This is a really nice tent! I often use just a tarp and bug net in warmer/drier conditions, so I'm never enthusiastic about carrying a heavy shelter unless I'm expecting fairly bad weather or loads of 'skeeters. I lived in Argentina for two years, and have done three separate week-plus backpacking trips in Patagonia and the Cordillera Real in Bolivia. My Zoid 1.0 stood up to the famously bad conditions there beautifully. It worked well in the Anza-Borrego desert on Memorial Day, where I used it without a fly to keep from sharing space with the extra-friendly scorpions that like to sack out under your sleeping bag after a hard night of cricket hunting. It did just fine in a January snow and rainstorm in the Grand Canyon, and in a backyard camp-out with my sister's kids, so it's pretty versatile. Other than in a serious mountaineering or snow camping situation, I don't think you need any more tent than this if you're going solo. I spent 10 days in fairly severe conditions in Torres del Paine (sideways rain, 40mph+ winds, and occasional sleet), and the Zoid stood up better than some of the heavy duty dome tents I saw others using. It certainly was a lot easier to carry, and made a lot less noise than the high-walled tents flapping around in the wind. The low profile keeps it out of the wind, and the tent pitches really tightly, especially if you guy it out on the sides. One night a major katabatic hit the area that I was in. It woke me up with the noise, but the tent wasn't flapping around even though it was blowing almost too hard to stand up and the guy lines were humming. I'm 5'10" and kind of bulky ("lumpy" on a good day, and "kinda fat" on a bad one) and I had plenty of floor space while lying down. There was about 1 foot extra below my feet and a good 6-8 inches above my head. I could just barely sit up under the apex while lightly touching the ceiling - enough to sit up, but no extra space to strech out. There was room along the sides and in the side side pockets for a reasonable amount of gear. The single door is pretty huge, so it's not hard to cook under the fly while leaning out of the tent if you want to risk it in a bad rainstorm. The vestibule isn't very large, but had just enough room to shelter my pack. Much of the tent body is mesh and ventilation wasn't a problem for me, but that was in a howling gale half the time. I suspect that in rainy, hot conditions without any wind, it might get a bit stuffy unless you pitched the fly up off the ground a bit or staked it partly open. I have the Walrus (pre MSR) version, so the eyelid vents in the newer version (plus a bit more height, I think) would be an improvement over an already excellent product. I have the footprint, but haven't used it with just the fly in the "fastpack" mode - I just use my SilShelter if I'm not using the full tent. If you're planning to use a tarp and bivy bag system to go light-weight in wet conditions, you can probably be more comfortable for the same weight with this tent and not have to swat mosquitos or do a Harry Houdini impression while changing clothes in your bivy sack. Pros: Light weight, weather-tight, MUCH more pleasant to sit out a storm in than a bivy. Easy to pitch (2-3 minutes). Well made, durable without being heavy. Completely hassle-free. Cons: If you're over 5'10" or 11", you probably won't be able to sit up (maybe in the newer version). In heavy rain, the fly stretches a bit, so guying out is beneficial. Decent room for one, but a second person is not really an option. The Zoid 1.5 might be able to barely fit two in an emergency.

Customer Service

No need to use customer service for this, but I've always had good luck with other MSR products. BentGate.com is outstanding - never a problem ordering from them, and they have some excellent deals on quality gear.

Similar Products Used:

North Face convertible dome tent, Eureka 2-person (Sierra Designs CD-Light knockoff), SilShelter tarp.

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My previous review here today actually was for the Zoid 1.5. Please apply all comments shown here to the ZOID 1.5 instead, I picked the wrong category...

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This thing was my first tent, as I get claustrophobic in any tent and am the kind who''s happier with next to no equipment to log around. Needed some basic protection from immediate environment and potential creepy things. I was impressed with the feel of it. Once inside, feels incredibly roomy and if you sit up your head will touch the ceiling only if you''re 5''10 or more. Plenty of elbow room. Convenient pockets on sides and above head. Zipper easy to operate and provide wide entry, something I also found great to just lie there and gaze outside before sleep. Extremely convenient side entry that allows easy access. Plenty of room for 1 inside, you could even stack your backpack in there. Setup: I found it a little of a struggle. Bending the rods was quite a workout exercise as the arches tend to slip away from you and it doesn''t take much for the arches to refuse to bend if the fabric is 1" off too much one side or the other off it. Fortunately that time I had a car for the trip so after each night I just collapsed and tossed the thing in the car without dismanteling each half. I had tried the tent at home and setup in the yard had been a breeze. However, once in the desert and on hard, rocky ground, it was quite a different story. The stakes aren''t tough enough to be hammered into the soil and will either bend or not get in at all, leaving you having to use heavy rocks to keep the tent in place. The rain shell proved almost impossible to set up efficiently because the tent then isn''t stretched tight enough and everything sags. As a result of sagging, the rain cover can not be setup as it should and will flap madly in the wind against the tent and is guaranteed to keep you awake all night. But the mesh wall and ceiling are great for the tentophobes and it feels almost as if there''s nothing there. If weather permits, it''s really wonderful. If you camp on soft ground and there''s little wind, this tent will be perfect. If not, better get yourself tougher stakes or expect to lose interior space due to sagging. Overall the tent was exactly what I expected from it when I bought it, only the environment caused problem. Love the tent, perfect for solo travelers who want lightweight and comfort.

