Gatewood Cape

Just tried my recently purchased Gatewood Cape & Serenity Bug Net (plus the seam seal service before shipping!) on a basic camping weekend at a drive-up camp ground, making sure it would perform as hoped for an upcoming 3-day back-country hike.

Incredible rain battering throughout the night, plus some flash flooding put me in surges of around 2 - 3 inches of water (I clearly picked the wrong spot on the lot to pitch)... and I stayed bone dry! Thought I was in a boat! The Cape withstood the monsoon and the bathtub floor of the Serenity kept out the deep puddle - and of course the bugs.

Properly deployed this will go toe-to-toe with any one-person 3 season shelter system, probably 4 if your sleep gear is right. Possibly my last stop after several years of bivy and hammock runs. Minuscule when stored - carabiner the cape & net to the outside of your bag and save pack room. Excited to catch some flights and hike places I was afraid to lug a whole tent and poles to.

One note: I'm really short so I had no issues but this solution is not roomy. Takes some core fitness to sit up without pressing on the walls. Minimalist but super effective - be comfortable and dry when it's time, with practically no weight/bulk/serious effort. Wearing the cape works too, you'll just need creative cordage to not drag it on the ground if you're of efficient stature.

Can and will recommend!

In its first year, my Gatewood Cape explored California coast, Alaska tundra, Colorado shoulder season, and the Grand Canyon. I love it. It survived and thrived in a hail storm where my friends’ DCF tents got shredded, winds above Colorado treeline, and 48hr July snow storm in the Alaska tundra.
It is more finicky to set up and a touch smaller than the Solo Lunar but it’s also lighter, sheds water better and is more versatile to use with or without the serenity net.
I have yet to use it as a cape, but I’m sold on it being my go to shelter down to 20F and most weather conditions.

The Gatewood Cape has been my go-to shelter for more than 13 years and it has never once let me down or failed in any regard, across multiple continents during through-hiking, mountaineering, field work, travel, casual backpacking, cross-country and international hitchhiking, climbing trips, car camping, campouts, backwoods keggers, you name it. My guess is that this tent and I have had more than 300 nights together in total and it is still working very well, with the exception of a slight bit of fraying at the bottom of the zipper panel against the zipper, where all of the stress is when taughtly pitched.

The convenience of this piece of gear cannot be overstated. As a primary shelter and primary rain gear+pack fly, including dedicated carbon fiber pole, ground cloth, guylines and tent stakes, the whole thing comes in well under 3 pounds and consumes a total pack volume comparable to a large water bottle. This means that it comes with me pretty much everywhere, conveniently living in the outer avalanche shovel pouch on my old patrol pack.

Not to be understated, this badboy can be set up while you are still wearing it. That means that I don't even have to take my pack off during a storm to get it pitched. This particular maneuver takes some practice, but trust me, with the longevity of the tent in mind, you will have plenty of time to perfect this art. It also makes a great conversation piece, as everyone is curious and a little skeptical to start, followed by intrigued, followed by sold in pretty much every introduction that is made.

I've finally upgraded my setup, but I can promise you that this little guy will continue to accompany me on all of my ultralight missions, or anything wherein my discreet low-volume pack is the travel companion of choice. Thank you Six Moon Designs for developing such an ingenious piece of gear, it has truly enhanced my life for over a decade!

Used it once after seam sealing myself. Held up great as a poncho/pack cover and later rainfly under unexpected rainy conditions. Left it standing the next day while hiking (w/ Serenity net tent inserted and guy lines deployed) and came back to find it unphased by 20+mph winds (and even stronger gusts)! The transition from poncho to rainfly will leave you wet but that's something you should anticipate when purchasing and not a fault of the GWC. With the SNT, this is probably the best ounce-for-ounce single-trekking pole, double-wall shelter out there. About me: 5'10 and broad shouldered. Used with S2S Ether Light XT pad (4"), Nemo Fillo pillow, and EE 20 quilt. Highly recommend for anyone 5'10 and under.

Lightened my load by 7 oz!!!! And also is multifunction!!!!! Love it!! Simplicity of setting it up!