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Lightheart Gear has Gone Cuben
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Dec 2, 2010 at 3:10 pm #1670218
Do you let a foot of snow accumulate on your tents?
Dec 2, 2010 at 7:35 pm #1670313Good point. No because there is no way my current tent could take it. It might survive 4 light inches.
Of course, if I was sound asleep overnight in a tent I thought could take it, I think it would be pretty darn awesome.
Dec 2, 2010 at 9:00 pm #1670343OK, I've finished Jake's tent (but am going to make him a new one – I've been sick and sort of messed up some stuff and don't want to put my name on junky sewing… – never ever sew when your head is so stuffed up you can't think straight!!)
So the tent is all silnylon, same pattern as Ryan's, 2 doors, one side a fly that opens, the other side the awning, it can be pulled down to 'weatherproof' the tent as needed in a driving rain. The final weight was 1 lb 11.8 oz this is just a tiny bit (less than one ounce) more than the regular solo and has the extra door zipper in it., on the side with the awning, I've raised the bath tub floor another 6 inches (see the pix of Ryans tent) this gives some extra protection in the rain with the awning up. Since the weight of this tent is almost the same as the regular solo, I imagine a cuben version will come in right about 1 lb. I won't know till I make one. I'll get some pictures of it up (after I make a new one for Jake and send it to him) next week.I suppose the 2 door option on this is sort of needed. if you close up the awning side in a driving rain you would need the other side to get out of (but I suppose you would probably just stay inside the tent in a down pour! I just find it more difficult to crawl out from under the awning – if I was younger it might not be such an issue!)
So I expect to have the pattern perfected before I get the cuben fabric in January. it will be Forest Green, they are doing a special color run for me. When I finally get the fabric, I plan to email everyone that has pre-ordered and let them know all the specific options and I will go from there.
Thanks
Judy LightHeart Gear.Dec 3, 2010 at 7:49 am #1670428Happy news indeed. Great minds think alike, I had also asked Judy if she could find some decent awning compromise; it sounds like this isn't the approach I was thinking of (I had in mind a removable triangular piece of fabric), but whatever works sounds great to me.
Thanks for working this awning issue, Judy, and I hope your headcold gets (got) better quickly.
Dec 4, 2010 at 7:13 pm #1670915Brian,
I am also thinking about a zip in flap to convert the standard solo and duo into an awning. I think this is something I could do to essentially 'retro fit' the tents that were manufactured for me. As usual, I can't give you a time line, I have tons of sewing work right now – not just tents, I do dressmaking, wedding gowns, alterations, I teach sewing and all sorts of other sewing related stuff. I also try to get in some backpacking here and there! (sigh, there is not enough of that anymore!)Judy
Dec 4, 2010 at 9:22 pm #1670958I was over at Judy's house the other day and we were discussing how to handle the logistics for the awning pole Jake. I think you (and everyone else that gets a Solo with this option, including myself) are going to be very happy with the implementation.
FWIW,I didn't see anything wrong with the first shelter, so kudos to Judy for being a perfectionist, she doesn't compromise.
Nice color combo btw, it looks quite good.
Dec 5, 2010 at 8:11 am #1671018Stop those jaws a flappen' and get those cameras snappin' !
Dec 9, 2010 at 6:09 pm #1672751So, just a small teaser, and I promise to get pictures tomorrow, I have figured out the small details of the awning style for the LightHeart Solo, and I just have to say I'm pretty pleased with myself. the design is in keeping with my philosophy of keeping it very simple and basic, I don't want fancy riggings, or any complicated structure. I don't want to have to worry about kicking poles out and having the tent fall down on me. This is the same basic tent, one extra door in the mesh (this is actually the most difficult part for me as it has to be mirror imaged, and that complicated the sewing a little). one extra pole for the awning.(which you can't accidentally kick out of place. You can easily cook under the awning,get a good view and the awning can very easily be closed up in a driving rain. – you might even be able to rig this somehow from inside the tent.
The cost for this style will be the same as any custom solo or cuben solo plus the $15.00 for the extra door zipper. you don't really need the extra door, but then again, you do. if you close the awning for what ever reason, you would have to get out on the other side.
As soon as I can set the tent up outside tomorrow I will get pictures.
Judy LightHeart Gear
Dec 9, 2010 at 6:19 pm #1672754That sounds great!
I'm also supper excited for the zip in awning possibility for the existing Solo's.
Mike
Dec 9, 2010 at 6:23 pm #1672756OK, I'll get to work on it soon!
JudyDec 10, 2010 at 10:57 am #1672924Pictures are up on my website lightheartgear. On the home page, there is one photo and a link to more.
Judy
Dec 10, 2010 at 11:19 am #1672930This is a very nice design Judy. Great job… I just bought a tent otherwise I'd be getting in line for the silnylon version.
Dec 10, 2010 at 11:33 am #1672941I can't wait for that cuben material to come in. I'm really looking forward to using this tent on the Oregon and Washington state portion of the PCT summer of 2011. I ordered material to build myself a nice light awning pole.
Dec 10, 2010 at 12:48 pm #1672962Judy,
Absolutely fantastic. My mother used to say that all good things come to those who wait. I look forward to your cuben version with an awning in the next couple of months. I and lots of others will be eagerly awaiting your notice that the cuben fiber is in. Keep up the great work!
