Six Moon Designs Haven Tarp Review

This two-door single-wall shelter treated us well under the stars. Its 20D silnylon shell has an offset peak height, meaning that it has a long, gradual taper at one end with steeper walls on the other. The two zippered vestibules turn this tarp into a solid, fully enclosed shelter when the weather turns rough.

Performance Comparison

Livability

The Six Moon Designs Haven lives up to its name. At 88 inches, it has enough length to cover taller sleepers comfortably. In addition, the vestibules offer extra space to spread out or sleep diagonally, if necessary. The dual doors are super practical for two people — no need to shuffle positions or awkwardly step over someone else. The doors also tie back for unobstructed views and airflow.

The peak height of 45 inches makes it easy to sit up without touching the top. The trekking poles also set up at the edges of the livable space as opposed to in the center, so the design really maximizes usable volume. On the downside, as a lightweight tarp, there are no interior storage pockets and, of course, no floor.

Weight

All in, this tarp is slightly above average for its below-average weight. Its 1.19 pounds includes the one-pound, two-ounce tarp, a stuff sack that weighs 0.6 ounces, and 0.4 ounces of additional included guy line. This model does not come with stakes, so a lightweight set of six will add a couple more ounces to the total.

Having said that, given its interior space and coverage, it's a solid lightweight option.

Weather Resistance

The double vestibules are what make this tarp. The added space they provide for gear coverage is essential. It can be tricky, but it is possible to set up this tarp low to the ground to limit water seepage and draftiness.

On the downside, there are two vents, one at the apex of each vestibule, that ostensibly release condensation, but they are functionally useless. There is no built-in way to prop them open, and the holes are quite small. The primary ventilation for this shelter comes from adjusting its height off of the ground and opening the vestibule doors. The silnylon is waterproof, but it does sag in heavy rain. It's also pretty important to pitch this tarp with the steep side facing the wind.

Adaptability

One main drawback of this tent is that it isn't terribly adaptable. Though it does have a small amount of flexibility in the height that the trekking poles are set, it pretty much has a single configuration with a defined footprint. This means that it requires a pretty standard size campsite to pitch and isn't ideal for smaller sites.

The doors do tie back nicely, so if the weather is nice and there are no bugs, you can stay protected overhead while opening the shelter to significant airflow.

Ease of Set-Up

It's not the easiest tarp to pitch, but once you do it a few times, it goes up pretty quickly with one person. Since there is a long, sloping end and a steeper end, there are color-coded webbing tabs to let you know which end is which. From there, staking out the corners is straightforward. Erecting the trekking poles is made simpler by the easy-to-spot pole pockets in the ceiling.

In our experience, this tarp definitely required some readjusting after the initial pitch to the tarp symmetrical and de-wonkified. In general, we had to do another lap around the stakes to get the tension right and typically also had to realign at least one of the trekking poles to make sure it was vertical.

Should You Buy the Six Moon Designs Haven?

This Haven is lightweight and livable. Using two standard trekking poles for structural support, it reduces weight by cutting out standard tent poles. It's a good option for moving fast and light while still having a shelter that will provide sufficient space and coverage at night. It's not the best at any one thing, but it's decent in most metrics. Combined with a relatively less expensive price point, we think that the Haven is worth checking out.

What Other Ultralight Tents Should You Consider?

If you like two doors and vestibules and a low price is not the highest priority, the Zpack Duplex Flex Upgrade is a high-performance choice. Another budget option with even more interior space is the Black Diamond Beta Light. If you really want to drop weight and don't mind an open-ended shelter, the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Square Flat Tarp is the right move.