HMG Ultamid 2 for Solo in Alaska?

[Brad Rogers]

I currently am using a MLD Solomid XL (old style ~ 2014) in Cuben Fiber as my primary solo shelter and do have the MLD Solomid Innernet with Sil Floor for when I need bug protection.  I bought the shelter for a trip to Brooks Range last year as the mid I was using Golite SL2 (~2009) didn’t have any bug protection and while I normally don’t use any, I wanted netting for Alaska.  Long story short – the Solomid XL performed admirably in Alaska holding up fine in moderate rain and snow, and high winds.  Since then I have used it on a few local trips here in the southeast in good weather, and recently on a week long trip to WRR where we encountered high winds and some light slushy snow.

Climbing Macon Lake Pass it started to snow pretty hard and by the time we got to the down the other side to Macon Lake we had an inch or so of snow on the ground even though it had been warm (~70*F?) earlier in the day, and worse, the lower elevation had turned it into a real slushy wet snow.  When I got to Walshakie Lake I set the Solomid up and tossed my bag inside and sat trying to decide if the weather would pass or not, when I got to thinking in a larger mid, like my Golite SL2, I could sit to one side and set up my sleep system on the other, rather than either being a contortionist inside, or opening up the door and letting the weather in.  Reflecting on that I started to toss around the idea of a larger mid for a return trip to Alaska next year.

That brought me to look at the HMG Ultamid 2 with the possibility of using something like the SMD Serenity net tent to one side as a bug shelter when bug protection is needed.   My questions:  Is the HMG Ultamid 2 overkill for one person?  Does it take up so much space that it makes it a pain to use?  Would the SMD serenity net tent work well for one with it (it appears that it would).   I would use it in Wrangell St Elias NP in Alaska next year, and then in areas such as the Sierras, WRR, etc.

The weight is good, but not great, and although I think the lower weight, waterproofness, and lack of stretch make Cuben worth it,  I still dislike the cost, poor pack ability, and poor snow loading of the material.  I don’t snow camp, but occasionally will get snowed on some during a trip.

My current setup using the Solomid XL

Solomid XL   11.6oz  (I use 2 Trekking poles in an inverted V)

Inner net  12.5oz

Stakes 2.85oz

Total 26.95oz

Estimated setup using Ultamid 2

Ultamid 2 17.6oz (with guylines)

SMD Serenity  11oz

Stakes  4.25oz

Volle Straps  0.95oz (to strap 2 poles together)

Total 33.8oz

 

So overall about 7oz heavier with the net tent and 8 oz heavier without the net tent.  It would also have a larger footprint and take up more pack space than my current setup, however it would be larger and much nicer in nasty, windy, rainy weather.  What are your thoughts?   Is this a worthwhile change or is this going in the wrong direction?

[Philip Tschersich]

I have done all my recent solo trips in a MLD Duomid with a modified Zpacks Hexanet inner. I drop the Hexanet on the ground and use it as a ground cloth when there aren’t insects, or raise it if there are. There is lots of space for me and my crap, and once in an emergency I squeezed 4 people into it for a night. Maybe the Duo isn’t different enough from your Solo XL to bother and you want the extra width of the Ultamid 2. Duo XL?

I’m sure I will get flack for this, but why a HMG ‘mid? A number of my friends have them and I’m not impressed. The caternary cut on the MLD ‘mids leads to better taut pitches and wind shedding in my experience, I don’t like the HMG dual vents or the vent construction, the lower HMG panel edges seem to stretch and get all flappy, and so on. I’m kind of splitting hairs here, but after spending time around the HMG 2 and 4 Ultamids, and owning a Solo-, Duo-, and Super-mid, I’d go MLD no question.

[Brad Rogers]

I am not dead set on a HMG mid, and a Duomid is on my radar, as well as just sticking with the Solomid XL have.  I just wonder about how much if any more usable space it would have.   The Solomid XL was 48″x112″ (I think) and I use it with my trekking poles in an inverted V, which I doubt I would be able to do with the Duomid (maybe with pole extentions – my poles only go to 130cm).  The Duomid is 60″x108″x54″high, so it it’s about a foot wider and higher (though I am not sure what the height of my Solomid XL is) but a bit shorter.

