ProView – Alps Mountaineering Lynx 1 Person Tent Review

Features

The best part about the Lynx 1 is how easy it is to set up by utilizing pole clips instead of sleeves for the tent poles and quick buckles for the fly (tent and fly took me under a minute to set up). The tent is truly freestanding and when the weather is nice the fly is not needed. There is one large door on one side. The fly covers the entire tent so there is no ground splash into the tent during rain storms. There is a decent sized vestibule where a pack can be stored. The fly has two vents at the top allowing for condensation to escape. The seams are sealed everywhere on the fly except for at the front zipper. This did not seem to be an issue but it is possible it could leak there if stuck in a forever rain storm. The tent floor is also seam sealed. The Lynx 1 comes with a small mesh gear loft (removable) and two interior pockets.  

Weight

When I first got the Lynx 1, I thought it was a bit heavy at 1863 g (4.1 lbs) but there seemed to be a few ways to cut the weight. The tent and fly weighed respectively 605 g and 520 g, and the tent poles 419 g. The included tent stakes (8 of them) came in at 136 g (17 g each). Lighter stakes are available (the lightest I found that is still durable is 14 g each) and as the tent is free-standing only one stake is needed for the vestibule. The min measured weight came in at 1558 g (3.4 lbs) which is very reasonable. 

Size

The Lynx 1 is true to size at 7’6” x 2’8” allowing for a tall person with a big sleeping pad to fit comfortably. The tent walls are steep on all sides which makes the entire floor space usable and with a center height of 3’ it is comfortable to sit inside. Another nice feature is the true rectangular shape. This allows for sleeping in either direction, a bonus when pitching the tent in less ideal locations. 

Packability

The tent and fly material are fairly beefy, hence the overall packable size being a bit bigger than some ultra-light tents on the market. I preferred to separate the tent and fly and then simply stuff into my backpack. This worked really well. The Lynx 1 also stuffs into its own stuff sack (55 g) if one prefers to carry the tent, fly, poles, and stakes in one unit or strap on the outside of a backpack (or when bike packing for example). The stuff sack does come with straps for making this easy. 

Durability

This is an excellent tent that will last for a long time with heavy use. When staking down the four corners and the fly vestibule, the Lynx 1 can handle a good storm. When it gets a bit spicier, guy lines can be added for extra security. Although not a four-season tent, I think the tent could easily handle a solid winter storm in the mountains. Additionally, the tent floor seemed very durable and showed no wear after camping on rocky surfaces (I did not use a foot print), and the tent and fly zippers appear to be solid as the desert sand didn’t seem to affect them. 

The Final Word

This is a great one-person tent that is easy to pitch, very comfortable and roomy inside, and can withstand severe weather. It is a solid tent, and well-worth the extra weight. 

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