Cuben with doors or without?

**FreshStart** · 12-06-2015, 13:09

So I'm new to hanging for the most part. I have done about 5 or 6 Nights so far. I have a hennesey asym zip and an asym classic with the asym tarp. I also have a HG 20 topquilt and under quilt. I'm mostly a fair weather hiker, section hiking the AT when I can. I live in Jersey and started at the Nj/PA border and have been going north. My last hike I went over bear mountain in NY and plan to continue around march. That being said I plan on getting a cuben tarp for Christmas from my fiancé and can't decide if I should get the one with doors or without. I'm also getting a warbonnet blackbird as well. So which would you choose and why? Will I be tying the doors back 99% of the time? Will they be more of a hassle then they are useful? Usually when I see rain in the forecast ill hike the following weekend. I have been in rain and wind in the past and did ok with the stock hennesey tarp. So being that I don't see a thru hike in my near future which direction should I go with this new tarp? Thanks in advance!

**jwright** · 12-06-2015, 14:04

Doors, doors, doors.
You are already saving a LOT of weight by going to cuban. How much weight do they add -- ~1.2oz (HG).
The added flexibility is huge. Unexpected rain, wind gusts, continuous light breeze, all handled by the doors.
I seem to camp in spots that have unpredictable and changing wind patterns, so the often touted "good site selection" advice doesn't apply so easily.
The doors really aren't any extra trouble. I keep mine folded back and attached to its mate, so it is never in the way and very easy to deploy.
I often close only one end at night in case the wind picks up.
You can also stake one side out wide to act as a wind block.
For the <2 oz, To me it was a no brainer.

**SilvrSurfr** · 12-06-2015, 14:48

+1 on doors, unless you're a meteorologist with 100% accuracy in your forecasts (and you would be the first in history). I've seen it rain with 0% chance in the forecast, and if you're hiking the AT, you'll often find yourself in exposed, high-wind areas where you'll get wet in a heartbeat.

Personally, I don't own a tarp with doors for 99% of the time, or even 70% of the time. I own an HG Winter Palace so that I am dry 100% of the time, regardless of weather.

Previously, I owned the HG CF standard, and did not find the coverage adequate. I got wet a couple of times, and upgraded to the Winter Palace. Keep in mind that the disciples of site selection don't seem to camp in designated campsites. You can't always find a landscape feature (hills, bushes, trees) to shield you from inclement weather. That's when doors really come in handy.

**Al Icks** · 12-08-2015, 19:00

Definitely get the doors. Like silvrsurfr mentioned, get the winter palace if you can. I recently bought the HG standard with doors. While it's awesome, it's noticeably smaller than the Warbonnet Superfly I was using before.