Ultra light tent

[Tony]

I have just ordered a new tent and I thought some BWT members might be interested.

It is a Zpacks Hexamid and its weight is 227g plus tent pegs, pole and ground sheet, there is a five week waiting time and I will post pics when it arrives.

http://www.zpacks.com/shelter/hexamid.shtml

In addition to my standard warning below I will stress that this tent may not be suitable for some areas of Tasmania

Tony

WARNING:

Please be very careful when you start lightweight bushwalking.

The lightweight approach to lightweight bushwalking equipment described below is intended for a limited scope of environmental conditions and should not necessarily be relied upon in extremes of temperature or weather. Even during the heat of summer, the Australian Alps and South West Tasmania can offer snow and sub-freezing temperatures. You should be confident that you can use your equipment to deal with these conditions.

Therefore: You should not take a lightweight kit into high-mountain areas like the Australian Alps, or South West Tasmania without the knowledge and experience to use it. Not having the appropriate equipment, or unfamiliarity with lightweight backpacking techniques, could result in serious discomfort, injury, or death.

As with any serious outdoor pursuits, take your time learning and gaining experience: lighten your kit a bit at a time with judicious testing on short outings and in your backyard. Take backup equipment until you have confidence that your ultralight equipment will keep you warm and safe.

[Son of a Beach]

Nice! I'll look forward to seeing your own photos, and reading a review after it arrives.

Like you say, you'd need to be careful to consider the possible weather it could stand up to, however, it does look reasonably sturdy, and fairly well enclosed, with the optional door.

[Drifting]

I wonder if you could use a monopod as the support???

[Robatman]

I'm interested.

Will be very keen to hear how it looks in the flesh.

Robert

[Nuts]

Good One Tony...

As mentioned before....a tarp has been used for 4 seasons in Tassie. Properly pitched, it will 'work'. There are no issues, this is a fact.... There, why not do away with the warnings. They arent for the shelter but for the person

The issue is, with many of these 'tents', durability. That is both long term and to last right through a snowstorm without having to wake up (or end up wrapped in the tent). Neither is life threatening if someone has experience with these things, perhaps everyone should try once, perhaps it would be liberating for some

I see people wondering how others will go with one tent or other... they are just a tent, others will go as well as their experience and tollerence for discomfort (iv'e met people with a threshold that would be borderline if their pillow needed to be left out)...

I guess it means condensation... That will be bad the further you can close it down, space.... that will be almost enough for the consumer market average, this one definitely looks easy to pitch... of course that is a direct correlation to how sturdy it can be made. there are some subtle differences in these things that matter but not many, and not That much! Anyhow... yer, rambling a bit

[Tony]

Hi Drifting,

I wonder if you could use a monopod as the support???

I am sure that anything straight and the right length could be used as the pole.

Tony

[Tony]

Hi Nuts,

Good One Tony...

As mentioned before....a tarp has been used for 4 seasons in Tassie. Properly pitched, it will 'work'. There are no issues, this is a fact.... There, why not do away with the warnings. They arent for the shelter but for the person

I am just trying to be cautious with my warnings, I personally plan to use the Zpacks Haxamid tarp/tent in the Australian Alps in all seasons except winter and even then I might try it out in winter for a trip or two.

The issue is, with many of these 'tents', durability. That is both long term and to last right through a snowstorm without having to wake up (or end up wrapped in the tent). Neither is life threatening if someone has experience with these things, perhaps everyone should try once, perhaps it would be liberating for some

You are right about durability of the Zpacks Haxamid tarp/tent could be an issue but that is a calculated risk that I am prepared to take.

I see people wondering how others will go with one tent or other... they are just a tent, others will go as well as their experience and tollerence for discomfort (iv'e met people with a threshold that would be borderline if their pillow needed to be left out)...

As far as comfort levels go on my last trip I tried out a Thermarest Prolite XS sleeping mat (230g) and used a 5l water bladder (40g) as a pillow, both worked very well, a few years ago I would never have even considered trying out this combination.

I guess it means condensation... That will be bad the further you can close it down, space.... that will be almost enough for the consumer market average, this one definitely looks easy to pitch... of course that is a direct correlation to how sturdy it can be made. there are some subtle differences in these things that matter but not many, and not That much! Anyhow... yer, rambling a bit

Condensation could be a problem but that is so on all of my tents, I will post the results of my first use after the Zpacks Haxamid arrives.

Tony

[Tony]

My New Zpacks Hexamid tent arrived today, It will be the weekend before I can put it up. The basic tent weighs in at 223g (no guy ropes), with the door added 272g, I still have to add tent pegs and a pole, an adjustable walking pole is meant to be used, I will look at making a CF pole.

Tony

Hexamid tent.JPG (193.55 KiB) Viewed 5485 times

The cooking pot is 1.5l

[climberman]

Tony - what do you do to make a carbon pole ? Am interested in the possibility. PM if you'd like to keep this thread 'clean' for the tent and I can edit/delete this post if needed. TIA.

[Tony]

Hi Climberman,

Tony - what do you do to make a carbon pole ? Am interested in the possibility. PM if you'd like to keep this thread 'clean' for the tent and I can edit/delete this post if needed. TIA.

No problems with discussing CF poles on this thread.

I am not exactly sure what I was going to do but the first place that I was going to start is Roger Caffins FAQ http://www.bushwalking.org.au/FAQ/FAQ_Shelter.htm#Poles it has some very good information.

I need to play with the tent before I decide what I need to do.

Tony

[SteveJ]

I just used two rod sections from a broken flyrod (with all the guides etc stripped off) as a replacement for a broken glass fibre pole in my dodgy old one person tent. It was a rush job but seems to work a treat and weighs zip all (and is good recycling). I think I will stick with it and perhaps even replace the other heavy pole with a broken fishing rod bits.

Steve