He is not taking orders until next month but here is the info. Green will be an option then. I am going to pull the link because he doesn't want people to order. But I will copy the information here. Just don't know how to do pics though.


ZPacks™ "Hexamid" Solo Tent

Description:

The "Hexamid" is a six sided pyramid style tent for a solo hiker. The tent is available in .6 oz/sqyd cuben fiber, or 1.3 oz/sqyd sil-nylon, with or without screen.

* Sets up with just one trekking pole and a minimum of six stakes. Eight stakes are recommended.

* Ample space for one person plus gear. The tent is long enough to fully stretch out your arms and legs, and tall enough to sit upright.

* Great ventilation, and a great view through the large nanoseeum screen entryway. 5" of screen around the perimeter allows air flow.

*

This tent is unique in that it has a fully enclosed nanoseeum screen floor. Why a screen floor?
o It keeps 100% of insects, spiders, ticks, etc OUT!
o The screen floor is lighter than a sewn in floor would be. Use a small, lightweight ground sheet on the inside on top of the screen, just like sleeping under a tarp. Tyvek, or a Gossamer Gear Polycryo ground sheets work great.
o Your separate ground sheet can also be used for sleeping under the stars or in shelters.
o Rain spray or condensation runs right out through the screen floor. You can adjust the position of your ground sheet, or fold up the edges if the wind changes to the wrong direction.

Dimensions: 9 feet long by 4.5 feet wide by 45 inches tall.

Weight:

* Total weight is 8.9 ounces / 252 grams including the tent, seam sealing tape, guy lines, and a stuff sack.
* 100lb Z-Line spectra guy-lines are included. Bright yellow for visibility.
* Cuben shelters come with waterproof seam tape applied to all seams.
* Sil-Nylon shelters include a free tube of SilNet for you to apply.
* A small-plus size stuff sack is included.
* A ground sheet and 8 stakes are not included in the price or weight.

Cuben Fiber Hexamid w/ screen
8.9 oz / $259

Sil-Nylon Hexamid w/ screen
12.1 oz / $209

Cuben Tarp Only (no screen)
3.3 oz / $139

Sil-Nylon Tarp Only (no screen)
6.5 oz / $89

Optional Doorway:
This triangular doorway clips to the tent or tarp at the peak and front corners to block rain spray. To get in or out just unclip the top clip and the door drops to the floor. Three mini-d carabiners (.1 oz each) are included. In my experience however, the door is not necessary- see the review below.
Cuben Doorway
1.4 oz / $49

Sil-Nylon Doorway
2.9 oz / $29

Joe's Review, and questions answered:
In 2009 I tested the cuben fiber hexamid on a full Continental Divide Trail thru-hike. The trip took 154 days traveling roughly 2,651 miles through the rocky mountains. Over the course of the trip the tent went through just about every type of weather, from gusting wind, to rain storms, snow storms, sub freezing temperatures, etc. I hiked the first half of the trip solo, the second half with my significant other, Sheryl. We used the same tent for the whole trip.

Won't I get wet if rain is blowing towards the screen door?
Probably not. Ideally the tent should be pitched with the back or sides into the wind. If rain does start blowing towards the door it is easy enough to just slide your groundsheet to the back. You can use your shoes and water bottles to prop up the edges of your ground sheet to give you even more protection. If you want to play it safe you can add the optional doorway. I carried the doorway on my trip but never needed to put it up while hiking solo.

How durable is the material?
The tent held up really well over my five month trip. I didn't get any punctures or tears, and didn't have to do any repairs. The cuben material feels paper thin and I was careful with it, but I think it is just as durable as silicone nylon would be. Cuben has the advantage that duct tape sticks really well to it so repairs in the field would be a breeze if needed. (Duct tape will not stick to sil-nylon). I would be comfortable using the same tent on a second thru-hike, I would just replace the seam tape since it is getting crispy after five months of sun, etc.

Won't the screen floor wear out quickly?
Surprisingly no! I was careful about picking up sticks and rocks and never got any holes in the floor. Sharp things like needles and thorns that can normally cause holes go right through the screen without doing any damage.

Will the tent fit two people?
The tent is meant for one person. Sheryl joined me for the second half of the thru-hike; with two people the tent was a snug fit, but it worked for us. Most people would want more space I think. You will need the optional doorway, as there is no extra room to avoid rain spray with two people. One nice thing though is we both had room to sit upright and cook outside the front. A twin version of the tent is in the works!

How does the tent do in strong wind?
Reasonably well, about the same as a typical tarp. Whenever possible choose a sheltered location such as under tree cover. If forced to camp in the open position the back or side into the wind and make sure it is staked out well. The cuben material is designed for making sails and can handle the stress of high winds.

Edited by bpeugh on 12/17/2009 11:30:35 MST.

Nice. I think that is the cheapest Cuben Fibre shelter available...no?

I just knew something like this would come out after I spent the $$$ on Gossamer Gear's Squall Classic last spring! I'll wait for Joe's 2-person version, though. (Need the space for my dog!) And probably longer, since I'm actually very satisfied with the Squall Classic at this point. But, once again, a fascinating piece of gear to save my pennies for!

The CDT is, IMHO, a much better place to test tents than the PCT or AT--particularly for those of us who backpack in the Rockies!

The idea of the screen floor is definitely original!

The two person version is just a design concept right now, although it will likely see the light of day soon enough. It will be a foot wider than the current model and will use a second trekking pole. The front will still have the open beak, however. Although I think the solo version will get plenty of attention from UL enthusiasts who are average size, bigger folks or folks with a partner (or dog) will likely need the bigger version as the pitch of the roof slope eats up some of the 9' length and some of the shoulder room.

I'm glad to see Joe's work getting some more attention at BPL. I have a bunch of his stuff and it's all high quality and available at a fair price.

It looks as though there is a 'rain curtain' in the one picture as perhaps, an option.

It's an option, although Joe says it isn't really needed and sent it home while on his thru-hike.

