A more flexible shelter needed

Obviously you would need to buy a pole for the Hex if you went that route.

Also, you have a tent that fits your requirements? What is wrong with it?

Once again, withOUT trekking poles or a 14 oz pole

Just kidding about the mafia bit (obviously).

Rehashing Bretts’ requirements:

20-105F — check
Bug proof — check
Will fit someone 6’5″ — check (I believe)
Lighweight 3.6 lbs max – check (more or less)
Cheap, I am not paying $400+ — FAIL
Can be set up without trekking poles — check
Can be set up on a hard ground/rock/without trees — check
Can be used in snow — check
Can be used in up to 30mph winds — check
Can be used to repel rain — check

Brett:

How about everything checked but price? The tent that is truly bombproof in winter and yet very light — lighter even than your current Alps tent — and still quite usable in summer is the Hilleberg Soulo. OK, so it’s $525 — sorry if that’s a deal breaker. But if you can scrounge up the amount (no lattes and no eating out for a month?) — think about the versatility of this tent — and how many years it will last you — properly cared for. Anyway, food for thought.

Caveat: No direct experience with the tent whatsoever — but it looks sweet and it has gotten great reviews.

David, I am preparing a follow-up report on the Sublite to cover use in an August storm but delaying it to include a Grand Canyon trip scheduled for next week. Knowing your interest in Tyvek I am PMing you to discuss briefly things I will cover in detail in early November. I will cover items in my PM to allow you to make an immediate decision if you are currently in the purchase mode. BPL is suppose to feature the Sublite in an upcoming review as well.

Brett, your pole requirements are somewhat vague. The Hex has a loop at the top to tie off to a tree limb, overhanging cliff or skyhook. Is an ordinary tent pole out of the question?

Jay, Are you sure it is that heavy? I thought it was in the lower 20s??

nm

I have a 2004 Hex— things may have changed in time.{lighter fabric} regaurdless it is stil a great shelter.
No worries Benjamin!! You the man,man!!

David wrote, "Ben, why haven't you brought up the Seedhouse SL2 yet?"

For winter use? In any case, Brett's too tall for this tent.

Jay — LOL! :)

Brett,

Take a look at Big Agnes Seedhouse SL series.It's not UltraLight but it is light for a "commercial" tent.

My wife and I use a SL3 which is plenty roomy for 2 (cramped for 3) and has all the features that you listed.

BTW, I am also a Hex user. It's my winter tent in New England. But I wouldn't use it as a general purpose tent. I live in Florida also and it would be a sauna there.

See my Seedhouse review here:

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/reviews/display_reviews?forum_thread_id=6554&skip_to_post=118971#118971

Appy Trails from that other thread. Single wall but big enough to avoid the condensation. The 5-man is 6′ high, if you can find a big enough spot. Cheap too. Non-breathable material, but has vents and can be pitched off the ground. Optional pole.
I had to post it because they say, “6’ tall 5 man (Yes!)”

Once again you have to figure in no poles/no tree at the same time because there are such situations.

I didn't fit in to a SL1 so I don't think and SL3 is going to help and the weight is a bit much. The Soulo is like 4,10. A Utopia 2+ would end up weighing the same as my Alps once a floor is put in.

It looks like a bivy/tarp combo might be the best thing

Won't the 6' 5" be the big problem?

Brett:

The Soulo's minimum weight (tent, fly and poles) total just 3 lbs 11 oz. You DON'T have to haul every single stake and guyline provided! Plus, you would probably use UL titanium stakes — at least for 3-season use, right? So the whole thing can come under 4 lbs — not bad for such a bomber tent.

nm

The problem I am worrying about the Utopia 2+ is for the summer months. The Alps at least has a full bug netting option and a full fly that buttons it down. I suppose if someone who has one that used it this summer came up and said 'hey, this was great at 87F after it just rained' I would buy one without hesitation.

We use bivy sacks, tarps and pyramids from OwareUSA. The iteration shown here is a $99 6.5oz bivy in a long and a 10×10 tarp that weighs 18.5 oz. Total price just over $220, less with a smaller tarp. The set-up is bug proof, rain tight — using a flying wedge in heavy southeast Alaska rain and is easy on the back.

And to make things more clear, it doesn't have to be without trees or poles all the time but it should be usable if the situation arises.

I also called Golite today and the customer service guy said they had tested the Utopia 2+ up to the 90s in Utah but that is without humidity and with an updraft. Since I will have humidity and possibly no updraft he said that it would probably not be the best for that and suggested I look at the tarp/bivy combo.

I think the only shelter that comfortable at 87 degrees after a rain is a Winnebago.

Brett,
The Utopia 2+ is a great shelter, but you have to judge if it is for you or not. Tarp and bivy is a great combo…however, I have to clear up that I don't beleive condensation can be a serious issue in this thing with one person because it is just too big. Even with your gigantic 6'5" lungs, you would have to output some serious vapor to steam this puppy up. And scrap the Golite floor, use a painters sheet, and if bugs DO get in under the edge, put a headnet on (you brought one anyway..) Voila!

er…and yes, mine is for sale in the gear swap forum…

Summer tip to Killarney

But how does it handle in temps above 80F+? I don't care about the condensation, I care about air movement keeping me cool and not letting the heat build up inside the tarp.

nm

If it is 80F+ out I will be in a bivy I have made my self that has full bug netting on the top and maybe a fold over momentuum flap for when it gets bad. Why do these not exist in the market place? Much more versatile for what, 3-4 ounces?

80F+ — I would NOT want to crawl inside a bivy — net or no net! The hardier souls would just sleep on top of their sleeping pad — with a net if necessary — under the stars — or under a tarp if rain is an issue.

For me — being a wuss with bugs and creepie crawlies — I would be inside my mesh inner tent — with fly deployed if rain is an issue.

When I get done with the bivy it will probably be like laying on a ground cloth with a sheet of bug netting over top of you.