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.