Gatewood Cape

[HiKen2011]

I just ordered one of these to lighten my load via rainpaints and jacket. Should save around a pound or so not to mention a lighter shelter. My question is should I still carry rainpaints in cooler-colder weather?

[10-K]

That's up to you but I would suggest carrying a .99 plastic Wal-Mart poncho because if it's cold and raining you'll need a way to keep semi-dry while you're putting up your shelter (which is also your rain gear).

[daddytwosticks]

Hope the Cape works for you. I'm 6 foot even and use a long sleeping bag. It wasn't big enough as a shelter for me and it was too long and flappy as a poncho for me. +1 on 10K's suggestion. By the way, I really wanted to make the Cape work for me but it diddn't. Nice piece of equipment, though.

[OgreJon]

I have a Gatewood Cape and really like it. I prefer sleeping in shelters, so I don't want to carry much weight as a backup.

If you practice, you can go from wearing it to setting it up as a tent without getting outside it.

Duck inside, attach the harness and stick your pole in, you will probably need to dig other end of the pole in the ground a bit so that it will stay standing while you stake it out. Now grab your stakes from the inside go to each guyline and stake it out from inside with just your hand going out from under the cape. It won't be the greatest pitch, but you should be able to get it pretty decent. If the rain, slacks off, you can go outside and restake it better.

[HiKen2011]

I have a Gatewood Cape and really like it. I prefer sleeping in shelters, so I don't want to carry much weight as a backup.

If you practice, you can go from wearing it to setting it up as a tent without getting outside it.

Duck inside, attach the harness and stick your pole in, you will probably need to dig other end of the pole in the ground a bit so that it will stay standing while you stake it out. Now grab your stakes from the inside go to each guyline and stake it out from inside with just your hand going out from under the cape. It won't be the greatest pitch, but you should be able to get it pretty decent. If the rain, slacks off, you can go outside and restake it better.

Great info! Thanks

[10-K]

Great info! Thanks

Good luck with that.... A .99 plastic poncho to wear while you set it up correctly is a lot easier.

Just saying.... I know you can do a Transformer switcheroo from poncho to shelter but it does require some serious gymnastics/acrobatics. I've tried it and I don't know if I'd ever be able to do it effectively.

[Trailbender]

Good luck with that.... A .99 plastic poncho to wear while you set it up correctly is a lot easier.

Just saying.... I know you can do a Transformer switcheroo from poncho to shelter but it does require some serious gymnastics/acrobatics. I've tried it and I don't know if I'd ever be able to do it effectively.

I have looked at these, and the design and weight savings are interesting. Is there ventilation and bug protection? As in, a fully enclosed shelter(bottom of tarp on ground), with bug netting inside the openings(no separate net required). I also do not use regular hiking poles, I carry a wooden pole when I hike. I am wondering if there would be a way to set this up without using a regular hiking pole.

The concept is interesting, but I have found poncho tarps in the past have been a crappy shelter, as well as being a crappy poncho. I am interested in the idea though, seems a really good way to cut weight.

[Slo-go'en]

The Cape does not come with netting, but a "serenity" net is available, but it isn't very big.

The concept was good and I had to try it out. I found as a shelter it was passable, although very cramped. As a poncho, it was marginal. In a strong wind, crossing a bald, it was useless.

Due to the lack of bug netting, I used an OR bug bivy to provide the netting and protection from wet/damp ground. With the addition of the bug bivy, there wasn't any real reduction of weight or bulk over something like the Lunna Solo tent, so I've abandoned my cape and gone back to the tent.

[10-K]

The Cape does not come with netting, but a "serenity" net is available, but it isn't very big.

The concept was good and I had to try it out. I found as a shelter it was passable, although very cramped. As a poncho, it was marginal. In a strong wind, crossing a bald, it was useless.

Due to the lack of bug netting, I used an OR bug bivy to provide the netting and protection from wet/damp ground. With the addition of the bug bivy, there wasn't any real reduction of weight or bulk over something like the Lunna Solo tent, so I've abandoned my cape and gone back to the tent.

Yeah, I probably won't use the cape again until the weather cools down and a bivy isn't necessary.

[OgreJon]

BTW, I meant only to say it is possible to go from wearing to pitching it as a tent from the inside. I've done it a couple of times, but like I said, I mostly aim for shelters when it's raining.

