I got a custom ordered tent pole for my MLD duomid (still waiting for shelter to come in mail) from Seekoutside. It is really stable, breaks down into 3 pieces with a minimum length of 18 inches and a total length of 60 inches. Total weight is 5.8 oz. Custom ordering was really fast! Highly recommend this pole and the Seekoutside company. It is the same pole as their short tent pole offered, just custom length.

Edited by FeetFirst on 09/29/2011 10:53:41 MDT.

Neat. I wasn't aware of this offering. I bought the TiGoat carbon fiber pole. I think it's 5 oz. I too am waiting on my Duo Mid (Week 8!) so I will post some photos once I get it set up.

Hi Alex, is that the MLD solo net tent in the duomid?

Looks great. Should be much better in a strong wind than a trekking pole.

James,

No, it's the PyraNet 1 offered by BearPawWildernessDesigns. I chose BPWD's over MLD's because it was cheaper (price, not quality) and I received in a week compared to the 6 weeks MLD estimated, but either way I don't think you can go wrong.

Edited by FeetFirst on 09/29/2011 15:03:31 MDT.

Thanks Alex, That looks like a really sweet setup.

I really like this shelter and the best part is how versatile it is. The mosquitoes have been pretty bad this year in the Sierra so I've used the inner net with the Duomid on every trip so far, but I have a trip in two weeks that I'm just going to bring a ground cloth and headnet since they shouldn't be an issue (fingers crossed). While I haven't really experienced any crazy conditions, the Duomid has held its own in some moderate winds, hail, and rain.

I was in Golden Trout Wilderness last week with my Solomid, camping by a stream every night, and I saw maybe two mosquitoes in the whole week. You should be fine with minimal mosquito protection.

Didn't need any DEET either - just weren't any mosquitoes to speak of.

nice light pole, but not as light as nothing if you already have trekking poles :), am guessing you guys aren't using trekking poles?

No trekking poles for me. Never tried them so I will remain blissfully ignorant of their possible benefits.

Alex,

I'm a big fan of Pyramid shelters, and I have a couple of them I've used for group trips. But mine are too large for a solo trekker (and too heavy, too), so I've been considering a smaller pyramid for a while now. I'm interested in hearing what made you decide on the Duomid instead of the Luna 2 or Pyra Tent (I noticed that you decided on a PyraNet for your inner shelter)?

From looking at your photos it appears that there are internal guy line attachment points in the Duomid, and I can't see any internal attachment points in the photos of the Luna 2 or Pyra Tent. That's a feature I would find very valuable in high wind situations.

Also, I've been weighing the pros and cons of silnylon vs. cuben. I'd like the lighter pack weight with cuben, but I'm not wild about the reports I've read about cuben shelters becoming like an oven inside on warm days. What factors made you decide on silnylon? Have you experienced any sagging when the fabric is wet?

well, it also feels pretty warm under all the silnylon shelters I have used.

Silnylon does sag, but you just pitch your shelter thightly and if it starts to sag again (shouldn't sag that much if you pitch it properly) you adjust your guylines.

I have a couple of silnylon shelters, and I agree that they can get warm inside. I don't own a cuben shelter, so I have no way to compare the two materials. At the peak of the mosquito hatch it's very nice to be able to retreat inside your shelter for an afternoon nap until the sun sets (and the mosquito activity dies down somewhat). So I'd like to know if the inside of a cuben shelter get significantly hotter than the inside of a silnylon shelter.

I've read several comments about cuben being "sauna-like" or "sweltering" in BPL threads (and on other sites). I've also read comments about waiting to set up cuben shelters until after the sun goes down. I'd be particularly interested in hearing a comparison of the two types of material from anyone who has had experience with both.

Edited by DianaV on 09/30/2011 01:21:20 MDT.

hm, I never experienced a significant difference.

but it usually helps to set up your tarp / shelter really high to get enough ventilation.

Note that I tend to arrive late at a campsite and the sun isn't that hot anymore.

If the weather is good I just wear my headnet and enjoy the view.

Cuben or Silnylon? the "heat" factor should be your lowest concern tbh

Edited by sol on 09/30/2011 03:10:11 MDT.

I too went with the Titanium Goat CF pole for my Duomid. 54" plus the 6" adjuster. I added some rubber caps to keep the foot from sliding on my sil floor. 5.4oz I did not like the pushbutton adjustment offered on the Seek Outside pole.

Stephen, Re no mosquitoes: good to know and thanks for the confirmation.

Mike, You're correct; I don't use trekking poles. I've tried them, but didn't notice any benefit while walking and found them annoying to hold. I like to have my hands free on the go for taking pictures, grabbing water, snacking, referencing a map, balance, throwin' THE finger and gang signs, walking on hands, cartwheels, etc. Yes, personal preference thing for sure. As for weight, you're trekking poles don't weigh "nothing" and you're still carrying them, literally.

Ken, Re Ti Goat's vs. SeekOutside's: ironically I chose the SeekOutside pole because I liked their adjustment method better than Ti Goat's. Also, SeekOutside's may be a bit more robust since it has a larger diameter, but there are many other factors to carbon fiber that should be considered. Either way, I don't think a person could go wrong.

Edited by FeetFirst on 09/30/2011 14:49:02 MDT.

Diana, I too like the pyramid design, but like all other shelters there are compromises inherent to the design regardless of make or model, especially in a smaller solo sized pyramid. With that being said, the Duomid provides me with sufficient room while sleeping and as an added bonus I have the other half of the shelter free which is really nice when it's raining. Speaking of rain, I think the Duomid really shines (besides being bright yellow) in rainy conditions because of the large floorless area seperate from the sleeping area; kind of like a huge vestibule.

I chose the MLD Duomid over the other manufactures' options because I've always been impressed with MLD's quality and I was able to "touch & feel" a Duomid on the trail, which sealed the deal. I grabbed the nettent from BPWD because it was an afterthought and I didn't want to wait the estimated 6 weeks for MLD and it was also a tad cheaper.

The Duomid does have attachment points on the interior, but I don't think they're inteded, nor strong enough, for internal guying. I believe they're meant to be used for attaching netting, hanging a light, clothesline, etc. Check with MLD to confirm though.

I have no experience with cuben so I can't really help you there. I'm happy with my measly sub-standard silnylon shelter and have never experienced sagging bad enough to have me looking at other fabrics.