That's what I thought, Jolly Green--my dog (80 lbs.) and I could squeeze into the current single version, but it wouldn't be much different than when I squeezed the two of us into an SMD Lunar solo (except for the lighter weight, of course). Even though I'm only 5'3", I had to be extra careful not to brush my head against the sloping head wall when I sat up. And things were pretty cramped. Of course my 2.5" thick insulated air pad didn't help.

As mentioned, I'm not in any hurry to replace my present tent, but I will definitely keep a close watch on this one! The main reason I use a tent instead of a tarp is to have a bug-free space for both my dog and me during bug season. I really like the looks of this tent!

...and a few pics of the tarp only version:

I really like that design.

Keep it up Joe.

Here is a two person he made for me earlier this year

Sorry wrong pic try this

Edited by billreyn1 on 12/17/2009 13:49:14 MST.

I really really like this!
Definitely going on my wish list.
Hard to tell from the photo, but is there a reinforcement area at the beak for the trekking pole?

There is on mine I am sure it is on the tarp as well.

Brawny tents done in Cuben. Lookin' good.

He uses the heavier cuben for the place where the pole holds up the tarp. I assume it is the same stuff his packs are made of as the tarp itself is much lighter cuben. Where the pole goes through the tent and touches the ground, he uses the lighter stuff which might be a point of stress. Overall, it is a truly minimalist shelter that will excite many BPL visitors. It comes in a sack about the size of a sandwich bag.

So Sam,

This is a Brawny design? It's looks like that to me but I've only seen a Brawny once. One thing I really liked about that design is the ease and simplicity of the set-up.

Gotta admit the idea of a screen floor is kind of a eureka moment. Why not?

Can we get more photos?

He's also making his packs out of Dyneema! I can get a 18 or 26 for a weight similar to a modded or unmodded GoLite Ion. Ah! Choices!

I like the look of this thing, and I'm anxious to see the 2 person model.

I also like the idea of the noseeum floor, but wouldn't it pick up a lot of stickers, etc., when pitched with the groundcloth inside as recommended? And if it does, I'd have the choice of either picking each one out one-by-one (not gonna happen), or of rolling the tent up and packing it away with the stickers still stuck in the floor. Since the floor can't be packed separately from the canopy like a groundcloth could, wouldn't those stickers poke holes in the canopy when I pack the tent away?

Jolly Green Giant--
I'd love to hear more about your opinions on the size for bigger guys - I'm 6'6". If this tarp can fit my length, I'm ordering one. Especially for the buggier summer months. Thanks, UkeleleBill

I'm leaning pretty hard toward the 2 person version. This gives me extra space when solo(6'3" and like a little extra space) and additional space for one of the kids when they join me.

I like the Gossamer Gear Polycryo ground sheet and can rig up a "cheaper door" option this way in the event of inclement weather. Just a thought... Looking forward to additional details.

My ears were burning...

I had one of the prototypes of the Hexamid. It is a truly minimalistic shelter which should excite many on this forum. In fact, I think it will be a huge seller.

For me, however, I had the same problem with it as I do a lot of gear. Despite the fact that it is 9' long, it simply didn't fit me. The slope of the ceiling was always on my feet and was either touching my face or a couple inches from it (this is without a bag/quilt or pad which meant it would have been even worse). To remedy the problem, I needed to slide to the open side to gain some advantage from the pitch. This put me right on the edge of the shelter itself which meant I would need to put all the faith in the world that I wouldn't move around a lot and that the weather would be kind. If there is one thing I can't stand and can't sleep in, it is rain splatter. Overall, it was just too small.

Basically, I’m holding out for the two person version which will be a foot wider and utilize another trekking pole. This configuration should raise the useable area of the pitch enough to get it off my face and feet and make it more useful overall.

So my vote is for big guys to pass on it. I’m 6’6” and 285, so if you’re anywhere close, I’d say it just isn’t the right gear for people our size. That’s not to knock Joe’s product because it is a really unique piece of gear, but just to say that most gear out there isn’t really made for people who can’t work at ceiling fan stores.

i want a pic of some one in it

This is about as close as you're going to get...

Edited by regultr on 12/20/2009 16:08:53 MST.

ohhh it looks soooo good!
now i cant decide if i want a duo mid, solo mid,
or hexa mid!

now i cant decide if i want a duo mid, solo mid, or hexa mid!

Not a bad problem to have, eh?

very true
i laughed so hard when you said that because i almost typed the same exact words :)

I wonder if Joe hasn't switched to building gear full time, seeing how he is adding more products since his return from the CDT. I have been using a cuben tarp he made for me the past 2 seasons, and I must say his workmanship and quality are outstanding. I have no doubt anything he puts out it going to be great.

Thanks for the picture.

It looks like the point of the tent pole is sticking through the noseeum floor. Is there a grommet for the point to keep the pole from poking holes in the net floor?

The Brawny, which had a similar design, had a lot of problems with condensation. What has been your experience in that regard?

This looks like the "Holy Grail". Wow. 9 oz for that! or 3.3 oz for a nice tarp/shelter. Decision decision, but I hope I can get one!

@ Al

The trekking pole handle is inside the tent in a reinforced cup at the peak of the tarp. It then runs through the mosquito netting outside the tent to the ground which negates the need for a grommet. The area where it passes through is nothing more than a small patch of Cuben with a slice in it big enough for the pole to pass through.

Because it has one big window and can be raised up at all sides, the ventilation is top notch.

Keep in mind, the picture above was taken by Joe. The quilt you see, I believe, is one of his homemade versions. It seems to me Joe is somewhere in the ballpark of 5'5"-5'7" (sorry, I can't remember but he is under 6'), so for size references, assume you're looking at a quilt to fit someone that size. He said he could stretch his arms over the top of his head with no problem. For the averaged size person, this might be a great fit for a true UL'er. Keep in mind though, the pitch of the tarp is steep, so it comes down at a hard angle at the corners and doesn't make it useful for heads or feet, but might work fine for gear.

