Deschutes user question

Hello. I have never locked it down completely tight so I can’t say for sure, but I am pretty certain that if the door is higher it is higher by only very a small amount. Locked down at 6’1″ you might get some condensation touching your face or feet. Nevertheless I like it enough that I am considering a CF version for the non buggy solo trips, or even as an emergency shelter for two.

Good question – I’m also looking to pulling the trigger on either a Deschutes CF or Hexamid. You’re right about there being few pictures of the Deschutes in the field. The 2015 Hexamids now have storm doors so they look like they can be closed up similarly to the Deschutes now. Below are a few webpages with good photos of the Deschutes CF, the first was compared to an old-style Hexamid Solo:

http://popupbackpacker.com/six-moons-designs-deschutes-cf-shelter/
http://alsoutdoorworld.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/six-moon-designs-deschutes-tarp-first.html
http://ontwofeet.co.uk/first-look-smd-deschutes-tarp/

I ended up calling SMD with the question. They said that the side with the door will not reach the ground when pitched low. You can get 5 sides pitched to the ground but the 6th side will be about 8 inches above the ground. Not sure if I want to get it just because when it’s windy and the sites are all dirt grit, dirt and dust gets swept in. It’s not always possible to set up with the a particular side away from the wind because of a tight space or sometimes the wind is blowing around in different directions.

That’s the exact reason I got a Locus Gear Khufu CTF3 instead of the Deschutes.

In Europe it’s not uncommon to spend time on public campsites (wild camping is not allowed in many European countrys) and it’s just weird that people who pass by can look in your living space :)

Cameron,

Do you have any pics of your Deschutes set up? Thanks.

Can you pitch the Locus Gear pyramid all the way to the ground on all four sides?  Because my Duomid’s front door has a few inches of space all the time no matter what….

Jennifer

You can pitch the Locus Gear with about a 1-1.5″ gap on the bottom equally on all 4 sides. You can’t get it completely flush because of the Line Loc 3 adjusters. Scroll toward the bottom of this PAGE and you’ll get an idea of how low you can get it. Kind of a wide shot but you can get an idea.

I’ve used a Duomid but I don’t remember being able to pitch it quite as low even though it also has Line Loc adjusters sewn into the bottom too. Yes? Maybe I’m remembering wrong though. I think the Duomid is great but I went with the Locus Gear because the door is located on the short side so you don’t have to climb over someone when 2 people are using it. Plus it’s slightly lighter. If MLD had an option to put the door on the short side I may have bought one. I asked an MLD and they said no. Also, with the dual pole adapter from LG you can sleep in the middle and it feels even bigger. Less than 3 ounces for the carbon fiber option.

Jennifer

I imagine you could also sew in some grosgrain loops next to the line loc tie outs and use those to pitch it flat to the ground.

So I just received my Deschutes CF. I had them add line locs to the 5 perimeter tie out points. Additional $10. With the included “door” guyline it weighs 7.8 oz.

Here are a couple of pics of it pitched as flush to the ground as possible in a “storm” mode. The beak is about 7.5″ above the ground which I think is more than adequate.

My overall impressions are good but it is smaller than I expected inside even when pitched higher. Not a dealbreaker though. I think I’m going to add a guy line point opposite of the door to provide more interior space. It comes with one at the head and foot. I still need to practice pitching it too I think

It is really, really rare for me to pitch any tarp to the ground. The gap on the bottom is, IMO, one of the advantages of a tarp. I operate in windy, sandy deserts and pitching a tarp close to a sand berm, small hill, rock pile, boulder, etc. mitigates most sand getting into a shelter. Usually wind direction in most deserts is predictable. I don’t use shelters for privacy because I try to hike where there won’t be other people, and usually leave my tarp in my pack unless the weather gets bad.

I really like how easy the Deschutes CF is to get into and out of. The top of the zipper is relatively high off the ground, making entry/exit real easy on my back. Have yet to sleep in the shelter but have set it up many times in the yard. It is a bit close to the toes and nose when pitched low in “storm mode”, but the side panel guyline pullouts do mitigate this fairly well. Pitched 4 or more inches off the ground it feels very roomy. Could definitely fit two people under it if it’s pitched a little higher (without driving rain).

If you are using titanium Shepard hook stakes you can fit them in n the back side of the linelocs to pin tight against the ground.

KT

i never thought of that but I can see how that would work. Personally, I’ve given up on ti Shepard stakes. I’ve bent too many. I love mini groundhogs even at a small weight penalty or msr carbon core stakes but those are pricey. The mini groundhogs are indestructible and weigh .35 oz.