My only thought is it is just so similar to what I already have.

I really appreciate your insight though as you have lots of Alaska experience and I really enjoy your trip report videos.

 

[Justin Baker]

I have no experience with the HMG, but I find the extra roominess of my duomid to be very nice when I actually expect rain. It has plenty of living space, but not too much. I can sit inside with my wet rain gear on without getting my sleeping bag wet. That’s important for exiting and entering your tent with your rain gear on during the night.The trips I do in California that involve significant rain usually don’t involve bugs, so I don’t need a net tent and prefer not having an integrated bathtub floor for moisture management issues.

[Jennifer Mitol]

I agree with checking out the duomid. It certainly is close to what you have, but it has that extra room you’re looking for. Without the inner it’s a palace for one, and even with the solo inner I’m super comfy and even have enough room in the front part to, ahem, pee in there without getting wet if the weather is nasty out.

I’ve spent MANY, MANY hours holed up in my duomid + solo inner and have never once felt too claustrophobic (which I kinda did in my zpacks solplex on occasion). I’m 5’7″, if that matters.

 

 

[Philip Tschersich]

I guess the first thing I would do is play around with ditching the V-pole setup and get a pole link if necessary. That would free up interior space since it’s easy to work around the center pole, but two outboard poles narrows the living space inside the shelter. Start with voile straps as a cheap experiment to make a single offset center pole. If it still seems too tight, look into a Duomid. Having half the shelter as sleeping space and half for gear/organization/changing/cooking is awesome. Just watch the gear swap and pick one up used since you have lots of time. Most of my shelters I got here used. That helps ease the pain of buying cuben. :^)

[Bob Moulder]

Also keep in mind that there is an external apex loop on most (all?) of these mids, so it is possible to run a cord between 2 trees and support it that way.

However, although I have a Duomid I’ve never pitched it in this manner and cannot personally say how welll, or not, it actually works. But quite a few years ago I had a BD Megamid and pitched it many times using the apex loop and it worked fine.

[Brad Rogers]

I will be using this often above tree line.

If I were to use a HMG Ultamid 2 I would probably use a half pyramid solo inner such as the SMD Serenity Net Tent and strapping my two trekking poles using voile straps.

If I were to use a MLD Duomid I would use a solo inner-net and would either angle my pole (with pole jack) or I might try something like the DPTE to open up the inside.

 

[Bob Moulder]

I camped with it only one time using a single-pole arrangement and that was enough to convince me that the inverted V was absolutely the way to go. Since then I have always pitched mine with the inverted V pole arrangement and that works fine.

For this I use REI (Komperdell) PowerLock CF poles (because they are more robust than my MYOG CF poles) and some CF pole jacks.

For pitching on snow, you can modify the pole jacks to permit the use of your pole baskets on the pole jack sections so that they don’t sink in. These photos are of my original aluminum pole jacks, but I have since done something similar with CF, lightening it up quite a bit… those big cotter pins really aren’t necessary. Obviously, tons of room for me and the pooch.

[Sunny Waller]

I had the Ultamid 2 with the Serenity Net Tent and loved it.  The guy lines on the net tent line up perfectly with the tie outs on the tent so I just left the net tent clipped in. This gives you a dry-net enclosed side with a great bathtub floor and a wet gear side- works great in the rain. I used the HMG Ultamid Pole Straps to put my trekking poles together- very easy.  I most loved the 5’4″ height of the tent because I did not have to crawl in and out.  I sold the tent to someone on this site and replaced it with a Zpacks Duplex because that is a more suitable tent for the southeast humidity.

[Jennifer Mitol]

If you use the solo inner net with the duomid you actually don’t have to do the inverted V.  You actually offset the center pole just a bit, and it perfectly aligns with the edge of the inner so it never feels like it’s in the way.

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