Edited by regultr on 12/21/2009 09:21:44 MST.

I'm curious as to how much room is above one's head, if one is, say 6 feet tall. I have a Cuben Refuge X, which is a fine tent, but because it slopes down quite a bit, there isn't much room above the head. My wife and I decided to stick with our Squall 2 for that reason. I have kept the Refuge X, but only use it for solo trips.

By the way, I like the picture (it helps a lot). What I really like, though, is drawings like this: http://www.tarptent.com/scarp1_2.html

I will set up my tarp version and take a pic of me inside for reference when I have more time, but here is a pic of the tarp in its stuff sack. It's a wee little package. It weighs a lot less than a piano ;)

Can it be set up decently with a fixed length pole (115cm)?

-Barry

I really have not been able to set mine up as of yet... setup instructions for both the tent and the tarp read 'Adjust your trekking pole to about 45" to 46".'

Of course those are the setup instructions that were included with the tarp I received... I cannot say if these are the finished specs and that the shelters are finalized and release ready, as they are not available for sale at this time. So take the above with a grain of salt. But, I am pretty sure that the one I have is the one that will be offered for sale when he starts taking orders.

Folks, I can honestly say that this Hexamid Tarp is very well made... as nice as anything I have received from the other highly respected cottage gear makers... this may even be nicer. I am really impressed, and I think this shelter is gonna drive Joe batty... seeing as he is going to have to make a whoooollllle lot of 'em ;)

Edited by goldenmeanie on 12/21/2009 16:55:01 MST.

Great name for a tent. Amazing that Golite or others hadn't already used it.

http://www.zpacks.com/shelter/hexamid.shtml

Very cool, great images and an even better weight, Oh to have an endless supply of cash :)

This looks very similar to the SMD Oasis sil nylon tent at 13 oz with no floor.

Edited by vaskma on 12/22/2009 07:41:23 MST.

It seems with this design that you would need to be prepared to repitch if it was raining and the wind shifted.

But wouldn't that (needing to repitch when the wind shifts) be the case with any tarp, if one expects it to completely seal out any rain? For example, with a GG spin-twinn, an excellent tarp, the only way to have all four sides sealed to the ground would be to have the tarp right on top of you. With Joe's tarp, the default position is to have just one open side, and that side has a substantial beak.

Edited by swimjay on 12/22/2009 22:48:25 MST.

"This looks very similar to the SMD Oasis sil nylon tent at 13 oz with no floor."

I agree with Mark Vasko above. The SMD Wild Oasis has a longer front "beak" which helps with warmth and wind protection.

(BTW I own a Zpack found it both durable and comfortable to wear with large functional pockets on the hip belt)

Wild Oasis used on the JMT:

Where you see the three tie-outs in a row, I added the middle one. The original needs only six stakes.
Like the Hexamid, pitch the Oasis with opening away from the wind. If the wind changes direction, these shelters are very easy to switch around, as James S. refers to in the post above this one.

Edited by rambler on 12/23/2009 05:38:32 MST.

Hopefully it is functionally longer than the WO - which is too short for longer than 6 footers....

Jolly Green Giant Said- Basically, I’m holding out for the two person version which will be a foot wider and utilize another trekking pole. This configuration should raise the useable area of the pitch enough to get it off my face and feet and make it more useful overall.

I want to like this design/concept and was prepared to pull the trigger"but",the additional trekking pole presents a delimma for me. I "don't" use trekking poles?

I was prepared to utilize an available stick hopefully found at the campsite that is durable,and the right height but finding two without hacking up the forest would be more difficult. My minimalist approach has left me with a conundrum?

I like it simple and adding poles to my gear selection is not something I welcome. I suppose I could carry collapsable poles of some type? I'm going to assume the pole placements are both in the front? I can't wrap my mind around the configuration. Any thoughts or insights??

"I suppose I could carry collapsable poles of some type?"

Just a thought, but perhaps you could order the Lightrek 4s and ask that the cork handles and bottom tip pieces come separate instead of affixed. Then you'd have a very lightweight, but pretty hardy carbon fiber adjustable poles, but still have the other pieces if you ever decided you did want to use trekking poles.

There's probably a less expensive way to achieve the same thing, which I'm sure someone will point out. But I do like the ability to convert the poles to trekking poles if you ever decide to go that way.

I'm still not sure I understand the rationale of having the screen floor on the ground, and then putting your pad on top of that, instead of having your pad beneath the screen floor, with your sleeping bag / quilt on top of the screen. Seems like the pad would protect the screen floor quite a bit.

Maybe it's just because it's hard to get your pad under the floor, and to move it around?

?

I would think it wouldn't matter whether your ground sheet is under the netting or on top of it. It would be a lot harder to move the ground sheet around for varying conditions, such as windblown rain, if it's outside the tent.

For those of us with dogs, though, it would be almost essential to have the ground sheet on top to protect the netting from dog claws. I clip my dog's claws frequently, so I have not had any trouble with their snagging the netting or floor on Tarptents. In a Tarptent, though, he's not actually walking around on the netting as he would be in the Hexamid.

From the original post :
" Rain spray or condensation runs right out through the screen floor. You can adjust the position of your ground sheet, or fold up the edges if the wind changes to the wrong direction."

To me this idea is far from a "Eureka" moment.
This is the way I see it.
For dry still ,weather this will be indeed a very light insect proof solution. However if it rains (not drizzle) you will very likely end up with sprays during the night and a wet dirt-soaked floor to pack up in the morning.
Even on dry ground I would think that the mesh will pick up sand and dirt or forest duff.

Christopher, if you put the groundsheet on the outside, you will end up with water channeled directly towards your sleeping bag,pack,clothing.
I cannot see also how you could move around directly on top of a mesh floor without damaging it.
Franco

Edited by Franco on 12/30/2009 13:33:37 MST.

If I have been hiking in the rain, I'm likely going to have to set up the tent over mud (sometimes politely called wet dirt). A screen floor is going to become packed solid with mud where I lay/crawl on it. Not just a simple shake in the
morning to clean a muddy screen floor. But if I don't clean it it will become stiff when the mud dries.

