Forum Index > Gear Talk > Six Moon Designs Gatewood Cape -- anyone tried it?
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Navy salad
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Navy salad
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PostFri Jul 20, 2018 12:49 pm 
This is a combo "cape", for hiking in the rain, and solo shelter that weighs only 10 ounces (with no stakes), uses a hiking pole for support, and costs $135. They claim it holds up well in windy rain. See link Anyone tried it?

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RumiDude
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Joined: 26 Jul 2009
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RumiDude
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PostFri Jul 20, 2018 1:34 pm 
I have not tried the Gatewood Cape but have hiked with a fella that did. I have a few observations about it and the concept in general. I have used a Poncho/Tarp combo by Integral Design. #1 I don't think any of these do either well as shelter and rain gear. #2 Despite my hiking partner's claims, it didn't look like he was having a good time using his Gatewood Cape as a shelter. or rain gear. #3 As shelters they are really small and usually something gets wet if it rains. #4 As rain gear they are ungainly except on the most tame terrain. If there is any blowdown or such to get over around they are crap and subject to puncture. #5 There is that awkward time when it is a shelter and you need rain gear or it is rain gear and you need a shelter. Rumi <~~~~~~if I don't get some shelter, oh yeah, I'm gonna fade away

"This is my Indian summer ... I'm far more dangerous now, because I don't care at all."
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Randito
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Joined: 27 Jul 2008
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PostFri Jul 20, 2018 2:58 pm 
I have one. I'm 6 ft tall. It's tight inside, not a huge amount of extra room at the margins, but some. It does stake out flush to the ground providing shelter from wind. Ventilation provided through the hood. Enough room for the pack on the outside of the single pole. It's not really big enough to cook in, so figure on cold meals on rainy days. The coverage while hiking keeps you well covered, but you may want to gather material in the front to reduce tripping. Transition from shelter to rain gear while it's raining without getting rained on (and vice versa) is possible, but requires advanced yoga skills. Still it's light and pretty compact, so it works pretty well as a shelter on summer outings where shelter from dew and some light rain are desirable, but not sustained rain. Agree that it would be lacking in comfort hiking multiple days in continuous rain. Does not work well over a hammock! ( I tried, coverage at ends is lacking and the peak results in a bunch of excess fabric over the center.

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WaState
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WaState
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PostWed Oct 10, 2018 6:20 pm 
I had one works farely well if into ultra light. Takes some effort to figure out set up and learn to use. Works pretty well as a shelter and as rain gear. I myself would want seperate shelter and rain gear if rain is in the forecast. Very good option for fair weather forecast. I myself made a bungy cord belt for rain gear mode. For shelter mode i put short lengths of bungy cord on each tie out, for me it made set up better and more easy/quicker.

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jimmymac
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PostSun Oct 21, 2018 9:48 pm 
I've done a little bit of confidence testing with the Gatewood cape and found it to be quite useful, though far from ideal. I take it on short trips when there's "practically no chance" that I'll need any sort of rain shelter or raingear. I would happily use it for either in the event of a weather miscalculation.

"Profound serenity is the product of unfaltering Trust and heightened vulnerability."
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I'm Pysht
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I'm Pysht
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PostSun Oct 21, 2018 10:43 pm 
I have the Integral Designs version and bring it along everywhere I hike as emergency/spare gear, as opposed to my primary shelter or rain gear. As a shelter, I've only ever used it in my backyard while testing it and as a temporary shelter while stopped for lunch on a rainy day hike. It would also work fine for shelter from the sun. I've used it as rain gear on a few hikes, including a day hike when I loaned my rain jacket to my daughter whose jacket wasn't adequate. It did its job.

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iron
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iron
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PostTue Oct 23, 2018 9:04 pm 
sounds like GJ's opinion is sound: good emergency gear.

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