Was going to do this mod myself but discovered that Joe at Zpacks would do it for not much more than the materials would cost me. I'm slow as molasses so shipped'er off to Joe and just got it back.

Joe didn't have any of that funky green cuben that the rest of the Hexamid was made with so used the blackish cuben instead. I had him leave the zipper long so I could attach netting around the perimeter, like the Wild Oasis. I also had him change the pitch on the existing beak to steepen it...so the new addition wouldn't stick out too far.

I wanted this mod done to increase the tarps storm worthiness, warmth and privacy. It adds extra room as well.

I haven't weighed it yet. Once I get the netting on and combine it with a .75/oz cuben poncho/groundcloth I'm making, total shelter weight, with stakes, should be around 12oz. I'm stoked to get this system finished and in use!

EDIT: Let me add that Joe is a class act to work with. He is obviously dedicated to customer service. He also threw in a tube of SilNet at no charge. Little details like that make a difference!

Edited by rustyb on 04/16/2012 19:24:55 MDT.

I like the two colors Joe used, nice mod.

Hi, I Iike your mod. Would you let me know the cost, I am interested in the idea of improved weather proofing. for my hex amid Thanks

Really interested in hearing total weight when done.

Gray,

Joe charged me $99. Keep in mind that this was for the alteration of the pitch on the existing beak and the addition of the dark cuben and zipper only. I will be adding the netting... and loops to keep the door open at bug free times.

Considering the cost of cuben, and how long it would have taken me to figure out the angles, cut and sew....I thought this was a screaming deal! I wouldn't be surprised if he charged more for the next one. Who knows. You'd have to talk to him.

I weighed it and it's 4.4oz. It's seam sealed...except for the altered areas. Joe left about 30" of zipper hanging off the bottom where I plan to attach the netting. That will be cut down to around 18" so it lose a little weight there. I'll post the weight when I finish it.

Just wondering if the pitch tension is effected when you open the zipper ??

I know when I pitch mine down firm there is a lot of tension riding on that front line (The one above the door, not the bottom line of the beak/door that hold it down/closed).
If you open up the zipper does it slacken off at all. I noticed yours now pitches with a line at the bottom of the beak/door, loosing that original line that went from the peak of the old opening.
Great idea BTW.

Edited by forest. on 04/17/2012 18:05:32 MDT.

Nice mods. And I agree, Joe is great to deal with!

Looking forward to seeing the finished product!

Nathan,

I have only had time to set it up once and I didn't get to play around with it much. Didn't seem like the pitch was affected at all though. In the pics, the zipper is open....but the door's being held closed by a small strip of velcro at the bottom.

This is a little premature but the notes were in front of me and I'm on the computer so thought I'd post.

Got the screen installed, though it is not trimmed. The long zip isn't trimmed either. Weight at this moment is 7.5 oz.

My groundsheet cuben poncho is looking to be 3.75 oz and 8 stakes at 1.9 oz.

....so, total shelter + rainwear weight = 13.15 oz right now. Hoping to be below 13 when completed.

Got'er done. 6.88 oz. That does not include the stuff sack. For reference, the netting is 18" tall.

It'll gain a hair though as I'll probably replace the velcro at the bottom of the door with a small buckle. The velcro doesn't seem to want to stay fastened.

Fantastic.

Any chance of pics of the finished/netting?

Hey Scott,

I don't have any pics but will get some next time I set it up...which, should be within the next couple days as I have decided to swap the velcro for a buckle.

Sorry this took so long. Finally got it done...at least for real field testing. Getting the angles I wanted on the screen proved a little tougher than I thought.

Since posting last, I removed the velcro Joe installed at the bottom of the door and replaced it with a 1/2" buckle. I also added a small cuben reinforcing patch at the top of the zipper (the black rectangle) an extra guy line with a cordlock at the bottom of the door and tie-out loop on each side of the door. I also re-sealed the seams at the peak and down to the top of the zipper as well as the door tie-out loops. I did not seal the seam between the old and new cuben as I don't mind what small drips may come through.

With the addition of the 9th tie-out point and stake at the door, it is easy to set it up nice and taught with very little to no stress on the zipper (as you can see in the pics, I criss-crossed the two stakes at the door to change the angles of pull). Zipper works very smoothly. Also, as the door is currently set-up, I can have one side or the other rolled up out of the way for views and/or max ventilation on bugless nights.

Modified Hex = 7.27 oz
MYOG sil-nylon stuff sack doubling as food bag at night = .31 oz
9 ti stakes = 2.13 oz
MYOG .75oz/yd cuben/sil-nylon ground sheet/poncho = 3.6 oz

Edited by rustyb on 05/30/2012 10:45:09 MDT.

That is so awesome, makes me want to do that to my Hex Twin!

How about some pics of the groundsheet too?

Thanks, Tyler.

I'll get some pics when I set it up again. Could be a while though.

At this point, I just plan to lay the poncho in overlapping the screen and folding the extra poncho material out of the way. So, not as fancy as Zpacks poncho/grounsheet/Hex combo. After some use though, I may decide to clip my poncho in similarly. We'll see......

Thanks, I'm moving to this direction in a cheaper shelter and light too.
Duane

Hey Tyler,

Here are a couple pics. Not very good but it's all I've got at the moment.

The first pic is wearing my poncho/groundsheet with my MYOG Tyvek chaps. The second is the poncho/groundsheet inside the shelter...taken at daylight in the Frank Church River of no Return Wilderness.

Though it's not rain tested as of yet, I'm really, really liking this set-up thus far.