Tale of Two Alphamid’s ~ MYOG ~ U-L & SUL

[Bill Fornshell]

Dane, I don’t think the basic Hex Tent would be any harder that the Alphamid(TM) was.

I did this paper model and tried to make it the same size as the GoLite Hex. The footprint is the same (59 sq ft) that the GoLite Hex is. The height is 66″ tall.

My math says it will take about 13.2 sq yards of material to make it this size.

Using Cuben material that would be something under 5oz for the material plus what ever you need for seam allowance etc. You can do the “what ifs” for other fabric weights.

This size tent is way larger than anything I would ever need but it would make a good “MYOG” project if someone needed a tent for 2 or 3 people.

[Dane Fliedner]

Nice model! Did you already have that made?– if not, wow, that was incredibly quick! OK– So I did some math on the basis of the Golite given measurements. Really had to dust off the ol’ geometry for this one!

On their site they say the hex is 66″ tall, 120″ long at apices of floorprint and 104″ in the width of the floorprint. Figuring that a hexagon is simply 6 equal-lateral triangles, I figured each of the panels base measurement (ie each of the sides of the hexagon) would be 60″. Then, using the height of 66″, used Pythag. theorem and came up with the hypotenuse of the triangle, which would be the length of each panel from hex apex to the ground would be 89″. So, 6 of these would be needed. Then, figuring that most silnylon comes in 60″ widths, I would have to use 6 pieces of 60″ (roll width) by 89″ tall (roughly 2.47 yards per panel, which would have some waste but would make each of the 6 panels a solid piece and avoid an additional seam). (And each of the triangular sides-hypotenuse of each panel would be 93.9″). Does that roughly parallel your calculations? I am assuming you have already done them given the photo you posted, Bill.

PS– I have been interested in the Hex for a while, since it could double as a 4th season shelter and when I take the kids backpacking without having to have break daddy’s back, or bank account. (otherwise I just get in my Hennesey when I go alone :)… Thanks in advance for the input!

[Bill Fornshell]

Hi Dane,
And I bet you never thought you would ever use that “ol’ geometry” again. I found this web site trying to remember some formula a few years ago. It is good if you just need a
geometry refresher

I made the model after you talked about the GoLite-HEX. I was making “yet another” model of a different size small tent and did it just to see how many square yards of material it might take. I don’t know what I did with my notes but I don’t think Pythagorean would be very impressed with how I used his theorem. I think I used a smaller set of numbers. I came out with about 13.2 sq yards and you came out with 14.82. We are not to far apart. I also thought the base of my paper Hex looked a little smaller than the Hex in the catalog.

I make my paper models at a scale of 1″ equals 1′ so they are easy to scale up to full size patterns.

[Robert Miller]

Dane,

>>I would have to use 6 pieces of 60″ (roll width) by 89″ tall

The distance from the peak to the mid point of each face of the hex is 84″. This would give you six pieces of 60″ by 84″ and 1.94 sq/yds per panel.

My total is 11.66 sq/yds! LOL

Robert

[Bill Fornshell]

One of the accessories that I had planned for my small tent is a “Storm Cap/Poncho”. I have finished the Storm Cap prototype. The Storm Cap will do several things. It will act as a porch to cook under and give me a little extra space for my pack etc. I can leave it part or full open when the weather is nice or close it up tight as necessary. In some ways it acts like a tent fly. The Storm Cap might even be big enough to sleep under if the weather is really nice. I will test that and see how well it will cover me.

The Storm Cap is made in a way that I can wear it as a hood-less Poncho if I want to. I will test that function and see how well it works as a Poncho. If the Storm Cap is made out of Cuben it should weigh about 1.5 oz.

I have a few more ideas that I will work on such as some bug netting around the bottom of the tent and the ground and bug netting doors.

Picture 1: Front – Open

Picture 2: Tent Doors Closed

Picture 3: Side Front – Storm Cap Closed

[Bill Fornshell]

Storm Cap – Tarp Mode

The Storm Cap would make a good fair weather tarp (some rain and a little wind should not be to big a problem) or a very light (about 1.5 oz est. for Cuben Fabric) tarp for a 2 or 3 day Super Ultra Light hike when you know just how long you are going to be out. It is just big enough for me to get completely under it if I lay on my side. I am a side sleeper anyway so I could make-do with this if I had a reason. It is wide enough to bring the sides to the ground if necessary and still give me room to sleep on my side.

[Ryan Faulkner]

looks great Bill,

even during a storm you can have the doors open for ventilation.

wouild you mind if oware found out about this, and sold something like it.

not all can make stuff like you and it is a great idea

[Bill Fornshell]

Hi Ryan F.

Thanks for your comments. Yes, a door or doors could be left open for ventilation.

I talked to David at Oware and told him if the Storm Cap looked like anything he might like to try or make, sell etc, I had no problem with that.

The Storm Cap is only 3 pieces of material and should not be hard for a MYOG person to make. Did you ever get a sewing machine?

[Ryan Faulkner]

still trying to find a good one for cheap to buy myself, I found a site awhile ago with some possibilities, but then my mom showed some intrest in getting a better, more expensive machine so I held off on buying one not as good. and spent the money on some other gear But I think she forgot about it.(I almost did too) I will remind her :-)

hopefully soon I will be sewing my own gear. :-)
Lots of ideas.

