I've finally started to TRY and lighten my load. Just purchased a quilt from EE. Now my focus is on a new shelter. For the last 5 years I've been using a big Agnes seed house 2. Not the light version. It had held up very well and I'm going to keep it for spring/summer time where I work on the river as a ww guide. I don't use trekking poles and its just me and a 50lb dog. Tent will mainly get used winter and fall. But, will be used every weekend as I work as a wilderness guide with at risk youth.

I had a duomid for a short time with a Ruta lucura pole. Just didn't really care for trying to get the pitch just right. In the winter I want to be able to just throw the thing up in 3 min or less.

So I wanted to get some advice on what other set ups I should look at.

All tents that use trekking poles are available with poles for minimal extra $ and maybe 2 extra ounces. The "cottage" manufacturers all sell poles for their tents, or you can get the stouter ones from Ruta Locura.

Check out tarptent.com, sixmoondesigns.com, lightheartgear.com, zpacks.com, mountainlaureldesigns.com

For you and the dog, you might want something like a "1 1/2 person" or "1+ person" tent. I have crammed myself and my dog (a bigger than yours) into a solo tent (Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo), but it was extremely cramped during the week it rained every day from 2 pm until dark, forcing us to spend evenings in the tent! The two of us also kind of overwhelmed the ventilation system.

What would you suggest for winter use in the NC mtns.? Thanks

Check out the article by Chris Wallace in Sep 2012 reviewing Solo Plus Tents. You may fine one with the SF to suit your needs,
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