This may be the wrong 'thread' to ask this , but since it's somewhat about cuben fiber I'll ask all of you here for your opinion. I use a very light weight cuben for the top of the tents, I'm considering going up to a slightly heavier but much more durable grade of cuben - this might add a couple of ounces to the tent, but would make it a tougher tent (and it would make it cooperate in sewing a little bit better).

So what do you think, for the price I charge for cuben tents, which is considerable, would adding on a couple of ounces to get a more durable tent work, or would you rather have the lighter tent?

Thanks

Judy - LightHeart Gear

Hi Duane....I sent you a pm....
steve

Well, I'm a bit of a heretic, but it wouldn't matter to me either way. A couple of extra ounces wouldn't stop me from buying it, but it also seems durable enough for my use.

If/when I get one of your cuben tents, Judy, I would personally prefer the more durable fabric in exchange for a couple ounces. Just my take. Something that high-end should last a long time.

Quick question about the wedge/awning options: If you get the non-zip option (just "awning"), does that preclude any ability to setup the tent in an awning-less configuration? For bad storms / high winds etc. Or, is there still some way to batten down the hatches?

Bradley,
Yes, you can put the Awning into 'Storm Mode". There are 3 tie out loops near the tip - one on the tip, and another one about 18 inches down each side from the tip. all you have to do is remove the awning pole (don't pull up the stake the line is on) hook the 3 loops together on a carabiner (now supplied with the tent) and tighten the line with the line lock at the tip.
If you look at the website under the solo awning, you will see some pictures of this - the blue tent shows a close up of the 3 loops on the carabiner, and the orange tent shows how it looks closed up - it's the same exact concept for the SoLong 6.

Judy

Thicker cuben fiber would push the weight closer to that of the silnylon version. Is the other benefit of less stretch still worth it? I don't know. What about using two types of cuben fiber? I would think that the ridgeline panels take more abuse, so put thicker cuben fiber there, and thinner cuben fiber for the doors. Also, it would be worth looking into Josh Leavitt's 7D silnylon.

Like many on this discussion I'm surprised this tent isn't talked about more often. I own the cuben solo with awning. It's the exact same tent that Francis has pictured. This tent is huge inside. I keep all my gear (minus food) inside. I'll put my pack on one side and the gear once inside on the other side of me while sleeping.

I have absolutely no problems with having the poles on the inside. I've never thought about it being a problem.

I have yet to sleep with the rainfly rolled up. Something about living in the PNW causes me to always have the rainfly ready.

My cuben solo awning tent with stuff sack, tie downs, and stakes weighs in at 23 ozs.

Judy.....I would have no problem with a couple more ounces for this tent.

I haven't had a chance to test out my SoLong 6 yet, but here are some of my measurements:

Model:
LightHeart SoLong 6
2 doors
2 Zippered fly's
no wedge

tent, no seam sealed 800g
pole, spreader 50g
sack, tent 15g

Interior dimensions:
Length 97 inches
Height 48 inches
Width (center) 52 inches
Width (ends) 29 inches

Thank you, Judy, for your reply to my question about cuben.

As for your question about cuben, I think most would like to have cuben with the thicker mylar if the weight penalty is limited as you stated, especially if they have read the results of Richard's tests of the thicker and thinner mylar cuben on this site. Disclaimer: I am planning to make the endcovers of a tent from the thinner mylar cuben and have nothing against it. Some of my best friends are cubens.

Eugene,

I do reinforce the upper part of the tent where the ridgepole sits /where the hiking pole baskets rub the side walls with a heavier weight cuben.
Judy

Judy, I was thinking of the two entire panels that are isosceles trapezoids on the Solong 6 and Duo. Those two have the least angle and would face the highest pressure of rain, are not backed by netting, and have the highest tension in the wind, so that's where I think stronger cuben would be most beneficial.

@Brad - you are more likely to tear something inside your canopy with the end of a trekking pole if they have to come into the shelter with you. Or the floor (this is why I like floorless shelters).

So not really weird, just a fact coming from someone with a lot of experience backpacking.

