Gossamer Gear – The One?

It was my understanding that it was discontinued due to problems with fabric supply and/or fabric quality. I've had mine for two years now and really enjoy it. I find it easy to get into and out of. It's been in a light rain which it handled nicely. It hasn't seen much wind yet so I can't comment on how it handles strong gusts. Keep an eye on Gossamer Gear since they are redesigning their line of tents. I would love to see a new GG the One tent out in cuben fibre.

Here's mine in action out in the GTW last Sept.

There has been someone from Gossamer Gear at the GGG the last couple of years (Dave in 2012; Grant in 2013). In speaking with them (and I don’t recall all the details), but I know they’ve had a lot of “issues” with the sewing end of things. As I recall, there were issues with quality control and also issues with establishments going “belly up”. It sounded like Gossamer Gear kept having to find a new sewing vendor. Apparently these sewing vendors are fairly small and not well established.

HJ
Adventures In Stoving

I wanted to get a spin twin from them a while ago and emailed them. They said that they were going to find a different fabric cause of supply issues. But that was, I want to say, like 5-6 months ago?(don't quote me) and I keep checking back for new stuff but no dice.

I think good seemstresses(is that a word) are hard to find and very expensive especially in the US. Feathered friends had to outsource some of there garments because of this. Or so they say.

I love GG and will always consider them before making a purchase.

Edit: TYpos so many typos

My first visit to BPL was because I was looking for a GG The One shelter. Now I'm hooked on BPL, but haven't found one of the tents yet. I missed out on one a while back, but hesitated because it had some minor issues. I figured there'd be more, but no dice. I wish I'd bought the other now.

I called GG and was told The One was discontinued because the fabric used was no longer available and they couldn't find a suitable replacement. Something was also mentioned about a redesign, but I figured if it wasn't broke, why fix it? I think GG could sell bunches of the old design. So, I guess the main issue was the fabric. I also think GG lost some customers because of this issue.

I'm still looking for a used ONE in good shape.

{starts slow chant}

cuben,cuben,Cuben,CUben,CUBen,CUBEn,CUBEN!

But Only so maybe some current owners would sell their spinnaker versions. I'm not ready to pay the cuben price just yet!

As of late September 2012: I spoke with Grant at the ALDHA meeting. He says that spinnaker fabric is definitely dead and that they are investigating several new fabrics. There are also continuing issues with sewing, as mentioned above. I later read that they have been looking at Mexico for the sewing.

I was originally thinking of selling my Squall Classic tent, but now I'm going to hang on to it. Discontinued model, discontinued fabric, it can only increase in value! I also haven't had enough outings in my ZPacks Hexamid Twin to know if it will become my "go to" tent. I love the lightness, but I'm not sure I want to be dressing/undressing in a transparent tent! Of course with my age and figure, the sight would be horrifying, not titillating!

Could you post some photos? Of your shelter I mean. ;)

HJ
Adventures In Stoving

I bought The One in the winter of 2008/09 and used it maybe fifty/sixty nights since then. It is light, spacious and a very good piece of equipment. Setting up is a bit tricky the first few times out. Condensation was a minor issue maybe two/three times, but all outings were in the "dry" Sierras. My seam sealed The One, including the Gossamer Gear stuff sack, Gossamer Gear polycryo ground sheet and eight tent stakes (two Easton 6" and six Gossamer Gear 6" sheppard hook titanium stakes in a Zpacks cuben tent stake bag weighs 21.62 oz. Palace for one person; has vestible for gear, etc.

I like my 2010 "The One" as well, more than my hexamid.

They are working on a new version currently. It will have improvements supposedly , but it wont be as light as the previous One. Maybe it will be "The One-point three."

"Maybe it will be "The One-point three.""

Or The One 2

Spent a night in Maine with 35-45 mph winds and rain. It held up quite well and no leaks.

A new version, but not as light, kinda defeats the purpose of the whole 1 lb concept, don't you think? I know it does for me. I guess I'll just do with my Contrail until I find a used one.

Jim,
They moved the sewing to Mexico, at least for the packs.

Everyone had pretty much filled in the story for you. We have tweaked the One, making it a lot easier to set up, and lowering the vestibule a little. Fabric has been an issue, we have not yet found a replacement for the spinnaker with the same weight and any reliable quality control in terms of water resistance. We have found a fabric that is twice as waterproof as silnylon, but only a little lighter. We plan to bring the One back first in that fabric, which will probably make it about 25% heavier unfortunately. We have some prototypes in Cuben, including the Naked One, floorless with a mesh skirt, but have not found a reliable production facility for Cuben. ZPacks Hexamid is a nice little shelter, I'm just off four days on the AT with a group that included two of them. I was testing a new shelter design, a double-wall cuben shelter at 13 oz. Both the people with the Hexamids liked them, and they performed well in a thunderstorm we had.

Whos this^^^ guy that thinks he knows everything about gossamer gear??????????jk

Good to hear shelters are going to start trickling out soon.

Hikin' Jim

Here are some photos for you of mine. Anyone that wants it can pry it from my cold dead hands:

HTH

KJ