What do you get when you cross Henry Shires, Ron Moak, and Ron Bell?

[Travis Leanna]

I dunno either, but I'd be interested in what could come out of a brainstorming session between those three! Maybe a MLD DuoMid with a Shires' sewn in floor and perimeter netting? Maybe a SMD Wild Oasis with a full no-see-um door? What do you think?

Disclaimer: In no way do I intend to insult any of these fine gear makers by comparing them (yet again on these forums), nor do I intend this thread to become a "who's better" conversation. Each of the makers has added many valuable ideas, innovations, and healthy competition to the market, and have earned their place in the industry.

Now, with that said, what kind of "dream shelters" would you like to see?!

[Brad Rogers]

I know that some of them get together once a year and go hiking. They call it the "brain trust" hike, and I think that is a great thing. All of these people have done great things for the UL community and have great ideas. I don't know for sure what they share during the hikes, but it has to benefit us as consumers.

[Lynn Tramper]

I think that to the extent that all these cottage manufacturers are well aware of each others products and design innovations, that there would be little gain to having them brainstorm. For instance if MLD wanted to add a sewn in floor to their duomid they would have already done it. I'm sure if there were enough requests for this addition they would offer it as an option.

My dream shelter would be a Double Rainbow made out of 0.6oz cuben (at a reasonable price of course).

[Travis Leanna]

> I'm sure if there were enough requests for this addition they would offer it as an option.

Good point Lynn. I think its easy for many of us to overlook that and simply think, "that'd be really cool if they made a shelter with X specifications. Why wouldn't they offer it that way?"

I wonder what the market would be for a custom maker? Unfortuntately, probably not too cost effective for anyone…

[Jeff Patrick]

a poncho/tarp with detachable bug netting and floor that attaches to itself and a sit pad to become a frameless backpack.

The cold weather version could include an insulation layer for under the poncho that becomes a sleeping quilt(like the no sniveler but more like Tim's Epiphany-we'll call it the miracle) at night and doubles as your jacket during the day.

Who wants to make me one?

[Thomas Burns]

Light as cuben, strong as ripstop, roomy, bugproof, well ventilated, condensation-free, 30 second setup in the rain. Add a Star-Trek transportation device for a quick trip to Arby's and a weight under 10 oz, and I might quit my job, abandon my family, and head for the mountains.

[Brad Rogers]

We have a custom maker on BPL, Tim Marshall.

[BlackHatGuy]

"Light as cuben, strong as ripstop, roomy, bugproof, well ventilated, condensation-free, 30 second setup in the rain. Add a Star-Trek transportation device for a quick trip to Arby's and a weight under 10 oz"

Wait a sec …. I think I have one of those in my gear room….

[Travis Leanna]

>We have a custom maker on BPL, Tim Marshall.

Well I'll be derned! My momma was right when she told me I'd learn something new every day!

Not that I'm in the position to shell out $$ for custom gear at the moment, but if I were to ask for a shelter with X specifications, he'd do it? Cool.

[Travis Leanna]

>Light as cuben, strong as ripstop, roomy, bugproof, well ventilated, condensation-free, 30 second setup in the rain. Add a Star-Trek transportation device for a quick trip to Arby's and a weight under 10 oz.

That was SOOOO last year's model…. : )

[BlackHatGuy]

">We have a custom maker on BPL, Tim Marshall.

My momma was right when she told me I'd learn something new every day!"

http://enlightenedequipment.com/

Made me a cuben quilt. Love it! I know he's done MTO tents and 'regular' quilts and bags as well. And you should see the sleeping bags he made for Doug Johnson's tykes! One is expandable to grow with the child!

[BlackHatGuy]

">Light as cuben, strong as ripstop, roomy, bugproof, well ventilated, condensation-free, 30 second setup in the rain. Add a Star-Trek transportation device for a quick trip to Arby's and a weight under 10 oz.

That was SOOOO last year's model…. : )"

That's why I'm selling mine…..

