SMD Haven cuben fiber winter worthiness

Hi Don,

I have been using my cuben fiber SMD Haven year round for three years now. With six groundhog stacks pegging it out I have not had any problems with high winds, cold rain, and modest snow. I came to the same conclusion as you — for 3 oz more it is great design and weight for both solo and non-solo trips.

I would think that the Haven with its unsupported ridge should not be regarded as a snow tent if you are expecting serious snow. And you would want to lock it down to the ground like a mid, in which case at least for me at 6′-1″ would not be long enough. But it is an interesting alternative for solo 3-season use.

I added a snow skirt to my CF Haven to keep out spindrift, and more importantly to me, blowing rain which I get a lot of where I go.This allows me to maintain the full interior space of the Haven in bad weather.

I will agree that the Haven is not my choice for serious snow. The unsupported ridge holds up just fine, but the large flat surface over your legs will sag under the weight of a lot of snow unless you keep getting out and knocking it off.

From Outdoor Gear Lab:

“Weather Resistance

Weather resistance, specifically performance in strong wind, is the Haven’s weakest point. The shelter’s steep sides and long foot panel catch more wind than shelters with more sloped sides. Our testers typically pitched the Haven with the shorter, steeper “head” wall into the wind. We found this wall easier to pitch taut than the longer “foot” wall. The Haven does have eight guy out points in addition to the six perimeter stake out points along the bottom. Both the head and foot panel have a guy out point in the center, but the overall geometry, simply put, did not allow us to achieve a taut, wind resistant pitch. On the other hand, the Haven handles rain very well. The tarp can be set up with all of the perimeter walls very close to the ground to eliminate splashback.

The Haven’s relatively flat long wall also makes it ill-suited to snow loading. Unlike most other zippered shelters tested it doesn’t have a mechanism to relieve tension from the vestibule doors, a basic feature found on all other winter storm-worthy shelters, backpacking tents, and four-season tents.”

Hey Everyone!

thanks for the responses. They answered all my questions.

From above

“The Haven’s relatively flat long wall also makes it ill-suited to snow loading. Unlike most other zippered shelters tested it doesn’t have a mechanism to relieve tension from the vestibule doors, a basic feature found on all other winter storm-worthy shelters, backpacking tents, and four-season tents.””

I thought the mechanism to release tension from a snow load on the vestibule of a 4 season tent was the snow shovel.

You bang the walls all night from inside, the snow shovel is very helpful the next morning…

That is the drill. Yes indeed!

“Unlike most other zippered shelters tested it doesn’t have a mechanism to relieve tension from the vestibule doors, a basic feature found on all other winter storm-worthy shelters, backpacking tents, and four-season tents.”

I assume they mean a velcro or buckle to take the load off the end of the zip – something pretty easy to retrofit. Do be careful if you use a buckle.  A tent of mine has a small side release buckle in this role. One stormy night a few drops of water got into the buckle and froze solid trapping me in the tent and unable to have my midnight comfort break. It took a good 10 minutes to clear the problem.

@ Mark F:

…trapping me in the tent and unable to have my midnight comfort break. It took a good 10 minutes to clear the problem…

Did you have to mop the floor afterwards?

;-)

>>“Unlike most other zippered shelters tested it doesn’t have a mechanism to relieve tension from the vestibule doors, a basic feature found on all other winter storm-worthy shelters, backpacking tents, and four-season tents.”

I assume they mean a velcro or buckle to take the load off the end of the zip – something pretty easy to retrofit.

Actually my CF Haven came with velcro tabs at the end of the door zips to relieve tension on the doors. Not sure what tent Alex was testing.

“Actually my CF Haven came with velcro tabs at the end of the door zips to relieve tension on the doors. Not sure what tent Alex was testing.”

Alex did not test that shelter he just posted a link to Outdoor Gear Lab.
They tested the silnylon version as pictured and explained in that link.

Did you have to mop the floor afterwards?

No, but I have a new-found respect for pee bottles.

I actually have a Haven in cuben. I wouldn’t choose it for snow or really strong winds.  Just not enough support for the long roof panel.