The Six Moon Designs Deschutes Tarp is a one-person, single-wall ultralight pyramid tarp which weighs 13 oz (although ours weighs 11.4 oz, not seam-sealed). Made with silpoly, this floorless tarp requires one trekking pole or tent pole to set up and six tent stakes. It has an enormous amount of internal space, 44 sq ft to be exact, although I wouldn't recommend it for anyone over 6′ in height. You can also add insect netting and a bathtub floor to it with the  Six Moons Serenity Net Tent, bringing the total weight up to 24 ounces.

• Manufacturer's Weight: 13 oz (not seam-sealed)
• Actual Weight: 11.4 oz (tarp alone, unseam-sealed) 0.4 oz (stuff sack)
• Capacity: 1 person
• Type: Pyramid Tarp
• Pole: 45-49″, not included
• Stakes: Requires 6, not included
• Dimensions: 1o5″ (266cm ) max width x 80″ (203 cm) max depth
• Material: Siliconized polyester w/ 3,000mm waterproof rating

The Six Moon Designs Deschutes Tarp has a six-sided pyramid shape that requires a single trekking pole adjusted to 45-49″ or tent pole (sold separately), to set up. The peak is offset from the middle towards the front of the shelter, which has two front doors split by a zipper. The two front doors are cut at a slight angle to create a covered front vestibule that does not reach the ground but has enough depth to prevent rain from splashing back at you.

The front of the shelter is a bit higher than the rear, creating an elevated vestibule

I like this vestibule design because it connects you to the outdoors and increases airflow, but the Deschutes is not a full-coverage shelter with a rain fly that reaches the ground unless you lower the pole height, which is an option in bad weather.

You can roll back one or both doors.

If you want even more ventilation or views, you can also roll back both front doors, since the front guyline is attached to a point just below the peak and not the bottom of the doors.

The peak is offset, so you get more headroom in the front of the shelter. You can also tilt the pole to create more room inside the front of the shelter.

The Deschutes has 6 guylines located around the perimeter of the tarp. These are guyed out with reflective cordage and linelocs used by other ultralight shelters.

A glove hook is at the peak, and plastic rings are at the guy-out points to attach a net tent, but otherwise the Deschutes is a barebones tarp with no internal pockets. It also lacks other ceiling attachments besides the one at the peak, so bring a very long elastic cord if you want to suspend a bivy sack from it to keep the mosquito netting off your face.

Dimensions

While the inside of the Deschutes is huge, with 44 sq ft of surface area, the sloping sidewalls reduce the livable space where there's enough headroom to sit up or even lie down. This is a problem with most pyramid tarps, not just the Deschutes. On the Deschutes, it's better to store your gear at the rear of the tarp, which has a lower ceiling than the front and is much more prone to internal condensation transfer.

Unobstructed view of the interior space.

The usable width of the Deschutes is also on the small side because of the sloped walls. While the specs say that the tent is 105″ / 266 cm wide, it feels quite cramped when lying inside at the widest point in a 6′ (72″) bivy sack with very little slack space at the head and foot ends to avoid touching the ceiling or even sliding under the side walls. I'd recommend choosing a different shelter if you're taller than 6′ in height. Six Moons Designs also recommends this.

Materials

The Deschutes Tarp is made with siliconized polyester (silpoly) with an excellent 3000 waterproof rating that exceeds that of most of the tents you can buy at REI. The front door closes with a YKK #3 zipper and is not water-resistant. A silpoly flap covers it to protect it from rain.

The Deschutes Tarp has to be seam-sealed, which is a bit of a hassle, but you can ask Six Moons to do it for you for a small fee. The rear-most four sides of the Deschutes are made from a single piece of fabric with no seams, which significantly reduces the amount of seam sealing required.  The Deschutes packs up very small, 12″ X 4.5″, and doesn't take up much space in a backpack. It is available in two colors: grey or green.

The back of the Deschutes has a classic pyramid shape that is good at shedding wind and rain.

Recommendation

The Six Moon Designs Deschutes Tarp is a bare-bones, one-person pyramid shelter that is lightweight and packs up small. It's easy to pitch and provides good wind and weather protection by adjusting the height of the supporting pole. Pyramid tarps like the Deschutes offer much more protection than a flat or rectangular tarp and are easier to use because they have a single standard configuration. The Deschutes is a solid option for backpackers under 6′ in height. If you need insect protection, I'd advise buying the companion Serenity Net Tent at the same time. See our recent Serenity Net Tent Review. You can also get the Deschutes Tarp with a perimeter no-see-um skirt, which provides insect protection even though it didn't have a floor. This is a good option if you don't need the modularity of the net tent and don't mind sleeping on a piece of polycryo plastic sheeting to keep the dirt off you.

Comparable Shelter

Zpacks Pocket Tarp w/ Doors

The Zpacks Hexamid Pocket Tarp w/ Doors ($399) has very similar dimensions to the Deschutes but is much more expensive because it is only available in Dyneema DCF. It requires one trekking pole to pitch and does not have a front zipper. It has line-locs and guylines, and a hang loop is very easy to attach to the ceiling with a DCF Stick on Loop.  A bathtub groundsheet is also available as an add-on, but a separate net tent is not.

Disclosure: Six Moon Designs donated this product for review.

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