Ultralight cuben tent-like-thing?

[pontoon]

So far I've looked at the Zpacks Hexamid Solo Plus, Zpacks Solplex, Zpacks Altaplex, Six Moon Designs Skyskape X, Laurel Mountain Designs Trailstar InnerNet, Trailstar + bivy, A frame cuben tarp + bivy, etc... I'm looking for a cuben fiber option to keep weight down. So far I'm leaning towards the Zpacks Hexamid Solo Plus. Super light and fits two, but one person told me it's finicky to pitch and might not do well above the tree line. Outdoor Gear Lab gave it their editor's choice award, which is their top award.

Things I'd like:

Ability to withstand winds above the treeline and pitch using rocks or stakes. Protection from bugs, protection from rain (must have a bathtub or otherwise waterproof floor). Ideally room for 2 without sacrificing much weight to get the second person in there (using it just for me for now, but I will also want to go backpacking with this and bring my girlfriend).

Anyone have advice on these? Sometimes I feel like the ultralight backpacking crowd is a little too eager to recommend something impractical that works if you're operating under ideal conditions but could easily get one into trouble in a more unpredictable, off the beaten path, mountain environment. At the same time I do want something ultralight, so I'm trying to strike a balance. By the way, I will have trekking poles, so a tent that uses trekking poles to pitch would be ideal.

 

[Justin Crossley]

I have the Hexamid Solo plus, and it is great for one guy. I would only use it for two in an emergency type situation. I use just the tarp without the mesh, and floor. I've had it for a couple years and used it in all kinds of nasty conditions.

 

[pontoon]

Hmm so I could go to the Hexamid two person if I wanted to fit us comfortably, or stick with the Hexamid Solo Plus and just use it by myself. The downsides to the twin are that it takes two poles instead of 1, it's a tiny bit heavier, and it has a bigger footprint so it limits campsite selection a little bit. I also have a Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2 which is a 3 lb tent IIRC. Not super light but not bad when two people are sharing the load.

Have you used the Hexamid in high wind?

 

[luke moffat]

Bearpaw wilderness designs pyratent in cuben is what I use now after using 2-3 off your list above. A full zippered door with full enclosure is reason enough for me

 

[bhylton]

I have the bearpaw wilderness designs luna 4 in sil. i think he makes a good product. im looking at a cuban shelter from him. i would recommend BPWD

 

[pontoon]

Bearpaw looks nice. They have so many options. The pyratent is for two people right? I'm struggling to understand things like what the total weight will be because they don't spell it out super clear. I like the pyranet with the 10 inch sides on it. The diamond tent looks like it'd be great in the wind. It seems like Zpacks is a little lighter overall for some reason. I can't tell for sure... If it was more clear I would be more interested in their stuff.

I'm starting to think that if I try to get a tent that's perfect for both hunting and backpacking with my girlfriend I'll end up having something that's not great at either. Maybe I should just get a Zpacks Hexamid Solo. It's a little cheaper than some options, freakishly light, and it's versatile so that you can save a few ounces if it won't rain. Also I think the detachable bathtub means if it's being set up in the rain the tarp part can go up first to protect the bathtub and keep it dry while you setup the bathtub.

 

[AK Troutbum]

I would look no further than a mid style of shelter. They do extremely well in heavy wind conditions, use a single pole, and are easy to pitch over varying terrain. I've owned several cuben fiber mids including a BPWD, 2-HMG's, and a MLD. In my opinion, there is no question that, the HMG's (Hyper Light Mountain Gear) craftsmanship is superior to all. Bomber, ultralight shelters that excel in most all conditions. From what I understand, Locus Gear also makes a super nice CF mid, but I don't have any experience with their shelters.

 

[mtnkid85]

I have the Hexamid solo plus.

I am 6'1'' and would not want a smaller shelter. Two guys can sit a storm out under it, it would be tight to regularly use it as a two person shelter.
All that said, I am always a little surprised at how big of a footprint it takes up. After you have it all guyed out, you need a pretty large area.

