Monday 7 December 2009

The Gatewood cape

I love my Gatewood cape. I'm growing in confidence with it every trip I take out. I chose it at a time when I wanted to drop a lot of weight from my pack, but wasn't ready to go for a tarp. It's very similar to Six Moon's Wild Oasis but I figured that if I didn't like the cape option, I'd still have a tent but I would'nt have the hood option if I went for the Oasis.
It's not a tarp, it's a tarp-tent, a catch-all term that covers a lot of ground, but generally refers to a tarp, with more coverage that cannot be pitched in multiple ways. Tarp-tents often have no built in groundsheet and will take a little bit more care to pitch. Note- I'm not referring to the branded Henry Shires Tarp-tents here. I also apologise for referring to tent pegs as 'stakes'- too much time on American backpacking sites!

14 comments:

RioLeichtsinn said...

Great video!

al said...

Really good video! Are you in sales? Perhaps you should be! I've been thinking about one of these for a while< I think you've made my mind up.

minimalgear said...

Ha! No not in sales, just a lowly teacher. The video wasn't intended as a sales video, I just thought about what I would want to know if I was thinking about buying one.I guess the other prerequisite for selling an object is believing in the product (or at least being a convincing liar!). I like cottage industries and was very impressed with the cape but there doesn't seem to be much info around despite a strong cult following. I always think it's easier to get an idea about a product like a tent with a video if you can't see it in the flesh.

Thomas said...

Very cool! Seems like a very functional piece of kit. Thanks for posting.

Stevie said...

Great video!
I have the Gatewood/Serenety net combo as well. It really makes it easy to keep you pack weight low.

Simon said...

Great instruction video. I have a Gatewood cape and love it. My only problem is the knot on the tension hook attached to the main guideline came undone and I have not got a clue how to retie it. If you wanted to improve an already great video maybe a follow-on with typical user problems and how to fix them.

minimalgear said...

Mine came off too, but it's super easy to redo. It's like a double lark's foot. have the knot in one hand and the hook in the other.wrap the hook round the guy, then pass it through the hole formed by the knot, then go round again and pass it through the hole again- it should tension it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cow_hitch
if you still can't figure it out let me know!

Anonymous said...

Hi Minimalgear !

Well, nice little shelter, I'm interested ! Just wonder, how tall one can be to sleep under that net-thing ? How tall are you for example ?

Max

minimalgear said...

The published height is 112cm. and the length lying down is 213cm. With the Gatewood Cape, however, there seems to be a sweet spot where the tent is big enough but the cape isn't too long. I'd say at 5'8", for me the it's great. Forum replies on BPL suggest it's good up to about 6'-obviously with diminishing space and flexibility.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Minimalgear !

At 6'3" I'll look somewhere else.

Max

Anonymous said...

Here it is, my new shelter, with 240 cm nettent floor length. And look at that vestibule :-) http://www.bearpawtents.com/pyratent.html

Max

Anonymous said...

Hi Minimal !

I ended up ordering the Gatewood too :-) BTW, who is that singer in your Gatewood video ? I really like that music !

Max

minimalgear said...

Good stuff- I really like the Gatewood. The singer is Eddie Vedder from the 'Into the Wild' soundtrack.

Anonymous said...

Oh yes, of course "the wild" :-)