Lightweight shelter for two in desert

Nick, do you mean a simple flat tarp (without the catenary cut) ? That'd be simple and cheap. They say it's a lot harder to pitch than the catenary. Just looking at the pictures (at Oware), all those lines make me anxious, given the scarcity of trees in the GC, and the hassle of driving a stake into that hard ground or making a deadman.

Tarp in desert, forget it, too windy. I had one windy night when my flat tarp was almost destroyed and was done with it.

I have been using Duomid. I am more often in Utah, than the Grand. Duomid works, but there are downsides: no separation from sand and especially blowing sand, large footprint and having to use rocks to hold corners when stakes don't work (often). The pitch process gets better with practice. Interestingly enough, my last 4 nights in the Grand (Havasupai, Tapeats and Deer Creek I was using stakes).

Another option I have been considering, but have not really tried, is a single wall mountaineering tent, like BD Firstlight. A friend and I are hiking the Hayduke trail in sections, he uses BD Highlight and I use Duomid. He usually is pretty happy in his tent and definitely less demanding in campsite choices. He's usually cooking by the time I set up mine. Duomid wins in being versatile and giving a lot of livable space.

Not sure about two people in Duomid. I am always solo and there is plenty of space.

Re: "It's a bit of a mystery to me why Ron choose to not make a size optimized for two people !"

The DuoMid is perfectly sized for two ultralight fanatics to shiver the night away. But for most hikers it's cramped for two.

>> The DuoMid is perfectly sized for two ultralight fanatics to shiver the night away. But for most hikers it's cramped for two.

Yeah, so make it 6-12" wider !

I think I have a provisional winner: MLD SpeedMid. Here's my logic, and I solicit any flaws in it …

A tarp is out. In GC, where stakes often can't be used, and a rock/deadman must be built for each tiedown, I want to minimize the number of them. Also, getting sufficient shelter in the event of windy rainstorm (which most of them are) is problematic. For me, these factors offset the lighter weight and lower cost.

TrailStar is out. Footprint too big, headroom too low, setup too difficult. (Note: I realize neither tarp or TS is really very hard setup, once you get used to it. But given my tendency to leave the tent in the bag and pray for no rain, I want it to be as easy as possible, without bearing the weight of a full tent).

DuoMid is just too small for two. DuoMid XL might be better, but the sleeping zone is only 48" wide, so one person will be jammed up against that back wall and absorbing any perspiration.

SuperMid is approaching 2lb. Might as well buy a tarptent.

SpeedMid !!!

(A late contender, the Locus Gear Hapi, looks wonderful, being between the DuoMid and the SpeedMid in size and quite a bit lighter, but can't be delivered in time for my spring plans).

Like you, I prefer to cowboy camp. I have typically carried the lightest, most minimal tarp as back up, and have rarely needed to pitch it. My thinking was always that since most of the time I won't be pitching it, why bring something substantial.

Recently though, I've changes my thoughts on this. If I do need to pitch shelter, it's because I NEED a shelter. Sure, I have gotten by with a minimal tarp, sometimes it worked great, other times not so much. I'm still around to talk about it, so it was never that bad.

If I find myself in a situation where 360* protection would be ideal, then I want to have that option in my pack. The weight penalty has become a non-issue for me.

I think, since you and your partner will most likely not be using a tarp all that often, then a Duomid would be the shelter of choice. It may not be the roomiest for two, but considering you may not be spending all that much time in it, I think it would be fine. As far as concern over staking, just cut the guylines longer and rocks are your friend.

I don't own one, but I think a cuben Duomid is just about the best tarp out there. Spacious for solo, do-able for two, great all around protection, lightweight, easy/quick to pitch, outstanding MLD craftsmanship. The only drawbacks I can see are cost and wait time.

Thanks for your thoughts, Chad.

Yes, realizing that if I need a shelter, then I NEED a shelter, especially as windy as desert rainstorms tend to be, is why I ruled out the tarp option – that, and them being somewhat more difficult to pitch.

I had almost decided on the DuoMid. But, the SpeedMid is only 2oz heavier (if the weights are to be trusted, which I wonder about, since a simple calculation of the area of a floorless pyramid says the SpeedMid should weigh 1/3 more than the DuoMid, not 10% more). And for that slight weight gain, I'll get a LOT more room. Sure, two can fit in the DuoMid – but jammed up against the sides (I use a wide pad), and without a bathtub floor, how dry is it really going to be in a windy rainstorm ?

This is my first foray into tarp-type (pyramid is a "shaped tarp", no ?) shelter. I'm not sure I'll like it. If I do, maybe I'll then spring for the cuben version (I don't have time to wait for cuben now, anyhow). Of course, the cuben does have drawbacks: bulkier than silnylon, and pack space is an issue for me; and not stretchy at all, so less forgiving of erection sloppiness.

The weights for Speedmid vs Duomid should be pretty accurate. The Speedmid is a lot shorter than the Duomid when pitched to the ground, so it may not be as roomy as you think. Do a string mock-up to see (one like Franco does)

The weight is to be trusted. An MLD product might come in a couple ounces over or under spec based on several variables, but his list weights are correct (my MLD products have always come in under or at spec but I've read of some coming in over).

The reason for the substantial increase in foot print without the substantial increase is weight is because the peak height of the speedmid is around 50 inches and in the duomid is closer to 60 thus your simple calculation does not tell the whole story. If you wanted a relevant comparison where increased footprint and weight are more linear you would look at a duomid vs supermid not speedmid.

ETA: oops didnt see the above post sorry for repeating

Roomier than the DuoMid though, I hope.

