Article by Markus Zinkl
Tarptent - ProTrail Li ($599,00)
Introduction
This single-wall, trekking-pole tent is a masterclass in minimalism, but that mastery comes with significant, intentional trade-offs. It’s a shelter that has rewarded my experience but would surely punish a beginner. For the dedicated ultralight backpacker who puts weight and pack volume above all else, it’s a near-perfect tool. For everyone else, it’s a demanding choice.
General Features of the Protrail Li
The Tarptent Protrail Li is a single-person, single-wall shelter that uses two trekking poles for support, designed with an ultralight philosophy at its core. Every element is optimized for minimal weight and maximum packability.
The tent is constructed from Dyneema® Composite Fabric (DCF), a material known for being extremely lightweight, waterproof, and for not sagging or stretching when it gets wet. This means the pitch remains taut overnight, even in rain. The fabric is also highly translucent, which allows light to pass through and can create a greenhouse effect in direct sun, raising the interior temperature.
Its architecture is a modern take on the classic A-frame or "pup tent", refined with catenary cuts along the ridgeline and sides to reduce weight and improve tension distribution for a more stable pitch. A key design choice is the flat front door, which maximizes the volume and usability of the front vestibule, making entry and gear storage easier at the cost of being less aerodynamic than a pointed "beak" style vestibule.
One of its most significant features is its strutless design. Tarptent often uses fixed-length carbon fiber struts to create interior volume, the Protrail Li's lack of rigid components allows it to be folded and rolled into a small and narrow package, making it easy to fit horizontally in even the slimmest backpacks.
Other notable features include magnetic closures for the door tie-backs,
a comprehensive ventilation system with a big mesh front door and a mesh rear window, a small interior pocket, and ceiling grommets that accommodate any style of trekking pole handle.
Technical Specifications
My Personal Experience
Pitching and Packing
While the four-stake pitch is simple in theory and very fast once mastered, I found it "fiddly" and tedious to perfect.
The short guylines, especially in the back of the tent, mean there is almost no flexibility in stake placement. If a rock or root is where a stake needs to go, achieving a taut pitch is hard to do. This means that despite its small footprint, the tent demands a perfectly clear, obstacle-free patch of ground, making my site selection more critical than with other shelters. It takes two trekking poles to set up, and the rear one needs to be set at 24 inches, which is shorter than the minimum length of some poles. This will be especially problematic for users of z-folding poles, and even some telescoping poles don’t get that short when fully collapsed.
With the Komperdell z-folding poles, which extend automatically, I could make it work by only collapsing one section of the poles. More traditional ones, which need to be extended to create the tension, will probably not work. In contrast, packing the tent is a dream. The strutless design means I can compress it into a tiny package that fits anywhere in my pack, which is a huge advantage.
Livability and Interior Space
Inside, the tent is a story of two experiences. When I’m lying down, the generous floor width and length make it feel like a palace. Even all of my gear has plenty of space inside of the tent. However, trying to sit up is another matter.
With the sharply sloping roof, I can only sit fully upright by cramming myself against the front door, my head and shoulders brushing against the walls. This makes changing clothes or waiting out a storm a cramped affair. For reference I’m around 6 ft. The front-entry design is also something you either love or hate; I found it actually better than expected.
Especially the ability to look outside the front, was very nice (considering you have the views for it), but less agile hikers might find crawling in and out to be an annoyance.
Performance in the Elements
The Protrail Li’s biggest weakness is its performance in side winds. The long, flat, unsupported side panels offer a large surface to winds. It performs fine if pitched foot first into the wind, but a wind shift can make for an unpleasant night. In rain, however, the DCF fabric is fantastic. I’ve stayed perfectly dry through rainy nights, and the material doesn’t wet-out or sag.
The Condensation Dilemma
Condensation is an inherent characteristic of any single-wall tent, and success with the Protrail Li requires a proactive approach. In the right conditions—with a breeze and good site selection—I’ve had very little condensation, often just a light film of moisture that’s easily wiped away in the morning. However, in calm, humid, or foggy conditions, significant condensation can and will form.
The key is management. By pitching the fly high, keeping the front and rear vents open whenever possible, and orienting the tent to catch a breeze, I can keep it to a minimum. I use almost exclusively single wall tents and carry a small, absorbent swedish cloth to wipe down the interior. This is an essential accessory for me and makes the issue entirely manageable.
Final Verdict
The Tarptent Protrail Li is an exceptional but highly specialized shelter. It achieves its goal of minimal weight and supreme packability by sacrificing all-around weather security and ease of use.
I would recommend it to experienced ultralight hikers who camp primarily in sheltered, below-treeline locations and who prioritize packability above all else. These users must be willing to actively manage condensation and be meticulous about site selection.
I would not recommend this tent for beginners, anyone who camps in exposed, high-wind areas, or those who value interior comfort and livability. For those hikers, a more forgiving double-wall tent would be a far better choice. Ultimately, with the Protrail Li, you are making a clear choice: you are trading the security of a bombproof shelter for the freedom of a nearly weightless one. For the right person, that trade is well worth it.
ProTrail Li Tent Available at Tarptent HERE
The products that are the basis of this test were provided to us free of charge by Tarptent as a loaner sample. The opinions presented are our own.
Tester Profile
Markus Zinkl: I’m 35 years old and live in a small village in Bavaria, Germany. I started hiking and backpacking 5-6 years ago. Coming from trail running and with light and fast in mind, I started hiking and fast packing with ultralight gear. Over the years I tried and tested a lot of gear, always in search of weight savings. Although still trying to stay out of the ultralight rabbit hole. I spend most of my days off from work on the trail, with at least one 2-3 week thru-hike. Among the more well known trails I have hiked over the last few years are the GR221, WHR (Walker’s Haute Route), TMB (Tour du Mont Blanc), TC (Tour du Cervin-Matterhorn) and Via Alpina Switzerland. As you probably notice by now, I’m at home in the mountains. So if I’m not running or thru-hiking a longer trail, I’m probably somewhere in the Alps checking out some shorter trails.
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