What solo shelter

Sounds like you are pretty much in the same boat as me. I was lucky enough to find a slightly used tarp for $100 made from spinnaker fabric and I am going with an SMD Meteor Bivy for combined bug and bag protection.

If I had to buy new like you are contemplating, I'd go with one of the Oware silnylon tarps.

I really like my SMD Wild Oasis.

I would highly recommend the cattarp 1.1, it's a great peice of gear, with a very good amount of coverage for the weight. I personally use mine with a TiGoat ptarmigan bivy with the full headnetting option rather than the window. Very versitile, very comfortable, and very affordable set-up if you ask me (a poor college student).

Aaron,

I have a Cattarp2 that I got from a BPL member. I just used in last weekend and I like it quite a bit. The catenary cut makes it super easy to pitch. Here's a picture with my ptarmigan bivy:

My Cattarp2 weighs about 9oz minus the guyline and stuff sack. (This is using a non-digital scale with .25oz increments.) I use the BPL Aircore Nano line kit (.75oz in my config.) with 8 GG titanium stakes at 1.75oz for 11.75oz for the setup + stuff sack. Add a ground sheet at 1.5 oz, and the bivy at 7.5 and my shelter system is 20.75 oz, and totally flexible.

It's listed at 11.5 oz including guyline and stuff sack, so you can cut weight using lighter guyline. If Oware uses the same guyline for all it's tarps, then you could probably subtract ~2-2.5oz from the listed weight to get the weight of the tarp only.

I don't think the Spinnshelter includes guyline (or the stuff sack) in the 8.8 oz (tho the line does come with it when you buy it) That'd put the Spinnshelter at 1.9 oz more,or 10.7oz. You' also have to figure a ground sheet into that, at least 1.5 oz for the polycryo one GG sells. You don't necessarily need a ground sheet under a bivy, but you might use one anyways to protect it in certain conditions.

Both manufactures would be able to tell you for sure.

As far as using a bivy, in wet weather, with a single wall shelter, condensation will be an issue over time. So you might end up wanting a bivy anyways if you're taking the Spinnshelter out in the rain overnight. So you might have to figure that into your equation anyways.

On the other hand, if you are looking at extended periods of rain, you might not want to be stuck under a tarp, in a bivy sack hours at a stretch.

I really liked camping under a tarp for the first time. I liked having open views all around me. (It really helps when things go bump in the night; you can look around and seeing it's nothing, or just a deer, rather than wondering whats on the other side of that fragile tent wall.) And the bivy kept my sleeping mat snug in place underneath me.

That's my 2 cents.

I recommend looking at TarpTent's products. My Contrail is very light and very roomy with 360 deg. ventilation but still totally bug proof. And it goes up fast!

Eric

Thanks to everyone who chimmed in and helped me narrow down the field of choices!

James,
I already have a Cattarp2 and love it! The catenary cut makes getting a taut pitch a breeze after a long day on the trail-but i really don't need all the space that this tarp provides for solo trips. I like to use this tarp when my fiance and dog join me-paired with the Oware Dixon Double bivy. But these 2 are around the 20 oz range and IMO i could easily get my solo set up around 12oz or so. Call me a gram wienne but 8 oz is a lot, and could be better spent on more down fill in my bag.(not all 8oz's of course)

So which bivy is my next predicament…
-TiGoat ptarmigan bivy or
Bivysack DWR Regular Drawcord by Oware?

Thanks in advance for everything! BPL is da BOMB!

"So which bivy is my next predicament…
-TiGoat ptarmigan bivy"

^^ This =)

One thing to thing about with the bivy is whether or not you want a side zip to ease getting in and out of it. I know that TiGoat will add a 24" side zip option(even tho I don't see it listed on their options page) because the one I bought from a BPL'er had it done. It only added .45 oz to the listed weight. Oware might do custom as well, but you'd have to contact them.

The weights are almost identical if you don't get the side-zip. The Ptarmigan is 7" longer, which was a plus for me because I want to use it with my 6'6" winter bag, but Oware has a long available as well. The Oware is slightly less expensive.

The other big difference is that in the standard version, Tigoat has a chest level zip, vs Oware has a drawcord at the top. If a sidezip wasn't an option, I'd personally rather crawl in through a chest zip that through the very top of the bag. If nothing else, a chest zip makes it easier to get just your hands out if you need to reach for something outside your bivy. With the Oware, you'd have to reach up, pull it down to your chest, the pull it back up again when you're done. A small thing, but it would bother me.

Owning both Oware and TiGoat products, from a quality standpoint, it seems to be a standoff.

I got my Cattarp2 for a great price from a BPL'er, so I figured I'd take the tarp plunge. I'll definitely swap it eventually for a one-person tarp. Being new to tarp camping, I figured the extra room would make me more comfortable, but now I realize I don't need all that space and would prefer the smaller footprint and couple oz savings.

"The other big difference is that in the standard version, Tigoat has a chest level zip, vs Oware has a drawcord at the top".

Thats a great point that i hadn't really considered. Now that you mention it that would bother me as well. Plus I like the net window option on the Ptarmigan bivy.

Looks like i'll be going with Oware Catbird Tarp and the
Ptarmigan bivy. This system is light, affordable, offers good protection from the elements, and will give me lots of versitility on the trail.

Thanks Aaron

Is there a reason you’d choose the net window of the full net hood? Because as you can see in these pictures, it’s not that hard to improvise a net window for when you want more hood coverage, but still not be completely closed in, while still having the openness of a full net hoot on those perfect clear stargazing nights.

You can have my almost new spinshelter half price if it's of any interest. Nice thing, but I don't like white for tents.

You won't be needing a bivy either.

Roger i'll take the the Spinshelter for half price. How much does it way? What is the condition?Can you post any pics? Send me a PM or email @ gliden2@q.com.
Thanks Aaron

Aaron, I'm really sorry, but the thread seemed to have died and another member has paypalled me for the spinnshelter.

I do have an I.D. silshelter with matching I.D. bug tent if it's of any interest. I'll do you a good deal if you want it as I've disappointed you over the spinnshelter.

Cheers

Checkout the six moons gatewood cape…
http://www.sixmoondesigns.com/shop/shopexd.asp?id=45
For $135.00 and at 11 ounces you get a great shelter from the rain/wind plus raingear/packcover!
Just used mine last weekend and it worked just fine. I am 6'3" tall and was still able to turn around inside (i placed my sleeping bag the wrong way..LOL).

No worries Roger! I appreciate the options and insight you've brought to this thread. I actually oredered my Ti-Goat bivy and recieved it today. Craftsmanship looks excellent-customer service was great from Dj as well! 7.2 oz w/ stow sack. I also decided to go with the full net hood option thanks to James pointing out and posting pics of the many set ups with the hood. It was slightly heavier(.2 oz more) but it will give me more versitility in the end with very little weight penalty. The hood and net are very spacious creating a mini observatory inside! All assesments have been made from my cozy 68 degree home- I will report back after use in the field.
So i am still looking for a tarp. Like i mentioned in prior posts, im interested in
-Oware Catbird Tarp
-Oware Cattarp 1.1
-pretty much anything sub 8oz!
Im not a big fan of the setup with the I.D. silshelter with the whole pole thing.

Gregg-the SMD Gatewood Cape is another great solo shelter!Definitely would have considered it if I wouldn't have just snagged a Marmot Mica rain jacket that needs to get out.

.

Aaron, glad you made a choice and have a great season.

Gregg, I came back from Sardinia recently, where my partner kath and I slept 10 nights in our Gatewood cape, and I'm 6' 8". A really cool bit of kit.