Even, if you get it setup, you still have to consider that you might want to leave the tent for a privy stop, for hanging a food back, or something else. You would not want to change it back to raingear for that, so a $1 poncho would still be a good idea.

[RockDoc]

If you recall the tornado storm that killed 350 people in Arkansas in April 2011, I was hiking on the AT in Virginia a few days south of Daleville when it came through. The shelter was full and we ended up on packed dirt tent sites along a creek. This was my first experience using the Cape. We knew this was a bad storm so we lashed up pretty tight and low. The rain & lightning started at dark and it poured hard all night long, finally ending around sunrise. I was pretty splattered with mud from rain drop impacts on the soil, but otherwise I was acceptably dry. In the next few weeks I used it in two other bad thunderstorms and also stayed dry. For solo camping, I would use the Cape again. It can be a bit exciting, but you can squeek through dry with this thing in some very bad storms.

[HiKen2011]

I bought the Cape last year and just opened it up for the first time today. Seems to be a pretty good poncho (good ventilation but may need a tie cord around the waist for heavy wind), pitched as well and have to say I'm pretty impressed as to the room inside. I'm 5' 10" and there seems to be lots of room, for a ponch/tent. Haven't tried it in real world yet but should be able to stake it to the ground for nasty storms. I think I like it.....

[ScottP]

i used a cape for the PCT. it's fine as a shelter (if a bit prone to condensation), but not very good as a poncho

[Edwardo Rodriguez]

I just got my the other day so far I like it also the the net that goes with it planing on the JMT this year to test it and see how it works. Not planing on taken any rain pants. Last year coming down Muir Pass along the JMT, I had to walk in a rain and hail storm it makes me wonder if i had the cape how I can handle the cold rain against my expose legs. But I lake the idea of the weight. Guess that is the trade off .

[QiWiz]

You could carry pants or chaps in colder weather when you don't want soaking wet lower legs.

[english]

I bought a Gatewood (six moon designs) from ebay the other week & figured I'd try it out for a long weekend in the Shenandoah NP. Camped on Possums Rest, Elkwallow Wayside & Big Meadows. I'm 5' 10" and it suited me perfectly for what I needed it for - shelter from both wind & rain. Winds were blowing approx 15 mph on 2 of the 3 nights & I'll admit I thought the 8" easton stakes wouldn't hold the tarp down & my gatewood would end up in another state! They held fast & I remained dry. I had to use it twice as a poncho on the trip & though there was slight condensation on the inside, again, I remained 100% dry. Would I buy one at the regular price of $135? YES. Would I pay double that for one made in cuban fiber & weighing a third less - HELL YEAH. If needed in future, I probably nail the stakes straight through the loops rather than using the tie downs if the weather got real nasty. My only criticism would be it's only single stitched. But for 11 oz I think it's quite an amazing product

[Wise Old Owl]

No rainpant

That's up to you but I would suggest carrying a .99 plastic Wal-Mart poncho because if it's cold and raining you'll need a way to keep semi-dry while you're putting up your shelter (which is also your rain gear).

Good Idea! and a micro camp towel

Huge fan of the Gatewood - needs a long.

[HiKen2011]

Used it last night for the first time in a "real" hiking/camping experience. It work great for me, lots of room (for a poncho tarp). It did rain and I stayed dry. Light, dual purpose and well made. I would recommend this product.

[Rif]

How did it perform as a poncho? Any issues with all the excess fabric? It seems to have much more cloth to it than say the Golite or a Sea to Summit poncho. Also curious about the sides being basically closed with only slits for the arms and a chest zip that does not seem to open to the hood. is there enough ventilation to keep condesation down? Most ponchos have open sides with just velcro or snaps to close them a bit, or zippers like the Zpacks poncho (great design on the Zpacks by the way)

[HiKen2011]

How did it perform as a poncho? Any issues with all the excess fabric? It seems to have much more cloth to it than say the Golite or a Sea to Summit poncho. Also curious about the sides being basically closed with only slits for the arms and a chest zip that does not seem to open to the hood. is there enough ventilation to keep condesation down? Most ponchos have open sides with just velcro or snaps to close them a bit, or zippers like the Zpacks poncho (great design on the Zpacks by the way)

There are snaps to tie up the excess material and with most anything else condensation is a minor issue. Still beter than a rain shell imho.