Gatewood Cape Taut Pitches

Steve, can you give me an estimate as to the height of pole or long your hiking pole is extended in these photos. Thank, John

John, I don't have my log with me but I believe it was 125cm. I know the pole was angled toward the doorway.

Also, there was a huge rock where the line from the harness line would usually secure. So I added some extension line.

Here is my first field pitch with the cape.

Pretty sure this was a 125cm pole height too but didn't crank the back of the cape as close to the ground and the first set of pictures.

The lower pic looks angled away from the doorway based on the position of the bottom.

Should have clarified. Bottom of the pole angled toward the doorway zipper.

I use a fixed 120cm Gossamer Gear Pole with the Gatewood successfully. I am not ready to use a poncho as my only raingear, but the Gatewood has become my favorite shelter. Check out the Wild Oasis at SMD. It appears to be a Gatewood shelter with mosquito netting and no poncho alternative.

Steve, thanks for the photos. Frank, yes I have been shopping for the WO waiting for one come up for sale but rarely see them. The Capes have been coming up for sale regularly although not too frequently.

John, I should point out that for a bug net I use the BPL headnet along with a lightweight cap. Together they add up to about 2 oz. The nice thing about the BPL headnet is that it can be used outside the tent: i.e. during photography, cooking, hiking, etc.

At first I thought the price of the headnet was high. Then I put it on and found out how superior it is to others I've used. Much more breathable and I can actually see through it while taking pictures. Plus you get two headnets for the price.

I've got no problem with getting my cape taught every night (used it probably 50 nights), but sometimes I face another pitch problem. I'm not sure why, but 75% of the time, the foot corner away from the door makes the tent go "flat" in that area. Makes the whole thing that a lot less interior space in that region. Sometimes, the cape pitches high, like in the posted pictures, but more often, I can't get any elevation out of that area and it flattens out. Any ideas?

All in all, I'm OK with the cape. I don't much like it for rain gear, I get wet through silnylon when it wets out. And it's difficult to pull up the sides because those snaps on the inside are hard to use (this might have been changed). It's pretty marginal as a shelter. And that's perfect, marginal is good enough!

Quoting from Step 4 in the SMD directions: "Set your hiking pole length to 45 inches (42 inches if not using the extenders)"

Jack,

I agree the snaps are way too tight. With wet hands and rain softened fingernails, I had a devil of a time getting them unsnapped from poncho mode to shelter mode. Had to use the file on my knife to pry them apart. Since then I've snapped and unsnapped them a few hundred times and they run easier now.

I don't know why the pitch is so sensitive. Maybe small variations in the position of each stake out point.

But I love the Gatewood as an all purpose minimalist shelter. Has kept me dry through very heavy rain. The top opening is very easy to adjust from inside, from full vent to fully covered depending on changing conditions.
I did have to go back and seam seal the tie outs above my face and ankles a second time. A slow drip came through every couple of minutes in heavy rain until I resealed completely the base of the tie outs.

John, I checked my log and my Leki poles were set to a height of 120cm for the first two pictures.

Measuring the actual height of the poles at this setting comes to about 47.75" (~121.25cm)where the grommet would rest on the pole tip.

>> I agree the snaps are way too tight. With wet hands and rain softened fingernails, I had a devil of a time getting them unsnapped from poncho mode to shelter mode. Had to use the file on my knife to pry them apart. Since then I've snapped and unsnapped them a few hundred times and they run easier now. <<

The origional snaps we used on early production runs of the Gatewood Cape were too large, bulky and difficult to snap and release. We've since gone to a much smaller snap that is much easier to use.

I too am confused as to why some people have difficulty getting a good pitch for the Gatewood Cape. Though sometimes if you set the stakes on either side of the vestibule too tight, it's more difficult to get the canopy down to the rear corners to have the correct slope. Also it's easier to setup the cape correctly with the vesibule closed.

Ron

"Though sometimes if you set the stakes on either side of the vestibule too tight, it's more difficult to get the canopy down to the rear corners to have the correct slope."

That's exactly my issue. And I've got one of the "early production" (ie. imperfect) models. Shucks.

I have long since ditched the snaps while keeping the integrity of everything behind them. At 6’1” tall, I found I don’t need them as the cape does not drag for me. Another bonus was the .6 oz it took off the cape!