Lab Notes

I went to a lecture by someone who’d been to the antarctic a few times and he claimed that when the winds got above 200mph only pointy tents stood up.

Been using a BD megamid for about ten years now.  Love it.  No longer carry my Macpac or Salewa ever.
The ‘mid is MUCH more stable in high winds, especially gusting winds.  (The tent of choice in Antarctica) It doesn’t need additional guys, as all the edges are, in effect, guys.  ie they come straight down from the apex.

Yes, rain does come in when the door is open.  There are two solutions to this.  Either guy out a tarp from the peak, in a diamond shape (this would be much better if it was sewn on to the edges), or else pull the groundsheet back to the centre pole until it’s time to go night-nights.

Sewing the mesh to the outer skin, instead of a full nest, will channel the condensation down onto the GS.  There may be a solution to this, but I doubt it is idiot proof enough for retail sale.

Try using a section of inner trekking pole to connect the two handle ends.  More adjustable, and no scary sharp bits near the apex.  My old BD expedition probes allow me to do this without even carrying any extras.

Don’t forget there’s no vestibule, so plan on stashing the packs outside, covered with the pack liner.

Good luck with this one, I’d be interested in the weight and price if it goes.

What agreat Idea I would certainly like one , I used a Tipi on the John Muir Trail 4 years ago it was ok a bit breezy but fine for me

Has the octamid gone into production, and if so what is the price please. ta
UJ

I have been looking at Go-Lite Hex and BD Megalight, and what is lacking for me is some way of getting into the bug-proof inner on rainy days without getting the inner wet when you open the door, and without getting the floor muddy from muddy boots.

The obvious answers are a pyramid inner and an outer with a porch, or a pyramid outer with a pyramid-with-a-segment-missing inner.

I’ve never used a ‘mid before and like a lot of the comments about the skirt, the double attachment point side guys, the top vent (or 2way zipper under a cowl) and the use of trekking poles.

I have a Rab survival zone bivi bag (cheap, super light 350gm coated pertex, make these and market them well - who needs 3 layer goretex???) which I often use even if I’m in a bomber tent ‘cos no tent is totally dry in Wales/Scotland in Autumnal hoolies.  I reckon a ‘mid coupled with a sub 400gm bivi bag would be the nuts and reduce worry about condensation and groundsheet issues.

If its as competetive on price as the wee airic, I want one.
I think it needs a vent at the apex though.

In the late seventies I purchased a three pole tent from Sierra Designs called the Pleasure Dome. 

It had 3/4” diameter aluminum poles that slid into three sleeves and a three point connector that pulled the tent tight.

You would then through the fly over the top and put in the stakes.

It had vents at the top sof tent and a built in clothes line.  The built in floor had a half moon zippered area so you open it up and use a stove.

It had three zippered windows that could be closed and a zippered bug screen door and nylon door over that.

I used this tent on two trips to the top of Mt Rainer, numerous Scouting events and for two summers while we canoed across Canada.

I loaned it to my partner who left it on the loading dock at work and someone stole it.

This was one incredible tent and I’ve been searchin for one for the past 20 years.

I can’t believe that no one make this type of three pole tepee tent.

Dan O.

I’ve used a Golite Hex 3 shelter for trips to Scotland, Switzerland and Japan over the last 2 years. It performs very well offering a huge amount of space for the weight. The optional clip in bathtub floor fills the whole footprint of the shelter. I’ve modified this to a rectangle in order to reduce weight and provide a “muddy” area by the door to remove boots and cook. Setting up the Octamid in a similar way would reduce weight and increase useability. For KIMM / LAMM use an adequate groundsheet can be made from space blankets using tape and sealer to achieve a bathtub shape. This can then be “sewn in” to the toggles satisfying event rules. The centre pole has scope for being lightened by drilling or replaced with a lighter substitute.

Why use a mid shape? The pole is vulnerable to getting knocked and has to be longer to give height, using standard trekking poles means 1) Your tent poles are multi function and 2) you are not carrying a single function pole and/or extension. Golite hex suffers in this respect. In fact tho’ for head room a mid is the most wind shedding design - presenting least profile to wind.SIG + mesh is essential but golite nest is 2 x the weight of the shelter (ouch!).Usable space in a mid shrinks when wet and the fly is closing in.Also all the guying stress is thru one single point(Apex). I would like something like Force Ten Vitesse for next summer when I will be in Pyrenees with carbonlite poles I will purchase soon from Alpkit