New Cuben Shelter

I hinted at it in an earlier blog about Trail Days 2011 and now I'm happy to report that after 5 months I'm the proud owner of a cuben fiber tent.

Over the last 10 years with a greater focus in the last few, cuben fiber has taken the lightweight backpacking industry by storm. It is essentially a sandwich of mylar (plastic film often used by drafters and others) with Dyneema threads running through it. Dyneema is similar to Kevlar (fibers used in bullet-proof vests) in that both are ultra high molecular-weight polyethylene which have extremely long chains at the molecular level. The longer the chain, the better the load transfer within the fabric. The result is an extremely tough and lightweight material. It is waterproof, low-stretch, and comes in a variety of colors. The one downside - it is extremely costly.

I had been on the lookout for a full cuben fiber shelter to supplement my two other favorite shelters: Gossamer Gear SpinnTwinn Tarp (for non-buggy seasons) and the Z-Packs Hexamid Twin Shelter (for buggy seasons). Both are under 10 ounces and are amazingly spacious. I wanted something a little more robust, something that would be more versatile in bad weather, and something I could likely use year round (including minimal snow situations).

Comparing the few cuben shelters on the market was fairly easy as there weren't many. Options included tarp-like shelters with clip in net inserts and some kind of vestibule which I thought was too finicky and I didn't like crawling on my belly to get in and out. Terra Nova had an interesting option in the Laser Ultra 1, but it was a little too small for my big body and it just wasn't worth being uncomfortable for the money. Six Moon Designs came out with a cuben shelter called the Skyscape X which I mentioned in my Trail Days 2011 blog entry. I personally was not thrilled with the robustness of the roof support, lack of defined bathtub floor, or the fact that the ceiling seemed to dip on my shoes and face despite it being fairly long. As I understand it, there have also been delays with delivery and additional tweaks to the design, specifically reinforcing the seams.

So what did I end up with? Well for me the choice was fairly straightforward as the it was the only option that met all or most of my criteria - the Lightheart Gear SoLong 6 (http://www.lightheartgear.com/). As far as I know, I'm the first owner of the cuben version of this tent.

I wasn't in a huge rush for my tent, so Judy (owner of Lightheart Gear) and I had numerous discussions over the last several months to hammer out details I wanted to change. In fact, customizing the tent exactly as I wanted it was likely one of the most critical factors in who built me a cuben tent. Judy was willing to do just about anything within her skill-set and resources which was tremendously helpful. As a result, custom ridge vents were added. Micro-adjusters were added to the carbon pole corner struts (similar to Tarp Tent). The struts themselves were installed in a more robust manner and different weights of cuben were used. Toggle hardware which holds doors and windows open was improved and made smaller and lighter. The non-entrance side of the tent was given a second zipper to open the whole other side for views and ventilation if needed. Loops were attached to the top of the peak and the interior pole support was velcroed in place to enable me to hang the tent from a tree and retain structure shape if I break a trekking pole or decide not to bring them. I wanted the floor to be white so I could more easily spot things without an abundance of light. I wanted the canopy to be green or some kind of stealth color so I could blend in despite the fact that I like bright colors to help lighten the mood (more and more studies are claiming that bears are attracted to bright colors...consider this fact in your apparel choices). It was also important to me that the seams be taped and I liked the flexibility of using different weights for the canopy and floor.  I've learned to roll the tent in such a way that it is a little bigger than the bag for my SpinnTwinn tarp and smaller than my Six Moon Designs Lunar Duo.

On my scales without a stuff sack or stakes, the tent weighed 21 oz. This is slightly heavier than some of the other cuben shelters I mentioned herein, but this is far bigger, with many more functional frills, and it is sturdy and stable enough for me to feel plenty confident that it will weather a good storm. Most of the weight comes from the cuben floor which wraps up around the corners to form an 8" (!!!) bathtub floor. I have never seen any similar tent offering such great protection from ground water. The exterior canopy hangs over the floor with a significant gap, so ventilation is vastly improved from other designs as air has no choice but to circulate. Consequently, it also came in green...which is exactly what I wanted and especially important if your trail name happens to be Jolly GREEN Giant. A full coverage tent enables me to leave certain things at home, whether it is a bivy or netting, etc. In short, it allows me to leave some gear behind and come out very close to the same weights I'd get if I used a tarp (within 3-5 ounces depending).  This tent is extremely roomy which can't be understated.  I'm 6'5" and I can sit up or lay down and not come close to touching the canopy or sides.  I can easily change my clothes and do just about anything I want which in the past I've reserved for bigger shelters.  It is, by far, the most roomy single-person fully enclosed shelter I've ever been in and pictures don't do the interior space justice.  The space of this tent is a luxury, not something that needs to be squeezed in to conform to some lightweight mantra.

