2008 Golite Shelters for sale at Campsaver.com.

also a few size/color combos of the Jam2 pack and maybe some jackets (I didn't check many but most I did were "out of stock")

They have them @ backcountrygear.com as well. They have specs posted there that campsaver doesn't have up yet. But campsaver has 20% off til manana.

Edited by HechoEnDetroit on 12/20/2007 12:17:28 MST.

I just haven't been impressed with any of GoLite's shelters -- such as the Trig that's seemingly designed to collect as much rain into the tent as it possibly can -- if you should open up the vents -- even though you pretty much need to with a single wall tent made of non-breathable fabric! And it just seems idiotic (to me anyway) that users should be expected to crawl out of their bag and get out of their tent to open/close/adjust the vents.

For those who want a floor or bug protection, Henry Shires or SMD tarptents will beat the socks off any of Golite's multi-part contraptions in terms of weight, and especially in terms of ease of use.

Now, looking at 2008, I am still underwhelmed. Does Golite design tents in a vacuum? Take a look at their Xanadu 1. It's a single wall tent (with the limitations inherent in single wall tents) -- and yet, it is almost a pound heavier than a "mainstream" two-person, double wall tent such as the Big Agnes Seedhouse 2 SL!

Then, there is the floorless Utopia 1. Not sure why any UL hiker sacrificing floor and bug protection will then go out of his way to acquire a 2 lbs. shelter? Looked another way, if one is going to haul 2 pounds worth of shelter, then one may as well get a tarptent???

Edited by ben2world on 12/20/2007 21:21:57 MST.

I would suspect that the Utopia, with its two pole cross design and multiple guylines would do better in the wind than say, the Rainbow. Are we sure that there is not a mesh screened door? If there is, then the weight isn't too bad (a floor on the Rainbow is only 4-5 ounces for comparison) for a 4 season shelter.

Edited by FamilyGuy on 12/20/2007 13:09:22 MST.

The Rainbow -- without any guylines -- is actually pretty darn robust! It's a wind wall, but the thing just bounces back each time. Have you seen the video clip made by someone pitching his Rainbow right on the Alps? It was pretty amazing.

Does anyone remember the link to the above video clip?

The Lunar Solo makes up for the lack of pole structure with its wind-deflecting hexagonal shape. As long as it's properly staked down, the Lunar can deal with pretty high winds as well -- with no extra weight penalty.

Edited by ben2world on 12/20/2007 13:18:21 MST.

> Does Golite design tents in a vacuum?
One suspects they design their tents for mass market appeal and minimum-cost manufacture - but then, so do most large American tent 'manufacturers'. After all, profit for the shareholders is the name of the game for large companies.

Yeah, that was an 'extreme' comment. Sure, companies design all kinds of tents for all kinds of markets... but I was wondering: when Golite was designing its single-wall Xanadu tent -- didn't they realize that their baby will actually be quite a bit heavier, smaller and more condensation prone than existing double-wall tents? Why go through with something that has so many negatives -- with almost nothing to show in return?

Edited by ben2world on 12/20/2007 13:23:02 MST.

I think they are banking on the 4-season marketing here. The X design can handle alot more snow load than a tarptent.

"I would suspect that the Utopia, with its two pole cross design and multiple guylines would do better in the wind than say, the Rainbow."
---IMO the Utopia 1 looks like an oversized hobby kite. The Rainbow looks like a sleek space ship by comparison.

Edited by HechoEnDetroit on 12/20/2007 13:26:51 MST.

Steve:

Maybe you are right. But would a non-breathable single wall tent with non-closable vents be an optimal choice for a winter tent?

I don't know the specs on the 2008 lineup, but I always assumed that the reason the Hex 3 (now Shangri-La 3) weighed a lot for the space was because of the super-bomber 1.76oz silnylon they use. (And possibly more robust construction?)

