Settled on a shelter??

Tents/tarps have taken up most of my gear research time in the last few months. I think I settled on one (for now at least). 

I originally thought I'd go with the TarpTent Notch. 

It's a SilNylon material tarp tent. It has a removable inner mesh bug net that weighs 9oz, while the waterproof shell tarp weighs 17.5oz. It's total weight is 26.5oz I figured I would carry just the shell for the southern California section of the trail when the bugs aren't very active. But when I reached the Sierras, I would ship myself the bug netting to help fight off mosquitoes. 

I actually bought the tent and set it up in my living room. It is large, roomy and is pretty easy to set up.

After some research, I have found a new tarp tent, ZPacks Hexamid. I told my buddy who is also hiking this year, Brendan, about it and he immediately bought it a couple weeks ago. 

I was hesitant for a while because of the design. I thought the TarpTent Notch was better designed, roomier, and stronger. But the real kicker was...the Hexamid only weighs 11 oz....just shy of a full POUND lighter than the TarpTent Notch. Now in the ultralight backpacking world...where shaving ounces, or even tenths of ounces, is an obsession....a pound of weight savings should be a no-brainer. So of course being the ultra light backpacking nerd I am, I bought the Hexamid. 

The Hexamid uses a material called Cuben Fiber. It is the latest material being used in ultralight backpacking. It is thin, light, strong, and waterproof. Cuben Fiber is much lighter than SilNylon, which is why this tent is so much lighter than the Notch. But, Cuben Fiber is also more expensive, which makes this tent more expensive than the Notch. 

Sewn in to the tarp is an ultralight mesh bug netting, which is very important for all of the areas north of the desert where mosquitoes are plentiful. It uses a single trekking pole for support (the Notch uses 2 poles). 

Generally, I'll be sleeping without a shelter. But when the weather calls for a shelter, I'm certain the Hexamid will keep me protected from the elements. And at less than a pound, I will hardly notice it on my back.

It is on back order, so it wont be here for about 3 weeks. I will post a review on it when I receive it.