By Chris Townsend

September 19 2011

TGO Rating 4 stars

For one person it’s very spacious with plenty of storage room and a good height in the centre. Vaude say it’s a two-person tent though and I think that’s an exaggeration unless you’re not very big, you are very friendly and you’re happy to leave some gear outside. But the weight is so low that it’s very light for solo use. The low weight is due to very thin but still strong fabrics and the lightest components.

The Lizard has a single short pole at each end. Unlike on many tents these are designed to be carried separately, which makes packing the tent much easier. They are two-part poles so short for storage. Pitching is easy and can be
done quickly. The inner tent is asymmetrical, with the end away from the fl ysheet door wider than the other one. I think this is the wrong way round, at least for me. I like to lie on my side in a tent facing the door with food and gear to hand so it would be useful to have the most space by the door, not away from it. I also wish the other side of the flysheet would open. As it is I have to lie on my right side to look out of the door, which is awkward as I am very right-handed – left-handed people will like this design! This is only a minor complaint, however, and I like the space inside. The porch is long but not that deep. Gear can be stored on one side and there is just room to cook safely on the other.

Ventilation isn’t that good as there are no vents on the flysheet. The top of the door zip can be undone to let moist air out but not when it’s raining as it isn’t protected. The inner tent has small mesh panels at each end and a mesh
panel at the top of the door. The Powerframe construction gives good stability in strong winds, with the pole staying firm rather than deforming as can happen with less supported poles. However, the rest of the tent can flap noisily. The seams are taped, unusual with silicone nylon, so treating them with seam seal, as is sometimes required with tents without taped seams, shouldn’t be necessary.

The price of the Power Lizard is reasonable for such a light, functional tent. For solo backpackers who want light weight and ample room, it’s a good choice.