Also it is DELICATE! Do not let it touch anything when setup, the fabric can't run over a tree branch, it can't be able to flap against a rock ect. Abrasion will destroy the cubin fiber.

When your pitching it, it needs to be pitched TIGHT. Take the extra time to get it setup nicely, rearange guys in necessary. The tighter the setup the stronger and quieter it will be. After a little practice I was able to set it up easily and rather quickly.

Wind strength is questionable, I use mine above timberline a lot and a few nights Ive been worried the thing was going to get shredded. The two worst nights, I collapsed the center pole and kinda just wrapped up in the thing until the wind subsided and then put the pole right back up all with out ever getting out of my sleeping bag.

After the above caveats I still love the thing! Crazy light, small package and weather proof enough.

 

[oenanthe]

You're right that the UL crowd are sometimes too focused on weight, as opposed to function.

Have you looked at the Mountain Laurel Design Solomid and Duomid? They are available in Cuben and have a very good reputation as a solid mountain shelter. You can use them as a floorless shelter or add a liner with floor/bug netting. I haven't used the MLD 'mids but have used several other pyramid shelters (in silnylon), and I agree with the guys recommending the pyramids. They're simple and solid.

 

[GotDraw?]

I had BearPaw build my brother and I 11ft long x 10 ft or so wide cuben tarps for our hammocks and configure them with about 16+ guy line tabs so that they could also be used as a tarp tents with trekking poles. **Only thing I would change would be to add beak style doors on both ends so they would be even more bomb proof as tarp tents.

They work very well. Build quality is great. Ship time was FAST for a custom build.

**Make sure they give you a stuff sack that will accommodate guy lines and tensioners that you will add. My stuff sack is a bit small and thus, a PITA to fit my tarp into.

**Would advise having your end product built so that it has line tensioners built into the tent tabs so you can simply thread your stake guy lines through and not mess with adding tensioners.

**make sure the tarp is rigged for trekking poles as vertical tent poles when in that configuration.

JL

 

[luke moffat]

I would look no further than a mid style of shelter. They do extremely well in heavy wind conditions, use a single pole, and are easy to pitch over varying terrain. I've owned several cuben fiber mids including a BPWD, 2-HMG's, and a MLD. In my opinion, there is no question that, the HMG's (Hyper Light Mountain Gear) craftsmanship is superior to all. Bomber, ultralight shelters that excel in most all conditions. From what I understand, Locus Gear also makes a super nice CF mid, but I don't have any experience with their shelters.

Agreed HMG makes some awesome stuff and still want one of their packs for my summer hikes and packraft trips....

That said the Pyratent fit the price point I was looking at at the time for me. Worked well when my bro and I spent a night away from camp and our sleeping bags on a sheep hunt last year.

 

[pontoon]

I looked at HMG. It's so expensive. And not actually hyper light from what I can tell?

 

[tttoadman]

I looked at HMG. It's so expensive. And not actually hyper light from what I can tell?

Look at six moons designs. Very reasonably priced tarps, nests, and tarptents. I had the haven tarp and nest, and found it not to be cost effective when I already have a lightweight tent. I have a Gatewood cape and I just bought a nest for it. The nest will be great for buggy and scouting season. I didn't do well with a bivy. I think I should be able to just drop the netting and have a bathtub floor for late season. Common practice for these small tarps is to put long lines with line locks. You can set up high and really get a lot of room.

Look at the jimmy tarps. I think he has provisions now so you can pin down the ground with a zipper access. He is constantly adding new stuff.

 

[AK Troutbum]

I looked at HMG. It's so expensive. And not actually hyper light from what I can tell?

I agree, it is definitely not cheap but sometimes you do get what you pay for. As far as ultra lightweight, I think it's comparable to pretty much anybody out there that's making cuben fiber shelters. Cuben fiber is cuben fiber (or actually it's now called Dyneema Composite Fabrics or DCF), and although there are different thicknesses of it, most shelter manufactures stick with CF8 or equivalent just for the adequate strength that is needed. My HMG Ultimid 4 weighs 20.8 oz., and this is for a 85 sq. ft. shelter that is 75" tall.