Gatewood Cape v MLD Solomid

Hi Jeff,
Welcome to the community! You very well may have searched, but there is quite a good amount of info on both shelters on this site. I am a gate wood cape user and love it. It's quick, light (18 oz for both cape and serenity net tent) and another 2 oz for 8 stakes. Very nice modular system that allows you to use only net tent or cape if bugs aren't bad. A lot of users recommend using the SMD Lunar instead of gatewood if not planning on using the cape as rain gear. The lunar is 23 oz and already has the sil floor and perimeter netting. That said I use the gatewood in rain and stay bone dry, however condensation has been an issue twice, like many single wall shelters. Another recommendation is pairing the cape with a bivy, which I recently picked up from a myog project from a member here that I'm thrilled with for a great price. I've never used a solo mid but have done an extensive amount of reading on, and cannot find one negative thing said about them. The only repetitive complaint I've heard of with the gatewood is the size, I'm 5'-10" and fits me fine in storm mode, however some people 6'-2" + say that it can start to get cramped.. However a user on here had a brilliant idea to pack an additional trash compactor bad and put over toe box in the event it rests on the wall or even extends past.

Hey Jon,
Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I've researched quite a bit both here and on other sites. Sounds like these two shelters are very well regarded. Doubt I could go wrong with either. I do like the idea of an inner net as an option, but would probably use it primarily without as I'm trying to save as much weight as I can over my TT contrail. Re: set up and footprint, do you find you can pitch the GW cape in a smaller area, as opposed to, say, a larger tarptent or 8 x 10 tarp (my other options). Looking for a smaller footprint as I usually have one or more friends along who also use similiar solo shelters. Finding space to pitch my shelter can sometimes be a challenge. Any more insights would be much appreciated. Thanks again. Your comments are helpful.
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Any Solomid users out there care to comment?

Hi Jeff,
One of my favorite features is the ability to pitch in very tight locations. Since you are a member, I'm sure you've read the review on the Gatewood Cape, as well as the Net Tent, which shows the exact dimensions of each. I've been able to pitch both in a few spots that there is no way I'd every be able to pitch any tent. If the weather is clear, I'll sometimes take only the net tent, and pitch that since the footprint is so small, and it keeps me clear of the bugs. Another pitch I forgot to mention, was posted by another user here, which gives you a ton of extra space http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/reader_tips_pitch_tarp_fewest_stakes_guylines.html. If you can find the right spot for this, this gives you an incredible amount of space for one + gear, while being able to sit up in comfortably.

I use the Gatewood because it doubles as rain gear. It is simple to pitch, using six stakes, one and one pole. The weight saving for a typical 2.5 layer rain jacket is about 12 ounces. I think it makes a great day hiking emergency backup shelter as well as rain gear. The six titanium stakes aren't much for extra gear.

The Wild Oasis is the same size as the Gatewood, but adds insect netting on the bottom and does not have the hood for use as rain gear. The Wild Oasis is the same weight and cost as the Solomid.

I would expect the Solomid to be stronger as it uses two poles to pitch and it from what I can tell, it is larger too.

Looking at the current Contrail, you get the insect protection and floor so an apples and apples comparison brings the weight differences down to a couple ounces. The Gatewood/Oasis design has good storage space, as does the Contrail. I couldn't tell how the Solomid compares on that point, so you might ask questions about that.

If you aren't going to use the tent as rain gear, I would keep the Contrail.

Thanks to everyone who chimed in. Leaning towards the gatewood cape. I like the idea that it seems very similiar in ease of set up/small footprint to the Solomid, but I can get it right away. Have reconsidered using it as rain gear, and actually really like the idea of taking it along for day hikes as rain gear/e-shelter. The weather where I live (Lake Tahoe area) has been most unpredictable and eternally wintry lately. Plus, seems like I can get quickly vs. a long wait time via MLD. Will also probably get the net tent as an option to try out. Thanks again, have learned a lot from this site, may even post a gear list one of these days.