Hexamid or Lightheart

If you get the Hexamid I'd recommend the beak. Also check out Bear Paw Wilderness Designs Cub Den (John will add a beak if you ask him).

I wish I could tell you how the Hexamid does in the rain, but I've only been in light showers. Other than that, I can tell you it does well. The biggest problem is the ground space it requires to stake it down. Get the beak, if only to keep your shoes somewhat dry when it rains.

Thanks for the posts so far. From your experience so far. How do you like the hexamid? Would you consider it a good shelter for the PCT / 3-season?

i just got mine yesterday but had no time to set it up… still waiting for the stakes to come (hopefully tomorrow)…

i'll take pictures once i set it up and i am taking it for a short trip on the 12 and 26 and i'll report back how it went… i asked john to add the beak and he made it detachable… really nice setup so far… can't wait to get it setup… :D

I think the Hexamid is fantastic for the PCT, at least the parts that I've visited. I haven't used it on snow. I heard that the netting picks up a bit of water weight when used in the snow, but that it still works. I suppose the same would be true in very wet weather. I did buy the bathtub floor because I anticipated more heavy rain (that I luckily avoided), but haven't used it.

The Hexamid is still my first choice for using on the PCT. The Lightheart is very tempting because of the views it offers.

I don't think you could go wrong with either one, but if I were to use the Hexamid in Washington, I'd bring my bathtub floor just in case it rains for a week.

I guess it depends on how you want to hike. Both will allow you to bring all your gear inside and give you a little room to spread out and sit up. If you want to go as light as possible with bug protection, then the Hexamid is my choice. If you want to spend more time in camp and enjoy the views, and want to reduce worries of condensation getting your bag wet, then the Lightheart seems like the better option.

I've been looking at the Hexamid for a while, but I've held off because of same concerns about the mesh floor. But now Zpacks has a bug shelter with bathtub floor, the HexaNet. 6.8 oz for the lite version Check it out:

http://www.zpacks.com/shelter/hexanet_solo.shtml

I have written up ta review of the hexamid, and have also written up a first look lightheart solo awning prototype.

If money was no object, I would choice the lightheart cuben awning for the PCT because it provides more room, better rain protection (think WA end of season), less hassle, and better views for not that much extra weight.

That said, the hexamid is an excellent shelter at a reasonable price given it’s low weight and fuction. It’s certainly possible to weather rain storms in the hexamid, but it will take some care and skill. If I was hiking the PCT this year, I wouldn’t hesitate to you my hexamid.

–Mark

Mark-

Did you celebrate the Super Bowl a little too hard prior to posting that?

Thanks again for the replies.
Hello Roberto, Please do post your trip report / pictures when you get back. The Hexamid is calling me name… BTW MArk The price limit is $350. I cant afford to drop $500 on a tent, money will be tight for the PCT as it is. Thank you for the recommendation tho.
Eugene, how much was it for the bathtub floor and how did you get it? The Hexamid with the bathtub floor instead of the netting would be great.
Thanks again for all the feedback. Anyone else have some solid advice or recommendations? I plan to be sleeping on a Large NeoAir/ Quilt setup.

I think the floor cost $120 when I bought it. I kind of ordered it by text. Joe was very accommodating about helping me place an order for this while I was still on the trail. It was waiting for me when I arrived in Big Bear. So that might be an expensive addition. You probably don't need it. Ideally it would be sewn in so you don't have unnecessary netting below the tub, but that adds expense, and it sounds like the tub is outside of your price range. Maybe you can buy a couple yards of silnylon from Backwoodsdaydreamer and make your own bathtub floor. It would only cost a couple bucks. If you don't need it, you won't be out much money. If you do go this route, you might want to ask Joe to put in the attachment points to better hold up the walls of a bathtub floor.

Thanks for the advice Eugene, I was looking at Zpacks Sight and they have pictures of the cuben ground sheet inside there hexamid solo. I think that would work awesome. All he has is some loops sewn into the corners? If so I could use my GG groundsheet with some string on the four sides.

Good catch on finding that picture. That's great if he's doing that in all his Hexamid's now.

I do have loops on my polycro, but that's because I stake it down so it doesn't blow away while setting up my Hexamid over it…this is my dry weather setup. Because I've never experienced much rain, I'm not sure if having the polycro inside would be keep things dry if there was enough rain to saturate the ground under the shelter. I do use a bivy, so I guess that wouldn't matter, eh?

Joshua,

You may find the following reviews from Bushwalking Australia useful:
http://bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=5810&p=70421
In the second report the user encountered some high winds and rain.

Hope this is of some use to you.

Cheers,
Michael.

I've never been on the PCT.

I just got back from Patagonia today (the "W" and Los Glaciares in Argentina). I also just used the the solo cuben floor for the first time. I have the door as well.

It performed admirably in very windy conditions. Although I've never had horizontal rain, I have never come close to being wet in all night/day standard rain. Especially with the door as added security.

The tent w/full mesh, floor, and door with carbiners etc came in around 14.1 oz. I keep everything attached and just roll it up together. I figured an awesome way to roll it (even in the wind) and it all fits into the provided stuff sack with a bit of room to spare. In other words it packs down really really small.. shorter than a nalgene bottle but about an 2 inches thicker.

I don't skimp on pegs though, especially when I'm far from home and with this tent, so I use 4 MSR groundhogs and 4 easton peg stakes. 4.2 oz.

The cuben/bathtub floor is awesome. For me, it makes the tent so much better. You can probably do the same thing with piece of tyvek for a lot cheaper, but being able to attach the floor to the corners of the tent is key, whatever you use, and for me makes is so much user friendly.

