So I saw this link on another thread, but it didn't garner much attention. Does anybody know anything about this company? The shelters look kinda cool.

http://lightheartgear.com/photos.html

The owner is active on whiteblaze. I used a thread there to ask what type of mesh she uses. Noseeum.

I agree though. The 1 person shelter looks nice. The 2 person shelter looks even better and HUGE.

I'm really interested on first-hand account of these shelters. I really like their aesthetics, and could possibly be a good contender with the regular popular shelters here on BPL.

The ghost of Kurt Russell's Wanderlust tent is haunting us again...

I suspect this is something before my time here....

Ben, could you expand on that? Is this a good thing or bad thing?

Edited by T.L. on 02/19/2010 23:13:37 MST.

Travis:

Wanderlust Gear came out with beautiful tarptents a few years back and Kurt Russell the owner was the darling of the UL community. Things went well for a while -- until Kurt disappeared suddenly and completely from the scene -- about 4 or 5 years ago -- apparently taking some people's tent deposits with him.

Kind of like the forerunner of Bob Molen. OK, that's probably not fair -- Bob may be 2 years behind in delivery but he eventually delivers (or refunds).

Click HERE for more on the defunct Wanderlust Gear.

So, we're looking at a good design, just a questionable former maker. Seeing it with a fresh perspective, I think I want to keep tabs on this shelter.

Speaking of close association, check this out (scroll down about 7/8th of the way until you see the tent)!

Ask some AT thru-hikers. Supposedly this shelter is somewhat popular among that group.

Ya, maybe....I just don't like the Whiteblaze forums. Weird format...

This was from the comments section on your link, Ben.

"I will soon have tent poles available for those that don’t use trekking poles. Bikers, kayakers, as well as hikers.
Thanks for writing this entry about my tent – and yes, it was modeled after the Nomad"

I knew it! :)

Great to see a good design "resurrected". I wish Lightheart every success!

The Wanderlust Nomad was THE forerunner to tarp tents, way before TarpTents and right about the time when Ray Jardine was becoming so popular. A lot of people used it for their thru-hikes, but because information was still very sketchy about going UL there were lots of doubts about its viability as a proper shelter. But people swore by them. I often thought of getting one at the time, but because I was very new to UL then just didn't trust it would do what I needed it to do, so I never got one. This was around seven years ago.

Here are so old photos I stashed away:











Kurt also made a floorless, 2-person version called the "2-4-2









I don'r know. Is it just me, or is there something uncannily similar to Franco with the guy in the pictures???

Thanks for the walk down Memory Lane -- great pics, aren't them? Yes, that's 'Franco' -- without his hot pink, lady's model Thermarest Prolite sleeping pad. :)

I wasn't gonna say anything........; )

There is a strong clue in those shots that clearly disassociates me from it. And that is the pole. If it isn't Black Diamond it isn't me...
Seriously I liked that design, the Nomad in particular . The main problem with Kurt, I think , was that he did all of the work and I assume that it was not enough to employ someone else but too much at times for one person. I would like to find out what happened to him...
Franco
BTW, it takes a man sure of himself to use a pink mat. (or one that is 5'7"...)

Edited by Franco on 02/20/2010 01:42:33 MST.

So Franco,
Is this something to keep an eye on, in you're shelter-trained opinion? Does this design have inherent drawbacks and advantages?

Travis
If I get the time I will make a "floor plan" tomorrow to confirm the specs

Just at a glance..

Good bits
Long and large. No height limit that I can see.
Light for a double wall of that size
Should handle wind and light snow fairly well
Bug net (tent only) set up

Not so good
Very large foot print (133" L, 97"W)
(the SMD LS is 100"x91" , the TT Rainbow 102"x46")
No real vestibule
No rain protected entry
Inner (tent) first set up only ? ( not sure if it can be integral (inner and fly together) )
No apex vents (that I can see...) so expect lots of condensation in the rain.

Looks to me a nice shelter for buggy but not rain prone (prolonged rain...) areas. (if privacy is not a priority)
Franco

(Posting this again since half of the post disappeared into thin air last time. Hope it works this time. By the way, how can one control images that BPL has on its database, but that I can no longer access?)

Not so good
Very large foot print (133” L, 97”W )
(the SMD LS is 100” x91” , the TT Rainbow 102”x46”

Is this for the Wanderlust Nomad or the 2-4-2? If you look at the first photo in the previous post the Nomad surely doesn’t look to be 97” wide.



As for length, I think a lot of the footprint is offset by there being no extra length of guyline at the ends, which SMD LS and the TT Rainbow do have.

No real vestibule
No rain protected entry
Inner (tent) first set up only ? ( not sure if it can be integral (inner and fly together) )

The canopy could be raised and lowered according to the need for protection. Also, the canopy was integral to the ridgeline and could be rolled all the way up and out of the way (as you can see in picture # 4). In heavy rain the canopy could be pulled almost down to the ground, and it could also be shifted either forward or back to protect against the prevailing wind. Quite ingenious really.











No apex vents (that I can see...) so expect lots of condensation in the rain.

The entire rear, like the front, was mostly mesh with the canopy able to be angled according to the need for ventilation. I’d think that it was really quite airy inside.

Edited by butuki on 02/20/2010 04:41:28 MST.