‘mids in the rain

Greg,
My MLD Duomid has a mid point opening option on the zipper. In heavy rain (light snow)conditions I only open the door to the mid point, this provides added protection/coverage to the inside. This has worked well for me when hiking solo with my trail dog.

Thom,
Just you, or you and another in the DuoMid?

Even with a 'half-zip' and crawl-under approach I can't quite see how to keep a 2nd persons gear, or a full-sized bivy from taking on a lot of water during a rain storm, in DuoMid or in a SuperMid.

There ain't no porch and the rain is coming down hard…

One could suspect that pyramid tents are designed for the American summer for lowland regions where you get no more than a slight sprinkle of rain. The basic pyramid design just does not cope well with heavy vertical rain.

That said, the pyramid design is very robust and has been used in the Antarctic for expeditions – but those tents are much larger and a lot heavier, and the wind is usually enough to blow the snow past the tent rather than letting it fall in. Different situation.

There is no one UL tent which covers every situation perfectly. You may need several tents … :-)

Cheers

I am not talking from actual experience here, but i have been thinking a lot about MIDs recently :). One option could be to get a MID that is one size up from the inner you are going to be using effectively creating a porch. Or you could pitch a small tarp at he entrance. Or you could roll back the inner net (but this is obviously not ideal. Many poeple seem to conclude that the Duomid is a bit tight for long term two person use.

It seems to me a Duomid (used for one person) would perform well in vertical rain when used as described by Thom. Probably not much different from other shelter types where the porch area gets wet when you enter and leave the tent?

I can certainly understand why you are considering a larger MID. I would think that managing the DuoMid with two in a heavy rain would be a bit of a challenge.

A large MID which had a decent clearance between the door and the "living area" works great. I have use larger single hump (GoLite Hex3, 4 & 6 person mids) and 2 humb (MLD Superfly, MSR Twin Peaks) without problem. Just make sure the groundsheet or bug shelter stops before the door overhang, and treat that area like a vestibule (or porch using terminology used above). This works great in vertical rain, just like I would image the DuoMid works as a solo shelter.

Obviously the DuoMid doesn't have extra room when used by two people. When both people are awake I would most likely shift everything to the inside 1/2 of the shelter. If I needed to go out I would push back the ground cloth and exits. When I came back I would shut the door and re-extend the groundcloth. IN the middle of the night with the person by the door sleeping you are either going to need to move them or let them get wet.

–Mark

Much as Mark said… in and out, shove everything to the side away from the door, except I wouldn't unstake the inner, just wipe it down with a pack towel.

That said, as awesome as the Duomid is, for a hassle-free rain entry I'd consider the Supermid with your (Duomid) insert. The Supermid is only 2.5 ounces heavier than a Duomid (comparing both in cuben). Seems like quite a reasonable weight addition for completely dry, easy entry and egress in downpours. Plus a huge vestibule!

As noted in my original post – I am considering a SuperMid, IF I can figure out how to deal with rain….

Anyone with BIG MID experience care to chime in?

Worth noting that those pyramid tents used in Antarctica (Scott Polar Pyramid) have a protected tunnel entry (a tube with double closure )
Franco

Greg, I've used two bigger mids, a 4-person w/liner (heavy, Dana Nuktuk, like Megamid) and a Shangri La 3. With those two I just keep stuff to each side of the door and use the middle of the tent as a wet zone. If it's really pouring out I'll wipe up the floor a bit with a pack towel. If I were using a half-size liner, I'm confident that no rain would get into the liner with normal entry/egress. Especially if it (the liner) were more alpha-mid-ish, vertical on one side, sloped to the back… but I also think it would work quite well with yours…

I have a GoLite Hex 3 and because of its size, getting in and out of heavy rain has certainly not been a big deal. The DuoMid is a lot smaller, I wouldn't want that for 2 in lots of rain. I can't see a problem with the Supermid though, that thing is massive. Look at this porch style setup, it should be fine http://www.mountainlaureldesigns.com/shop/popup_image.php?pID=123&image=2&osCsid=1d7765b8d1736086f195faef90c2d751

Pedro,
What I see is the front 1/4 of the 'Mid getting soaked. In a hexaganol Hex3 a partially open door doesn't intrude into the primary space.

Maybe I just have to try it to believe it, but if there were a full-sized floored bug net (the 90"x90" MLD SuperMid InnerNet) in there things would not be pretty. Especially around 2 am when things always go super-critical.

