I am looking to replace my ancient Saunders Spacepacker Plus with something a bit lighter before I tackle the next section of the South West Coast path in June. I'm walking solo so I don't really need to carry such a big tent.

I was just on the point of ordering a Laser Competition when I came across Henry Shires' Contrail Tarptent

http://www.tarptent.com/contrail.html

It looks like it should fit the bill nicely, it is lighter than the Competition, larger inside and a bit cheaper (even after allowing for Customs Duty and VAT) but it is single skinned, which I've always been told is unsuitable for our climate. However it does seem to be well ventilated so condensation may not be too much of a problem for UK summer backpacking.

Does anyone have any experience of these tents in UK conditions? If so are they suitable or would I be better off with the more "traditional" Laser Competition.

The ventilation looks good on the tarp tent - much better than on the single skin tent I used to use. With my single skin tent I just used to leave the door wide open to keep condensation down. The problem came in cold weather if you had no option but to seal yourself in to keep warm.

Hope you go for the tarp as it looks great and I want one:-)

The Akto may be worth a look(I have one), they can be had at sensible prices if you shop arround. You will be comfortable if the weather turns nasty.

Chris Townsend will be reviewing single-skin tents in next month's TGO so it may be worth hanging on until then.

Unless he pops up here first, of course :o)

I did Bridport round to St Ives on the SWCP last May/June with my Henry Shires Cloudburst 2 Tarptent (this June to St Ives via the North coast.
I love the tent. Ultralight, unbelievably quick to put up, and spacious. Had some wild weather at the end of May, but with the foot to the wind and pitched v.taut with three angle stakes, no problem. Never got any rain in.
Only got heavy condensation on one cold still night, but it runs down the sides out of the tent and the tent is spacious enough for you not to touch the sides. Most SWCP nights the breeze restricts the condensation.
The real decision is whether you like to sleep with the stars or if you want to huddle up away from the outdoors at the end of the day. If you want the latter, the Tarpent is not for you (and it won't hide your gear when you're off having an evening drink).
Henry Shires is still has a fairly small cottage industry, so if you want one, order early, as demand is high.

I've only had my Contrail out the once, last November in the Lakes in wild & windy weather. I think I'm going to like this tent & will be pushing it for use in as much of the year as I can before I break out the Akto. There is a huge amount of room. The only problem I had was the velcro on the beak kept opening in the high winds that were coming from the side for much of the night. I've added velco up the entire length now instead of just the original short strips & added a pegging loop to the bottom. Henry offered to do this for me but it was easier to get it done by the girls at Tundra.
Even with the back battened down to the ground in bad weather mode condensation was nowt more than a film you could only see if you ran your finger over it. The sleeping bags I use all have drilite type covers so I'm not too worried if it gets a bit drippy. I wanted a more exposed element to a backpacking night out but with a bit more straightforward pitching & midge protection than a tarp offers.
edit - just reread the above post re Cloudburst - I believe the aspect frpom the Contrail is more open than the cloudburst so you get a view from your pit.

Thanks for all the info, glad to hear that condensation is not a major problem. I think I'm leaning towards getting the Contrail - I quite like the idea of being more out in the open rather than cocooned up in a tent. I'll look out for the reviews in next month's TGO.

TP Ensor & Spiritburner: A few questions as you have already purchased tarptents:
How much did you pay for shipping from the US (I've emailed Tarptent but no response yet) and how long did it take to arrive?
Also, were the seams sealed when you bought the tent or did you do it yourself - if so what did you use?

Mark.another vote for the contrail from me,awesome tent,it cost me about£120 with postage,came in a week and i had to seal the seams,i used mcnett silnet (from the outdoors shop)oh and i got clobbered for about £30 tax but it was worth it.

I had a good long look at the tarp tents but opted to give myself a spring project.
I've bought one of those 'Ray-Way' do-it-yourself tarp jobbies. Haven't got very far with the making yet as time and a crappy sewing machine don't seem to be on my side.
Cost me just short of £50 (w/o silnet), I didn't get collared for tax and took about a week to arrive.

I'm more of a late April-early Sept camper, and tend not to be bothered by cold much, so I'm hoping I'll appreciate the openness more.
I know it will be a lot more fiddly to put up properly than a tarp tent, but I'll have plenty of time on my wild camps to practice.

I have just completed a Ray-Way Tarp and a net tent also.Really good value for money and relatively easy to make.I was a pure novice with a sewing machine,but bought a cheap one in Lidl and away I went!The instructions enlosed with the kits are very good and its also a great way to fill in the long Winter evenings!I made a Ray-Way 2 person quilt first with 3D insulation and following this tackled tha Tarp.This kit is seriously light weight and robust. I am presently making 2 Ray-Way rucksacks.Ray Jardine even produced a DVD Video of instructions for making the rucksacks!After making this kit you can really appreciate the skill that is required for making good kit!

As a Laserlite user I can can't recommend thr LaserComp highly enough, bit for low level/ good weather stuff the Tarpotron looks rather natty.

Mark: thrown away my import tax details but java junkie has told you what you need.
Henry supplies "GE Silicone II Kitchen and Bathroom" silicone sealant, so not too esoteric. A UK equivalent would be available in most hardware stores. As you probably know, sil-nylon (silicone proofed nylon) is different from most tents' heavier PU proofed nylon and needs a different sealer.
Condensation: I read at one place that rain on the outside of the tent would create a mist from condensate dislodged from the inside face. That might happen on a PU tent but I've never seen it in my Tarptent and I've had it in all sorts of conditions including hail.
Home made: Henry has fabrication plans and design background for his origional Tarptent, for free, on his site.
The Contrail looks fantastic, 695gm! Might see you in it this June on the SWCP.

I like the look of the Contrail and was thinking of getting a new tent from Henry Shires this year too. In the end I've purchased the Terra Nova Argon 800, mainly because, being a double-skinner, it defeats the condensation issue and the Outdoor shop were doing it for £99 until very recently.

The new Squalls appear to have a much better entrance and also a bath tub floor, lacking on my model. My Squall took up a lot of ground space as the guy lines are fixed length and cannot be adjusted; it was sometimes hard to find a big enough pitch, especially as I tend to camp in woodland.

On condensation, this is only really a problem if you come in to contact with the sides. Have you looked at the Rainbow, which has very steep, wide sides?

I don't mean to run down Tarptent. You cannot argue with 695 grams and I am seriously looking at the Contrail in addition to the Terra Nova. If I lived in California I would definitely not be looking at Terra Nova! At this weight, the tent is much lighter than almost all the tarp/bivi/groundsheet combinations that many people favour.