I had the hexamid, but the lightheart certainly peaked my interest. But since I already had the hexamid and the lightheart comes pretty close to $600, I just went ahead and bought the cuben floor and am now very happy. The lightheart is tempting, no doubt about that.

For me, the hexamid has proven to be very reliable in rain, wind and snow (one night of wet heavy snow). It is very comfortable to be in (I'm 5'7-8" 155 lbs).

The only downside I can think of with the hexamid is that it takes a bit of room to pitch because of the guylines. It can be fidgety that way (site selection). To me, that seems to be the advantage of the Lightheart (never seen or used one).

I wouldn't be worried at all about the mesh. BTW the door works great and is easy to take up and down. There is also plenty of room in the tent for one person and gear. I just put my shoes in a plastic bag beside me off the cuben floor but on the mesh right by the trekking pole (dead space anyways).

Tent w/mesh, cuben solo floor, and door:

The small tyvek zpacks sells, folded up:

72"X20" Big Agnes IAC inside:

Can't really see it, but with Cuben Floor. Makes a nice high bathtub. Door folded down, one clip at top to close door. Pretty windy campsite that night.

Door closed:

In snow:

I had the door already, so I didn't go with the beak. I asked Joe and he just told me to keep the door since I already had it. Not sure which is better. Though I like the fact I can access a view from my sleeping bag, and I can adjust the height of the door for better ventilation/view etc.

Hope this helps.

Thanks Scott for the feedback! Would a Tyvek groundsheet hold up as well as the cuben bathtub floor? Also thanks for the link it gives me an idea of what options I need; sounds like if I get the hexamid… the cuben bathtub and the peak are a must.

I used the hexamid duo on the AT for a week. No floor, but a beak and the rear short pole. It has a good method for an accurate quick pitch. The beak is an excellent design. It comes in under the peak and attaches tautly to the lower corners making a nice wind/rain blocker. With pad and bag inside a bivy, the bivy doubles as a floor or gound cover making a dry place to sit or sleep if the ground is wet. Although I was in the woods, not in the open above tree line, the shelter stood up well in the wind and rain. I like it a lot.

Ok Josh, here's what you do. Get the Hexamid with the beak and cuben groundsheet and just ask joe to sew in the ground sheet to the netting. you will save a little weight by getting rid of the extra netting and don't have to worry about snow/mug/twigs getting stuck in the netting.. I believe somebody posted that they had him do this a while back. I doubt he would charge you more than $20 to do the extra sewing.

Hey Scott .. I saw that you had a tyvek groundsheet in the hexamid according to your pictures.. I was curious if you could share how the tyvek bathtub floor did? Also maybee a comparison with the Cuben bathtub floor? Saving $90 worth Tyvek over Cuben?

On a side note… has anyone used a hexamid with the beak? That is the option I am looking at, but maybe the door is the way to go. Thanks for all the advice so far ; it has been most helpful

I will not be using a bivy sack. Can the beak be folded up when not needed?

Have you considered Gossamer Gear, The One? Full bug and ground water protection, proper vestibule, and strong 2 pole set up. By the time you add the beaks and the groundsheet, the weight is close but you have spent a lot of extra cash.

"Can the beak be folded up when not needed?"

Yep – with a small shockcord.

Hey Josh, my major problem was the bathtub shape flopping over. Probably wouldn't bother most, but I kind of like a neat and tidy household. I never tied the tyvek floor up, but with a hole punch and the mini-cord lock/stretchy cord that zpack sells, I'm sure you could have something that functionally works as well as the Cuben floor for a lot less once the corners are tied up.

The Cuben floor is very nice. It sealed my likeability of the hexamid. The solo size is definitely enough space.

I wouldn't worry about the durability of the tyvek. It's pretty solid stuff and nothing duct tape can't fix. The major advantage of the cuben, I think, is it's packability. The weight isn't that much different, depends on whether you think $90 extra is worth a couple of ounces.

The small sized tyvek piece (the one in the picture) once folded up is quite a bit smaller than the solo Cuben tub floor. If I were you, I'd order a piece of tyvek, with the mini-cordlocks, with the Hexamid from Joe and see how it goes. Order the Cuben floor after if you think it's worth it.

About the beak, I believe on the Zpack site, it shows how it rolls up. Joe will also add a zipper for $10 or $20. That way you can pitch one side, fold up the other, etc, kinda like my Tarptent Double Rainbow.

You'll have to double check with Joe, but I believe the beak doesn't completely cover the bottom of the tent. You can completely seal off the bottom of the door/front wall of tent with the door, and fold down/adjust the top of the door which is protected by the tent shape for ventilation etc. Not sure if this makes a functional difference in real use, you'd have to ask Joe.

If there's something you want done, you should discuss it with Joe. He uses his own gear, so he'll tell you whether it's a good idea or not and be straightforward with limitations of his design if you ask.

But like I said, the only disadvantage I can think of thus far with the Hexamid is the large footprint (space needed to pitch), but maybe that can be solved with using guyline tensioners or whatever they're called. Then again, I'm kinda anal so you this may not be an issue with you. It's pretty simple to pitch and take down.

Hope this helps.

The one is spinnaker isn't it? Never used that material, but sounds noisy. I like sleeping under the Cuben and how it doesn't stretch with moisture. I also figure if one pole breaks, I still have a spare… I guess of course, you can always find a stick somewhere.

Spinnaker is noisy when setting it up but once set up, the shelter is very taught. THe fabric will not stretch. Over time, the crinkly noise goes away.

If one trekking pole breaks (not sure how it would unless you are spearing feral pigs) then just use a stick.