HMG ultramid

What experience do you guys have with this company? A local shop has been carting a few of their products and so I get to touch, feel and try out before purchasing. One product that has caught my eye is the ultramid 2 person shelter. http://www.hyperlitemountaingear.com/hiking-climbing-shelters/mids/ultamid-2-man.html
This pyramid shelter is plenty big enough for 2 full grown adults plus gear and weighs a fuzz over 1 lb. Pretty dang good for the weight, right? I know the price is steep but overall it maybe worth it. Please post your opinions! Thanks

Tyson

If I had six-fifty rattling around my sofa cushions I'd be very interested. Love the ShangriLa 3 for a fraction of that, although it can no longer be bought as just the shell. IIRC it's somewhere around a pound and a half.

From what I've read, HLG makes good gear. No experience, though.

Cheers,

Thanks Rick! HMG is a somewhat new company, but the price point holds me back.

I just looked up the spec for the ShangriLa 3 and was shocked by the weight! 4lbs 8 oz, which is the weight of 4 HMG pyramids!!!

That weight is for the shell, nest, pole, stakes and bags. I use the shell and stakes only, supported with trekking poles. But as I said earlier, they only sell the complete kit now and you're stuck with the unneeded stuff, presuming you'd never use the nest.

Depends on how bad the mosquitoes are!

RC, they are really noisy in high winds, the cuben fiber rattles pretty loudly. We were kept up by a friends, one night this past Oct. with a front moving in. You also need to add the weight of the stakes and a ground sheet of some kind. And it supposes trekking pole use. At 64" it would also need an extension on most trekking poles. Either that, or you need to factor in the weight of a heavy knife or saw to fabricate one. Something not always easily accomplished as you get up to treeline. For me, I'd have to have the mosquito netting, too. Looks like a great, roomy shelter, just a little pricey for me when I factor in the add ons. By the time Ti stakes, netting, and floor + tax is added, it's going north of 800.
I'd look around and weigh the options before pulling the trigger, but that's just me and my particular tastes and needs.

You might want to look at the mids made by Mountain Laurel Designs. They have much less expensive silnylon options as well as cuben, and have been in the business a lot longer. I haven't heard anything bad about HMG, but I've done business with MLD and have been happy with them. At least this gives you another option to look at.

My own research convinced me that even a cuben mid plus bug netting inner (especially one big enough for me plus dog) is definitely not the lightest option. I personally won't go out without bug netting! Of course, YMMV!

Another place to look is ZPacks. I have their Hexamid Twin but haven't been able to use it enough yet to know if it's a keeper. I wouldn't want to use it for two because the door is on only one side, but it's fine for one person plus dog or child. This fall, ZPacks came out with three new models, the Hexamid Solplex, Duplex and Triplex. Unlike the older Hexamids, these have sewn-in bathtub floors and the Duplex and Triplex have two doors. The doors are also higher than on the old Hexamids. They are a little heavier, but probably worth it. Again, because made of cuben, they are pricey!

I actually own a MLD duomid in silnylon. I really like it for just me but a bit crowded for me, my son, and gear. I really like z packs new shelters, the duplex might really fit my needs. I'm trying to keep my shelter weight down to the one pound range. I use a bivy so I don't use a ground cloth. I like not having to kick off my shoes or worry about my dogs claws tearing a hole in a floor. I just really like pyramids and have been looking at locus, bearpaw, Ruta locura, HMG, pretty much all of them. Another thing I'm not to sure about is the white cubin, seems pretty see through and could be a problem with a full moon. I don't know maybe z packs fit the bill best.

I didn't know cubin was noisy that's good to know!

Thanks for all the well thought out replies, all opinions are very helpful.

Tyson

http://hikeitlikeit.com/2013/hyperlite-mountain-gear-ultamid-2/

Interesting review. Shows the size difference between the duomid and the ultra mid. I like that the door is on the narrow side.

I forgot to mention Oware as another reputable source of
'mids!

I can't comment on this particular design, but I just got their Echo II insert as part of a tarp/tent system I'm putting together, and daaaammmmn. Their quality of construction and attention to detail is seriously impressive. Also speed and quality of customer service seems to be excellent.

I know HMG gear is expensive, but so far it really seems that what you get for that price justifies it.

Over all it's not that expensive when you put in perspective, 6 nights at a cheap hotel would cost more. Other hobbies cost many times more, like motorcycling, I could spend 600 on tires that will wear out in a year or less. Fly fishing, a good fly rod easily cost 300 plus all the other gear involved. 650 for a tent that will last years maybe even a life time with proper care. And after talk to Mike ( the owner ) I'm convinced this is the route I'm going to go. I know I'm justifying it but oh well life is short! And so I ordered one.

I have a Zpacks tent and backpack. I can recommend both. The Zpack twin is big enough for my wife and myself. No need for an extra bug tent.

I haven't used it yet in horizontal rain, so I can't comment on that, but to me it seems quite functional.

I bit the bullet and got the Ultamid2 I'll post some pics soon. Packed size is about of a honeydew mellon. Weighs 17.7 with guy lines on my scale. Stuff sack is .5 oz, extra 50' of guy lines weigh 2 oz.