Solo Tent

[andrewa]

Nuts, I only ever saw your first post about this shelter when I joined the forum, and thought you might have lost the plot with the string and vertical stick, and attempt to build something like this. However, looking at the whole thing tonight, you have made a fantastic shelter, out of fabric I had never heard of until recently. Well done.

Whilst I've made pretty well every other piece of outdoor gear, including differentially cut down jkts etc, I have never made a tent. I well recall seeing an amazing home made dome tent back in the 80s on a bush walk. I couldn't get my head around anyone making their own tent. Seeing yours reminds me of that trip.

Like Franco, I'd love to know how it fairs 9 months down the track?

I just ought a Zpacks hexamid twin. With homemade vestibule it'll be fine for my use, but I must say that my ideal tent would be a 2 person version of what you made, big enough to sit up in comfortably, and with mesh inner, and built in Cuban floor. I couldn't find one on the net.

Andrew A

[Nuts]

Ha ha, cheers andrew, I never had any plot lol (hmmm, maybe thats the problem)..

Iv'e seen your other projects, i'm sure this will be a cinch.
I made a (loose) cuben floor and used the shelter for maybe 10 days over 3 walks so i wouldn't see it as 'tested'. The few (suitable) walks ive done since then I have a ridiculous number of tents to try, including the Nemo ( viewtopic.php?f=15&t=9539&p=128411&hilit=nemo+le#p128411) (which is a Very similar niche/size to the shelter i made.., it came finished.. and I really like it : ) I do also like the insurance of eVent/ breathable fabric .. ) Nowhere near as light however and I would go bigger (scale up the previous one) for a custom job.

In those days of use I remember thinking that the reinforcements could have been smaller. I also glued the dyneema X fabric (black stuff) to itself on the door tie outs. In a big gust, they pulled out, i needed some midnight repairs. I've since stitched these straps. I would also have the front tie out pull from the very top (as franco mentions), very tight to get a taught pitch front to back in this design. It otherwise worked fine.

I'll get it out over summer, be good to see how well the glues age under pressure. I would still use all glue again, it does take some faith (which is why i mention testing with different methods/products (also easily done) until satisfied)

(If just to buy, the company Ninja linked earlier may have a similar cuben product?)

[ULWalkingPhil]

Wow. This is a great looking tent. Well done Nuts.

I don't know how I missed this topic, Seen it for the first time today. I love the shape of your tent, looks great.

I might be in the market for a new Cuben Tent tomorrow, tossing up between the Hyperlite Mountain Gear ECHO 2 Ultralight Shelter System or the ZPacks™ Hexamid Solo-Plus Tent. I like your's, looks like it will keep the worst of the rain out. It's what concerns me with the Zpacks tent, from looking at photos It worries me I'll get wet. The Hyperlite Mountain Gear tent looks to be more likely to handle side driven rain over the Zpacks, but not sure I like the attachment for the beak and it looks like there's a lot of fiddling involved in setting it up. Your's looks like it will be quick and easy to setup. You done well, maybe you should market them,,.

[Nuts]

Thanks Phil, I think tony has that hex tent, seems happy with it? Many in the states seem to prefer the side opening, guess they don't have the roaring 40's lol That was my thought with HMG, I'd like the beak part attached, perhaps they will make one for you with a front zip? I'd do one for you but have no idea how they can charge so little.. Easy enough to answer questions on here though if you had space, patience & a spare week or two, or three ; )

[cams]

Thanks Phil, I think tony has that hex tent, seems happy with it? Many in the states seem to prefer the side opening, guess they don't have the roaring 40's lol That was my thought with HMG, I'd like the beak part attached, perhaps they will make one for you with a front zip? I'd do one for you but have no idea how they can charge so little.. Easy enough to answer questions on here though if you had space, patience & a spare week or two, or three ; )

Yama Mountain Gear make a cuben version of their shelters which I compared Nuts' version to on the first page now. He's closed up shop at the moment though.

http://www.yamamountaingear.com/index.p ... ucts_id=69

[ULWalkingPhil]

Thanks Phil, I think tony has that hex tent, seems happy with it? Many in the states seem to prefer the side opening, guess they don't have the roaring 40's lol That was my thought with HMG, I'd like the beak part attached, perhaps they will make one for you with a front zip? I'd do one for you but have no idea how they can charge so little.. Easy enough to answer questions on here though if you had space, patience & a spare week or two, or three ; )

Yama Mountain Gear make a cuben version of their shelters which I compared Nuts' version to on the first page now. He's closed up shop at the moment though.

http://www.yamamountaingear.com/index.p ... ucts_id=69

Thanks cams.
I'll take a look at the tent now. I will start up a new topic shortly in reference to my tent purchase, I'm looking into two tents, this might be a third.

[Nuts]

This vid shows how simple it Can be..