[David Olsen]

The best beginner sewing machine I know is
to get an old Pfaff from the 50’s, all steel yet
compact. I found one for $150 with cabinet.
They are popular on sailing ships for repairs
and also for sending overseas with a more powerful
motor for production work. Keep your eyes peeled
and you can get a machine that won’t break down
on you when you try to sew your own climbing
harness! Buy a roller foot for the sticky fabrics.

[JUSTIN KEITH]

Man Bill, I thought that the titanium saw and trowel were really cool..and now this?! I’m interested too in making my own equipment and your project posts are very descriptive and informative for assisting noobies like me, so thanks for spending the time to do this.

[Dane Fliedner]

Howdy Bill– I was looking over this thread again when the thought occurred to me… what is the benefit of the alphamid design over a more standard flat or cat tarp? As I had posted earlier, I can see the advantages of a hex or full pyramid tarp for worse weather, but how about the half-mid? When would a alphamid be used instead of a regular tarp, or a full hex- pyramid tarp? Just curious…

[Bill Fornshell]

Hi Dane,
1. I am not trying to sell the Alphamid (TM) or convince anyone of the merits of using one you buy or make yourself. That I leave up to you all to decide what kind of shelter you can put up with. I say it that way since some that go on short duration hikes might want the lightest weight shelter they can find and put up with what ever the conditions happened to be for the 2 or 3 days of their hike.

2. In my first post I listed a few reasons for making a shelter like this:
Some question:
“- How small is to small?
– Will it work as a solo shelter for a winter SOBO – AT Hike?
– Will it work as a solo shelter for a spring NOBO – AT Hike ?
Others questions as they come up.”

3. The “Key” word for me was “SOLO” and winter or spring At Hike. This also will be a long hike of several hundred miles. My normal shelter is a Custom Made Speer Hammock. My Hammock is light, made out of silk, and the current tarp I use is a very light MacCat tarp made out of lighter material and just a little longer than the normal large MacCat Tarp. There are times when the right small tent might be more comfortable and private. I see my MYOG Alphamid (TM) used with the Storm Cap/Poncho worth a test as a sometimes replacement for my Hammock set-up.

4. My MYOG Alphamid (TM) with Storm Cap should do for one (solo) person everything or more than a regular tarp or full Hex-Pyramid in any weather and made out of Cuben Fiber it would be lighter than most anything also not made out of Cuben Fiber.

5. You stated you were:
“interested in the Hex for a while, since it could double as a 4th season shelter and when I take the kids backpacking without having to have break daddy’s back, or bank account. (otherwise I just get in my Hennesey when I go alone”

My guess is that any Alphamid (TM) would be to small for 4 people even with 2 kid size folks. I could be wrong about this however as you could just make yours bigger to fit everyone.

6. With a finished weight of about 3oz plus the guy lines and stakes my MYOG Alphamid (TM) would be light enough to use as my only shelter when I didn’t want to use my Hammock. My MYOG Alphamid (TM) with removable bug netting and Storm Cap/Poncho might even be lighter than my new Cuben Hammock set-up but that is another story.

7. “Just curious…”
You might also be thinking of making an Alphamid (TM) to replace your HH for your own use. Made out of Cuben Fiber I am sure it would be much lighter than your HH set-up.

[Dane Fliedner]

Bill, I fear you may have misunderstood my question’s intentions. I was mostly curious for design/ gear philosophy sake, not to imply you were trying to convince, sell, etc the design. I was just curious for my understanding the differing reason for the differing design. That’s all! :)

[Bill Fornshell]

Dane, Sorry for the way my answer sounded. So did any of what I wrote answer your question or just muddy up the water?

I have been looking at different ideas for a solo, small, winter shelter for a long hike that I expect will be a winter SOBO AT Hike starting with the 100 Mile Wilderness (Mt Katahdin) in Maine. I think I want a small tent like shelter vs a Hammock as I think It would easier to stay warm in it vs what it takes to stay as warm in a Hammock. I want to keep my weight as low as I can but not be crazy about it. The weight trade-off I save from a winter hammock set-up will go into a warmer set of clothing/sleeping gear. I believe that for a given weight, a small tent will be warmer in cold weather and more comfortable than a winter hammock set-up. The bottom line weight of my pack should not go up and I should be able to get more warmth out of the weight I do carry. My pack weight will be as low as I know how to make it and another half pound of Down should go to good use.

When I saw the (Alphamid (TM) I thought it might be what I was looking for. I see it as more tent than tarp. It has doors that can be closed and with my Storm Cap/Poncho it should work really well in bad weather. A winter version would be a little bigger and taller to help shed snow. The design is on the easy side and really was easy to make my own. The Cuben Fiber version will be very light.

As a one person shelter the Alphamid (TM) design seems about perfect for how I plan to use it. I have 3 nice tarps but no real bug protection for them save for a head net and they all weigh more than my MYOG Alphamid (TM) will even counting guy lines and stakes. I have 3 nice tents but they are in the 2.5 to 4 pound range. My MYOG Alphamid (TM) prototype goes up really fast and the Storm Cap takes about no time to add. I have hiked in snow using a tarp for my shelter and it was OK. I have hiked in the snow and used my Hammock and was OK. Then I hiked in the snow with one of my tents and was happier.

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