I agree with Franco. A noseeum tent floor is not a Eureka moment in tent design.

"I cannot see also how you could move around directly on top of a mesh floor without damaging it."

+1

Also - what is the point of the mesh floor? Just run mesh netting around the perimeter and leave it floorless.

That would be a nice option to not have a full netted bottom.
My option would be to have the floorless and the optional front door. It would probably come out to the same weight as the fully enclosed 9 oz weight.


I believe it is more of a matter of having the lightest fully enclosed tent???

Edited by awsorensen on 12/30/2009 15:35:58 MST.

I've been playing with a demo for about six mounts, really good coverage and tucks into tight places when you need it.

Set up on Grass Mountain peak with gust over 50 kts, on a small trail in the brush.

Super fast setup, good coverage with wind taken into account, crazy light.

Another winner from Joe

I can't see him using the mesh just for weight savings as it is usually somewhere between 0.7 and 1 ounce per yard right? With the groundsheet you would have to take, that would probably weigh as much as a silnylon bottom.

Fully enclosed sure is nice in the high density ant hill, mosquito, and fly areas. You don’t have to worry about plugging every gap in your tent. Plus staying with an all mesh bottom should simplify the labor and costs of this tent. I’m not sure how Joe kept it clean after 2600 miles of usage in all types of weather and circumstances.

If you put a flat silnylon floor in that design you will get a very efficient water collector (rain and condensation) .
A "bathtub " will add a lot of complexity and weight.
Franco

"Fully enclosed sure is nice in the high density ant hill, mosquito, and fly areas. You don’t have to worry about plugging every gap in your tent."

So it's an ant barrier but a not a water one....

FWIW, he seems to be taking orders on them now. While there doesn't seem to be a link on his home page (or I just didn't look closely enough), there are 'order' buttons on here: http://www.zpacks.com/shelter/hexamid.shtml

I'll let you know what I think when I get mine ;-)

Hey Doug

Are you getting one with the bugnet?

Jim

I am. I figure if I don't like the net I can cut it off.

Doug - when is the madness going to stop??!??!?? Give your credit card a rest and keep your kid's inheritance intact.

I don't care about my kids' inheritance, but I'm not planning to invest in the immediate future. I have a tent I like (less than a year old) and am not in a hurry to change. I do plan to keep an eye on this one, though. There's a chance I could be tempted when he comes up with the 2-person version. He'll have to beat 25 oz. including the ground sheet, though, and by quite a few ounces!

"Doug - when is the madness going to stop??!??!??"

Yeah, it's a sickness, I know! Lucky for me, no kids!

I was upstairs in my gear room the other day, going through my gear, sorting it out, seeing what I might put up on gear swap, humming a tune while sorting. Then I realized what I was humming --

Never know how much I love you,
Never know how much I care.
When you put your arms around me,
I get a fever that's so hard to bear.

You give me fever ......

I need an intervention...... ;-)

That's hilarious Doug.

...and I keep telling people that 'it' is not about the gear. But at times, I confess, I am fooling myself.

I brought my ZPacks Hexamid tarp along while in Joshua Tree last week. No pics, unfortunately... two photographers camping, and not a camera in sight... anyhow, simple setup. Not even a chance of rain, but I had to at least use it for a night. Winds kicked up in the night, and pitch remained tight. Plenty of room for my 5'10" frame. Great Tarp!

The Serenity Nettent from SMD looks like it could be compatible with the Hexamid. That would add both netting and a bathtub floor.

I would also think that one could shorten the pole height to drop the opening in high winds. It would mean less headroom, but less spray. You could probably drop it without getting out of your bag if you attached a line lock at the top of the beak.

Have any of the prototype testers tried any of these configurations?

"The Serenity Nettent from SMD looks like it could be compatible with the Hexamid. That would add both netting and a bathtub floor.

I would also think that one could shorten the pole height to drop the opening in high winds. It would mean less headroom, but less spray."

I've got an MLD bug bivy, I'll see if that will work. I also bought the optional cuben doors, as a just in case.

A couple of questions about the cuben Hexamid with screen floor, for somebody that has used one.

Where exactly is the screen floor connected to the sides and backof the tent? Is it attached right at the bottom edgeof the sides/back? Or is it attached inset from the lower edges so that that the tent sides form an overhang when stacked out and give you more protection from spatter, drips etc.

Is it easy enough to stake the back and sides all the way down to the ground AND keep the tent taught at the same time. I'm thinking about the possible midnight adjustments when rain rolls in or the wind kicks up. This may be obvious, but I have not had experience with tarps.

How difficult is is to a nice taught pitch on the tent? If is is difficult to completely eliminate slack, then how noisy is the cuben fabric? I am experienced with guying out tents to keep things from flapping around, but the non stretchy Cuben material looks pretty exactly. Do you need stronger stakes

As this tent is so open, what temperature range do you think this tent would be comfortable in Summer and Fall in the Sierras, not much night rain, but a chance of a lot of wind. I have a good pad and warm bag, so I am mostly asking about your comfort of being in a tent that does not look like it will be any warmer inside than outside. I do most of my backpacking in the Sierras, summer and fall. Would you be comfortable in this tent if the temps are in the mid 30's F and there it was windy out?

Due to the open nature of this tent, and the chance of some rain spatter, would it be unadvisable to use a down bag, as down is so hard to dry? My bag is not at all waterproof. If i have to carry too many extra groundclothes (one for the floor, another for the top of the bag) it will eliminate weight savings.

I have not used a tarp or tarptent before but due to some back problems I need to cut drasticalyl cut my gear weight and this looks like an excellant option. I have been packing free standing tents like the Hubba Hubba and REI quarter dome and usually sleep with the door partly open.

Thanks

I don't have the tent version, I have the tarp version... So, I can't answer all of your questions... but..

Tight pitch was easy-peasy with my adjustable Lightrek pole.

