Originally Posted by
prathmann
Used my Solitaire for over a dozen years before I got the Spitfire. It does have enough room, but the height is very limited. Fine for sleeping, but not so good for sitting up and reading on a stormy day - or even for changing clothes comfortably. I did have one pole (smaller one) break on a backpacking trip and replaced it with an aluminum one (Solitaire has fiberglass poles). Breakage seems more common on recent purchases based on reviews
This is true, height is definitely limited. I prop myself up on an elbow to read at night, otherwise I pretty much use it solely for sleeping. I often pitch my tent next to something I can use to sit on if I want, if not I pack up and bike until I find a good place to take an early morning break. For example here I camped at some baseball fields. Ate dinner at some covered picnic tables, as well as breakfast the next morning:
If you're looking for a tent you can hang out in for hours after waking, the solitaire is most likely not for you. If you want something that will let you comfortably sleep and not weigh you down excessively during the day, its great.
I wonder if they changed something in the pole construction? If anyone wants I could post my decade old poles that are still going strong so they can compare them to theirs.