HMG UltaMid 2 first impression and pics

nm

That is a nice looking mid Richard! I'm thinking about buying the S2S duo nano mosquito net for my Hexamid Twin. Is this your first experience with the single and what are your thoughts about it?

So far I am liking it. I was wondering whether it would stay on as I sleep all over the place and figured one of my arms or legs would some how pull it from under my pad but that has not happened (yet?) I found I really like not having to enter/exit through a zippered door to get in bed. I'll be taking it out next weekend to Point Reyes and then off for a week in Yosemite for more testing.

"This is happening increasingly here on BPL. Its really quite simple, you can disagree with an opinion and challenge it politely, but judging the person shouldn't be tolerated. That line gets crossed when you attack the person not their point."

I am 100% with you Derrick and it was my frustration at being insulted and maligned out of the blue that started this whole nonsense.

I promised myself I wouldn't do this and I'm very sorry for dragging this out but I feel obliged to defend myself and set the record straight since many of the original posts have been edited.

Davey, this all started when you accused me of being a "troll". When I went to defend myself I said "don't be an idiot" which I feel was justified! You then went about trolling ME, hijacking other threads to harass me and get back at me like a child. I perhaps unwisely commented here on some similar behaviour directed at someone else, and you again felt the need to chime in and antagonise me. I posted a hotly worded response which I immediately deleted because I decided it was inappropriate (not to mention futile) even though it was fully warranted. You continued to post harassing and insulting comments and pictures etc. even while I was trying to put an end to things.

You may not be an idiot or an asshole normally, but you sure have acted like one towards me. I'm not a troll nor am I "super aggressive". I was trying to defend myself and get you to leave me alone. I come here to share my opinions and participate in discussions amicably and politely and I (perhaps stupidly) expected the same of others. I apologise for calling you an idiot, and to everyone else who had to witness this absurd exchange. I don't expect I will get the same courtesy from you.

And back on topic,
What is the purpose of the "screen flap" (for lack of a cooler technical name)?
Doesn't the cover already protect the screen from precipitation?

Perhaps Ken would cut that off too, after he straightened all the webbing cut ends too.
Thanks,
James

Sounds like a PP.

Hello All,

We appreciate feedback from our customers and gearheads, whether its on BPL or comes to us directly!
In our view, there is always room for improvement and HMG is constantly working to revise and refine our products, designs and manufacturing process. What our customers tell us matters — customer feedback translates directly into product improvements, design changes and sometimes new products. This is one of the great things about doing all of our production in house: we can revise and improve our products in real time. So keep the comments coming!

p.s. The HMG production crew is already all over the webbing concern noted in this thread — its a aesthetic, not a functional concern, but we get it — the details on the appearance count. You've been heard and the result is an improvement in HMG's products!

Hey you all that have bought the UltaMid 2, I have a question for you. I have narrowed my search for a new light weight tent to the Hexamid Long, MLD Duomid, and the HMG Ultamid 2 tarp/tents and have a question regarding the UltaMid 2. With the Duomid the sleeping area is in the back of the tarp and the vestibule area is in the front and when you open the door during rain you would not expose your down sleeping bag to rain, but maybe a little rain in the vestibule area. With the door on the UltaMid 2 moved to the short end of the tarp does this expose the sleeping area to rain if the door is opened? I will be using the UltaMid as a solo hiker. Thanks for your help.

Thanks HMG for taking my comments to heart.

Hey Mike
I will be taking my Ultamid 2 out Sunday and Monday and there is a chance of rain in the forecast, I will let you know how it goes.

Thanks Richard

I don't own the UltaMid (yet) but from one of Richard pics, it seems that if you keep one side of the door staked and only open the other, this should keep most rain from getting into your sleeping area (which would be to one side).

And, FWIW, from the pics it seems it would be pretty easy to rig up a 'room divider' from the center pole to the front door to really keep rain from that side when the door is open.

Quit reading my mind Doug!
I was thinking about rigging my Zpacks Cloudkilt for just that purpose. I think that there is enough protection with the one door closed but we shall see.

No problems with rain getting in using it as a single person shelter and just opening one door side. The rain wasn't a down pour but pretty constant. I did rig up my Zpacks Cloudkilt to shelter the end near the door to see how it would work and it would work great. Tried to take a pic but my camera battery died. It was nice having the extra room when everything is wet.

Looks like a great setup, Richard. It should be able to handle almost anything.

For those interested, I recently purchased the Sea To Summit Nano Duo. The netting with some shockcord and two small mitten hooks weighs 3.8 oz. The collapsible pole that it came with weighs 1.2 oz (I'll probably leave the pole at home). I expect this will give me decent bug protection for a very low weight.

http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Ultralight-Tent-Reviews/Hyperlite-Mountain-Gear-UltaMid-2

I'd be interested to hear your experience with the waterproofness of the zipper over time Richard – this seems like a pretty big oversight to not include a flap over the zipper.

Their's had sloppy work on the tie out too. No bueno on the zipper, lame.

If only the Laufbursche Lavvu was available…better hurry up with the 2. edition HMG!

nm

"Last time I checked, my MLD DuoMid didn't have a storm flap for the zipper either. No issue with the water proof zip there."

Mine did. Had plastic snaps to hold it closed.

Yeah, my duomid and supermid both have a flap over the zipper. I really like the location of the zipper on the smaller panel on the Ultamid but I think I'll wait until it has had a few tweaks before I pull the trigger on such an expensive shelter.

Makes you wonder how something can be designed and tested for over a year and yet things like the storm flap squeak by. Ahh well, they will tweak it and this will only be a memory.

Ryan

I just bought and have received the Ultamid 2. I have not set it up yet, but hope this is a test model defect. I hope it wasn't an oversight in design as it is a serious defect if so.

If it is a defect I am thinking it can be corrected with a cuben flap and 2 way cuben tape the full length of the flap on one side and 2-3 pieces of velcro on the other. Sewing should not be necessary and the fix could be done at home.

I noted there was no flap before I ordered it and assumed the zipper was waterproofresistant. And it does appear to be.

I will update the forum once I get it set up and then out in the rain.

Derrick

Unless I'm having a stroke, the pictures clearly show the UltraMid having a uretek (water resistant) zipper, which is the same decent zip everyone from MSR to MLD uses.

In some cases it's accompanied by a flap (ie. MLD) while other manufacturers don't bother (ie. MSR). IMO a flap over a uretek zipper is a poor idea. Flaps were always a crude way to keep rain out when using a low end non-weather resistant zip (ie. TarpTent). Think of shell jackets: low end shells have poor zippers + flap, while high end ones have good zippers. Somehow in the shelter world flaps have partially stayed around in higher end applications even though manufacturers are using better zippers which keep virtually all the water out. My cuben MLD DuoMid had one but I cut it off. The result is a simpler, lighter doorway that still keeps the rain out and doesn't have a flap constantly snagging in the zip.

No one should be wanting a flap on the HMG UltraMid. What we should be looking for is a zipper garage to guard the top (which appears to be the actual problem in the review), and secondly if you don't trust a uretek zipper to keep the weather out then we should be moving forward towards a fully waterproof zipper (ie. YKK Aquaseal/Vislon #5) rather than backwards to a flap. This is an opportunity for HMG to step up and take the shelter innovation lead. I'm sure you can justify a $20-$30 zipper in a $650 shelter.

+ 1 Dan. Makes sense. And a zipper garage really helps.

How does the Ultamid 2 compare with the closest comparable mids from MLD, Oware, etc. in terms of height, head room and floor space?