As one who is still actively considering one of your cuben tents, I would prefer the slightly heavier and durable grade of cuben. It's going to be a while before I make up my mind on this purchase Judy, and I fully expect that by that time you will be so sick of working with the stuff that you will no longer offer cuben tents. Please hang in there until spring at least :)

David,

You just are not familiar with these tents...the pole tip slips way into a pvc-like pipe. NO possible way for pole damage :)

As others have stated, I for one prefer the pole on the inside, but did not like the idea because of potential damage, until I saw and now have the design discussed here.

Just a FYI

Thanks Todd. But you still have to bring the pole in and the sharp tip can hit the canopy. Or is there another method for setting up?

Edit: Just saw this post over at Whiteblaze.net from an owner:

"To be honest with you, bringing sharp objects (the tips of the hiking poles) into the lightheart tent to set it up brings beads of sweat to my forehead every time!"

Edited by FamilyGuy on 12/15/2011 12:19:18 MST.

I believe Judy previously said that the ridge pole attaches with velcro. If that's true, you could insert the poles into the ridge pole outside of the tent, and then bring the assembly into the tent. Since pole punctures are a great concern, you might also want to attach (bungee?) cords to the ridgeline that you could use to secure the pole tip.

THAT idea I like, Eugene. I would like to know if someone has done it prior to getting one and finding out it doesn't work.

Someone try this for me.....; )

If a person was really concerned about it they could drill a hole thru the spreader bar/ pex ridge pole and tie cords through the hole then to the trekking poles to hold them together. But I will stick the way its intended to set up. I get my poles just alittle short of what they need to be then hold my hand around the tip of the TREKKING pole as I guide it into the pex.

Edited by mtmnmark on 12/16/2011 23:22:33 MST.

Ah, the words we use. David isn't really paranoid, or even paranoid. He's rightly cautious. Some of you are posting as if no one has ever poked a trekking pole through their shelter, when we all know people have.

At the end of a very long day of hard backpacking in cool or cold weather (which seems to be the kind of backpacking David often does), you're not necessarily at your sharpest when setting up your shelter. You're tired, perhaps hungry and probably a bit chilly. You just want to get the shelter up. It's easy to slip up under such conditions. So David's CONCERN is a valid one, especially for him.

@David: I'm not sure you could set up the poles/ridge pole ahead of time outside the shelter. The pole handles go deeply into each side of the floor, you'd need to be able to bend the poles to actually get them in the door if they were set firmly in the ridge pole - and no pole you'd want to use would bend that much. If you set the pole tips loosely into the ridge pole to you could 'sway' the poles before setting the handles in place, then you'd, of course, always run the risk that one of the tips falls out while you're maneuvering it into place. You could, perhaps, put the handles into place and tips into the ridge pole while it's laying down inside the shelter, and then raise it into position (I've never tried it, but it seems feasible), but you're still 'putting it together' in the shelter instead of out, just with less chance of poking a hole in the shelter.

I'll add that as much as I love my Lighttrek 4 poles, I don't like using them in combination with my Lightheart (though I do). When you extend them all the way to get a tight pitch in the tent, you then have to twist them to lock them, which means twisting the handle against the floor until they're tight. I do it, but have often considered some Black Diamond flick-lock poles, or just getting some separate carbon poles specifically for the Lightheart and carrying those, regardless of whether or not I'm also carrying poles. It's not that it's terribly difficult (as I'm expecting the "I do it all the time with my GG poles, it's so easy I can't believe you have problems! responses), but I personally don't like that particular aspect of MY setup. I do, however, absolutely love the shelter, as I've said before, and it's still my favorite ground shelter for the cool to warm months.

Thanks Doug.

I found some small rubber caps from MEC that fit onto the very end of trekking poles. I am not sure how much they weigh (an ounce?) but that may give me some solace. Lots can happen in the backcountry and sadly, I have poked right through a canopy before. User error? Yes, but as you indicate in your post - it was in the dark and after a long day of trekking.

Not criticizing the shelter, just trying to understand if it would work for me.