Joe Valesko of Zpack’s new 9oz tent

That would be a nice option to not have a full netted bottom.
My option would be to have the floorless and the optional front door. It would probably come out to the same weight as the fully enclosed 9 oz weight.

I believe it is more of a matter of having the lightest fully enclosed tent???

I've been playing with a demo for about six mounts, really good coverage and tucks into tight places when you need it.

Set up on Grass Mountain peak with gust over 50 kts, on a small trail in the brush.

Super fast setup, good coverage with wind taken into account, crazy light.

Another winner from Joe

I can't see him using the mesh just for weight savings as it is usually somewhere between 0.7 and 1 ounce per yard right? With the groundsheet you would have to take, that would probably weigh as much as a silnylon bottom.

Fully enclosed sure is nice in the high density ant hill, mosquito, and fly areas. You don’t have to worry about plugging every gap in your tent. Plus staying with an all mesh bottom should simplify the labor and costs of this tent. I’m not sure how Joe kept it clean after 2600 miles of usage in all types of weather and circumstances.

If you put a flat silnylon floor in that design you will get a very efficient water collector (rain and condensation) .
A "bathtub " will add a lot of complexity and weight.
Franco

"Fully enclosed sure is nice in the high density ant hill, mosquito, and fly areas. You don’t have to worry about plugging every gap in your tent."

So it's an ant barrier but a not a water one….

FWIW, he seems to be taking orders on them now. While there doesn't seem to be a link on his home page (or I just didn't look closely enough), there are 'order' buttons on here: http://www.zpacks.com/shelter/hexamid.shtml

I'll let you know what I think when I get mine ;-)

Hey Doug

Are you getting one with the bugnet?

Jim

I am. I figure if I don't like the net I can cut it off.

Doug – when is the madness going to stop??!??!?? Give your credit card a rest and keep your kid's inheritance intact.

I don't care about my kids' inheritance, but I'm not planning to invest in the immediate future. I have a tent I like (less than a year old) and am not in a hurry to change. I do plan to keep an eye on this one, though. There's a chance I could be tempted when he comes up with the 2-person version. He'll have to beat 25 oz. including the ground sheet, though, and by quite a few ounces!

"Doug – when is the madness going to stop??!??!??"

Yeah, it's a sickness, I know! Lucky for me, no kids!

I was upstairs in my gear room the other day, going through my gear, sorting it out, seeing what I might put up on gear swap, humming a tune while sorting. Then I realized what I was humming —

Never know how much I love you,
Never know how much I care.
When you put your arms around me,
I get a fever that's so hard to bear.

You give me fever ……

I need an intervention…… ;-)

That's hilarious Doug.

…and I keep telling people that 'it' is not about the gear. But at times, I confess, I am fooling myself.

I brought my ZPacks Hexamid tarp along while in Joshua Tree last week. No pics, unfortunately… two photographers camping, and not a camera in sight… anyhow, simple setup. Not even a chance of rain, but I had to at least use it for a night. Winds kicked up in the night, and pitch remained tight. Plenty of room for my 5'10" frame. Great Tarp!

The Serenity Nettent from SMD looks like it could be compatible with the Hexamid. That would add both netting and a bathtub floor.

I would also think that one could shorten the pole height to drop the opening in high winds. It would mean less headroom, but less spray. You could probably drop it without getting out of your bag if you attached a line lock at the top of the beak.

Have any of the prototype testers tried any of these configurations?

"The Serenity Nettent from SMD looks like it could be compatible with the Hexamid. That would add both netting and a bathtub floor.

I would also think that one could shorten the pole height to drop the opening in high winds. It would mean less headroom, but less spray."

I've got an MLD bug bivy, I'll see if that will work. I also bought the optional cuben doors, as a just in case.

A couple of questions about the cuben Hexamid with screen floor, for somebody that has used one.

Where exactly is the screen floor connected to the sides and backof the tent? Is it attached right at the bottom edgeof the sides/back? Or is it attached inset from the lower edges so that that the tent sides form an overhang when stacked out and give you more protection from spatter, drips etc.

Is it easy enough to stake the back and sides all the way down to the ground AND keep the tent taught at the same time. I'm thinking about the possible midnight adjustments when rain rolls in or the wind kicks up. This may be obvious, but I have not had experience with tarps.

How difficult is is to a nice taught pitch on the tent? If is is difficult to completely eliminate slack, then how noisy is the cuben fabric? I am experienced with guying out tents to keep things from flapping around, but the non stretchy Cuben material looks pretty exactly. Do you need stronger stakes

As this tent is so open, what temperature range do you think this tent would be comfortable in Summer and Fall in the Sierras, not much night rain, but a chance of a lot of wind. I have a good pad and warm bag, so I am mostly asking about your comfort of being in a tent that does not look like it will be any warmer inside than outside. I do most of my backpacking in the Sierras, summer and fall. Would you be comfortable in this tent if the temps are in the mid 30's F and there it was windy out?

Due to the open nature of this tent, and the chance of some rain spatter, would it be unadvisable to use a down bag, as down is so hard to dry? My bag is not at all waterproof. If i have to carry too many extra groundclothes (one for the floor, another for the top of the bag) it will eliminate weight savings.

I have not used a tarp or tarptent before but due to some back problems I need to cut drasticalyl cut my gear weight and this looks like an excellant option. I have been packing free standing tents like the Hubba Hubba and REI quarter dome and usually sleep with the door partly open.

Thanks

I don't have the tent version, I have the tarp version… So, I can't answer all of your questions… but..

Tight pitch was easy-peasy with my adjustable Lightrek pole.

If I were to experience a storm/heavy rain, I could just peg the tarp edges to the ground through the line loops… much like Gossamer Gear demonstrates in their tarp/tarptent videos on their site when entering into "storm mode". (cue the music)

I believe from the pics that the mesh is sewn into the end seams of the tarp perimeter, and are not inset. I could be wrong… but it looks as if this is the case.

I just used my tarp in Joshua Tree… lows hit 30… light wind. I was fine. The shelter never faltered, nor made a noise, as the pitch was tight… and stayed so. I did use a bivy. I was excited to test some new gear…

Maybe someone who has used the net version can comment…

"Never know how much I love you,
Never know how much I care.
When you put your arms around me,
I get a fever that's so hard to bear."

Sounds like they've come up with a UL version of those inflatable dolls. ;}

"Sounds like they've come up with a UL version of those inflatable dolls. ;}"

They have. I call her "Neo." She's a cutie!

Shawn-

Mine got shipped today. So I will let you know once I get it.

has anyone heard a possible ETA on the two person version? i can't wait to see the two person shelter…

"They have. I call her "Neo." She's a cutie!"

Does she have a sister? ;)

Neo's sister is called Base Camp. Interested ?
Franco

"Neo's sister is called Base Camp. Interested ?"

Has she been with any other hikers?