New SMD shelters

[Jim Klazek]

Ron Moak has introduced 2 new shelters, the LUNAR DUO and WILD OASIS—Check them out at http://www.sixmoondesigns.com

[Sam Haraldson]

The wild oasis fills a gap in the UL shelter community – a tarp with loosely hung bug-netting. I currently hail from Minnesota and you can’t take mosquitoes lightly up in these parts as they are ravenous.

The 16 oz. weight is a decent contender for lightweight but I’m sure the true UL’ers would await this in a cape version.

It’s always exciting to see the new offerings from the small list of cottage companies. My compliments to Mr. Moak and what appears to be two fine new additions of gear.

[Ron Moak]

The final weights on both tents will probably be about 15 to 20% lighter than the currently published weight. The current weights are based upon Silicone Nylon.

Hopefully we’ll be using a new lighter weight fabric that’s coming in from overseas. This fabric is a polyester fabric so it won’t aborbe moisture or be as subject to stretching as the current Silicone Nylon. Plus it’s lighter to boot.

I’ll be posting more details on the site after the first of the year when we actually into production.

Currently tent will be on display at the ALDHA West Gathering (www.aldhawest.org) this weekend in Welches, Oregon (near Mt. Hood) and at the ALDHA Gathering (www.aldha.org) in two weeks in Pipestown, WV. If you’re near the area drop in and take a look.

Ron

[David Lewis]

Where do you see the WIld Oasis? I see no such shelter on the site.

[Roger B]

Go to the SMD site and then look at the WickedLite series (on the left) and you will see Wild Oasis as a link

[David Lewis]

Thanks Roger. Found it. I was looking under shelters. Looks really nice. This is exactly what I’ve been wanting for a LONG time. There is the original tarptent… but it’s heavy. I’m waiting on the MLD Spirit shelters which will be a tarp with netting… for as low as 10 oz or so. The Wild Oasis is too heavy for my liking… due to the Sylnylon… but it would probably be a very good value.

[kevin davidson]

David—we are going to have a long wait on MLD’s Spirit shelters. See the MLD site for major changes, including no new orders being taken.

I’d love to see something like the Wild Oasis in Cuben.

[Greyson Howard]

Man, I scetched the design for the lunar duo out about two-three weeks ago, thats the fastest anything I’ve designed to go from concept to creation. :)
To be fair, I didn’t think of the arches, and had it covered with spinnaker, but otherwise the same.
Needless to say, I want one.
Six moons is quickly becoming one of my favorite gear companies, lots of great stuff.

[John S.]

Sam, tarps with bug netting have been around for years. I believe the Henry Shires tarptents started that way. Also, Dancing Light Gear had made them for years until they went out of business. So Ron is RE-filling the gap so to speak.

[Sam Haraldson]

John –

You’re right, they have been around for years, but do you see many of them available now? No. DLG is out of business, Shires tents have floors (I presume special orders are available), GG and MLD don’t currently offer them. I’d say this means the new SMD offering fills a gap, wouldn’t you?

[Jim Colten]

Shires tents have floors (I presume special orders are available)

Not all Tarptents have floors:

• Henry’s store still lists a floorless Virga 2 but I’m pretty sure that’ll only be till current stock is sold.
• floorless Squall 2 is listed for sale
• ditto for Cloudburst 2 and Rainshadow 2

On another forum, Henry said that 90% of his orders were for floored models. IIRC he also said that he’d still sell unfloored models (but the website doesn’t seem to communicate that).

But I see no reason SMD shouldn’t offer alternatives, choices are a good thing.

[John Carter]

SMD also fills a gap in creating the lightest fully enclosed shelter for foul weather conditions. I was a huge fan (and still am) of Shire’s Rainshadow, but after purchasing a Golite Hex 3 I immediately saw the benefits of a center pole and 360 degree fabric for storm resistance. But at 32oz, there has been a need for something lighter for solo use.

Keep in mind that you don’t need a bivy with these shelters, so that makes these comparable so some of the lightest setups.

Ron, of all the weekends, you had to pick the one weekend I am out of state! Any other weekend I’d be there checking out your new tents. I’m the one who recently stopped by to purchase your Gatewood. I have been extremely pleased so far, and it was a nice suprise to see I got the new batch with clips!

[David Lewis]

Oh… I know the Spirits are a long way off. I have seen the MLD posting about the new store. Very exciting actually. I’m very happy that Ron is finally gearing up and taking MLD to the next level. He designs great gear… but I’ve never been a fan of having to wait 2 months to get my order.

The bugs are long since gone where I live tho’… so I will use my SpinnShelter for any late season trips before winter. I’ve thought about trying to modify my SpinnShelter by adding a netting skirt and door… but I haven’t.

Anyway… this new shelter looks great… and it does fill a void. You can still get tarptents without floors… but tarptents… as wonderful and luxurious as they are… are heavy by ‘extreme ultralight’ standards… or whatever we’re calling it. If I were doing a month or more thru hike… I would go for the luxury of a floored Contrail… but for weekends… I’m fine with my little SpinnShelter.

I would just like a similar shelter with netting for those trips in the height of summer when the bugs are out. I would like to see this new SMD shelter in a lighter fabric. Once you get used to using a 9 oz shelter… it’s hard to consider doubling the weight just for a little bug netting.

[John S.]

John Carter, why isn’t the gossamer gear spinnshelter the lightest fully enclosed shelter for foul weather conditions at 9 oz?

[EndoftheTrail]

I am not Mr. Carter, but to me, if a shelter doesn’t have a floor, then it isn’t fully enclosed.

[John S.]

Come to think about it, I don’t even know which shleter he was talking about..lol. I need a nap.

[Benjamin Smith]

John Carter was probably talking about the SMD Lunar Solo. Just a guess.

[John Carter]

John and Benjamin: Oops, I left out the obvious! I was referring to the Gatewood Cape by Six Moon Designs. It seems to me from the pictures on his website that the Wild Oasis is the same design as the Gatewood Cape, except the Gatewood is a poncho tarp, and the Wild Oasis is not–but includes bug netting.

Benjamin: Yes, I suppose fully enclosed is often used for floored tents; we will have to come up with another term for tarps in which all the panels come to the ground, i.e. no sides are exposed. This would include most teepee-inspired designs such as the Hex and Gatewood, and the GG Spinnshelter.

John: yes, the Spinnshelter is fully enclosed and lighter. However, it does not double as a cape, so the Gatewood Cape at 11oz is lighter if you are a poncho user. Also, though I have never used a Spinnshelter, it seems to me that having a center pole will shed wind and snow better than the Spinnshelter, with it’s long, unsupported ridgeline. This has to be weighed against the fact that the Spinnshelter has a lower profile. But I can sit upright comfortably in the Gaewood, and I am 6’2″. I’m not sure I could do that in the Spinnshelter.

I remember reading a review on this site that the fabric ripped on the Spinnshelter during a strong wind where the grosgrain attaches the front pole to the ridgeline.

Don’t get me wrong, I think the Spinnshelter is a great shelter, and I’ve thought about purchasing it. I guess I became a convert to a center pole teepee design after purchasing the Hex 3. Also consider that Ryan Jordan and Alan Dixon use the Gatewood Cape, with its center pole design, as their foul-weather conditions poncho shelter, as reported in their recent article.

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