GerryDec 10, 2010 at 7:10 pm #1673076here is my first attempt at modifying the existing LightHeart Solo tents that I had outsourced. Because the fly is larger than the awning I designed, the awning here will be a little different (bigger).
One side zips apart so the tent can be closed up to the original fly. The extra wedge of fabric is sewn into the other side. it can't be removed. A waterproof zipper would work here, but they are heavy, and much more expensive.
Dec 10, 2010 at 9:06 pm #1673116I like it very much! So would I have to send my tent back to you to get the modification added?
Jan 4, 2011 at 6:05 pm #1680560Judy kindly sent me her prototype solo awning because I was trying to figure out if I would be happy with the the lightest version, the single door awning. She indicated to feel free to post what I thought with the caveat that it was a prototype not finished to her normal standards. The following is are my observations of using the tent in my backyard over a period of several nights. I set up and took down the tent several times and then used it several nights but it didn't get used in the back country. Some serious issues with a family member restricted my ability to look more closely at the tent.
For those of you who are wondering what it would be like getting in and out of the single door awning (assuming additional pull outs aren't staked down) when the awning is down… here is my first every youtube video shot in a single take (e.g. a masterpiece it's not!):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_d3g93itIwI have started to write up a review but it's unlikely that I will will finish it until life settled down which won't be for awhile :( Here is what I have written up so far:
http://www.verber.com/mark/outdoors/gear/reviews/lightheart-soloawning.htmlThis is the first paragraph of my summary:
Let me start by saying that this is the first time in something like 8 years that I used a double walled shelter. I forgot how nice it can be. I didn't have to constantly monitor my movement and stay away from the walls. For three season outings, especially when you expect a mix of rain, bugs, sunny days and moderate winds, this would be THE shelter I would choice. The Lightheart Solo Awning is particularly well suited to the AT and other forested destinations. It's weakness comes when facing high winds that might be experienced on an unsheltered coast or in exposed alpine locations. In these locations, I would not feel comfortable using the Lightheart Solo due to the risk of high winds collapsing the tent. A sleeve for spreader pole might mitigate this concern, but I couldn't explore this.
–Mark
Jan 4, 2011 at 6:34 pm #1680567"It's weakness comes when facing high winds…"
"A sleeve for [the] spreader pole might mitigate this concern…"Mark,
Are you referring to the short "pole with sockets" that trekking poles fit into, at the top of this tent as the "spreader pole"?And you are concerned that it might move around in high winds unless captured by a sleeve? Unlike dual poles captured by the peak of a pyramid, for instance, that really can't go anywhere.
Just trying to clarify here.
Thanks
Jan 4, 2011 at 6:43 pm #1680570> Are you referring to the short "pole with sockets" that trekking poles fit into, at the top of this tent as the "spreader pole"?
yes. Under strong (>35mph) shifting winds, mine collapsed several times in a period of around 2 hours. My guess is that wasn't just the windspeed, but that the wind was varying in speed and direction pretty quickly which basically shook the spreader pole out of it's position. Pretty much a perfect storm.
The pole I was sent was not a pole with sockets, it was a PVC pipe that has been modify to be shaped something like /—- (I should have taken a picture) sort of U with a long middle (maybe 12 inches… should have measured it) and angled edges where the poles are inserted into the ends of the PVC pipe.
Unlikely a classic pyramid which comes to a point and the tent structure tends to keep the intersection together, in the lightheart the movement of the tent fabric tends to encourage the spreader pole to rotate because the spreader pole is the only thing is supporting the spread.
–Mark
Jan 4, 2011 at 7:03 pm #1680582Mark,
Thanks for the quick response. That is what I thought you were saying, and wanted to be sure.Sorry though that you had to be the "wet tester".
And how interesting that this hasn't happened to anyone else in the past year.But I'm glad you got the "perfect storm".
Jan 5, 2011 at 3:11 pm #1680791What Mark is talking about is the standard ridge pole that comes with the tent – (it's not PVC). And yes, where no one else has ever complained about this happening, and the tents that were manufactured in China for us DO have velcro to hold the ridge pole in place, I have never put velcro in the tents I make (the custom ones) only because – I'm being very upfront about this – I hate sewing /working with velcro. I hate the stuff.
but, I may have to cave in and put the darned stuff in the tents. Not so much because Mark V. talks about it, but because Marc (my husband and business partner) gets on my case about it.
Judy /LightHeart GearJan 5, 2011 at 7:33 pm #1680853Judy,
Thanks for keeping us informed. It is good to know that a solution is at hand.You mention that the silnylon versions already have this in place. Is that in response to user comments or is it something that was done to guard against such a possibility?
I ask, because it would be reassuring to know that this is a tested and solid fix.
Thanks again.
Jan 5, 2011 at 7:46 pm #1680858I have a Lightheart Solo that I have been using for nearly a year now. I live in southwestern Oklahoma and the state song doesn't mention the wind sweeping down the plains for nothing. My Solo has the velcro stays for the ridge pole and I have had it out in ~30+ mile an hour shifting winds a few times and not had any problem whatsoever with the ridgepole popping out of place.
Apr 1, 2011 at 12:20 pm #1718468Found it.
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