Shelter for two… where one is not UL equipped…

Go for a tarptent. if the other person does not trust it, then the REI quarter dome is a pretty good tent that is not too heavy but is going to be close to 70 oz. you can also just make them bring their own shelter…

Big Sky Evolution 2P 2D2V. 49oz.

Ryan, I am in a similar situation. I choose the smallest Black Diamond UL tent which fits me and my partner.

I suggest the BD Lighthouse, 30.8 ft2 at only 51 ounces. Or the smaller Hilight(my choice). If it doesn't work out you can return it for a full refund to REI.

Full disclosure: I'm a tarp person.

I use an 8' x 10' silnylon tarp when I'm backpacking with my son or daughter (late spring to early fall). I pitch it half pyramid style. (With one trekking pole in the middle of one of the 10' sides (about 130 cm) and I usually collapse the other trekking pole to it's minimum – about 45 cm or 18 in – and jamb it aganst the other 10' side to push it out a bit. Sewing a reinforcement about 2' in on one of the 10 sides is what is really neeeded.) Who ever is with me goes to the inside. This has provided enough weather and psychological protection even when my kids were young.

This works for 2 of us with gear (I'm 5' 8" and my son is just an inch or 2 under that) and has worked for 3 people with some of our gear.

I've had to cover my bag a few times with a space blanket to keep the rain off of me so this set up would definitely benefit from a bivy. (Next year's tax return?) But a 12 oz tarp (not counting guy lines and stakes) still makes for a fairly light shelter.

With my kids (and one of their friends) I had the advantage in that they thought this was simply the way it was done. You may need to show an adult a tarp pitched this way and even have the 2 of you get into it for them to see how this would work.

If the idea sharing a tarp doesn't work, any chance of getting your partner to use something like a Gatewood Cape or anything that will lend that closed in feeling?

Then again, you can always tell them that little kids use tarps … ;-) (OK, I'm being mean now.)

Steve

A second vote for Tarptent or Six Moon Designs. My Squall 2 works great with fixed length poles (unless you're short- 120-130 is perfect) and is way more spacious than most 2-person tents.

Both of these brands offer designs that have evolved over years and are very refined. You'll be very happy.

I've owned 4 Tarptents and 1 SMD and they were all superb.

Have fun!
Doug

I'm not sure what tent you have but maybe you could ditch the innertent and just take the fly, works for me and I leave about 2# + at home and get a roomy shelter on trail.

YMMV Eins

i think an 8×10 would work just fine. bivies are unnecessary in properly sized tarps despite popular belief. If they have a full sleeping bag, some strategically hung bug netting will suffice for little bugs. Spraying a little bit of DWR treatment on the ends of the sleeping bag should do well for a bit a spray. just be sure to setup the tarp relatively low if you are in storm conditions. A 10×12 is pretty cavernous if you are concerned with the 8×10 being too small. Good luck!

I will add my vote for an approx 8×10 tarp. I would get one with a catenary cut ridgeline though.

The GG Spinn Twinn fits the bill and weights only 8 oz. It is a superb product. This is the only shelter I have used all season. I have logged a number of strong afternoon/evening T-storms at 11K or higher this year. At 11,000+ feet there are no trees or rocks for protection. I just had the tarp setup on trekking poles.

The Spinn Twinn is adequate coverage for two people even with down bags and no bivies. Yes a bit of spray can come in when the wind blows at bad angle. But it never really amounts to getting the down bags wet. You may have to scoot one direction or the other a bit if the wind decides to blow consistently in one end of the tarp.

I find that I do not need to pitch the tent too low to get adequate protection from even windblown rain. Usually, my partner and I can easily sit side by side in the front section of the tarp. This is great for prepping a meal while it is raining.

Two of my partners (tarp doubters) who both experienced the storms in the Tarp are now tarp converts. Better ventilation, better views, more room, and less claustrophobia than a tent or even a tarptent style shelter. And it is a lot easier and faster to break shelter and get hiking again with a tarp—pack up underneath the tarp and last thing jump out and stash the tarp in an exterior pack pocket. The tarp dries a lot faster than a tent too.

Ryan,
I just noticed your locale.

Since you are in Salt Lake, here is the 8 oz Spinn Twinn in the High Unitas earlier this month. We had T-storms two days running starting at 1p and continuing until after dark.

Awesome area the High Unitas.

Take care -Alan

Ya know,
This is almost why you have to go out a buy a second bivy and maybe even get your friend to go with one of your other bags.

Making the tarp work should be the #1 option.
Telling my friend to suck it up would be #2 but then they learn to never come with you again, (like they don't think your crazy already).

another vote for a tarptent, plus a shout-out for the hex3, which i love.

