Granite Gear Haven

Golite made the Nest 1 and Nest 2 which are the same idea, but designed for their Lair and Hut tarps. I don't remember how much they weighed, but their current catalogue contains their current equivalent, the shangrlia nest, which, ironically for a company calling themselves "Go-lite", is heavier than Granite Gear's inner mesh tent. Go figure. It does have a bathtub floor, which the GG does not, but I don't think these are as crucial as they're often made out to be. There are some one-man inner mesh tents available by Mountain Laurel Designs and Six Moon Designs, but I don't know if the two-man capacity is an important feature to you.

I too have the Golite Lair-2 24oz. I am very happy with it but I am the endless task of always going liter. So I
ordered the MLD bug shelter. I am very happy with it!!!
Ron with customize things which he did for me. My shelter is 7ftx40x28 w/ plenty of head room. Also check out Integral Designs they make a bug shelter for tarps too.
Goodluck with the bugs.

Don,

As an alternative I just received and used (for 3 nights) the MLD Bug Bivy. I love this product. You should know that it is minimalist compared to the Haven, but it is well designed, of excellent quality and under 6 oz (the Haven is apparently over 1 pound).

The MLD BB is a solo top entry bivy. I get in, reach up and attach the two hanging lines to the tarp loops (which suspends the bivy peak) then zip it closed. You can stake it out for more structure but I don't see the need.

By comparison, the Haven looks expansive and is designed for two people. If you prefer a room-like structure the Haven or the MLD Serenity may be better bets for you. If you will use it for two hikers, the Haven may be a good bet. Back to the MLD bug bivy, the roof line tapers downward at the foot end so there is not a lot of excesses internal volume. There is enough head room to read. I find I am quite comfortable in the Bug Bivy, the netting stays off my body and it certainly does what it is designed to do, keep the bugs off.

If you're interested you may wish to contact Ron at MLD regarding delivery time.

I was up at Granite Gear headquarters a couple of weeks ago and they had a Haven prototype for sale that I picked up. The attachment points are a bit over-engineered but the fabric choices are minimal. Silnylon floor, lightweight bug-netting and small zipper.

It is designed for two people, has stake-out loops and tarp attachment points at the ends and middle of the ridge-line. Using trekking poles it can also be set-up as a stand-alone unit. My crappy little mechanical scale only reads to one pound and the Haven bottomed it out so I can only comment that it weighs more than one pound.

All the above, being said, remember the version I have is a prototype sewn in Two Harbors, MN and may not be to spec of the models they are manufacturing. It appears to be a sturdy, functional product.

Below are some photos I shot with it set up underneath my home made spinnaker tarp.

Hey Sam, Nice set up- what is the demensions and weight of your bug shelter? I just recieved a MLD Serenity shelter, review soon to come. Thanks

Thanks for all of the responses. I'm looking hard at the MLD Serenity right now. I'd like to have a little more internal volume but I'm not sure that I want to wait and pay extra for that option.

Love the tarp design – How hard was it? Did you come up with the patterns yourself?

Sam,

That's a great looking tarp! Good job on that one!

Thank you for the comments on my tarp. I used BackpackingLight’s 5 Yards to Super Ultralight plans to make the tarp.

As for questions about the Haven, it weighs 17 oz. and measures 84″ x 56″. I removed quite a bit of what I felt were superfluous plastic attachment pieces and brought the weight down a few ounces from the above stated mfg. weight.

do you find the 5yd tarp to be long enough. Mine was way too short for my 6'2". I cut it up for parts i was so unhappy with it. I think maybe 6yds to SUL for me.

-Tim

Tim,

I changed Jay’s design to build my tarp so it came out at around ten feet long because I knew that at 6′-3″ I’d be sticking my feet or head out the ends. I can stay nice and dry under this tarp in just about any rainstorm with the cozy dimensions I sewed it at.

p.s. – I’m selling the Granite Gear Haven in the Gear Swap forum for anyone interested.