Gossamer Gear “The One” Video

[Brian Barnes]

Check this video out! It shows Glen from Gossamer Gear setting up "The One":

[Bob Bankhead]

I predict this little hummer is going to be very hard to keep in inventory.

At 16 ounces, Glen is about to give Henry Shires and Ron Moak some very serious competition for one person UL shelters, despite the higher $275 price point vs. the TT Contrail ($199 for 24.5 oz with stakes) and the Lunar Solo ($235 for 24.5 oz with stakes).

Supposedly due out Q1 2008, the big question is, will it be available for delivery in time for this year's crop of PCT Through-hikers leaving in April?

[Casey Bowden]

WOW!

Can't wait to see the specs.

[Mark Verber]

More details are in a practical backpacking thread about "the one"

[John S.]

From my work pc during the day the PB website always goes to disney website. Does anybody elses computer do that?

Maybe they blocked this IP address…

[Bob Bankhead]

Practical Backpacking also has a Podcast segment (#33) with Gossamer Gear. The first half with Grant Sibel is about new products; the second half is with Glen talking about The One. http://www.practicalbackpacking.com/blog/archives/000037_pbp_episode_33_new_at_gossamer_gear.php (sorry – I can't figure how to set up a URL link; only images, in one of these posts.)

For those who are not members of PB, here are the specs announced by PB, not GG, so far.

Availability 1 March
Cost $275 for spinnaker; no price for CF
Weights: Spinnaker 16 oz; Cuban Fiber 13 oz
Length 7 feet
Width: 26" at each end, 34" center
Height 47" (120 cm)
Full bathtub floor
Netting perimeter side walls
Zippered netting front
Zippered front vestibule
Rear peak vent

[Jim Colten]

Very interesting! Must be using spinnaker cloth to get that light (ala their Squall Classic). More choices are great even if I am a diehard HS fan.

It's also personally encouraging in that I've been playing (still on paper) with ideas for a similar shaped MYOG two pole solo shelter for MN winters if tarp/bivy proves to be outside my comfort zone.

[Sam Haraldson]

Don't you just love the sound of spinnaker in the breeze?

[Mark Verber]

I have heard people complain about how noisy spinnaker is in the wind…. and I have not had that experience. Sure, when it's new and laying on the ground is noisy… but in a properly designed / pitched shelter it isn't bad. If fact, my first experience with spinnaker (in the spinshelter) was that it was a lot less noisy that silnylon. Why? I could get a super taut pitch which has basically no flapping. No flap, no noise. With sil-nylon you have to fight against the materials natural stretch. For example, take a look at the picture on my review of the spinnshelter. If you click on the thumbnail you will get the full resolution image. It shows almost no deflection in the face of a 20+ mph wind (e.g. I measured 20 mph… it most likely went higher than that). The spinnshelter had minimal side deflection with gusts measured on a later trip of 45 mph.

The other thing with spinnaker is that it "breaks in". When that happens the hand gets softer and it becomes less noisy.

[D G]

Anybody know how well spinnaker works as a ground cloth with respect to abrasion resistance and waterproofness? I noticed in the video that Glen recommends the use of a groundcloth in all but the softest ground. I'm assuming this is because the one is using spinnaker for the bathtub floor.

[EndoftheTrail]

Related to Daniel's question on waterproofness… how does spinnaker compare to silnylon in rainproofness? In a hard rain, there can be misting inside with silnlyon. Is spinnaker better, worse, the same?

[Jay Well]

I have been using a spinnaker groundcloth for about 1 year. I have used it on all my trips including numerous trips in the Northern Sierra last summer and a month long bike tour through Baja Mexico this winter where I camped in the desert almost every night. It has held up great and shows only minimal signs of use. Depending on what size you use it can be heavy compared to the GG polycryp, but more durable in the long run. I just hate the thought of throwing away plastic if I don't have to.

[Mark Verber]

> spinnaker compare to silnylon in rainproofness?

My experience with the spinnaker used in the spinnshelter / squall classic / "the one" is that it is more rainproof than the sil-nylon used by Henry for tarptents or brawny in her shelters. In conditions that I got some misting through sil-nylon I had not penetration through the spinnaker.

[Jesse Squires]

I just bought a tarp and bivy and then this comes out. Boy the wife wont be happy when I buy this hehe. This little tent looks cool and at 16oz wow! I am concerned about the waterproofness though.

[Kevin Clayton]

I think I will stick with my TT contrail mainly for the room inside of it for a tall person. This looks a little to tight for me.

[Bob Bankhead]

deleted by writer; trying again

[Bob Bankhead]

Pre-production photos from the net

Front view with vestibule deployed:

Front view with half of the vestibule rolled up and stored; other half deployed

[EndoftheTrail]

Thanks, Mark. That's very helpful.

[Anonymous]

Bob, what's holding up the tent? I don't see any poles??

[Jim Colten]

Never heard of a Sky Hook?

Actually, look again, the pic with the vestibule rolled up shows a pole. It is not straight (compressed into a bow by guy line tension). Just to the right of the vertical part of the zipper.

Any pics of the back side?

[EndoftheTrail]

Methinks the guying is way too tight if the vertical tent pole is bowing! A pole snap waiting to happen?

[Jim Colten]

Methinks the guying is way too tight if the vertical tent pole is bowing!

'tis the cost of getting a taut pitch for the picture … tends to happen with my beloved HS TarpTents too and I would expect that the same pole would behave the same way used with all the competitors. With very careful tensioning, HS TT's can be taut with a straight pole. Perhaps a larger diameter (but a bit heavier) Easton pole would do better.

SUL DOES have it's compromises, after all.

A pole snap waiting to happen?

Perhaps … I joined the trekking pole users (for the normal other reasons) so I don't worry about bowing poles any more.

[Eric Blumensaadt]

I own a TT Contrail. In that tent the sleeper's head is at the tallest point in the tent…so you can actually sit up W/O moving your body.

In "The One" tent your head is at the LOWEST point of the tent. Hmmm… not to my liking.

Eric

[Sam Haraldson]

But the Contrail weighs eight more ounces than this shelter. Glen – who is in the video – is a very tall man. Granted he isn't in a sleeping bag in the video but he seems to fit decently in it. I presume that this shelter won't be perfect for people not wanting to have sleeping bag rub on the inside of the shelter though – – that often seems the nature of this shape of shelter.

In terms of waterproofness of spinnaker vs. silnylon there is very little to worry about with spinnaker. The psi required to force water through any silicon impregnated fabric is quite high. Spinnaker also rules in it's lack of the sag-factor when wet.

[Mark Hurd]

Speaking of small lightweight shelters. I was checking out Six Moon Designs site and found that Ron will soon be offering the Serenity NetTent as an inner mesh tent with floor for the Gatewood Cape.

Cape = 11 oz and NetTent = 7 oz for total of 18 oz. And, of course the cape can be your rain gear, too.

The One is very intriguing, however, if not a little pricey.

Ah! to save a few ounces- What Price?

-Mark

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