I don't see where it makes too much of a difference with the shelter unless you are depending on a bivy to supplement a tarp.

You could certainly help them lighten up, but some people might not take to that and want to pack all the "wrong" stuff for whatever rationalization they have cooked up. Starts to look like changing religions doesn't it! And it is a belief system based on certain assumptions about how the universe works. Weird.

A trip to a couple thrift stores could glean enough lightweight clothing to get someone away from jeans and sweatshirts. A Gap windbreaker, some nylon shorts, some running pants and some fleece would do for a summer trip. That's about $20 in a thrift store. We might get lucky and find a decent rain shell. The last one I found was a North Face Hyvent for $5 :) I have enough gear to outfit someone with a lightweight essentials, sleeping bag, and a sleeping pad. My point is that it wouldn't cost a lot to get someone lightened up if gear is the issue, assuming they just have car-camping style gear. It's far more an issue of their attitude — their outdoor "religion."

If they are freaked out by a tarp, then splitting a conventional double-wall tent into two packages is probably the best way to go. That would add 2-3 pounds to my regular base load as I would have to haul the fly and some poles as well as a rain coat.

For these situations, I use my winter tent – a Hilleberg Nammatj 2, but leave the inner tent at home. This results in a cavernous luxury hotel of a shelter, at a still somewhat reasonable weight.

I don't recommend this as the best option, but it's free, and that's good.

Ben, I'm with you on the Hex3. If someone simply must have a "tent" the Hex (or Betamid) type shelters look like a tent but are also a lot like tarps that go to the ground and they are a good compromise on the weight.

Actually, my Hex3 is my 4-season winter shelter.

Another vote for a tarp tent. If you get a tarp tent from Shires, Six Moons or one of the other popular shops you will not be disappointed. They have a high quality, main stream feel which will appeal to the other person in your party. You will also have the advantage of complete bug protection (which might not be an issue where you live in the time you hike, but is the biggest issue for a lot of places in their prime time). There are only a few disadvantages. You could handles these without any problem, but you should be aware before your partner starts whining:

1) Condensation: You know how to handle it, which is to ventilate as much as possible. However, this leads to…
2) Warmth: Double wall tents are a bit warmer and less drafty then single wall tents. Single wall tent users make up for the lack of warmth by adding more warmth to their sleeping bag or clothing. Single wall tent users come out ahead, but your partner may not be used to that. You can either anticipate that need by offering to loan clothes and/or sleeping bag or just deal with the condensation. A couple of very light weight towels will do the trick. One gets saturated and is wrung out repeatedly while the other is only used when you've gotten everything out of the first towel (this is a method for getting yourself bone dry with a couple wash clothes).
3) Portability: Almost all single wall tents (and all tarps) are fixed. Double wall tent users are used to being able to move the tent fairly easily. This probably won't be an issue, but if it is, consider the double rainbow (http://www.tarptent.com/doublerainbow.html).

With a happy attitude and enough flexibility, you will have a convert on your hands. My wife has always had a good attitude, but she wasn't too thrilled (nor was I) when I first tried an alcohol stove back in the day (it was very slow and the conditions were terrible). Now I have a great little alcohol stove that we both love and got a bunch of positive comments when we stayed at a National Park campground in the Canadian Rockies. On one trip, we passed a group of folks on the way out who wondered how we managed to backpack without so much stuff on our backs. Your friend will know how.

Ross:

Thanks for your comments. When you say a tarp tent is "fixed", what do you mean? (I've never used one). Doesn't it stake down the same as a double wall tent? Also, would a larger, roomier tarp tent (i.e. Cloudburst vs. Rainshadow) make a difference on condensation?

What Ross is refering to is a "free-standing" vs "non free-standing" tents. Many 2 pole tents in the typical X-cross configuration, can be picked up and moved after the tent has been set-up. The tent holds together and acts as one unit. It can be re-staked in another location.

Non free-standing tents, can't be picked up once they are set up.

Correct, I meant to say free standing (thanks for the correction Michael).

To answer your other question Ryan, I would imagine that a roomier tarptent, all other things being equal, would have less condensation, but I think the design has more to do with it than anything. I used to own a fairly light single wall tent by Eureka (the name escapes me right now) which happened to be free standing. It had terrible ventilation though and condensation was a problem. The Shires Squall 2 (which I now own) breathes better, is a bit roomier and a lot lighter. I'm sure the big difference in breathing is due more to design than to the size difference (which is minimal). If that is a big concern, you might want to see if someone has asked that question directly (which tarp tent has the least amount of condensation?).