If I were to experience a storm/heavy rain, I could just peg the tarp edges to the ground through the line loops... much like Gossamer Gear demonstrates in their tarp/tarptent videos on their site when entering into "storm mode". (cue the music)

I believe from the pics that the mesh is sewn into the end seams of the tarp perimeter, and are not inset. I could be wrong... but it looks as if this is the case.

I just used my tarp in Joshua Tree... lows hit 30... light wind. I was fine. The shelter never faltered, nor made a noise, as the pitch was tight... and stayed so. I did use a bivy. I was excited to test some new gear...

Maybe someone who has used the net version can comment...

"Never know how much I love you,
Never know how much I care.
When you put your arms around me,
I get a fever that's so hard to bear."

Sounds like they've come up with a UL version of those inflatable dolls. ;}

"Sounds like they've come up with a UL version of those inflatable dolls. ;}"

They have. I call her "Neo." She's a cutie!

Shawn-

Mine got shipped today. So I will let you know once I get it.

has anyone heard a possible ETA on the two person version? i can't wait to see the two person shelter...

"They have. I call her "Neo." She's a cutie!"

Does she have a sister? ;)

Neo's sister is called Base Camp. Interested ?
Franco

"Neo's sister is called Base Camp. Interested ?"

Has she been with any other hikers?

Oh dear...
Since I am in deep organic material already..
Let's say that she has a lovely character and possibly a very nice voice...
Franco

Now someone should post something intelligent about this shelter...

I heard they're both air-heads...

For those waiting for info about the two person shelter...

An email to Joe confirmed that a prototype is in the works. He expects more info and pictures to be available in the next month or two.

I for one will try my best to wait patiently until then.

Have you had a chance to see if the MLD Bug Bivy works inside the Hexamid yet?

'Say it ain't so Joe." Two months...that's an eternity knowing it's out there somewhere right now; being tweeked and gawked over while we mere mortals sit on the couch (excuse the pun)and wait.

Help me someone....I NEED INTERVENTION!

couch

Should get my hexamid either tomorrow or Saturday. But I'm off backpacking Sat-Mon, so I won't get a chance to test it til next week.

Thanks! I'm definitely looking forward to the results.

got the hexamid and set it up in the yard after work. Easy setup, I did it in the dark. This is a wonderful piece of kit. I'm taking it out this weekend as a backup (supposed to be staying in shelters). I got the full mesh version.

So while I couldn't stake out the MLD bug bivy, I did slap it inside quickly to see if it would work. The short is answer is yes. The longer answer is not very well. The only tieoff point on the inside of the Hexamid is where your pole handle sits at the apex of the Hexamid. In other words, at the center, near the front of the inside. So this would not be an optimal point to tie off the bug bivy, as the netting would be 'leaning forward' and probably onto to the top of your head instead of 'leaning back' like it would be under an MLD tarp or Patrol Shelter.

Hope that helps.

Hello Doug

I ordered the version without netting. I will attempt to use the SMD bugnet. How did you know about arrival date?
Did Joe notify you ?

Thanks Jim

Thank you Douglas, I appreciate it.

"How did you know about arrival date?"

I got an email when it shipped, and he ships priority, and it was coming from Orlando, so I figured 2 days. I was right! It was waiting for me when I got home today! Just in time for my trip this weekend.

I should add that the mesh, while light, is really a very tight weave, if that makes sense. My yard was damp and had lots of 'yard bits' on it, but none of it stuck to the mesh when I got up after laying down on it for a bit.

While, as I said, I'm supposed to be staying in shelters/cabins this weekend, it's supposed to rain a bit Saturday night (shelter night, Sunday is cabin night), so I might just set up the Hexamid and sleep in it to see how it does in the rain, especially the floor. Depends on how appealing the shelter is by the time we get there, I guess! ;-)

I got mine two days ago with netting. Set it up with weights here in the basement. Who needs stakes?

Looks real solid. Can't wait to test it out.

Doug,

If you wanted Joe to attach hangers for the bug bivy where would you have them placed? The loops on top of the bivy are @ 4 feet apart and the bivy is @20" tall at the head end and maybe 16" at the lower (knee level?) end. Looking at the diagram on the Z-Pack site it looks like there's at least@ 24 inches of height out about 26-28 inches from the peak. Would some sort of clips about 24 to 28 inches down the slope from the peak and centered where there's the most head-room work for hanging the bivy?

Sorry I did a re-write after (or while) you were answering

Edited by obxcola on 01/15/2010 22:54:03 MST.

Hey Cola,

It fit fine, probably a good six inches on either end. But the MLD bug bivy is really made for a tarp -- something with somewhat consistent height -- as there are tieouts on each end so you can suspend it completely off of you. As the hexamid angles down on each side, even if you put a tieout/hanger on each 'side' of the mid (and you'd have to put them on the flat side for best angle, not on a seam), it would be much lower than it should for the bivy to be optimally off you. You'd certainly have the netting above you, but not by much, I don't think.

You could make it work, but it would be a real kludge. I think you'd end up unhappy with that combo in the end.

Had the Hexamid out this past weekend in Shenandoah on about 5-6 inches of snow. Setup was easy (well, except I couldn't see the darned rocks underneath, and there were plenty!). Started raining (steady drizzle) around 4:45 a.m., kept it up all day. I got up around 7, packed up around 7:30. Stayed warm and dry for the 2+ hours it rained. No rain 'in' the shelter. Now, this was not a hard rain, just a steady drizzle. But I (and my bivy) stayed completely dry. I also used the optional doors, which really are a nice touch.

Obviously, I'd prefer my duomid in these conditions (but it hasn't arrived yet!), but it was nice to know that I could use the Hexamid in a pinch, and it's darned lightweight to carry for a pinch (we had planned on sleeping in a shelter Saturday night, but it was full).

Here's a pic of the setup before I went to bed. You can get an idea of the size from my quilt sitting on top of my bivy.

Great pics. Looks long! Perfect for the behemoths here.