Don't get me wrong here. I'm Trying to believe, I really am.

Or maybe I need to look at the Hex.

"What I see is the front 1/4 of the 'Mid getting soaked"

So what?
There's enough room for 2 in there even if that happens.
I do use a bivy though, not a full insect mesh inner tent.

Also, in pouring rain, you wouldn't leave the door open, you'd just exit when you needed to.

As Brad said "I'd consider the Supermid with your (Duomid) insert." This is the best solution I think, as it gives you the same set up as when you use the Duomid solo. I have a Shangrila 6 that I use with a Shangrila 4 nest and this provides a huge vestibule. However if I used it with the nest designed for the six I would have trouble keeping the rain out when we get in and out. The basic principle is to use an inner a size down from the outer.

Pedro,
You might be getting through…;-)

A MLD Duo InnerNet at 50" wide would provide the essential bug protection AND leave the front available for gear etc. that is typically in a vestibule, and provide additional space for cooking or whatever.

It would be the 'mud room'. Occasional splatters wouldn't matter.

Thanks for you insistence!

That sounds good.
Also, unless you are consistently camping in somewhere like Fiordland NZ which gets 6 meters of rain a year, I think its easy to overly analyse a situation which doesn't happen that frequently anyway.

I just received my Supermid last week, I have not gotten the chance to use if yet, but think with any more than 3 persons WITH gear you "might" have issues with rain over the door coming in and out? With the angle of the walls there is not as much room at your head and feet as you would think for a shelter that's 9' X 9' Still a great shelter though, that I'm looking forward to using this winter, at least a few times anyway? I guess you might be able to place 3 persons with (1) person at each side and the 3rd at the back wall with your gear down the middle, but away from the door?

I should mention I had a Golite Hex3, and for 2, there was never any problems with rain over the door coming in and out. The Hex3 was great for 2 but not really big enough for 3, IMHO anyway.

Probably the best way to deal with rain in a group is for someone to carry a 10×10 sil tarp and store all your gear under this and hang-out and cook under it too. I don't know how many times we all had to crawl into our shelters early because of rain, and the tent or shelter was your only means of escaping the rain, and getting some relief from it.

"I think its easy to overly analyze a situation which doesn't happen that frequently anyway."

Wind Rivers September '08 – Rained/snowed 8 out of 10 days
CDT October '08 – blizzard conditions from 2pm till morning.
Wind Rivers August '09 – Snowed or rained 3 out of 6
Weminuche '09 – rained 3 out of 10
BWCA '09 – 1 out of 10

In each case it was torrential/monsoonal for several hours. Floors were floating. Anything less doesn't deserve mention.

We seem to have the knack of finding weather.

Wow. We get very little rain in my part of the world anymore.

I have used a BD Megamid and a Mountain Hardwear Kiva extensively in the rain without any problems. Have almost always used them in floorless mode for the advantage of not having to worry about spilled food, liquids, rain coming in through the door…etc…
I've used these as kitchen tents on many a long trek as well without any problem. I've never had any netting in them however. When there are enough bugs out that I want netting I take a different kind of shelter. I've always liked mids for their simplicity and adding a floor or netting seems to make things complicated.

I just got a new MLD Supermid and I'll be spending 6 nights in it on the JMT week with another person. Should be interesting to see how it compares with my 11 year old megamid.

Martin,
I am looking forward to your report. Hope all goes well. Have a great trip.

You could always put down a polycro groundsheet to cover part of the vestibule area. It wont be a bathtub design, but could help prevent things getting too muddy and provide good area for getting out of wet clothes.

Martin,
Please post a combo trip & gear report when you get back! I've been contemplating using my Supermid for an upcoming trip in October, but want to use my Cuben Patrol more so. The Supermid would probably be warmer with 2 inside, pitched tight to the ground. I just might use it, instead of the Patrol? My buddy can carry the water filter and I'll carry the Supermid.

We use a 9×9 Oware Pyramid here in Southeast Alaska’s Tongass rainforest from September through April. The rainy season begins in August and lasts until November, then it either snows or continues to sprinkle. Two of us with gear in the Pyramid makes for a comfortable shelter. We try to place the bivy sacks away from the open door but sometimes that doesn’t work, especially at night. It really doesn’t matter that a bit of rain comes in the door, but our goal is to be fast!