Experience with mid shelters?

[kwhowell]

This one looks pretty good:

http://www.gearinstitute.com/gear-news/gear-spotter/item/first-look-mountain-smith-mountain-shelter-lt

[HikerJ]

You good people who use front entry tents can I ask how you get in and out? I have one front entry tent that I'll never use again. I find it a royal pain to both get in and out.

Maybe I'm just missing something simple that keeps people buying them. Tell me where I'm going wrong. I more-or-less have to crawl on my hands and knees on the ground until I'm clear of the tent to stand up and if it's been raining or is raining this makes it doubly frustrating trying to get shoes on with out getting them or you sop and wet. My shoes never never come inside the tent. I do use a piece of ground cloth cut from an old frogg-togg rain jacket that I use in front in the vestibule but it's a huge pain.

[aguerra.1993]

I agree completely with the front entrance tents. I had a protrail that I sold because of the entrance. I'm much happier and more comfortable in a side entrance tent. 

[HikerJ]

36 minutes ago, aguerra.1993 said:

I had a protrail that I sold because of the entrance.

And the tent I have that I refuse to use is it's predecessor the Contrail. 

I think I've finally decided which tent I'm going to save my pennies for. Nemo Hornet 2p...  2lbs, double-wall tent, two side doors, 2 vestibules, free standing all not a crazy price.

[aguerra.1993]

Besides using the innernet in the duomid, which isn't something I'm interested in, do you generally use a ground sheet or a bivy? I don't own a bivy but I think it would be a great addition instead of a groundsheet so I could cowboy camp without worrying about any dew soaking my gear too badly. What do you guys think? I am ordering a duomid pretty soon most likely as I think it'll fit all my needs the best. I considered the Hexamid solo plus tarp but I think I'd like the size and stormproofness of the duomid over it.

[Dogwood]

I almost always use just a groundsheet in the Duomid. Nice IMO to have a clean dry spot to store stuff with a slightly larger 1.25-1.5 groundsheet or if hiking with Fido.  I can see how incorporating a WR true 5-7 oz bivy(not a bug bivy) offers versatility of sleeping options cowboy camping(ex; why set the DuoMid up when weather is fair and there're  no bugs?). Ex; base camp from the Duomid bringing along the bivy in summer just in case on a long day hike. If you do incorporate a bivy I'd make it an UL WR bivy to keep the wt down.