Taped together ('Bonded'- the 'tape is just a backing for a glue, you can do the same thing in other ways, the idea being just to get a neat line of glue)

He has then put a layer of mylar (plastic) 'tape' over the join to waterproof it. (I have cut seams with a hot knife (and therefore sealed the edges) and doubt the w/p tape is Really necessary). You can also buy cuben backed with glue (or cut strips) to add over each side of this join (again perhaps not necessary)

Anyhow... what could be easier :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgcVkkpXQnA

[Nuts]

[Nuts]

Did a bit more with this a couple of weeks back.
Changed the front tie out, it makes a big difference to getting tension front /back, no need to use a tie out at the foot end.
The door is pretty much standard, I tried velcro at the base but its already tagged on the mesh when packed so probably go back to the 3 zip setup.
Put a half nylon (yellow) / cuben 'liner' in to help control condensation. I didn't really want mesh that couldn't be closed off so at this stage it has a vent at the foot end and the sides are joined/ sealed. In case it becomes a sweatbox the floor doubles back and is attaced to the edge of the tarp. The liner pulls the floor into a channel. In theory it should drain any condensation out through three small breaks at the tie out low points.....Got that? LoL, different, I know.. I used it (with this liner) for a few nights near water at around 900m, it rained one night but I haven't needed to close it up yet for rain (with the peak ovehanging the door). The tent I think it will be warm but i'm hoping the liner cuts down condensation and directs it down the walls..

Put in a couple of side guyline tabs (last pic), added bungy to the mid-length peg-outs and the foot end is pegged right to the ground (through D rings) the 'tail' guy goes through a lineloc..

It's started to look a bit 'renovated' from the stitching needed and everything adds weight.

[Nuts]

Gulp !! 153568 views ??

[Lady McGuyver]

Told you it was awesome
Well worth 153592+ views!

[Picaro]

153595...You should be well proud of that tent ! nice job.

[photohiker]

Quick. Offer it for sale.

[ULWalkingPhil]

Looking great.

[Nuts]

Cool, thanks! That huge number is a bit weird though..

[Strider]

Perhaps its being hit repeatedly by the search engine bots,?

[Nuts]

It's odd, Iv'e seen photos with large counts but looking through the topics assumed that the view counts were right. At the same time I don't think that many would look and not ask a question or make a comment, pretty creepy if that's the case perhaps its a zombie conspiracy.

[phan_TOM]

It is a great looking tent Nuts, I alone must have looked at it at least 100 000 times by now... at least

[Rob A]

Is it good in a stiff breeze?
Can you sit in it and cook?
Can you turn round in it at two in the moringing without getting a shower?

Mine is fine in a howling.
Can kinda sorta cook in it if I drop away the liner but then theres the sandfly thing.
Im sick of wet sag and cold showers.

[Nuts]

Thanks Tom, you should fire up the printer

What are you using Rob?
One of the nice things with Cuben is that it doesn't sag.

I can see a couple of ways to get a bit more height without joining material on the side walls. More height would be nice! but yes, (at 178cm) can sit up and cook. An advantage of a liner over an inner tent is not loosing space so there is enough room either side to store gear but also to prop on an elbow to one side to cook in the vestibule. I haven't used the mid panel guys yet, I had it in a solid wind in the back yard (coming from the foot end) and it was fine, i'd imagine it will need help from the side. I'm interested to get it out in a full blowing gale

[photohiker]

If you ask Nick, he should be able to look at the site stats and see where most of the referrals are coming from.

It's either a brainless bot of some kind or another tent thread on another forum pointing to this thread.

[Nuts]

another tent thread on another forum pointing to this thread.

[Rob A]

Dont mean to jump in and offtopic your thread which I am following anyway, but;
Got a name brand double wall kiwi tent. Works fine. Not to rubbish it, a lot of bad press is people not working out how to use stuff right.
However Ive been looking for something like a Black Diamond Firstlight, that doesnt leak.
It could just be reviews are by dills, or mnfrs hedging with 'resistant' rather than 'proof' because this guy reckons Firstlight tight enough to sit out the weather.
Bonus for (external pitch) pre dawn in the rain packability ease.

[Strider]

Dont mean to jump in and offtopic your thread which I am following anyway, but;
Got a name brand double wall kiwi tent. Works fine. Not to rubbish it, a lot of bad press is people not working out how to use stuff right.
However Ive been looking for something like a Black Diamond Firstlight, that doesnt leak.
It could just be reviews are by dills, or mnfrs hedging with 'resistant' rather than 'proof' because this guy reckons Firstlight tight enough to sit out the weather.
Bonus for (external pitch) pre dawn in the rain packability ease.

Are you asking a question or just being informative?

Does your current tent leak? Sounds that way.

[Rob A]

Neither. Answering the question asked of me.
No it doesnt leak.

[Nuts]

Rob, I have a bivy made with that epic fabric, i'd expect a tent would start misting in heavy rain? The problem (iv'e found with other single wall shelters) isn't so much condensation forming (inside the fly of our hillebergs can be soaked) but not having it all dump on you when the wind starts to ruffle the walls. Steep walls mean little will 'stick' but even what remains can leave everything damp once the wind picks up and the condensation left starts to mist.