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A place to chat about gear and the philosphy of ultralight. Ultralight bushwalking or backpacking focuses on carrying the lightest and simplest kit. There is still a good focus on safety and skill.

Forum rules

Ultralight Bushwalking/backpacking is about more than just gear lists. Ultralight walkers carefully consider gear based on the environment they are entering, the weather forecast, their own skill, other people in the group. Gear and systems are tested and tweaked.
If you are new to this area then welcome - Please remember that although the same ultralight philosophy can be used in all environments that the specific gear and skill required will vary greatly. It is very dangerous to assume that you can just copy someone else's gear list, but you are encouraged to ask questions, learn and start reducing the pack weight and enjoying the freedom that comes.

Common words
Base pack backpacking the mass of the backpack and the gear inside - not including consumables such as food, water and fuel
light backpacking base weight less than 9.1kg
ultralight backpacking base weight less than 4.5kg
super-ultralight backpacking base weight less than 2.3kg
extreme-ultralight backpacking base weight less than 1.4kg
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Re: Hyperlite Mountain Gear Dirigo 2

Fri 15 Mar, 2019 8:24 am

I was just reading the thread on Reddit when someone made comments very similar to mine ( fools never differ ?) to which there was this replay :
I carried a 1 person prototype of this while on the PCT this summer - didn’t have any issue with the drip you’re describing. The vestibule walls did condense some as did your foot box if you touched the fabric but only when I pitched in an open space.
Now I wonder if the solo version looks closer in design to the Notch...

Re: Hyperlite Mountain Gear Dirigo 2

Fri 15 Mar, 2019 8:36 am

Franco wrote: BTW, Alan mentioned that condensation slides off those panels and goes down to the floor. Given enough of it it may end up wetting your sleeping bag. That is something that can happen with the pole inside Bibler/Black Diamond single wall tents. (condensation forms on the colder than air poles)


Yeah, This would happen to me in my Altaplex when it was setup on uneven ground. The mesh separating the bathtub and walls would collapse and do nothing. The floor and sides would touch and condensation would roll down the sides and would start accumulating on the floor. I hated it.
Last edited by Zapruda on Fri 15 Mar, 2019 8:57 am, edited 1 time in total.

Re: Hyperlite Mountain Gear Dirigo 2

Fri 15 Mar, 2019 8:43 am

Franco wrote:I was just reading the thread on Reddit when someone made comments very similar to mine ( fools never differ ?) to which there was this replay :
I carried a 1 person prototype of this while on the PCT this summer - didn’t have any issue with the drip you’re describing. The vestibule walls did condense some as did your foot box if you touched the fabric but only when I pitched in an open space.


I saw that as well. Interesting.

Are the areas along the PCT prone to much dew and the types of conditions that cause condensation? I would imagine the PCT isn't the greatest test for a wet night.

Re: Hyperlite Mountain Gear Dirigo 2

Sat 16 Mar, 2019 4:12 am

Zapruda wrote:
And for the discerning shopper, how long until these folds and creases cause the failure in the mylar layer?


I can't keep up with the opinion (I just looked at that reddit post lol), understood many people have now taken CF shelters on the big US trails, has anyone done more than one with the same shelter?

Mine looks hammered and it's had maybe a months use in total. Another failure i saw (online somewhere) was in separation lines near the peak. I have a feeling I read a thought that these were possibly caused by uneven tension/ not getting the peak angle exactly the same on all sides. Without any stretch it makes sense that this would be where the force could show up as a fail.

Looking at this tent (like object) I like the two pole peak, imagine it's a stronger option there than a single pole. No vent can only make for a stronger peak. I imagine a dribble of condensation (with no vent, the blame) and the weight (substantially in the floor?), given many will be adverse to using their expensive tent without a ground sheet. These things, i'm guessing won't make for a big seller (at that weight). ie. not necessarily the fabric choice.

Re: Hyperlite Mountain Gear Dirigo 2

Sun 17 Mar, 2019 6:53 pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXKxixldmdk
Less overtly biased than Adventure Alans. Didn't like the bent arm 'lean'.
Ten and a half minutes in -surely not...... wee drainage holes? Is that where the condensation is expected to go?
Interesting!?

Re: Hyperlite Mountain Gear Dirigo 2

Sun 17 Mar, 2019 8:36 pm

I own a Lightheart Gear SoLong 6, and this tent seems very reminscent of it. Well and of the 2 person version Lightheart Gear tent which is the Lightheart Gear Duo.

Specs on the Lightheart Gear Duo
Weight 2.25 lb. (before seam sealing)
Floor area - 38.2 sq. ft.
45 inches of head room, 100 inches long, 55 inches wide.
Fabric: Sil-nylon (1.1 oz/sq yd)
Price: US $315
https://lightheartgear.com/collections/ ... t-duo-tent

Hyperlight Mountain Gear Dirigo 2
Weight: 1.75 lbs
Floor Area: 32.5 ft2
45 inches of head room, 90 inches long, 52 inches wide
Fabric: DCF
Price: US $795

It's a big price difference to save a few hundred grams.

Re: Hyperlite Mountain Gear Dirigo 2

Sun 17 Mar, 2019 8:50 pm

And Gossamer Gear 'The Two' (although different in that it doesn't have ridge pole)
Weight: 29 oz (822g)
89 inches wide x 52-42 inches wide
Floor area: 29.04 sq ft
Tent body: Custom-formulated 7d high tenacity nylon blended sil/pu coating waterproof to at least 1200mm.
Tent floor: Custom-formulated 10d high tenacity nylon blended sil/pu coating waterproof to at least 1200mm.
https://www.gossamergear.com/collection ... ts/the-two

Re: Hyperlite Mountain Gear Dirigo 2

Sun 17 Mar, 2019 8:52 pm

Choosing DCF isnt always about saving grams. DCF doesn’t sag like Sil does, which is a pain for tall people like myself. DCF doesn’t hold on to water like Sil in my experience. After a wet night you can end up packing a much heavier tent the next day. DCF is really easy to fix when you are out in the bush, unlike Sil.

