my CATOMA 1 man bivvy is getting on my nerves a bit.its the heaviest piece of gear i carry and hasnt been keeping the wet our like i'd like.

i'm like to go real light which isnt hard.i just dont have trust in the strength and water proof-ness of those super light materials.

i really like some of the stuff KIFARU here offers but its lacking 2 of my criteria which is a floor and being able to close it off completely.i dont want to sleep in the mud or have every single wolf spider,black fly,horse fly & mosquito in the forest nibbling on me all night.

http://www.kifaru.net/parahootch.html

http://www.kifaru.net/superhootch.html

http://www.kifaru.net/paratipi_mil.html

ok,the MILITARY PARA TIPI does have a mosquito netting door/closing but it doesnt have a floor and its over $500.

beggars cant be choosers but here's my dream tent,probably everyones dream tent.

light
tough/tear resistant
water proof
floor
can be closed up tight

so far mine is.....

not very light
tough enough
used to be water proof
has a floor
closes up tight

i know a really good tent is going to cost me but waking up cold,wet and shivering might be worth it in the long run.

theres a company called six moon designs they make a great tent called the Refuge. it has a bath tub floor and can seal up real tight...i have never tried one but they seem to be the rage. they also do seam sealing for extra $$$.

also GoLite makes some nice lighterweight tents. they sponsor andrew skurka and he stands by their gear.

EUreka makes some nice solo tents with not much room.

do you know how heavy your current tent is?

also the sixmoondesigns Lunar Solo or Lunar Duo....

also the black diamond first light

ok also tarptent.com the contrail is one i almost bought!

its been awhile since ive had to use my memory on tent comapnies...im sure ill think up more <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

B2theB here's what I'm sporting:

Can't give a personal review yet as I just got it and haven't taken it out...

But other reviews are pretty good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKHF...p;amp;p=BF94E120A1D2AE59&index=0

It works as both a completely closed off hammock and a bivi.

I got the tarp as well, but the hammock's pretty light (2 lbs.) and packs down fairly small.

http://www.ddhammocks.com/

I'm also a big fan of hammock camping. Gets you off the ground, away from the puddles, and keeps you from sleeping on acorns and roots. I use a Warbonnet Blackbird hammock ( http://www.warbonnetoutdoors.net ) which is hand-made in the USA by a cottage gear maker. Can't beat that!

In those situations where I'm sleeping on the ground, I use an REI Quarter Dome tent - they are really strong in a heavy wind, and seem to do a good job keeping the water out too.

jacks r better also makes some good handmade hammock gear or even hennesey hammocks.

usually when i use my tent ill find a good spot and clear it out( rocks, acorns, no roots).

i've debated hammock camping.i need to try one before i buy one though.

here's what i used this last weekend.its really not a bad tent,i just think i could do lighter than 5 pounds and for some reason this one isnt keeping the rain out anymore.

http://www.catomaoutdoor.com/store/Catalog/ProductInfo.aspx?id=166

this is my 2 man.this thing is a beast.110% water proof but heavy as hell at almost 10 pounds.the rain fly is so thick no light can even show through it,even with a surefire pressed up against it at night.

http://www.eurekamilitarytents.com/tents/combat.html

this would be great for up-state NY winter camping but they go for over $600 and weighs in at over 20 pounds...YIKES.

http://www.eurekamilitarytents.com/tents/ecwt.html

if you seam seal properly or have someone who knows how to seam seal properly you will not get rain in...also there are products you can spray on your tent fly or roof to repel rain. your shelter should never weigh more than 5 pounds if youre traveling on foot. really it comes down to what the general weather is like in your area. i can hike in hawaii and just have a bug net and a tarp. if im going to go to nepal id want a hilleberg, if i was in patagonia id want some SERIOUS silicone impregnated material with awesome seam sealing.

again i must say sixmoondesigns is the tent i would go with the Lunar Series is AWESOME and the Refuge is nice as well. i believe they offer seam sealing for like $20-$30

also the ultralight series from seirra designs isnt bad either.

but if your worried about rain then seam seal your fly or tent canopy. if its really raining buckets you might want to carry a lightweight tarp to pitch above your tent at a slope. if you do seam seal make sure you get the right sealant for your material.

The THREE MAN version of the REI quarter dome tent is under 5 pounds! I have the 3 man, which I carry and my fiance and I share. I've also used the one person version of the quarter dome, which weighs in under 3 pounds.

These things won backpacker magazine's editor's choice award for good reason - a heck of a lot of tent for the weight, and a dang good value too.

The ultra high end tents are certainly nicer than the REI quarter domes, but for the price they are amazing.

[/quote]The ultra high end tents are certainly nicer than the REI quarter domes, but for the price they are amazing. [/quote]

very true! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> i couldnt even afford an REI tent, so i went with eureka apex 2xt
and i love that thing, nice mesh for stargazing. and it actually fits 2 people plus gear!

looks like i got a bunch of studying to do and decisions to make.

i learned a lot here.thanks guys.