In the end, I got exactly what I wanted - a lightweight shelter with plenty of space and very stable. The more I play with it, the more I like it and the more I appreciate the quality and function. It has quickly become my favorite tent. Now don't get me wrong, it was extremely expensive, more expensive than any shelter I've ever purchased. Fortunately selling off several unused pieces of gear made this purchase possible.

If you're in the market, and especially if you're a bigger than the average person or just want a 1+ shelter option, definitely give the Lightheart Gear SoLong 6 a look. In silnylon, this shelter is an affordable 26 ounces at $275.

World's Lightest 4-Season Tent

Last summer the world's lightest 4-season tent was released to the fan fare of - well, very few. Whether people didn't know it existed or balked at the price tag, either way, I've heard very little chatter about a tent that I think is pretty fascinating.

The "Rocket" by Brooks Range (http://www.brooks-range.com/) is a 1 pound 6 ounce "mountaineering" tent which boasts roughly 25 feet of floor space, a peak height of 38", and a 7 sq/ft vestibule. It is 129" long and has a tapering width of 48" to 38". By sheer numbers alone, this is a pretty respectable size for a tent so spacious that weighs so little.

The Rocket comes with supporting poles, although it can also be set up with trekking poles and an avalanche probe. Why the avalanche probe? Well, it is a 4-season mountaineering tent and it is assumed this is something the user would already be carrying with them anyway. Perhaps overzealous marketing or wishful thinking, but either way it is nice to have options.

So what makes this tent so light? You guessed it - Cuben Fiber, or more specifically "CT3" fabric which is waterproof, extremely light, and very tough.

Despite this being a tent that I'd like to have in my gear closest, I'm like many who are apparently unwilling to dish out the healthy $600 price tag that comes with it. So, it will remain something that I hope will end up on my doorset one day. Donations accepted.

So if you don't have the money to spare and you don't need a full 4-season tent, what other options do you have for a full coverage tent? Well, you could get solid lightweight three-season shelters from many manufacturers. This includes Gossamer Gear (http://www.gossamergear.com/) who offers a solo tent in "The One" ($295/16 oz or the duo "Squall Classic" ($325/21.4 oz). You could try out several great options from Tarp Tent (http://www.tarptent.com/) such as the solo "Sublite" ($179, 19.75 oz), "Contrail" ($199/24.5 oz) or duo "Double Rainbow" ($260/40 oz), "Squall 2" ($230/34 oz), "Rainshadow 2" ($265/40 oz), etc. You could try several offerings from Six Moon Designs (http://www.sixmoondesigns.com/) such as the "Lunar Solo" ($235/23 oz), "Lunar Duo" ($310/39 oz), "Vamp" ($323/28 oz) or "Haven" ($355/36 oz). A smaller manufacturer recently getting some air time as they revamp their design and production process is Lightheart Tents (http://www.lightheartgear.com/) whom I saw at Trail Days two years ago. At $235 for the solo (27 oz) or $295 for the Duo (32 oz), they will no doubt have an impact on the future of lightweight backpacking. Course if you really want to go lightweight and don't mind walls and floors made out of only mosquito netting, you could go to Zpacks (http://www.zpacks.com/) and pick up the Hexamid ($275/8.2 oz) or Hexamid Duo ($345/10.5 oz). The "Fly Creek" series by Big Agnes is also a nice option from a mainstream manufacturer. The solo is $299/30 oz and the Duo is $350/34 oz.

For four-season tents, you'll need to focus on other options such at the Moment ($215/28.5 oz) from Tarp Tent, although I'd put it and the Brooks Range Rocket in the 3+ season category personally. My advice for a genuine 4-season tent is the Stephenson's Warmlite (http://www.warmlite.com/) which are expensive, but are made well, have excellent space-to-weight, and have been around long enough for the best design to rise to the top.

World's Lightest Two-Person Tent

I had been sitting on this for a while and decided finally to mention it principally because I really think Joe with Zpacks.com is really innovative in addition to offering excellent customer service. Having spoken with him numerous times, I can't think of anyone in the lightweight backpacking industry who comes across as more genuine, more concerned, more helpful, and just all all-round good guy. I try to always note impressive accomplishments about people I write about, and I specifically wanted to mention that he is a Triple Crowner which is fanfare I haven't seen him seek.

