for me at 6’4”, I think it’s not a tent for someone a few inches taller. The vestibule is huge and runs along the side of the tent below the door. If you include the area next to the door the protected space is actually big enough for a second person in an emergency although it would be tight. The vestibule does not interfere with getting in and out. There is plenty of space for my pack lying flat with several items around it. A nice feature is that the door zipper goes all the down across the vestibule giving easy access to your pack while you’re in the tent. Setup is different from other tents but it’s pretty easy to learn. Thing is that stake placement is not real critical and the footprint is small so it’s easy to find a tent site.