MSR FreeLite 1
Floor 87 × 33 in, 39 in peak, vestibules 8 sq ft. Drawn to scale from the maker's listing; the grid is 6 in.
- A regular padFits
- A wide padFits
- A long wide padFits
Which pads fit
An inch or more to every wall. Sit-up room +3 in.
An inch or more to every wall. Sit-up room +3 in.
An inch or more to every wall. Sit-up room +3 in.
Pads side by side at their listed sizes, with the average man (5 ft 9 in) lying on each. "Tight" is under an inch to a wall or the sloping roof: the fabric gives, but a wet wall wets what touches it. Open it in TentCheck to try your own pads, cots and gear, or read how fits are checked.
Headroom
| Roof overhead | Floor | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Anywhere | 19.9 sq ft | 100% |
| 12 in or more | 19.5 sq ft | 98% |
| 24 in or more | 16.1 sq ft | 81% |
| 36 in or more | 6.7 sq ft | 34% |
From the modeled roof, not measured. About 36 in is where an average adult sits up straight on a pad: a 35 in sitting height, plus the pad.
The numbers
| Floor (listed) | 87 × 33 in, 19.9 sq ft |
|---|---|
| Peak | 39 in (3 ft 3 in) |
| Vestibules | 8 sq ft |
| Sleeps (maker) | 1 |
| Packed weight | 31 oz (1 lb 15 oz) |
| Packed volume | 3.7 L |
| Regular pads that fit | 1 with an inch to every wall |
| Sit-up room on a pad, at the peak | +3 in for 35 in sitting height |
| Pitched footprint | 87 × 57.9 in (7 ft 3 in × 4 ft 10 in), floor and vestibules |
| Groundsheet to cut | About 85 × 31 in |
On the campsite
Floor and vestibules together cover 87 × 57.9 in. On a square tent pad, as campgrounds list them: 8 × 8 ft: fits; 10 × 10 ft: fits; 12 × 12 ft: fits. Guylines and stakes need more room around that.
For a groundsheet, cut it a little smaller than the floor, about 2 in, so rain running off the fly doesn't collect on it and run under the tent: about 85 × 31 in.
Notes
Floor 87 × 33 in (REI; MSR lists 20 ft² and a "true rectangular floor"), 39 in peak, one side door with an 8 ft² vestibule. Semi-freestanding.
Sources
- MSR (Cascade Designs): FreeLite 1-Person Ultralight Backpacking Tent Checked 2026-10-22
- REI: MSR FreeLite 1 Tent Checked 2026-10-22
Roof shapes are modeled from the floor, the peak and how the poles hold the walls, not measured. Treat a result within an inch or two as too close to call.