As I mentioned in an earlier blog, Joe came up with the world's lightest tent which he called the "Hexamid" (8.2oz/$269) and will be debuted in June. If you'd like to see a video on it, check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPa6IisMqKY. Probably no surprise, he decided to offer a two-person version which he is calling the "Hexamid Twin". It comes in at 10.5oz and is estimated at $319. My guess is it will fall shortly after the Hexamid releases as his design becomes finalized. Neither is available on his website yet as these shelters are still in the prototype phase.

Both tents will have a cuben fiber tarp which uses a nanoseeum screen for walls and a floor. Whereas the Hexamid only uses one trekking pole, the Hexamid Twin uses two to help open up the space. It will also require set up with 6 to 8 stakes. Peak height is 47", rear height 30", length 9', width 5.5', and door height 29". If you are on the fence about the durability of silnylon versus synthetic, check out Joe's comparision video at http://www.youtube.com/user/valesko1#p/a/u/1/8gfcuCh7h04 in which he compares 1.3 oz silnylon to .6 oz cuben and 1.5 oz cuben. Joe makes his shelters out of .6 oz cuben and packs out of 1.5 oz cuben. The video really helps explain why cuben is such a great fabric being that it is extremely light, extremely durable, doesn't stretch like silnylon, and is waterproof.

The Warbonnet Blackbird Hammock

This is a gear review I almost hate to write because it is about an absolutely top notch product that I decided to return. Sorry to ruin the suspense. Hopefully this is obvious, but I generally don’t write about hammocking so I hope you read this as a really special item worth the attention.

In the east, hammocking makes a lot of sense because most of our trails have an abundance of trees (and few laws which prohibit hammocking). Most of my time is spent on the Appalachian Trail and anyone who has hiked on the AT will confirm that it is often tough to find a level spot for a tent or tarp because the AT is like a never-ending stairmaster. With this in mind, hammocking offers a legitimate solution to solve this problem.

Several years ago I went through a phase during which I tried out nearly every hammock on the market. My wife still reminds me now of all the money I lost in shipping costs alone. At the time, enough people used a hammock to let my mind wander from the traditional shelter methods and I found the concept of using a hammock to be intriguing. After all, I’d be off the ground and away from the bugs and moisture. Riding out a storm, horizontal rain, and ground water would also be easier to deal with.

The problems with a hammock are fairly obvious. First, they aren’t very spacious when compared to a tent or tarp, they are hugging you 100% of the time, there is very minimal gear storage, they are often heavier than lightweight tent/tarp options, generally hammock users need to be creative to keep themselves warm due to heat loss from the bottom side of the hammock, and lastly, many do require the user to sleep like a banana which isn’t always comfortable.

So I don’t receive nasty-grams by hammockers, yes certain hammocks can compete with lightweight tents and tarps as far as weight is concerned. Those that can are generally meant for summer use only (single layer) and they are often for persons around 150 pounds or lighter (fabric durability). And also yes, hammockers can stay warm by using everything from a closed cell pad, inflatable mattress, or even an underquilt which can be strapped to the bottom of the hammock itself which is plenty effective. And yes again, being bent like a banana can be mitigated to a great extent by lying diagonally or by putting something under the knees. Sag (taughtness) of the ridgeline also plays a role as does personal preference.

Anyway, during my search for a lightweight hammock, I learned several things with the most important being the fact that at 6’6” and 280 pounds, there weren’t very many options. By default, I was either too long to be in the actual sleeping pounch of the hammock and hammocks which could hold me generally needed to be double layered which increased its weight to the point of it no longer being truly lightweight (in my opinion). Generally, double-layered hammocks are either used to support big people like me, for others who wish to use their hammocks in the winter as it gives them a place to store insulation (pad), or by some in jungle climates who are attempting to find greater protection from biting insects who can otherwise bite through one layer.

To make a long story short (something I’m not generally known for), I tried hammocks by Speer, Claytor, Jungle, Jacks R Better, Mosquito, Eagles Nest Outfitters, and Hennessey. Most of these were quite good in quality, but none were comfortable to me. Truthfully, some were flat out annoying. With that, I gave up on any hope to use a hammock and that was that.