Cool shelter. I will call partial B.S. on the youtube video setup since Joe already had the two back corners staked out when he started. That means the tent may have been set up first and then unstaked so it appears easy to set up the first time.

If he had started setup with the two front corners only and then tried to add the front beak tie out, it may be a little more difficult than shown, because you don't have a good "tripod" to hold the tent up, relying instead on pressure of the pole under the beak to keep up the shelter long enough to stake out the front beak. Minor gripe ; ).

Hi John!

Don't know about the video, haven't seen it. But the first time I set up my Hexamid was in my front yard, after dark, by the outside garage light. I followed the directions Joe sent with the Hexamid. Laid it out on the ground. Staked out one front corner. Pulled the other front corner taut, then 'gave back' 7-8" and staked it out. Inserted pole set up to around 46" and staked it/beak out. This held up perfectly as I then went around staking out everything else.

It really was quite easy, and didn't take much time at all (I didn't time it though). The second time I ever set it up was on my Shenandoah trip in the snow, pic above. The hardest part about setting it up then was not being able to see all the rocks under the snow! Other than that, it set up easy.

So, from my perspective, it was quite easy to set up the first time, and then the first time in the field/second time ever. FWIW.

After three set-up tear downs I was able to get the hexamid up as quickly as joe's video without the stakes pre-placed. To get a fully taut pitch I needed to move one of the stakes slightly once I was done with the first pass setup. If I have line locks I wouldn't have needed to move the stakes.

I agree that it would have more convincing if the shelter had been unstaked, but it does go up pretty easily.

--mark

Not sure about the three zip entry in the video. More points of failure? Also not sure of the lack of vestibule space and open side that can't be pitched to the ground in blowing wind.

I can't wait for V.2.

The zipper from the ground up will need to be kept out of the dirt. Entry and exit must be careful since you could stress/rip the sides where zipper begins at beak.

Edited by jshann on 01/19/2010 15:26:34 MST.

Doug,

Was there any issues with the netting floor on the snow? I had heard in the past (about other shelters) that snow will press into the mesh then tear it when you try to put the tent away. IS this a concern or not really?

-Tim

Hi Tim,

I only used it that one night, but it was no concern at all. When I picked it up to pack it, no snow came with it at all. None. I packed it wet, of course, but that's it. The mesh is so tightly woven I wouldn't expect it to, really. But again, I only used it that one night. Not sure how it would do it sustained freezing temps, as we didn't get those.

FWIW, the snow was a slushy snow. Freezing rain to drizzling cold rain for the 2+ hours in the morning.

What I wasn't really expecting (don't know why) was how quickly it dried when I took it out at home and hung it over a railing, still pretty wet. Maybe an hour in the house (no fan on it or anything like that, no heat source near it).

"The zipper from the ground up will need to be kept out of the dirt. Entry and exit must be careful since you could stress/rip the sides where zipper begins at beak."

I didn't find this to be the case. Because of all the netting, it's got quite a bit of 'give.' When I unzipped it fully, I let the netting fall to the inside near the front. I kneeled in the 'entryway' to both set up my bivy/quilt and then retrieve it in the morning, and didn't notice any issues with stress anywhere along the zipper. I guess if you only unzipped one side you'd need to be careful of the other side.

good to know Doug. Is the mesh no-see-um or nano-see-um? I'm sure i could figure this out with some effort, but being lazy.

-Tim

My hexamid arrived this weekend. There were several things that kept me in town for the long weekend, but have had some nice winter rain storms which made backyard testing somewhat interesting. I have a very preliminary Initial Hexamid Review which is still in progress. No doubt more experience will make me realize that I am completely wrong in some areas.

--Mark

Hi Tim,

I wouldn't know one from the other! But from Joe's website: This tent is unique in that it has a fully enclosed .7 oz/sqyd nanoseeum screen floor....

Take care,

Doug

BTW, am ready to order another cuben quilt, a bit larger than the last, to use as an underquilt as its primary purpose! Will email separately.

Nice review. I also brought along a pole tip guard to use where the pole tip meets the netting patch. I'll carry that little bit of weight for the peace of mind!

Tim, it's nanoseeum from the zpacks website. Many fabrics will stick to the snow after you have slept on it and your shelter floor turns partly to ice. I have used neatsheets as a bivy and a AMK thermolite as a groundsheet and both stuck to the floor. They both came off without tearing, but if you pulled it hard it could tear possibly.

"Not sure about the three zip entry in the video. More points of failure? Also not sure of the lack of vestibule space and open side that can't be pitched to the ground in blowing wind."

David,

Understand this is still very much a tarp, not so much a tent (regardless of how it's described). So the lack of vestibule and open side with standard pitch is what you get with tarp camping. That being said, based on the design, I see this as a nice tarp option. For those not interested in the full blown tarp living, the netting offers some level of isolation/protection.

The basic concept is still based around a tarp and thus usage will mimic such. The problem with this design with regards to tarp use is this will offer less pitching options. That being said, I prefer this 3-sided coverage option (how I setup my flat tarps today). I feel in conjunction with a bivy, it offers very good protection for person and gear while remaining relatively simple by design.

I like the hexamid so much, I order one for my up coming trip into the White Mountains in February. Should be a good test of man and gear ;)

Here's my current spinntex flat.

Edited by itbvolks on 01/19/2010 19:09:22 MST.

Hi Eric,

I don't consider it a tarp because it has a floor. Even if a tarp has bug netting around the perimeter or front and rear as in an A-frame configuration, you can still bring wet shoes, pack, gear under the tarp. With the Zpack shelter you will be bringing said gear into your living space. This is a minimalist tarptent in my opinion.

I like it however - just to uncompromised for me.

Personally, I believe I'll be getting the plain tarp version. $139 for a 3.3 oz. cuben tarp is so appealing!

I think Ill be doing the same Chris. A 3.3oz tarp and cuben doors combined with a SMD/MLD innernet should work well.

David,

I guess I would agree with that with a caveat. I guess it's more of a tarptent but after owning a contrail, I'd still consider this MUCH more tarp than tent.

