Gatewood Cape
An ultralight backpacker's dream combines rain gear and shelter into one small package
1 Person Tent | Best for:
- Thru Hiking
- Fastpacking
- Appalachian Trail
Pickup available at 8250 Southwest Nimbus Avenue
Usually ready in 24 hours
Gatewood Cape
Gray / Cape Only
8250 Southwest Nimbus Avenue
8250 Southwest Nimbus Avenue
Beaverton OR 97008
United States
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Best tarp ever!!!
"Lightened my load by 7 oz!!!! And also is multifunction!!!!! Love it!! Simplicity of setting it up!" - Taylor
REQUIRES ONE POLE
11 oz - 310 g Solo Backpacking Tarp
The Gatewood Cape is the super ultralight backpacker’s dream – shave ounces by combining your rain gear and tarp into one.
The Gatewood Cape is the ONLY poncho-style Tarp to provide complete 360° protection. Since its introduction in 2006, it has been carried over hundreds of thousands of trail miles. It’s provided shelter in everything from high mountain snow-choked ridges to lush forest trails.
*To completely repel water, shelters need to have sealer applied to the seams before use.
*Shelters including a seam sealing service may not ship immediately.
*Stakes and Support Poles Sold Separately
Design
The Gatewood Cape's unique 360-Degree Protection provides full coverage either when worn as a cape or used as a shelter. Unlike ponchos, capes don't have long slits along the sides. While the poncho may allow for more ventilation, it does little to keep out windblown rain. Dual zipper pulls on the front of the Gatewood Cape allow you to regulate ventilation while still providing full protection. Plus, the open skirted design allows fresh air to enter the bottom.
As a shelter, the Gatewood Cape provides significantly enhanced protection when compared to your typical poncho/tarp. Its sturdy pyramid design easily sheds rain or snow and wind simply flows around it. Any sudden change in wind direction in the middle of the night won't leave you scrambling to re-orient your shelter or force you deeper into your bivy. Unlike a traditional tarp, the Gatewood Cape is shaped to eliminate all exposed sides -- leaving you safe and secure.
Construction
With 35 square feet of coverage under the shelter's canopy, you've got plenty of room for you and your gear. Depending upon conditions, you can even adjust the vestibule to different heights to increase ventilation. A long zipper on the vestibule makes opening and closing the shelter a snap.
For the adventuresome day hiker, the Gatewood Cape makes the perfect addition to your 10 essentials survival kit. It packs down incredibly small and provides peace of mind knowing you've got excellent protection close at hand.
For added bug protection, the Gatewood Cape mates with the Serenity NetTent. Together they keep both the rain and bugs at bay. Providing you with secure and comfortable space.
Make it a Bundle
The Gatewood Cape Bundle is an ultralight, ultra-versatile shelter system that can be worn as a poncho while also capable of being set up as a tent, a tarp, or a net tent. Highly compressible when packed, the Gatewood Cape canopy expands to cover an area of 35 ft². The Gatewood Cape Bundle includes both the Gatewood Cape and the Serenity NetTent.
Features
Micro Buckles connect the harness to cape for easy installation and removal.
Full 360-Degree protection when set up as a shelter or worn as rain gear.
Full Zippered Entrance makes entering and exiting the shelter a snap.
Adjustable Vestibule Height allows increased ventilation while maintaining adequate rain protection.
Side Snaps for shortening the long sides when worn as a cape.
Floating Canopy allows the canopy to be set to different heights depending upon conditions.
Integrated Map / Night Stash Pocket with zipper closure to keep stuff contained. Pocket also doubles as the stuff sack.
Center Pole Support significantly improves the ability of the shelter to handle wind and snow loads.
Ultralight Waterproof Canopy is made from high strength Silicone Nylon.
Extremely Easy Setup requires only six stakes.
