SMD Refuge (27oz) OR Tarp Tent Squall 2 (33oz)

Have you considered the Gossamer Gear Squall Classic?

Weight 21.4 oz. + pole = 23 oz
Bath tub shaped floor
Two persons
$295

These are the two options I've been looking at for spring/summer '08.

To be fair one should include the 1.6 oz rear poll for the Squall Classic bringing the weight up to 23 oz. I'm not sure if Ron is included the weight of the ropes and stuff sack in the Refuge.

I'm going to wait until the SMD Refuge is out in cuben rumored to be at 18 oz and available first quarter '08.

The question then will be how well the Refuge holds up in the wind. That's a fairly broad side you have to face into the wind where as the squall has a more aerodynamic looking shape.

I'm less concerned about the bathtub floor. I use a BA blowup mat so I can float pretty well. That being said, I'm not sure how much weight this would add to the Refuge and it seems like Ron might want to look at adding this as an option.

If you are sleeping side by side in the Refuge, the person on the inside has to climb over the other person to get out the door. If I were going to sleep facing the tent sides, I would prefer the Lunar Duo with doors and vestibules on both sides.

I can't comment on SMD Refuge, but I do have experience with the Squall (both original and Squall 2). The Squall is a nice compromise between lightweight and space. I own an original Squall and my main hiking bud has a Squall 2, which I have checked out and been in before. There isn't a huge difference between the two other than the Squall 2 has some tweaks and other minor improvements. So all my comments will be based on the original Squall as that is the tent I have personally used.

I wrote up some thoughts I have on the Tarptent Double Rainbow (which you may also want to consider) in a recent post ("Lunar Duo vs. Double Rainbow), and a lot of the general comments about ventilation, condensation, etc. are also applicable to the Squall. So check out that post for some more detail.

My main complaint with the Squall is the head room, and with two people in it that is even more of an issue (depending on how tall your son is…he appears to be fairly young from your avatar…so maybe this isn’t an issue). Its peak height is at the main pole, which is directly in the middle of the opening where one enters and exits the tent. From the peak the sides drop off fairly steeply leaving only a small "sweet spot" right near the pole where one can sit up straight without hitting the ceiling. The Squall 2 has a slightly larger "sweet spot" due to the horizontal pole piece at the peak.

Other than the head room issue when sitting up I think it is a great tent as long as you are aware of and accept all the idiosyncrasies of using a single walled lightweight shelter.