This changed in spring 2009 when I met Brandon Waddy of Warbonnet Outdoors (http://warbonnetoutdoors.net/blackbird_h.htm) at Trail Days in Damascus, VA. I had heard about his “Warbonnet Blackbird” hammock as he challenged the typical design of hammocks by integrating an extended piece of fabric to serve as a footbox which effectively allowed the user to stretch out his/her feet almost entirely flat without being bent like a banana. To me, this is a H-U-G-E innovation in hammocking and truly mitigates likely the biggest concern most people have with hammock comfort. One other innovation he included in his product was a little wing on the side which can be effectively used as a gear shelf, again, something no other manufacturers offer. The Blackbird also includes a ridgeline (to ensure the same lay each time and to keep mosquito netting off the user). To date, no one other than Hennessey Hammocks uses a ridgeline because Tom Hennessey, the owner, has a patent on it (amongst other things which is why there has been little innovation in the hammocking industry as a whole). Brandon is challenging the patent in court, so he included it in his design (hopefully this won’t be the wrong decision legally). Like other manufacturers, the Blackbird can also be used as a chair which is a truly wonderful option for use in the backcountry. This alone also made me think twice about a hammock as it sure was a nice thought to be able to sit and rest without getting dirty or needing to carrying a seat pad (or chair for those of you who don’t count ounces).

Meeting Brandon really caused my mind to churn about hammocks again. I wasn’t particularly fond of the weight, which with even a lightweight tarp would be slightly more than my lightest two person tent at around 46 ounces. My theory was that a good night of sleep was worth the extra weight and I had high hopes. With that said, I asked Brandon to build me a Warbonnet Blackbird made of double-layer 1.7 ripstop nylon (31 ounces) as this was really the only option for someone my size. If you were wondering, someone lighter and smaller can get a Blackbird as light as 17 ounces (just the hammock, not including a tarp). A mosquito-proof shelter at 17 ounces with, say a 6 oz Cuben fiber tarp or 9-10 ounce tarp of Spinnaker fabric, would make a nice 23-27 ounce full coverage shelter which makes a lot of sense to someone who enjoys the comfort of a hammock and wants to do it in lightweight style. Heck, that’s plenty light by most shelter standards. In case you were wondering, the lighter version is made of 1.1 ripstop nylon and costs $150 versus $160 for the heavier and double layer that I purchased.

Dealing with Brandon was great and his product reflected impressive craftsmanship and outstanding design. Flatly, it also looked cool which for someone who bears a striking impression to Big Bird (me), I welcomed any help I could get. The hammock was very easy to hang, and really for the first time in my attempt to find a hammock, I found it plenty long enough, plenty wide enough, and extremely comfortable. All-in-all, the look, comfort, and quality were all top notch. I even thought the price was very reasonable compared to other options I saw from other vendors. Basically, I was convinced (and I still am) that it is the best hammock on the market with nothing even close.

Unfortunately, after quite a bit of testing, I just couldn’t get comfortable enough in the hammock to sleep. I could doze off and lounging was great, but as far as legitimate “sleep”, I just couldn’t do it even after trying hard to wear myself out so I had no choice but to sleep. There was always something that bothered me such as the need to put something under my knees and head, and the fact that a minor shift of an arm or leg seemed to cause a ridge in the fabric which made me adjust other things. I just kept adjusting and adjusting and it was all such a fuss that it just didn’t work for me despite it honestly being the best, most comfortable, and most lay-flat hammock I’ve ever tried. I was also surprised to see how much heat was lost through the bottom of the hammock and it made me realize that at temperatures of anything less than about 70 some kind of pad or insulation would be necessary. I think my failure is far more broad than just the Blackbird however, meaning I simply don’t think I’m a “hammocker” because if I was, this would be the one I’d choose and I wouldn't cite the Blackbird as being the issue.

So, for those of you out there in bloggerland who ever thought of giving a hammock a try, I simply can’t say it more concisely or honestly that the Blackbird is the best option I’ve tried. If you choose to go that route, consider a nice tarp by another great cottage industry manufacturer such as Outdoor Equipment Supplier (http://www.outdoorequipmentsupplier.com/) or an underquilt from Jacks R Better (http://www.jacksrbetter.com/) or Te-Wa (http://www.te-waunderquilts.blogspot.com/). Like I said, I can’t say enough nice things about the Blackbird or Brandon and this is one of those backpacking purchases I truly regret not working for me.