Also, for people who are chasing the lightest packs, a few hundred grams is a lot. By adding a 100g here and 100g there your pack weight will rise very quickly. I know it sounds trivial but I truly believe every gram counts. Obviously the right gear for the right conditions though...

In saying all that I am not a fan of this tent at this point, especially after the video Lamont just posted. I wonder what the long term reviews will look like...

Re: Hyperlite Mountain Gear Dirigo 2

Mon 18 Mar, 2019 6:38 am

I don't know if the Hammer bloke-Ozzie? -had it set up properly? I thought when pushed on the apex it it would be much more rigid. I like the way the ends are properly integrated into the length and flow of the shelter. Choose the right conditions and if the ridge is more stable, it would work, but what is going on with the holes? Hi Emma going over the last couple of years to a BW of less than 4.5 kgs has made walking so much easier. If DCF is part of the equation to get there then it should be considered especially if the gains are good and your choice suits your needs and the conditions .If you can do it cheaper and your gear choices suit your needs then I reckon do what grabs you. Happy DCF and Sil/PU tent owner.

Re: Hyperlite Mountain Gear Dirigo 2

Mon 18 Mar, 2019 11:50 am

Agree with the advantages of DCF re sag and water retain reduction however I've wondered if the DCF is worth it if you don't use trekking poles.

Considering you can get a 1.2 kg double rainbow with about the same floor area/features for considerable less cost. 299 vs 795

The Dirigo once you include trekking poles. Is about the same weight.(based on 210g per pole)

The Sil will likely last longer than the DCF.

So really the only advantage is lack of sag for a non trekking poles user.

I wonder how many people started using trekking poles after buying a trekking pole tent :D

Re: Hyperlite Mountain Gear Dirigo 2

Mon 18 Mar, 2019 7:06 pm

With the success of the Zpacks Duplex. I can't help but feel this is another tent attempt to regain market share.

Looks like an awesome tent all the same but can't help but think it's a 1+ not a 2 person tent so misses the mark.

Luxury UL solo tent for those who carry 2 poles.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

Re: Hyperlite Mountain Gear Dirigo 2

Wed 20 Mar, 2019 6:12 am

Like how they've built the lower end panels in three pieces, so that guyline is trying to hold back the panel by rigid seams rather than resisting stretch (in the design or fabric).

I'm sure they'd be more mindful of closed-up ventilation if long periods of stable weather weren't the norm.

ps. Mk11 end panel ?

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Re: Hyperlite Mountain Gear Dirigo 2

Mon 25 Mar, 2019 7:50 am

Browsing six moons site, these needed some extra fabric to use on a tent platform with ricocheting rain, but I don't recall any neg comments on length: https://www.sixmoondesigns.com/products ... 4931602474

A large 'solo' 'tent'. Polyester doesn't stretch a lot and is probably less likely (than DCF) to need repair.

Re: Hyperlite Mountain Gear Dirigo 2

Mon 25 Mar, 2019 9:39 am

Nuts wrote:Browsing six moons site ... I don't recall any neg comments on length: https://www.sixmoondesigns.com/products ... 4931602474
A large 'solo' 'tent'. Polyester doesn't stretch a lot ...

I've just finished my tenth night in the current-model Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo. Some brief comments:

I'm 180cm tall, and the tent is only just long enough for me. I would advise against it for anyone taller, or anyone who uses a mat that's thicker than a NeoAir. It has a HUGE amount of floor space to keep gear inside, though you can't sleep a child in that area because the roof is low. It took a while to work out how to pitch it well, but now it's the fastest tent to pitch that I've ever used. It DOES stretch - you definitely need to tighten it up just before going to sleep, but after that it stays taut. Two of the nights I've spent in it were in heavy rain, and it was absolutely waterproof. There was condensation inside, but I just wiped it down with a Chux cloth when I woke up in the morning. None of the condensation made its way onto the floor.

The Lunar Solo has no internal structure, so you can easily stuff it for a quick pack-up. It's robust, having a 20 denier roof and 40 denier floor (not like the 10D and 7D fabrics being used on some tents). You have to seam-seal it yourself, which is a pain, although if you buy it direct from SMD you can pay to receive it already sealed.

It doesn't come with pegs, nor with guy ropes for the two tie-out points (optional, but you need to use them if you are taller than, say, 175cm). The all-up weight of mine - including pegs, guys and seam-sealant - is 850g.

It's an elegant design, at a sensible price. And yet, if they would make this exact design in DCF at double the price, I would buy it in a heartbeat.
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Re: Hyperlite Mountain Gear Dirigo 2

Mon 25 Mar, 2019 9:55 am

Thanks, good review. I'd not mean't to wander from the topic but add too, to me, it's useful to keep an eye on the alternatives.

You sound happy with this shelter (personally I like to be able to peg all sides right to the ground). Their (PU?) coated poly was memorable for it's waterproofness, beading rain and running off, it didn't appear to soak much water and absolutely didn't stretch any noticeable amount (I had them pitched for 2 weeks without re-tensioning.. other than pulled pegs).

I'm wondering though, what such compelling advantage you would expect from another material (eg. DCF)? (p.s I'd hold out on considering passive event v's positive venting)
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