Similarly a duomid/super,solo even without a floor, in my mind are more considered tents then tarps.

I also agree that for 3.3oz for a well engineered cuben tarp for $139, you can't beat it. It's the version I bought.

I'm basing my trip on seeing temps in the 0's or colder, 50+mph winds at a minimum and snowfall that could be feet a day. A tough test for any shelter let alone a tarp.

Edited by itbvolks on 01/19/2010 19:52:45 MST.

"I think Ill be doing the same Chris. A 3.3oz tarp and cuben doors combined with a SMD/MLD innernet should work well."

I assume you mean the bug bivy and not innernet. The innernet wouldn't work at all. And I don't think the bug bivy will work very well either, unless you don't care about hanging the netting off you. From my post earlier in this thread:
So while I couldn't stake out the MLD bug bivy, I did slap it inside quickly to see if it would work. The short is answer is yes. The longer answer is not very well. The only tieoff point on the inside of the Hexamid is where your pole handle sits at the apex of the Hexamid. In other words, at the center, near the front of the inside. So this would not be an optimal point to tie off the bug bivy, as the netting would be 'leaning forward' and probably onto to the top of your head instead of 'leaning back' like it would be under an MLD tarp or Patrol Shelter.

EDIT: The more I think about this, I shouldn't have said that the innernet (solo) wouldn't work at all. It could, I'm sure, but, I believe, not well. The hang point for the inner would be to the front, instead of centered over you, so you'd probably have the back netting of the innernet brushing against you if you were in the 'optimal' sleeping position under the Hexamid. So, like the bug bivy, I think it could work, but it would be a kludge that I think you'd end up being unhappy with.

Edited by idester on 01/19/2010 20:11:09 MST.

Doug,

How's the actual coverage with the "beak"?

Hi Eric!

The beak really allows you to sit 'back' away from the front and get good coverage from the elements on its own. I did use the optional doors, however, on the night I was out in it.

When is more white cuben fiber tarps going to be available? I'd rather have that instead of green.

Doug - Thanks for your insight on the innernet/bug bivy issue. I thought that the inner might be able to be set back a bit more, but it looks like that might not work. I emailed Joe for suggestions to see what he thinks because I am a little up in the air about the mesh floor.

Edited by Slvravn on 01/20/2010 07:39:07 MST.

Doug,

Thanks. Overall I'm impressed with what the hexamid has to offer for such a mimimalistic shelter. I love my tarps but considered a solo-mid from MLD for winter use for coverage reasons and nearly ordered one.

The hexamid I feel is very much a nice option for me as it's mostly tarp but has some what better coverage. I'd think pitched in a "storm" position low to the ground with snow packed around the perimeter, it could be a very viable winter option. The beak also provides a bit of a wind break should the inevitable wind shift occur during the night.

Very cool piece of gear I feel.

....why not just attach the net to this shelter so it's all one piece? In other words, have a slightly larger bug bivy with sil-nylon floor (kinda like the MLD bug Bivy) attached to the underside of Joe's tent. The screen sides would attach to the tent's ceiling. Of course one would somehow have to seal the junction between screen and ceiling.

I like Joe's 3 something oz tent but I'm not keen on the screen floor or the screen attached to the outside. On the other hand, I want complete bug protection yet am not keen on trying to make something like MLD's Bug Bivy fit inside Joe's tarp only version.

> I'd think pitched in a "storm" position low to the ground with
> snow packed around the perimeter, it could be a very viable winter option.

No matter what you do, you have a 20+ inch gap in the front. If you are comfortable using an open tarp in the winter, then the hexamid is a possibility. Personally, I want more protection from my winter/harsh weather shelter. The door does help, but I haven't used it enough to conclude if it's enough or not. After 3.7 nights of trying the hexamid without the door getting increasingly wet, I deployed the door early this morning. It certainly added a good bit of protection. Maybe enough that I would consider it in harsher conditions. More in a few days.

In harsh conditions I want a zone that is mostly dry, where I can move enough to do attend to my camp routine without getting more wet (which includes going in and out of the shelter), and were my items have a chance to dry out a bit. I am not yet sure the hexamid is quite up to that task. If you asked me today, I would without question take our DuoMid on a trip that I expected heavy extended rain or snow.

--Mark

"If you asked me today, I would without question take our DuoMid on a trip that I expected heavy extended rain or snow."

+1. I really like the Hexamid, and have another on order. But for 3-season, really light/fast/long use. I'll use my DuoMid for winter/nasty weather, no doubt about it. I really like the extra, lazy stretching out room it provides! And since I backpack with a generator, there's room for me to set up my HDTV for those long rainy weekends.....

Okay, only kidding about the generator.

But not the TV......;-)

Edited by idester on 01/20/2010 15:14:42 MST.

For me, I've slept in only a bivy in the snow and rain so for me, this still provides more coverage. I'd assume even compared to my flat tarp, this should be an improvement.

I will agree that the duomid is a better full coverage option, one in which I personally wouldn't carry a bivy unless it was suppose to be really nasty. I may still pick up a solomid and test the two against each other. I am really interested to see how the hexamid handles varied weather though.

>>I'll use my modded DuoMid for winter/nasty weather...

Do you mind sharing what mod you made?

Would it not be possible to rig the raingear already being carried as a "splash protector" for wind blown rain? I think that is what I'm going to try if and when I order the Hexamid. Not that the optional "door" is heavy, but hey- I'm carrying rain gear and a length of spectra cord anyway... I'm sure I could have Joe sew in a couple of tiny tie-loops to the inside of the canopy on each side of the net door.

Douglas, or anyone that has used/seen this shelter - do you think that there is anything out there that will work as a simple bug bivy / bug netting? ... Or is a regular bivy zipped up the only thing that will do the job?

If not, do you think it would be possible to sew on some more attachment loops to attach something like the MLD Bug Bivy or perhaps Serenity Shelter?

.