And there's the option of setting it up higher (so the edges are 6" or so above ground level), right ? I am new to 'mids, but this is what I gather. My pole will go to 56", and the nominal height is 50"; plus, there's the pole jack, if the bottom of my pole will interface with it properly (it's a Tracks Sherlite, different tip than the usual Leki, BD, etc).

>> The reason for the substantial increase in foot print without the substantial increase is weight is because the peak height of the speedmid is around 50 inches and in the duomid is closer to 60 thus your simple calculation does not tell the whole story

Actually, my calculation did take height into account. A 104×60" by 56" high pyramid (DuoMid) has an area of 11192 in^2. One that's 104×104" by 50" tall (speedMid) has an area of 15005 in^2.

When I (briefly) owned a SpeedMid, I pitched it with the corners 2-3 inches off the ground and measured my trekking pole height to be 46 inches. I returned it because it was a lot shorter than I was expecting (at the time, the MLD website incorrectly advertised it as being the same height as the DuoMid). I weighed it at 24.3 oz with stuff sack and guylines. It should be okay for two people and provide good coverage, but it won't be as roomy as a taller pyramid tarp. A Black Diamond Megalight, for example, feels much roomier due to its taller height and only weighs 24-25oz. But it probably flaps around in the wind more

The SpeedMid has more fabric than a DuoMid, but it also lacks a peak vent and mid-panel tie-outs, which both add weight.

You can pitch a pyramid tarp as high as you want, pole height and guyline lengths permitting

nm

Yeah, I considered the Patrol Shelter, but sounded like it'd be real cramped for two.

The BD MegaLight shows up as well over 2lb at their website, but not clear if that includes some inner tent.

Black Diamond does a pretty poor job of advertising their Megalight for some reason. See here for better details:

http://bedrockandparadox.com/2012/09/20/why-i-picked-a-megalight/

Mine also weighed about 25oz seam-sealed

Just my 2 cents from hiking in rocky/sandy areas. Extending my tie out lines roughly 3 feet gives me a better opportunity to use things other than, or addition to, the stakes to anchor the shelter when needed.

So I just used my MLD SpeedMid on its first hike, a five-nighter in Grand Canyon, and I liked it.

Only used it one night (set it up the night before and had to jump into it at dawn). There was a fairly heavy and quite gusty 15min rainshower and it did well. I hadn't even gotten a chance to seamseal it yet, but no leaks. The ground permitted titanium shepherd's-hook stakes (the thicker ones, 0.5oz and maybe 1/8" diameter) and then I put a 20lb or so rock on top of each stake; I just used a 10lb or so rock for the side tieouts. I had to increase my pole length once or twice as the fabric got wet, to keep things taut. The pretty wide footprint meant that rain did not splash into our personal space.

Theoretically it weighs 22oz, but that doesn't seem to include the 1oz or so for the stuffsack, or the 1-2oz for the pieces of cord attached to the 4 corner and 4 side pullouts, or the 2oz for 4 stakes, or the 1oz or so when/if I seamseal it. Still, those additions apply to almost any choice.

I think it's a good solution for me, and I thank those who helped me here.

John, I spend a lot of time in the GC. As a footnote to this – when you start traveling away from the designated campsites into "at large" areas, GC geology produces a lot of overhang sites. Between overhangs, and the fact that it just doesn't rain much, I'd estimate that I pitch shelter just 5-10% of the time (slightly more in the winter months, of course). Some overhangs are not so pleasant (rodents like them too), but they can still serve as backups to save a just-in-case pitch if it looks like there's a small chance of a convectional shower or two – meaning that I'll camp cowboy style in a pleasant spot even when it's cloudy, knowing that I have a nearby overhang to run to.

Given the infrequency of pitching shelter, and the absence of any kind of bitey insects, the GC is the ideal place to go absolutely minimal with a tarp. Unless the forecast is dire, I take a 5oz Hexamid tarp. A Hexamid Twin tarp would do the same job for two. And most definitely, a design with a removable groundsheet, of course.

As you've noted, carrying stakes is a waste of time in the GC. You're either on ground that's rock hard, or soft beach sand. Sticks and rocks. I disagree with concerns above that rocks can't give you a good pitch in windy conditions – in fact, they are far superior to stakes. Loop in the end of the guyline goes around a stick, secured by two rocks on each end of the stick. Adjust tension by repositioning the stick slightly. I've had my Hexamid pitched securely this way in 60mph winds on the North Rim.

Thanks for your thoughts, Ralph. I've been backpacking GC for 17 years, 100+ nights below the rim, and I've taken a number of trips where I brought zero shelter. I was literally near my 50th night when I first got rained on (at night, and for any duration, at least); but it seems like things are changing (well, all but lunatics know the climate is changing, but who knows if this is related), because I've had at least one night where I needed shelter on almost every GC trip for a few years now.

But like you said, I pitch the shelter maybe 10-20% of my nights there. I'm real fond of open spacious camps (Tanner top of redwall, Yuma Point, atop the Tonto), so overhangs are not as viable for me (even as a contngency, as the nearest is typically an hour-plus away from such camps).

Anyhow, I have gone what many campers would consider "minimal", with the SpeedMid. Certainly a tarp is more minimal, but given that I've been known to not set up a tent in GC even when it looks like it might rain (because as you know, it doesn't usually actually rain), I think the easier setup of the 'mid is worth it to me. And if I decide I really like it, I might spring for the cuben version and get a little closer to your 5oz. Also, too, isn't wind much more of an issue with tarp than 'mid ? Anyhow, I own the 'mid now, so I'm sticking with it for awhile.

As far as stakes, I've actually had some luck with the titanium hooks (the thicker type, 1/2 oz), including on this trip. It was probably me who said rocks can't give a good pitch, and that probably reflects my lack of skill with rocks; I'll take your suggestions to heart and try to improve my technique.