PDA

View Full Version : Six Moon Design Gatewood Cape + Serenity NetTent



martini159
06-02-2009, 00:39
Hey,

I'm gonna be starting a 1.5-2 month hike NOBO starting from Springer Mt. in about two weeks or so. Was wondering how this shelter would work for the first 500 miles as it pertains to the following issues:

How often do you think I would be crowded out of a shelter if I got there too late? (ie. how often would I actually have to use this as my shelter)

Are the bugs bad this time of year in the south?

Is the weather (rain) bad enough that I would need a better setup for a shelter? Would I need something better than a poncho to keep myself dry?

And more than anything, is this a good buy? (what else would you recommend as a bugnet / tarp combo ) I've read lots of positive reviews but I'm far more interested in what AT people think of this gear. Would anyone recommend spending the extra money to have it seam-sealed?

Just wanted to get some opinions on this gear, quite a bit of money to drop on 18 oz of shelter :) Thanks so much.

Take it easy,
Martin

bigcranky
06-02-2009, 07:43
We did both of our Southern sections in mid-June. We were all alone at Springer Mountain and Hawk Mountain, had about five people share the shelter at Gooch Mountain, two guys at Low Gap, and about 300 people at Blue Mountain (maybe not but it felt that way....) Similar results all the way to Fontana, though it seemed like there were fewer people as we got further north. It sort of fluctuates from one day to the next. You'll see some larger groups out on the trail, but overall it's not too crowded. The only times we would have been out of luck at a shelter was when large youth groups had taken over the area (only happened a couple of times; we moved on.)

I've seen the Gatewood Cape at Trail Days. Seems like a decent size shelter for one person. When I hike solo in cool weather, I often carry a flat tarp and a bug bivy, which is a similar setup, but the GC has better weather protection. (In summer I like a hammock.)

The GC will need to be sealed, like any silnylon shelter (see Tarptent Rainbow thread for an interesting, um, discussion of this topic.) I always did my own, but if you are uncomfortable with the process, they'll do it for you.

As far as rain, it can be very heavy in the middle of a storm cell -- on the order of several inches an hour -- but the heaviest rain usually only lasts 15-20 minutes before tapering off. Site selection is *crucial*!!! If you set up a tarp in a compacted dirt campsite you can get very, very wet (ask me how I know this!! :-? ) It's best to set up on forest duff in a protected area that will not (ever ever) let water run through the site.

We were out at Mt Rogers last weekend, and had three large cells pass over us between 4am and 6am. Lots of lightning and thunder, tremendous downpours, but the storms passed through quickly. We had carefully sited two Tarptents and a hammock. Three feet from the door of our Tarptent there was a raging stream in what had been the middle of a nice dry meadow when we went to bed. Had we been less careful about *exactly* where the tent was set up, we'd have been under about 8 inches or rapidly moving water. Site selection is *crucial.*

martini159
06-02-2009, 12:34
Thanks for the tips on site selection! I'm hoping most of the time that I'll be able to just sleep in the shelters and prop up the bug netting. A couple nights under the stars wouldn't be too bad though ;)

Take it easy,
Martin

bigcranky
06-02-2009, 13:28
Thanks for the tips on site selection! I'm hoping most of the time that I'll be able to just sleep in the shelters and prop up the bug netting. A couple nights under the stars wouldn't be too bad though ;)


Sleeping under the stars is a real treat.

The key thing to remember about your Gatewood Cape as an emergency backup to sleeping in shelters is this -- you only need it when the weather is bad, and then you *really* need it. So the more you practice choosing a good site and setting it up quickly, the better.

Have a great hike!

brooklynkayak
06-02-2009, 21:56
The GW cape is a very good storm shelter, especially if you use all available tie points. The shape does a really good job of deflecting winds, better than dome tents. I haven't used mine enough to give a good review, but when I pitched mine with other tents, it appeared to be the most stable of the bunch and didn't sag and flap in a particularly strong wind that night. Some tents were sagging bad and made a lot of noise.

Mags
06-02-2009, 22:39
I used the GW cape on the CDT. I must say, it was a dandy little shelter. It shed rain, wind and snow quite well. I liked it more as a shelter than as rain gear, so I now I use the virtually identical Wild Oasis.

Slo-go'en
06-03-2009, 11:15
I used the GW cape (with OR bug bivy) last spring on a Springer to VA hike. Being 5'11", I found it a little cramped under it. I was able to try it with a serenity net installed at trail days, which made it even more cramped. If your tall and on the heavy side, most likely you'd find it too small. If your short and skinny, it will work better.

Other than that it worked well and is one of the lightest, most compact shelter options out there.

Mags
06-03-2009, 12:36
Good point. I usually do mention that caveat with the Gatewood/Wild Oasis..it is NOT for taller (say over 5'10") people.

At 5'6", it suits me quite well. :)

martini159
06-03-2009, 12:53
Good to hear, I'm only 5'5" :) Thanks for all the tips guys!

Take it easy,
Martin