Any Origami or Hex -3 info

Anyone here use either the SD origami or the Golite hex-3 owners?

You like?

Hex 3 user/owner here. No nest, just the tarp. Just had mine out two weeks ago. Given what's its designed for and its inherent limitations, I like it. It's well made, easy to pitch on a level site, and roomy for its weight. Condensation is manageable. If you don't use trekking poles you'll have to carry a pole of course. My main gripe is that I can't pitch it lower, like all the way to the ground. In cold/windy weather I don't like that gap at the bottom.

It's probably going to be my snow shelter this weekend too.

What do you specifically want to know?

Just need a roomy shelter for me and my pack. And in a few years my son. I'd like to add a wood stove someday for heat. Titianum goat stove weights 1.3pds!!! Do you have any pics? Condensation? How bomb proof is it. Would be using it mostly in the north cascades of wa state. Do you use a ground sheet?

Thanks

It's a palace for just my son and me. For one it would be a relative parking lot. It might be a bit crowded with 2 bodies plus a wood stove and I'm not sure the stove would work. Never had it in any really killer weather (I use a real tent for that) but it is construced of a very thick silnylon and the seams are well finished. Condensation has never been a real problem for me and there's plenty of room to stay away from the sides anyway. I use a thin silnylon ground sheet.

Maybe I should mention that at 5'10" I'm not huge and a taller person may have a different perspective on this shelter.

This would not be my first choice in prolonged rain. Since there is no vestibule, every time you open the door you're exposing a fair amount of inside real estate to the sky.

I'm going to post a trip report with pics in a few days.

can't wait to see the report!

Oragami 2 ul user. The fabric is much sturdier than silnylon. Listed weights are accurate. Tarp alone 28 ounces. It comes with 7 tent stakes and about 75' of thick guy line and 10 or so line tighteners. It also comes with a stuff sack for the tarp and a stuff sack for the guy lines and stakes.
The two main reasons I went with this tarp are:
1.Bang for the buck. No one else offers near this much for 139.00
2.Extremely versatile design. There are a lot of ways to pitch this tarp. In tipi mode with about 46" center height you get 360* tarp to ground coverage---- and a lot of condensation. With about 58" (thats the upper extent of my hiking pole) you get about 5-6 inches of ground clearance and if you leave the top of the zipper open you can get a condensation free pitch. The way it is designed is different from most other tipi style tarps so that you are not confined to one type of setup.
It is super simple to pitch and has many tie loops and tie offs. It is typical Sierra Designs quality with their lifetime warranty. Seams are taped. I have had mine in some heavy rain and it is dry.
I am very happy with mine. I just wonder why I do not hear more about this little gem from others on the forums.

My only concern now is how big an area you need to pitch it? Is it a pain in the rear to find spots? I'm close real close. But?

My son and I use the Hex and like it very much...we are both 6' 2" and have plenty of room. Have never used it in heavy snow and my understanding is there are better options for deep snow. We do not use a center pole, rather tie off to a sturdy over head branch or line. With no center pole it's very roomy...you can both sit up with room to spare. Jimshaw or TomD or someone said they don't do well in really bad conditions but we've not had any problems (never had it in DEEP snow though).

Fallen leaves, best if damp, kicked strategically, make very effectively seal for the edges. Needle-duff could also work.

Obviously in a very high wind, or above treeline, this would not work.

Best is snow, which creates a bomb-proof seal against all weather.

In a pinch, rocks and logs work well, but may cause undue wear.

With minor resourcefulness by user, the Hex-3 is quite weather-proof and useful in any ordinarily foul 4-season conditions. Caveat: the seams need sealing, contrary to manufacturer's claim of a few years ago.

Am unfamiliar with Sierra Designs model. The Black Diamond "BetaMid" probably provides greater square feet per pound than the GoLight Hex. The BD model may have greater issues with lack of headroom per square foot. In theory it has less wind resistance, though in practice, is trivial.

I strongly believe the Hex-3 is too small for the smallest available wood stove, unless perhaps it were for use by a single person plus the stove. It would need extensive modification for stove pipe.