On most of my tours I actually travel alone. Occasionally, though, there are two or three of us on a hike or trek. In such cases it is a lot easier and more efficient to carry and pitch just one large tent instead of several small tents – not to mention that for the little tent city of one-person tents you would otherwise have to put up, you first have to find the right pitch.
A large and light alternative to several small tents is offered by GoLite with the Shangri-La 3. We had the opportunity to take a closer look at the tent.
What comes with the 3-person tent
8x tent pegs- stuff sack
- tent pole
Technical specifications of the Shangri-La 3
- Colours: Bamboo, Evergreen
- Sleeps: 3
- Doors: 1
- Floor area: 5.5 m²
- Height: approx. 158 cm (at the highest point)
- Total weight: 1.13 kg (fly 705 g – pole 340 g – pegs 85 g)
In its basic version, the Shangri-La 3 has no inner tent (and therefore no mosquito net) and no groundsheet. Both can be added, though. There is the Shangri-La 3 Nest, an inner tent with mosquito netting and a floor. Alternatively, you can buy just the floor – if mosquitoes aren’t a problem. That way you can save a few more grams compared with the complete inner tent.
Without the inner tent, the Shangri-La 3 is more of a sturdy tarp in the classic six-sided pyramid shape. The “tent fabric” is 15D nylon, with additionally taped seams. At the top of the Shangri-La 3 there are two large vents to ventilate the tent. This reduces condensation on the inside of the tent wall quite effectively. Inside you will also find a few loops, e.g. for stringing a washing line or hanging up other light pieces of gear.
The GoLite Shangri-La 3 can also be pitched without a pole
The tent can be pitched from the inside with the supplied adjustable tent pole or with a simple stick/branch. Alternatively, it is also possible to pitch the Shangri-La entirely without a pole by simply “hanging” it with a cord from the loop at the top of the tent.
Inside there are attachment points for the additional inner tent and the floor. A sturdy YKK zip is used on the entrance.
Pitching the Shangri-La 3
I first had to think for a moment about how best to pitch this tent, as it is completely different from my previous tents. The easiest way is to lay out the fly first and peg it down at each corner so that the shape roughly corresponds to a regular hexagon. Next you go inside the tent. There you put the supplied pole together, adjust it to the right height and stand it up. Now you may need to correct the position of the pegs a little, and the Shangri-La is up.
First impressions of the Shangri-La 3 tent
The workmanship of the tent material is very good – there are no sloppy seams, and the taping is flawless too. It is big enough for 3 people with little luggage. The floor area of the tent is quite large but unfortunately very hard to use, as the hexagonal shape isn’t quite ideal. One problem with the large footprint is that you first have to find a big enough pitch to put the tent up. In return, it feels very spacious inside.
Because of its design and the pitch size it needs, I don’t think this is the best tent for the mountains. The low weight for a tent of this size is very good, especially if you can do without the floor and insect protection. When closed, the tent is very stable in the wind and, due to its design, doesn’t offer the wind much surface to attack. If it does get stormier, you can use the loops halfway up the tent to secure it with extra guy lines.
The matching inner tent: Shangri-La 3 Nest
Sometimes you can’t or don’t want to do without the matching inner tent – especially if you are keen to avoid being eaten alive by an insect invasion during the night. This is where the Shangri-La 3 Nest comes in, which can be bought separately.
In fine weather you can of course also pitch the Nest on its own and enjoy the starry sky through the mosquito net.
Technical specifications of the Shangri-La 3 Nest
- Weight: 835 g
- Sleeps: 3
- Floor area: 5.1 m²
- Height: 167 cm
First impressions of the Shangri-La 3 Nest
While I really like the tent’s basic design, the stated capacity together with the inner tent seems a bit optimistic to me. In my estimation, at most 2 people with luggage fit in comfortably, while with three it already gets very tight. If you place the pole in the inner tent so that it rests on the reinforced patch in the floor, laying out 3 sleeping pads is almost impossible. The pole has to be set at an angle so that you can lay them out sensibly. Especially in this case, though, a “base plate” for the pole to protect the floor is missing.
The inner tent sits very close to the outer tent, so it is advisable to additionally guy out the tent a little using the loops on the outer tent to avoid direct contact. As with the outer tent, the workmanship of the inner tent is convincing.
In combination with the Nest, the Shangri-La 3 as a comfortable 2-person tent is a little heavier than an MSR Hubba Hubba HP (Shangri-La: 1.97 kg, MSR: 1.88 kg).
Pictures of the Shangri-La 3 & Nest
