MLD Duomid with Inner Net or MLD Superlight Bivy with full hed net?

This has been my question for the past year! And like you, I hate bugs.

After months of wavering, I just ended up ordering the inner net duo to go with my Duomid . . . and I had been / will continue to use my full net Superlight bivy with the Duomid too.

Inner net Duo (13 oz.): If I bring my wife or my dog or end sharing the Duomid, the inner net duo makes sense, or if I just want to hang out in the tent during the height of bug season I could see myself opting for the extra weight over the Superlight.

Superlight (6 oz.): For the times when I don't care about extra space, I'll grab the Superlight. Still gives full bug protection and is super comfortable but is lighter by 7 oz. compared to the inner net duo. The inner net solo would be less of weight difference but also less of a space difference.

I like having different options based on conditions. If I don't expect wind/rain, I switch out the Duomid for a tarp, GG SpinnTwinn or a borrowed MLD cuben pro solo.

I know this probably isn't what you want to hear, but I'd say get both.

If it were me, I'd probably get the MLD Superlight Bivy, first, because I think it'd be more versatile, but like you said: both have their advantages….

Then again, maybe the inner net would be the better (first) option with summer around the corner… :)

I wish I could've been more helpful, but I'm pretty indecisive myself…

I have a superlight bivy, a minimalist 1, and a golite shangri-la 2 that I have never even used… (though, there will be a time — I'm sure)

Edit: Evan, you beat me to it.

If you are savy with a sewing machine, you could sew yourself a perimeter net, as well as a zippered mesh door. If you were even more savy, you could make the netting removeable by attaching snaps to the netting/door and 'mid. You could then sleep with the Duomid front doors wide open, but sill be bug free and not confined to a bivy

I've got the Inner Net and a Sawatch Bristlecone bivvy.
If the midgies are out in their thousands, i prefer the extra room for my sanity, other times the bivvy is fine.

I've choosen the MLD SuperLight Bivy for versatility too !
I use it alone, under tarp or under duomid.

You can see some pictures here : http://fils-rl.blogspot.com/2011/03/mountain-laurel-designs-superlight-bivy.html

You could buy both, but you'll still be faced with the decision of which to bring on every trip. With that being said, I bought a solo inner (BPWD PyraNet1) even though I originally planned to use my simple bug bivy (similar to OR's bugbivy) with the Duomid.

For trips that I don't expect a lot of bugs, mainly mosquitoes for me, I'll take the bivy. It saves a couple of ounces and allows me to not even worry about finding a "camp site" towards the end of a long day since I can simply throw down the bivy virtually anywhere, weather permitting. If rain is likely then I'll setup the Duomid and the bivy is mainly used as a ground cloth and possibly zipped up for a couple of hours until the mosquitoes go to bed. With a bivy, you get to use the full dimensions of the shelter.

For spring and early summer trips I'll take the inner to give me that sanity barrier of extra space between me and the mosquitoes. I'll also bring the inner if I plan on spending some quality time in camp or doing a base camp style trip.

So I would say, like most other gear choices, it really depends on your expected conditions and your style of trip.

It's somewhat ironic that one of the benefits of the Duomid can cause such a dilemma.

"did most of you go with the netted window or the full bug net head?"

I have the half moon window, but only because I jumped on a good deal… If $$$ hadn't played a part in my decision making, I probably would have chosen the full bug net…

I use a tarp, but I see myself using the BearPaw Wilderness Designs' Minimalist 1 in most situations and using my superlight bivy in more extreme conditions (or if I'm sleeping in a snow shelter)… and in those situations, the full bug net is of less importance because, generally, mosquitoes won't an issue and I'll have the option of unzipping…

Cheers.

David,
I have the solomid in Cuben with the innernet. Good setup but a couple things (remember most of my backpacking is Southeast):

– In the rain your sleeping bag will get wet on entry and exit of the mid. Might not be as big an issue with Duomid.
– I think the innernet works better in the cricket than the solomid I have. Just seems to provide more room with the cricket and sags some with the solomid. Might not be the case with the Duomid.
– Don't have a MLD bivy, but I used a Katabatic Bristlecone last year in the Sierras/JMT under a tarp and it work fantastic.

Decisions, decisions…..

Brad

"I could order both but then I would have to get a loan from Douglas Ide"

Not sure you'd like what I'd want for collateral……

I've got both bivies. I use the half moon window in winter, and when I'm using it instead of the hammock, full net hood in summer. I'm really interested in setting up the cricket inner this weekend – it may just replace the full net hood bivy.

Oh, yeah, in a testament to unbridled optimism, I also have an MLD double wide superlight bivy with dual net windows…..;-)

In a nod to the once-a-fortnight tent vs. tarp/bivy thread, I bought the Superlight bivy with full net hood primarily for bug protection in the summer under a tarp or Duomid, and find it to be the perfect summer bivy, with silky smooth top material and plenty of ventilation with no condensation issues. (Yes, it also protects against rain and spray under the tarp or mid but that is often not even necessary.)

But I am curious to get the inner net and try it out at some point this summer with the Duomid, particularly, as I stated above, for lounge space in high bug season, or to accommodate dog or second person. I'll just have to mentally justify the extra weight somehow . . .

David,

Are you still wavering?

Cheers,
Tyson