Still searching for the perfect shelter, and I'll figure I'll cut some weight looking for it. Started with a $50 Wally tent > Hubba > Scarp > and currently a Moment, which I thought was gonna be the one. I don't know how many hours I've spent, but it's definitely a lot, especially since I always seem to suffer from analysis paralysis. Trying to keep it to a 1 lb max w/ netting. Mainly going to be used in summer Sierras and Death Valley winters. Right now the front runner is a Hexamid Solo-Plus (It's been almost impossible for me to find a lighter setup). Other options include the MLD Grace Duo, MLD Patrol Shelter (Anyone have one in yellow?), HMG Echo II. Tarps will be paired with a Serenity or Bear Paw Minimalist Bivy. Just looking for some insight or other options to consider.

Sub 16 ounce? MLD Solomid, Six Moons Wild Oasis

I finally found a sweet spot switching between two options: either an MLD Pro Solo Cuben Tarp and Superlight bivy with full net hood for the lighter option when wind and precipitation aren't going to be super nasty (4.5 and 6.5 oz. respectively), or a cuben MLD Duomid to cut wind/rain/snow and feel snug and safe. I feel like the extra space of the Duomid (versus the Solomid) is worth it, particularly in cuben. The Duomid itself is only 12 oz.

You can't go wrong with this shelter!

Stargazer

+1 on that. Have only had the opportunity to spend 3 nights in my hex amid solo-plus with my gf. Sub 1lb w/ full bug protection. Simple easy and fast set-up. Pretty hard to beat in my books.

Jacob

Looked at the Solo/Duomid hard for a while. Solo looks to be on the small size, while the Duo would be on the heavier side with an inner net. Rather carry a Duo than an Oasis for the space. Haven't tried a bivy before, but I'd like to have some living space hence the Serenity/Minimalist Bivy. For desert hiking/fair weather/no bugs I'd omit the net tent, which is where the Tarps come into play. This is the armchair experience talking, of course. And the Hexamid does all this, but I sort of want to try an a frame cat tarp, lol. And then there's a Cuben Trailstar ..

Edited by TRAUMAhead on 12/08/2011 00:36:06 MST.

Jacob: You've been using the solo plus with your girlfriend? How do you find the amount of space to fit two people? Are you using a bug shelter, or just the tarp with netting attached?

My next shelter purchase was going to be a hexamid twin, and have Joe make a bug shelter for it. The solo plus looks like it would be pushing it for two people, especially since we are coming from an REI T3 with dual entry...

Nick, I've just spent three nights in the Hex Solo Plus, with my wife. I'm about 5 ft 10 and she's about 5 ft 5. There is plenty of floor space but the person at the back has to be careful not to touch the back wall if there's condensation. This would be easier in the twin.
Incidentally, all three nights were dry but camping in still relatively humid air (on the Mediterranean coast) with daytime temperatures of 24 degrees C in the daytime dropping to 9 degrees C at night, and we didn't get even a hint of condensation (the beak was open)

Thanks William. Do you have much extra head/foot room? Would my extra 2" fit comfortably at 6'? I almost never go alone, so I think I may just go with the twin anyways.

It depends on your gear. We put most of our gear down at our feet and there was still room at my head end, but I think you might find it a bit tight like that. If you leave your gear outside the tent - or have very little gear - you should have plenty of room, though. I've never seen a twin in the flesh, but I don't think the person lying next to the door would have any more room than the solo plus, in fact perhaps a little less since the solo plus pitches with a longer pole length. The advantage of the twin is for the person at the back of the tent as the rear wall slopes more steeply.

Anyone have any experience using a 2 man tarp in bad weather? Friend has a Hexamid Solo I still need to try out. Hex+ still worth it if I'm going to be solo in it 100% of the time?

Jumping in a little late on this thread but I just wanted to say I tend to concur with most everybody that has posted so far. I also wanted to share an article I wrote recently called SUL/XUL Solo Enclosed Shelter Systems that takes a seriously hard look at some of the lightest of the lightest that is out there. Of course it does not take into account every setup - or possibility of different setups put together - because that would just get crazy to look through, but it has most of the popular options out there within the spreadsheet that is linked to within the article. I very much know the pain of trying to research this matter... ended up being way more work than I expected.

Just my two cents,

I went back and forth between the solo and solo plus and ended up going with the solo. The reason for this is where I tend to backpack and set up camp can be extremely limited in space. If where you want to backpack tends to have open enough areas then i would go with the solo plus as the weight gain to height/squareft gains is ridiculously small.

+1 to John's analysis of sub 20 ounces enclosed shelters. A valuable resource to us all and something you might want to check out. Hell +1 to his hikelighter blog as well. Nice to see XUL/SUL blogging


Chase

I ended up going with a HMG Echo I tarp, the 25% sale they had going was too good to pass up. Now I'm spending my time looking for the perfect bivy. I'll also be adding a MLD Serenity Shelter eventually, and I sent him an e-mail about making a custom version with taller side panels, essentially making a giant bathtub floor. It was a no go (due to all the stock orders), but he said they'll redesigning the Serenity in spring along with adding a 2 man version.

I saw your Google doc. after I purchased my tarp, and I considered a lot of of those options. Nice to see it broke down in a chart. As you mentioned if it had every setup or different setups together it would be crazy, I have no doubt because I was mulling over everyp possible option I could think of in the same weight range.

So tarp and bivy for now, if I feel like I need more weather protection add a Echo beak after some trips, and see what the redesigned Serenity has to offer.