ZEROGRAM Thru Hiker 1p ZEROBONE / EL CHALTEN ZEROBONE 1.5P Review: Two double-wall tents that offer modern comfort while also being unique and appealing

A high-quality tent from Korea that is on trend and has a unique, dazzling design

South Korea is another outdoor powerhouse with a thriving outdoor industry that rivals Japan's. There are many high-quality, unique Korean outdoor brands that are world-renowned, such as DAC (Helinox) for poles and camping equipment, KOVEA for combustion equipment, and BLACKYAK for high-end apparel. However, one brand that I have been secretly keeping an eye on is ZEROGRM .

When I first saw TOAD (Trail Open Air Demo) 3 about six years ago, I thought it was a small garage brand, but I remember being amazed at the sophisticated quality of their products, such as their smart UL tents and surprisingly light and puffy sleeping bags, which were in no way inferior to the authentic UL brand

This time, I had the opportunity to borrow and freely review their latest tents, the Thru Hiker 1p ZEROBONE and the EL CHALTEN ZEROBONE 1.5P , so I'd like to summarize what I learned from using them.

ZEROGRAM Thru Hiker 1p ZEROBONE

This is my favorite place

• Anyway, it's easy and quick to set up
• Convenient frontal vestibule
• Monofilament inner tent that prevents condensation
• Generous headroom clearance for a one-person tent
• The fly stretches firmly to the ground and is highly weather resistant
• Comfort and ease of use, with attention to detail

This is what I'm curious about

• The side vestibules are a little narrow
• The inner tent hanging from the fly tends to sag a little when you put luggage in the pouch inside the tent
• Difficulty in setting up in places where it is difficult to peg down, which is true for all non-freestanding tents

Main specifications and evaluation

Detailed Review

1: Easy and quick setup

Above all, the Thru Hiker is how easy it is to set up. Normally, it's one thing with a single-wall tent or shelter, but with a full-fledged double-wall tent like this one (which also comes with a footprint), you first have to lay the footprint, then set up the inner tent, then put the fly on top of that... so setting up can be a lot of work.

So with this model, the fly, inner tent, and even the footprint are all pre-assembled, and the poles are designed so that you just need to hook them onto the outer hooks, so you can set it up in no time with just one effort. In the video below, I, who had only set it up a few times before, tried setting it up at a slow pace. Even so, I was able to set it up without any difficulty in just under three minutes net. I feel like if I get more used to it, I could set it up in about two minutes

Moreover, the fact that it is an integrated structure means that you don't have to worry about the inner tent getting wet before you can put the fly up in the rain, so it's not only easy to set up but also safe. Once you get used to this kind of smart structure, tents with separate inner and fly tents can seem a bit cumbersome

2. Monofilament inner tent that prevents condensation

This has been a familiar feature of ZEROGRAM tents for some time, but the inner tent, made of "monofilament" fabric, which at first glance looks like ordinary mesh or like an extremely thin fabric, is exquisitely good

It is basically a translucent, breathable mesh, but unlike regular mesh, the fabric has permanent water-repellent properties so it does not retain moisture

As you can see in the spray experiment video below, the water will fall off under the force of gravity. Even the few remaining droplets will fall off with a little shaking. *The tent used in the experiment was the EL CHALTEN ZEROBONE 1.5P

If it doesn't absorb water, it won't get wet and heavy even when it rains, and even if condensation does form, it doesn't remain as droplets, so it's less likely to get sticky on the inner wall. It's also double-walled, so I didn't get any condensation on the inner layer even when I slept normally on a sunny day (although there was a thin layer of condensation on the underside of the fly, as you can see in the photo below)

3. Generous headroom clearance for a one-person tent

The Thru Hiker is firmly in line with the recent trend of "balancing lightness and comfort" rather than "just being light!", and it shows a stance that does not compromise on comfort while being lightweight. One example of this is that the headspace clearance is sufficient for a one-person tent

This is because the structure of the long vertical pole crossing two short poles creates a larger headroom (see photo below). The ridge pole (horizontal pole) that passes above the vertical pole provides more tension than the previous model, expanding the headroom and making it more comfortable

The slightly curved ridge pole provides a good balance between tension and wind resistance

Another improvement over the previous model is the addition of two lantern loops on the ceiling. In the photo below, you can thread a thin cord through the two loops to hang various items

By the way, the height is comfortable even for me, who is 176cm tall

4. Convenient frontal chamber

A unique feature of the tent is the second vestibule located at the head of the tent, which would normally be dead space (see photo below). You can store shoes, food, cooking equipment, and a small backpack (up to about 40L)

5. The fly stretches firmly to the ground and is highly weather resistant

Because the headspace has been increased, the side walls are a little steeper (making them more susceptible to wind), but on the other hand, the overall stable kamaboko shape makes it less susceptible to wind resistance, it can be well reinforced with guy lines, and the fly can be closed right up to the ground, so I had no concerns about weather resistance

6. Comfort and ease of use, with attention to detail

It has been improved from the previous model, and features numerous improvements to make it even more comfortable and easy to use than the previous model. For example, the ventilation is larger than the previous model and is positioned closer to the side (opposite the entrance), allowing for smoother airflow (see photo below)

The fly at the entrance can be clipped on and opened wide for ventilation and light

There is a pouch next to the entrance that is large enough to store and organize small items

The seam taping in areas where seams are concentrated near the corners has been done more thoroughly than in the previous model, so you generally won't need to seal the seams yourself later

