New Yama Mountain Gear cuben shelter

I happened to stumble upon this earlier today. Looks pretty close to perfection.

Certainly looks like a great shelter! This might just be my first cuben shelter…. But ill probably hold out for some reviews first, so someone report back when they get one.

That's a nice shelter. I wonder if the netting is sewn to the cuben fly, then taped over?

Ryan

Here second to last listing, and here second listed.

From the website: the floor is sewn to the netting which is sewn to a cuben fiber strip. This strip is then taped to the tarp wall, so no stitching in the cuben wall.

Ahh, thanks Duane.

Ryan

Dug Shelby has it listed in his May 2012 gear list .

The only potential issue I can see with this shelter is condensation, a feature of all single walled shelters. I'm sure it can be managed though. It certainly looks like a nice tight set-up that will be very easy to pitch. Sweet!

Did anyone notice they have the same tent in a full double wall for 2oz. less! only 17oz. and it looks like a few more could be cut if they were willing to do modifications on request.

http://www.yamamountaingear.com/gear-room/complete-shelters/cirriform-dw

The single wall Cirriform looks very much like a Tarptent Contrail would if done in cuben.

Weights that Yama lists don't include stakes so for 6-8 necessary stakes add 1.5 to 2 ounces to listed weight. (I prefer Tarptent's policy of listing weights including stakes and stuff sack (I think Yama did include stuff sack). Tarptent also includes good set of stakes in purchase price, which most vendors don't.)

With stakes it puts Cirriform SW up close to 21 ounces while Contrail is at 24 oz (but Contrail needs seam sealing). That's probably a 3 to 4 ounce real world difference in weight b/w Contrail and Cirriform.

I expect some might judge the weight savings with Cirriform SW to be worth double the cost of Contrail. Others not. I tend to think the comparison makes Contrail look even better than I thought it did.

I wonder what the Cirriform would look like in "storm pitch mode". With Contrail you can pitch with sides down to ground, don't see any pictures like that for Cirriform. There are actually quite a few different pitching options with Contrail, wonder whether cuben version has same flexibility.

Would the contrail be as good a fit for a guy 6'2 with big feet pokin up at the sky? Looks like the Yamas designed the rear end and total length just a bit better for that scenario, but all Ive seen of both are pics and videos.

The Contrail is a minimalist shelter and the weight savings by going to a cuben canopy will not be significant because the Contrail is already so light. At this
'level,' the gains in weight savings will definitely be marginal. To get lighter, you have to pay!

From a cost v.s. weight perspective, the Contrail is hard to beat (the Lunar Solo would be included in this catagory).

Would the contrail be as good a fit for a guy 6'2 …

Using the rear mid strut (as I do) at 6'5" from the mesh door the Contrail is about 20" high 18' or so across.
A bit higher in the center.
That is when set up at my elbow height (45")

(I have to edit to add an image)

It doesn't look like the kind of shelter I'd want to be in on a hot summer night. I'd want to take a knife to the netting so I could get the fly higher to get air flow.

Thanks Travis. Had to order one.

Brad

Haha! Glad I could be of help! Want to order me one? :)

I've actually been looking at the stratiform III because it is aesthetically attractive to me, but have a hard time justifying it since I own a Trailstar and HMG Echo I.

FYI, when my wife ask about the charge I'm blaming you. Wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't bought two Zimmerbuilt packs the last month.

Don't worry about owning a few shelters. Given my 1 and 2 person shelter this will be number 13 (now 3 need to be retired), but that is crazy. I have got to sell a few shelters and packs.

Note to self…make appt with therapist.

Brad

Ah, it's not the owning of multiple shelters that worries me. Its *paying* for them that is troublesome!

@ Brad:

Can you list out your 13 shelters, and your packs too, including day packs? Enquiring minds want to know. :)

@ Ben

What this mind wants to know is how many of Brad's shelter purchases were enabled by you! :)

Black Diamond Lighthouse
Big Agnes Flycreek 2
Tarptent Squall 2 (ready to retire)
Sierra Lightning (first tent, ready to retire)
GG One
MLD Cuben Grace Duo
MLD Solomid Cuben
MLD Cricket Silynlon
MSR Carbon Reflex 1
REI T2
Golite SL1
MLD Trailstar (silnylon)

GG Gorilla pre 2012
GG Gorilla 2012
GG Murmur 2012
GG Mariposa Plus (older)
HMG Windrider
ULA Conduit
Couple old Granite Gears
Old Golite Jam
Old Golite ??

One reason I keep all these is to let people borrow who are I'm trying to get into the backpacking. That being said I need to sale some gear.

Brad

Shelters — a clear progression from solid tents to UL shelter options — esp. cuben!

Ben

Honestly trying to find my way. Lot of trial and error to figure out what I like. It's about balance between weight and what works for me. I've learned it's not all about weight.

Brad

I know… I crave space and that makes it really hard to shave weight. I've tried so many different tents and tarptents — struggling to find the easiest set up that also weighs the lightest but will give me the most space and comfort. Sigh…