Customer Service

Only had brief phone contact during sale. Was courteous and helpful.

Similar Products Used:

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A quick update on my earlier review. MSR has bought walrus,armadillo and moss. The Zoid now costs about $40.00 more, the colors have changed and the big news is the eyelid vent is included. Several earlier reviews mentioned this as a problem and the entire Zoid line was modified.

Customer Service

MSR handles all problems and questions now

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This is a great tent. I already owned a Walrus Micro Swift, but I thought I would buy the Zoid to see how they compare.
the pack weight of my Micro swift was 3lbs 4 oz., the zoid is 3lbs 8oz.
Pack size is 5X14 and 5X16 respectively.

But you get a lot of tent for that extra 4oz, and 2 inches. First of all I am 6'1" and 200lbs. I am able to sit up in the Zoid. it is a lot easier to get into with the giant side door. The vestibule is actually usable for more then a pair of boots. When sleeping in it I am able to look out into the vestibule, and it feels like I am in a much bigger tent. The pocket on the ceiling is great.

The only problems I have is that with the vestibule close the tent has no vents, or windows. The micro swifts has an eyelid vent, that also works as a window. it seems to vent a lot better then this tent does. In nice weather the small half of the vestibule can be left open, and that rectifies this problem.

both tents are great, but if you can spend the extra $20 get the zoid. It is worth it.

Similar Products Used:

Marmot equinox, eureka equinox, walrus micro swift

This is the best tent ever made. Not one damn problem with it.

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Kelty Dart 1- This is a ok tent.

A very nice light single which packs very small and offers the option to pitch the fly and the ground sheet "footprint" without the tent body. (there are nice pics and a summary at the backcountry website) the walrus instructions don't refer to it. The quality is very good, but not excellent, it is a good value for the price. I seam sealed the inside of the tent tub just to be safe, the seam just didn't look trustworthy. The set up is pretty fast, but if you use a Walrus footprint, it takes some diddling to get everything working together. You need 5 stakes at a minimum, (I tossed the ones
which came with the tent, replacing them with Moss groundhogs) and there are 4 guyouts.

I agree that the vestibule is really small, the 9 sq ft probably exists, but the slope of the fly cuts into the useable cube.

The big con on this tent is that is simply doesn't ventilate without a breeze. Other Walrus tents incorporate an "eyelid" vent to allow the air to escape, the zoid series doesn't and it gets stuffy very fast in the high humidity and rain I used it in. A Walrus Arch Rival was pitched 4 feet away and it was much more comfortable inside, the vent acted like a chimney draft forcing circulation.
I'd give this tent a 4.3/5 overall, I like it better than the Arch Rival (except fot the vent) overall.

Similar Products Used:

This is my 3rd walrus Tent. I have a Rapeede XV an Arch Rival XV, and a Garuda Tasir.

This is the first tent I have ever owned. I've used it for the last 3 weeks (May) camping from California to BC, and plan to use it a lot this summer camping in BC.

Pros:
It has a lot of handy little pockets for storing stuff. The side entry is a good idea. It is really easy to put up. It rained very hard one night in Oregon, and the tent stayed nice and dry inside. The rain cover on the side where you enter can be rolled up so you can see out, but still have privacy if you face the other side towards the other camp sites.

Minor cons:
It is a bit too small for me to change clothes in it, and more head room would be nice - I'm 5'10'' and when I sit up my head brushes the roof. Some mornings there's a suprising amount of condensation on the rain cover - but I don't really care too much about that. The vestibule is fairly small - enough for shoes and a small back pack. Two big pictures of Walruses on the rain cover seems excessive.

Oops:
I split one of the pole sections becuse I didn't have it all the way joined with the other section, and then I put alot of wieght on the tent when I lumbered out one morning. But it was easily "patched" with a hose clamp, and the Walrus folks say that they will send me a new section for free.

Conclusion:
I should have bought a Zoid 1.5, becuase it has entries on both sides (thus two vestibule spaces) and I'd like the extra room for changing clothes. But the 1.0 is a cozy, dry, hassle free tent and is probably great for the backpacker/biker folks that it was intended for.

Customer Service

Great.