(UPDATE (9/24/09) - After returning the Blackbird, I simply couldn't stop thinking about it. I then started thinking that testing a hammock in the humid summers of Virginia when I couldn't sleep on a mattress in college was probably not the best conditions to test the Blackbird. So, I sold a couple backpacks and I purchased it again, this time with the Yeti 3/4 length underquilt also sold by Warbonnet Outdoors. I then added a MacCat Deluxe Spinn UL. So now I have the complete system and only time will tell if it is something I will keep.)

Lightweight Shelters

If you read BACKPACKER magazine, you’re likely convinced that a good lightweight, even ultralight shelter, should weigh between 4-6 pounds. If you then head to your local Walmart or REI, you’ll notice most tents are in this range which clearly means either BACKPACKER doesn’t own an accurate scale, doesn’t know the market, or doesn’t understand the options available to lightweight backpackers. I’m guessing it is a combination of all three. Despite being a subscriber to BACKPACKER and enjoying aspects of it, I’m convinced their editors live in an underground shelter which prohibits them from really knowing the market.

Although there aren’t a ton of lightweight tent options, there are some very good products on the market. Six Moon Designs (http://www.sixmoondesigns.com/), Henry Shire’s Tarp Tent (http://www.tarptent.com/), and products by Oware USA (http://www.owareusa.com/), ) no doubt lead the race for enclosed tent-like structures. Other options, such as those offered by Mountain Laurel Designs (http://www.mountainlaureldesigns/) utilize a tarp with an optional mosquito insert which essentially makes it a tent. Both Backpacking Light (http://www.backpackinglight.com/) and Gossamer Gear (http://www.gossamergear.com/) offer tarps of various configurations and frills. Another industry leader is GoLite (http://www.golite.com/) which offers everything from tents to tarps and everything in between. A couple lesser known, but fully qualified are, and Black Diamond Equipment (http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/). My personal favorite is the Lunar Duo offered by Six Moon Designs, the Alphamid by Oware USA, and tarps such as those offered by Gossamer Gear or Mountain Laurel Designs. There are also other others for shelters in the form of waterproof bivies and vapor barriers such as those offered by Integral Designs, which will be discussed on a later blog.

Tents or shelters made from Cuben fiber seem to be the next generation in going ultralight. Six Moon Designs is one manufacturer already offering a 27 ounce full coverage tent known as the Refuge X (http://www.sixmoondesigns.com/shop/shopexd.asp?id=58). At $400 it isn't cheap, and there are plenty of unanswered questions about long-term durability, but it does provide a niche to those who have the ability to own one. It looks very similar to the Lunar and Lunar Duo models, of which I'm a huge fan, so it will be interesting to see how this tent and others shake out in the future. Oware USA also offers several options with Cuben.

Some very inventive folks use Tyvek, the material commonly used during home construction to wrap a home to aid in weather protection, to make a shelter. I've frequently used it as a ground cloth and it works great. It is very inexpensive, lightweight, and might have a market in the right circles. If you're interested in trying one, just head down to your local hardware store and buy a sheet. If you can figure out how to seal the and fasten joints and get it upright, you might just have a product for market.

Each of these offerings is made lighter through sensible design and lightweight fabrics. Each also uses other gear carried, for example, trekking poles, which serve as the shelter’s support while cutting down weight. When pitches correctly, there is no reason these lightweight shelters can't stand up to the elements as well as other mainstream options.

For the acquired taste, and spine, hammocks may also be a great lightweight shelter option. Some very capable manufacturers include Hennessey Hammocks (http://www.hennesseyhammocks.com/), Jacks R Better (http://www.jacksrbetter.com/), Speer Hammocks (http://www.speerhammocks.com/), Eagles Nest Outfitters (http://www.eaglesnestoutfitters.com/), Jungle Hammock (http://www.junglehammock.com/), Mosquito Hammocks (http://www.mosquitohammocks.com/), and The Travel Hammock (http://www.thetravelhammock.com/). Each system offers a little different variety, different sizes, and other frills, but each is for one occupant only an offers minimal storage. Each hammock can be hung between two trees or other objects regardless of ground conditions and packing is often no bigger than a volleyball. Course, heat loss is a reality with no ground contact and the wind will always be a factor in heat retention. Some manufactures allow for a pad to be slipped into the bottom or even a cocoon-like structure to be tied around the user from the bottom. Unfortunately, with the more options needed to stay warm, the heavier this shelter gets without offering more space or storage to more users.

Much like with any piece of backpacking gear, the choice of which shelter to carry depends on the experience of the user, environmental conditions, and affordability.