Edited by annapurna on 05/02/2010 07:53:05 MDT.

Ohhh, interesting. Any details on expected weight / price? What will the shape be like?

Thanks!

.

Edited by annapurna on 05/02/2010 07:52:27 MDT.

Thanks Anna. Looking forward to it.

"he is building me a custom removeable inner bug shelter."

This is definitely the way to go. I answered in another thread, I think, that while you could make the MLD bug bivy work, it would be much less than optimal since the only tieoff point 'inside' the Hexamid is not centered overhead, but rather toward the front a bit. And it's somewhat centered on the mid, instead of at one end or the other, which is where you'd want the MLD bivy to hang from. I also felt the slope of the sides would be less than optimal, as the MLD bug bivy is really made for a continuous height (or nearly so) shelter instead of one that angles downward from the center. FWIW.

I'm also very much interested in a removable bug shelter. Hopefully that doesn't add much more weight or bulk.

We had a BPLer's Trip to Point Reyes and Mark Verber brought his Hexamid.

Last night, I posted about 5 or 6 photos of the shelter from all angles.

Think that I have a few more that I can throw up when I get home.

See the photo gallery, top thread.

-Tony

I noticed that Joe updated his website for the hexamid. Now it's going to come with a single zipper running along the top of the door instead of the three that meet at the top, and the seams are not going to be taped. Instead he is sending a tube of Seam Grip so buyers can do it themselves. He also says the seams are all double stitched, which I found surprising for the cuben version.

I just figured out what I am going to do with Joe's Hex Tarp.

Wedding Veil material is just about 0.2 oz/sqyd, comes in every color in the book and is cheap.

I am going to use this for the netting. I have done this before. As long as you sew a double overed strip of cuben around the edges and only attach it with bungees on the corners and small pieces of velrco everywhere else, it works great.
You also have to have some excess around the sides for flex in case it's kicked. Might only add 2 ounces to the tarps weight, (floorless). It is very effective in keeping the bugs out though.

I'll just use a polycyro and 1/8" pad for the floor.

I think Dondo simply used binder clips with his golite poncho?

Bummer on the taped seams. Isn't it true that the tape strengthens the seams ... which is particularly important for Cuben?

I hike in exposed, windy terrain where it rains a lot. The Hexamid isn't really meant for these condition, so why can't i stop looking at it and drooling? :)

I wish there was a way of pitching it 'down to ground' when needed.

> Wedding Veil material is just about 0.2 oz/sqyd, comes in every color in the book and is cheap.

And a LOT more fragile than no-see-um mesh too!
But at that price, maybe it can be replaced regularly.

Cheers

I agree. Wedding veil material is not good for mosquito net purposes.

--B.G.--

And likely useless against noseeum's!

Previous posters are correct: wedding veil material is much, much weaker than noseeum netting. There are, however, many different kinds of it, some of which are much stronger than others. The holes are too big to prevent noseeum entry, but that shouldn't be a problem depending on where you are. The stuff is perfect for a mosquito headnet, which is the least likely thing to get snagged.

I made a cheap net-tent (with a nylon floor) out of the stuff for my family, and it survived 2 weeks of camping without any holes. As long as you're counting on mending, I see no theoretical problem with the proposition. Personally, though, I'd be wary of marrying such a fragile material with a more robust one; for no increase in time, only a little in materials, and a little in weight, you'll get a much more durable end result.

You'd be better off, all things considered, with "funeral" veil material, however, as black is much easier to see through than white.

Andrew, you win the prize for the most puns in a single post for the month so far! Not to mention the potential for allegory.

I too am interested in this material and it may be worthy of another thread, or perhaps two - one being in Chaff : )

Is the black mesh you are referring to Burka veil material? I haven't seen any here locally yet, perhaps more it is more readily available in Europe.

What mosquitoes?

Edited by ben2world on 02/02/2010 01:05:33 MST.

I like the one on the left

Here's a link to a fellow that used polyester chiffon (wedding veil) material for a bug net for his hammock:
http://www.imrisk.com/hammock/ultraquarterweight.htm

There is silk chiffon and gauze available that might work for bug netting:
http://www.dharmatrading.com/html/eng/5175470-AA.shtml?lnav=fabric_silk.html
This is 3mm (I think about 0.72 oz/(sq yd) ), probably not strong.

I think it was just ordinary "chiffon" material, as proposed by previous posters. I just tested it in the shop by seeing how easily it tore. In large panels, it's quite stretchy, and actually less likely to rip, I think.

does anyone have a link to said youtube video of the setup?

mike

do you mean this video??


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPa6IisMqKY&feature=player_embedded

thank you sir.

Hey y'all-

I am excited about this tent!

I am trying to figure out if I should drool over the solo or the twin version. One thing I'm curious about is the difference in the force exerted on tarps/tents depending on surface area. For example, if you took the same tarp design and simply doubled the specs, I would assume that the overall force exerted on the side of the larger one would be larger due to the larger surface area exposed to the wind. I would then assume that you would have to incorporate more strategically placed guy lines to compensate for this and reduce the force on any one spot (I think Dr. RJ talked about this in his advanced tarp camping article way back when). So one concern I have about the Twin version is that, at the moment, the side opposite the entrance looks to me like it would take a lot of abuse in a strong wind.

Thoughts?

All my best,

Jed

"I like the one on the left"

Ankles a bit too thick for me.

Jed, I had the same impression when I looked at the pics of the twin prototype--I am wondering if it won't be poorer at shedding wind and snow than the solo version because the sides are definitely not as steep.

I've decided to reserve judgment until these tents have been in use for a year or so. I really like my Gossamer Gear/Tarptent Squall Classic for my dog and me. I can't afford to keep buying $300+ tents just to save another 11-12 ounces! I'm also concerned about my dog's claws vs. the netting floor.

I was just curious to see if anyone had any new shots of the Hexamid to share. Especially ones depicting its headroom and possibly the optional doors.

Good thing I ordered last week since Joe upped his price and lengthened the delivery!

-Barry