The new included pegs are Y-shaped and lightweight, sturdy, and easy to insert. They also have a notch on one side to prevent the guy rope from slipping out

The new type of pole, "ZEROBONE," adopted in this model is more environmentally friendly than the previous model by eliminating the surface coating process

Although the pole diameter has become slightly thicker, the length of each section has been shortened, making the packing more compact (due to the increased number of sections) and increasing strength

7. I wish the vestibule was a little larger and easier to handle

It's true that the seat is more comfortable than standard thanks to the many innovations, but I couldn't help but feel bothered by the narrowness of the side vestibules (is this inconvenience?). It's not so narrow that you can't put your shoes there, so it's not unbearable (see photo below), but it's by no means spacious

Also, when you try to open the fly to make up for the narrowness of the vestibule, you have to pull out the pegs and open the entrance almost all the way, which is a bit of a disappointment to me. If it were possible to adjust the fly opening to the extent that it is "open on one side" like a symmetrical tent, it would be more comfortable

I tried various things to see if I could do this with the current situation, but I couldn't find a way to make it work perfectly in such a short amount of time (for example, I tried attaching a loop to the end of the zipper and hanging it on a hook, as shown in the photo below)

ZEROGRAM EL CHALTEN ZEROBONE 1.5P

This is my favorite place

• Spacious living space including head clearance and a front room
• Two wide-opening entrances with vestibules and excellent ventilation
• Easy and quick setup, including footprint
• Monofilament inner tent that prevents condensation
• Highly weather-resistant

This is what I'm curious about

• It's not exactly light and compact for a one-person tent

Main specifications and evaluation

Detailed Review

1. Spacious living space, including head clearance and a front room

The biggest selling point of this tent is its spaciousness. First of all, it's sized for 1.5 people, with a large base, and the ridge pole that crosses near the ceiling greatly expands the width of the upper space (105cm wide), making the interior more spacious than it looks. The vestibule is also spacious enough on both sides, and honestly, it's so spacious that one person might not be able to handle it all

However, as you can see by placing two mattresses side by side, it is still a little cramped for two people (see photo below)

2: Two wide-opening entrances with vestibules

What's more, there are two large C-shaped entrances on both sides, giving you a wonderful sense of openness. It almost seems like a waste to use it alone

The vestibules are also spacious and are provided on both sides

There are two ventilation vents (which can be operated from inside the room) on the ceiling to release the air that comes in through the entrance, so there are no problems with airflow or ventilation (see photo below)

The room was equipped with plenty of pockets for storing small items (see photo below) next to the entrance and on the ceiling, as well as lantern hooks, so we had no complaints about storage and organization

3: Easy and quick setup, including the footprint

Like the Thru hiker, this model can be set up with the fly, inner tent, and footprint all in one. This is a freestanding tent that does not require pegging down, so it can be set up even more easily, quickly, and neatly, as shown in the video below

4. Monofilament inner tent that prevents condensation

This tent also uses a monofilament inner tent, which provides excellent breathability and prevents discomfort caused by condensation, allowing for a more comfortable night's sleep

5: Highly weather-resistant (resistant to wind and rain)

Although I haven't actually used it in bad weather, the proven freestanding dome design, the not-too-steep side walls, the reinforced guy lines, and the fact that the fly can be tightly closed to the ground make it resistant to wind and rain, and highly weather-resistant. Aside from the fact that snow tends to accumulate on the ceiling, I don't think there will be any problems using it during the snowy season

7. It's not exactly light

Just as there is no such thing as perfect gear in every way, this tent, which is excellent in terms of comfort, ease of use, and safety and has no flaws, also has some flaws. In this tent's case, these are its weight and packing size. At a minimum weight of 1,583g, it is unfortunately on the heavy side for a single-person tent these days (though it is a realistic value for two people). If you're thinking of using it for solo hikes rather than base camps, it would be ideal if the minimum weight was kept below 1,200g

Summary: Both tents have their own unique strengths and personalities, but are also well-balanced overall

ZEROGRAM Thru Hiker 1p ZEROBONE (TAN) / UL Double-Wall Tent for 1 Person / 3-Minute Setup, No Condensation / Ideal for Long-Distance Hikers, Under 1kg Double-Wall Solo Tent

created by Rinker

ZEROGRAM

• Amazon
• Rakuten Market
• Yahoo Shopping

ZEROGRAM EL CHALTEN ZEROBONE 1.5P (DEEP KHAKI) / Lightweight Dome-Shaped Double-Wall Tent, Sets Up in 3 Minutes, No Condensation, El Chalten, 3-Season Outdoor, Hiking, Solo Camping, Minimalist Camping, Motorcycle Camping, Solo Tent, 1-Person Tent

created by Rinker

ZEROGRAM

• Amazon
• Rakuten Market
• Yahoo Shopping

The Thru Hiker 1p ZEROBONE is ideal for thru-hiking and fastpacking, being lightweight yet comfortable, while the EL CHALTEN ZEROBONE 1.5P is ideal for safe and relaxed mountain climbing without worrying about the weather. While each product targets different situations and users, both products are high quality, with attention to detail in mind, and I was once again amazed by their high level of perfection. The brand's ambitious attitude of constantly evolving by actively incorporating new technologies and not wanting to miss out on the trends is refreshing

Although there were some minor requests, these were not fatal flaws, and there is no doubt that this tent will satisfy you if used for the right purpose. We hope that new memories will be created with this tent, which has a new and unique character that has never been seen before

   

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