[Thomas Burns]

"Light as cuben, strong as ripstop, roomy, bugproof, well ventilated, condensation-free, 30 second setup in the rain. Add a Star-Trek transportation device for a quick trip to Arby's and a weight under 10 oz"

>Wait a sec …. I think I have one of those in my gear room….

Ya know, Doug, I don't doubt it. I'd pay a week's salary to spend an hour rummaging through your gear room. (You'd have to frisk me on the way out.)

Stargazer

[Travis Leanna]

What I'd like now, which will probably change a dozen times in the next week, is a cuben MLD DuoMid with sewn in floor and bug netting, with a full mesh door. I do hate those mosquitoes.

Though, I'm very fond of my tarptent DR

[BlackHatGuy]

"What I'd like now, which will probably change a dozen times in the next week, is a cuben MLD DuoMid with sewn in floor and bug netting, with a full mesh door. I do hate those mosquitoes."

Actually, that's available now. You can get a DuoMid in cuben, and an InnerNet, which would be your bug netting with a sewn in floor and full mesh door (since it's a bug net!). You can roll back the DuoMid door and tie it open.

See, dreams do come true!

[BlackHatGuy]

"Ya know, Doug, I don't doubt it. I'd pay a week's salary to spend an hour rummaging through your gear room. (You'd have to frisk me on the way out.)"

Hmmmmm. Forget the week's salary. Let me play with the Schottland for an afternoon and we might have a deal….. ;-)

[Travis Leanna]

>Actually, that's available now. You can get a DuoMid in cuben, and an InnerNet, which would be your bug netting with a sewn in floor and full mesh door (since it's a bug net!). You can roll back the DuoMid door and tie it open.

Point taken. However, perimeter mesh and a door is lighter than a full-blown bug netting. Though, a full bug netting would make it a double wall shelter…..

[Franco Darioli]

What do you get when you cross Henry Shires, Ron Moak and Ron Bell ?
By an amazing coincidence you get Henronron Shimobell , the inventor of Unobtanium, the very best tent fabric. Unfortunately that was purchased by GE and filed away never to be released. ( it was in direct conflict with eVent, stronger, lighter and fully waterproof as well as breathable)
Franco

[Mark McLauchlin]

Thats great Thomas, very funny

[Rick Dreher]

I'm guessing a really fine ale worth driving to Nevada City for, but what do I know? :-)

Cheers,

Rick

[Travis Leanna]

Unobtanium….That has a similar molecular structure to Cryptonite, right? I heard the Russians were experimenting with the stuff in the '60's, but priorities were priorities (cold war and such), and it was then sold to GE…..unless my history is off…… Oh, and where's the accent on Shimobell? Is it SHImobell or ShiMObell? I hear conflicting views…..

[Lynn Tramper]

I would really like someone to produce Roger Caffin style tents. A Double Rainbow with Caffin's CF arrow shafts for a pole would be sweet, as would one of his 2 man dual entrance tunnel tents…

Oh, and in this part of the world we pronounce it SHImoBELL and unOBtainiUM.

[Travis Leanna]

Has anyone tried replacing the standard pole with CFarrows on the DR? I wonder what the weight difference would be. I've got some, but are 5 hours away at my parent's place up north Wisconsin. I do believe that Henry likes the aluminum poles over carbon fiber because they won't snap. Though, I've shot with some CF arrows, and those things are TOUGH! I actually "robin-hooded" two CF arrows once (shooting one directly into the shaft of another already in the target) and two grown men couldn't pull them apart. The arrow did not shatter, but was definitely cracked halfway down the shaft. It was some doing getting those two arrows apart!

[Lynn Tramper]

I wouldn't touch a bent CF pole on such a long ridgeline as in the DR. I'm pretty sure it would have snapped several times over in our tent. But using the straight arrow shafts like Roger's design should be a lot stronger..not sure how much lighter than AL though.

[Franco Darioli]

Generally speaking CF is better at handling vertical pressure than lateral pressure . Roger's tents take advantage of that…
Franco
Yes it is SHImoBELL,the winner of the 1997 Noble Prize for his attempt . Not to be confused with the other kind.
now Lynn you need to strip that can of yours…

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