Looking at the '08 line, I was struck by how "4-season" some of them look. Specifically the Shangri-La and Utopia lines. The photos make them look like balls-out mountaineering shelters; lighter versions of the Megamid and ID Unishelter. I haven't seen the weights or specs; I am just referring to the pictures.

Dmetri Couponas from Golite seems to have a pretty focused design ethic -- his focus isn't ultraminimalism as many wish it was, but he seems to do what he does for a good reason.

I hope that he won't dilute the GoLite brand with a bunch of Big Agnes knockoffs designed to fatten the bottom line. Like Jeep now selling on-road-only vehicles and Hummer discontinuing the H1, companies tread on thin ice when they stray from what made them great just to boost profits.

"Maybe you are right. But would a non-breathable single wall tent with non-closable vents be an optimal choice for a winter tent?"
---I hear ya. Are you sure that you can't stake at a more extreme angle to shut the vents? Also, the Xanadu is made of EPIC. That might be the only shelter to really do 4 season well.

Here is a table of the weights from the BLP article:

X person-----1-----2-------3-------4-------6------8
Shangri-La-21----29----46.5---55.5---89---104
Utopia-------34----42----49.5
Xanadu------59----70-----83
Valhalla------------82-----95


From:
"GoLite's New Shelter Line for 2008 (Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2007)," by Will Rietveld. BackpackingLight.com (ISSN 1537-0364). http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/golites_new_shelter_line_for_2008_orsm07.html, 2007-08-10 06:12:00-06.

Edited by HechoEnDetroit on 12/20/2007 13:52:07 MST.

My understanding is that the main tent body of the Xanadu (the yellow part) is made with non-breathable silicone ripstop nylon -- and only the vestibule panel (gray part) is breathable, highly rain resistant but not rain-proof Epic. If correct, then the entire Utopia is non-breathable.

For winter, I wouldn't use a shelter built with non-breathable fabric that relies solely on venting to manage condensation. I think that's asking for trouble.

And for 3-season use, where is the Lite in GoLite -- when comparing to the many UL choices -- or even compared to mainstream double wall tents like the Seedhouse SL?

Edited by ben2world on 12/20/2007 13:39:56 MST.

Yea so far I"m not seeing the draw. There are a few tents that interest me marginally (have to see the space in person) but mostly the only exciting thing is the new 20deg quilt plus the packs from last year.

If I'm going to bring a tent it's got to be better than my firstlight and if I'm bringing a floorless shelter for 2+ it's got to be better/lighter than a pyramid (MLD,Oware,etc).

And if they're going to make compromises like using an all non breatheable singlewall tent then it better be *light* to make it worth it.

The Utopia is completely silnylon but the Xanadu and Valhalla are a dif story.

BPL said:
[The The Xanadu and Valhalla are] "a hybrid design, with Epic fabric in the body and SilLite fabric in the vestibules."

Maybe they are winterworthy but IMO too heavy for warm weather.

Edited by HechoEnDetroit on 03/03/2008 19:53:08 MST.

Ben Asked about the Double Rainbow video link, here is the BPL link to the previous thread can be found here

Steve:

Unfortunately, my BPL subscription just expired. My info was originally from here. Now, GoLite itself would be the most authoritative... but their website sucks and is out of date -- another topic for another day.

In any case, wherever the Epic is, my contention is that GoLite tents have simply been underwhelming all along -- and I just don't see the 2008 being any different. A 3 lbs 11 oz. single person Epic tent is not even close to breaking any new ground...

Roger -- thanks for the link! Folks who wish to witness the amazing battle between the Rainbow and the FIERCE Alpine winds should click and download this video.

Edited by ben2world on 12/20/2007 14:02:58 MST.

I wouldn't say these were all created without outside influences:


MSR Twin Peaks (reviewed here YEARS ago)

New for '08 Golite Shangri-La 2

The size, weight, and height are almost identical.

Edited by djohnson on 12/20/2007 14:06:29 MST.

Does anyone know where I can find the specifications for the Utopia 1? Neither CampSaver or Backcountry Limited had the HwWxL listed. Thanks, John