Specifications
General
3
1
Tent, Stuff Sacks, Guy Lines
- 10" x 8 x 1.5" | 25 cm x 20 cm x 4 cm
11 oz | 310 g (Does not include Stakes or pole)
6 (Sold Separately)
Green, Gray
Materials
15D Silicone Coated Nylon
#3 YKK
1800mm Rating
Design
Tarp
Single pole (sold separately)
49" | 124 cm
or
45" | 114 cm Pole
Side Entry
35 ft² | 3.2 m²
Lost your set-up instructions? Additional instructions can be downloaded here.
This product is rated 4.8 of 5.0 stars.
It has received 45 reviews.
Customer Reviews
Recently I damaged my first Gatewood Cape, so as soon as I got home from the trip I ordered a replacement. It is the best ultralight option I have found for a shelter. It has carried me through rainstorms. With the addition of the net, it is still a super light, flexible option.
Practiced setup at home multiple times then used 2 nights. Zipper separated first night. Also WHY do we put the tip of the pole up where the carbide tip rubs on the hood fabric and the slippery handle is on the ground? You can make a lighter harness that slips over the handle, and then the grippy tip goes in the ground where it belongs. Instead of random black and yellow cord for the guylines use 1.75mm amsteel with UL lineloc 3s (lighter that regular lineloc 3s). Use a lighter clip than the random yellow biner. Use a slightly heavier duty zipper, it has to hold up to tension and wind. You can negate the effects of the extra zipper weight by using lighter fabric on the back of the zip pocket. Also, I really dislike how it's hard to get the front low to the ground. With bad weather, wind, bears and coyotes that have come up to sniff me I want that thing down tight with the ground. Leave another foot of fabric on the front cut. You'll only add half an ounce. The hood at the top provides enough ventilation when open. I recommended instead of a full nettent make a bathtub floor that attaches with some mesh sides just to keep snakes and scorpions out.
This has been my go-to shelter for hunting in September through October. Super lightweight and has protected me multiple times from rain and snow. Easy to pitch in small spaces when a flat area is hard to find. Never leaves my pack.
I gotta say-the Gatewood Cape is the only shelter you need for three season trekking. That said, when trees are available I hammock. The forested trails are often in vertical country where level ground is a precious commodity, but a hammock don't care. But for deserts and rivers. I have used my DIY version of the Gatewood cape for decades. I recently bought Six Moons Designs’ version because, honestly, it’s better than mine.
I use the cape in deserts and the western US wherever trees are scarce. Prime cape country includes the CDT, the PCT and parts of the Colorado trail. If you’re troubled by biting insects, you are camping too close to a water source and deserve to be bitten. I don’t take the Serenity tent there. Desert nights typically end in heavy dew and shivers. A cape set up for ventilation catches the falling dew and saves time otherwise spent waiting for the sun to dry gear. The cape can get clammy in an hours-long rain but rain in the deserts and mountains rarely lasts long, and ends before condensation makes the cape uncomfortable.
Texas rivers are public, but the forested banks are private; sand bars are usually the only camping option. Again, the cape comes to the rescue. The Serenity tent is a welcome feature. River are home to all manner of biting insects.
6Moons Gatewood Cape has replaced my DIY version for a couple of reasons. 1. It sets up better. The harness makes it work more securely with a hiking pole. 2. The mosquito tent's bathtub floor works better than a ground sheet; 3. The net tent is more comfortable than an add hoc face net when the mosquitoes are aggressive.
In short, for me, the Six Moons Gatewood Cape is the most adaptable and practical 3-season shelter. Period. The only improvement would be to cut the weight in half with a DCF such as Dyneema.
I love gear that has two uses and the gatewood cape is this. Not only is it a roomy tarp/tent it is great as an emergency poncho or to be used as your main rain gear when hiking.
The only problem is if it’s raining when you want to setup you’ve got to get wet if you’re using the poncho as your rain gear.
It’s lightweight, room enough for me at 183cm and used alongside the serenity bug shelter it’s perfect to keep bugs at bay.
Tip: use the guy line with the serenity bug shelter to pull out the side of the gatewood cape alongside your other hiking pole to give you more head room. https://youtu.be/mCjhC8ZcYx4?si=-aOym1liKBVjew3i
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