AT ’11 Thru Shelter Help Needed

I like my Gossamer Gear SpinnShelter – Alpinlite Bug Tent 1.25 combo.

How about an Oware USA, Alphamid 1/2 Pyramid Tarp. They start at $199 and you can order it in SilNylon for that price @ 18.5oz. I believe you can get bug netting for around the edges. But that might be a special phone order. It is 5' x 10' and 6' tall.

I slept in the ten by ten in Montana and thought it was the greatest Tarp I had ever been in. We had rain and snow. It worked really well.

Take care and have a great day.

Jason Cuzzetto

I agree with Bradford's and your choices.
Also maybe consider the duo-mid and the SMD Vamp or just a larger tarp with an ultralight bivy with bug net option.

I know what you mean about the Monk. I find that even in my bivy, too much blowing rain can make it into the head opening if the weather is really snotty. We could pitch it very tight around the upper part of the body, but I get claustrophobia when I do that.

Yes – I found the Oware's room amazing. I am 6'2" and not ultra light. We had room enough for 3-4 of me in the 10×10. I think you could bring a friend with. I also enjoyed the head room. I could sit up and pack, dress, and it was so fast and easy to put up I could not believe it. 5 minutes or so for my first time. Very easy. You will loose weight on stakes because you really need a max of, I believe 9, but you could get away with 6 or less in my opinion.

For someone tallish, Brad's suggestion is great. If you favor mids and easier entry though, a Wild Oasis would give you a little more elbow and gear room than a solomid. And you'd get bug protection. All for under a pound (including stakes, guylines, groundsheet). Very good alternative to a Hexamid.

edit–Yep, any mid with bug netting on the bottom would be great–Alphamid would be great too.

When bugs are gone May, then August, the GG SpinnTwin is a roomy option for one. In bug season, the Six Moon Design's Wild Oasis is my choice.

Lots of great hammock choices. Warbonnet Blackbird and just about any tarp. Or a lighter one (I like the Traveler) with bug net that could be bounced ahead where you might not need it.

Hammocks on the AT make camp choices totally different and give you much more flexibility–it could totally change your pace, itinerary and much time you spend around other people. Unless you must sleep in a ground shelter, I think you should at least consider hammocks.

I was a hammocker for a long time, but I was born with some serious lung deformities, and any chance I have of finishing the AT is going to depend on me going as light as possible. So hammocks are out for this trip.

The GG SpinnShelter is very interesting though. I'm going to add that to the list, though I will admit I prefer side entry shelters, because I am a rather large guy.

I'm seriously leaning towards the SoloMid in Cuben with the innernet. I can use it while I need it, and then send it home after August.

I can certainly understand and appreciate the need to go light in your situation. But if you still like hammocks and gave them up due to weight, you might be surprised at how light you can get a hammock setup now. Cuben hammocks and tarps. Underquilt/topquilt combos that weigh less than many comparably warm sleeping bags. UL suspensions. Don't rule it out just on weight alone.

Of course you can always just take a super minimal shelter like your monk tarp for backup and plan on sleeping in shelters…not my choice, but it's light.

Of course with a hammock you don't need a sleeping pad.

I agree, a hammock does make sense for the AT. There are trees almost everywhere and you pitch camp in a lot more places.

On the subject of the Spinnshelter. I usually pitch mine with one side up high and one side low to the ground.
This makes it so I can enter from the side easily, allows a view and good ventilation.
If the weather requires that I close it up tight in the middle of night, I reach out and move the stakes and line on the open side into full protection mode.

I find it surprisingly roomy and easy to get in and out of even when in full protection mode as the head end is quite large.

It is a little heavier than the Monk, but a lot more comfortable in bad weather.

I do use an ultralight bivy, but it isn't really needed with the Spinnshelter.
Add a UL bivy or bug tent and you add flexibility, ground cloth, bug protection and additional protection from the elements.

The Spinnshelter is a interesting candidate for my hike. With the temps and weather I expect to face, it seems like a prime candidate for my hike. Also can't beat the price or weight.

I think I'll pick one up and then if it doesn't work for me I'll have plenty of time to order a MLD Mid.

The other issues I'm working on right now, are cook kit and clothing.

Right now I'm using a Caldera Cone with the MLD 850pot. I think I'm going to sacrifice the weight of a lighter stove, and keep the Caldera Cone set up for my hike based on its ease of use and reliability.

Then there is the issue of clothing.

I try to follow the if you aren't wearing it all on a daily basis you brought too much.

Bottom
Silk Weight Boxers
Running Shorts
Cap 3 bottoms
SmartWool midheight socks
Montrail AT Plus trailrunners
Marmot Precip Pants.

1 extra pair of Heavy Weight SmartWool socks for sleeping

Top
SPF 40 Underarmor lightweight shirt.
Montbell Windshirt
AGG Rain Jacket
Montbell Thermawrap Jacket
BPL Possum Down Gloves
1 Buff
BlackRock Down Beanie
OR Seattle Sombrero
Some sort of Rain Mitts for the 1st month or so until it warms up enough that I can send them home.