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The Net-Tent is a tent-like enclosure made of netting that clips very simply under a Ray-Way Tarp. We offer several designs and sizes, please see our Order Form.
Ray used a 1P Spitfire during his TransAm-2010 cycling trip. Notice the excellent ground coverage under the 1P Tarp after a heavy rain (despite the steeper pitch to avoid the trees on either side).
We offer three basic types of Net-Tent kits (with various options) All three models look about the same, and have the same waterproof bathtub floor.
1) The Net-Tent with Door-Flap closure is the lightest, and also the easiest to sew by a wide margin. Recommended for blocking flying insects such as mosquitoes and back flies, and the vast majority of crawling ones. This version of the kit will make a one-person or a two-person Net-Tent.
Keeping the bugs out: Our Net-Tent with Door-Flap Closure comes without zippers to add simplicity and to save weight. To keep the bugs out, you simply tuck the netting headwall extension (door-flap) under the floor. You can make an even better seal by placing the headwall extension flush with the edge of the bathtub extension of the floor, and rolling them both up a few times. Then you would place some weight (water bottles for example) on the roll to hold it in place. This method is very effective. But if camping in a place where the bugs are especially numerous, you might prefer a zipper closure instead.
Ray used a 2P Net-Tent with zipper closure on his 2011-Moto-Prudhoe trip.
2) New for 2011: Net-Tent with zipper closure would be the most suitable for most people, because it keeps the ticks out better than the flap version, and it is easier to sew than a Spitfire. The zipper version is a bit heavier than the door-flap version, due to the weight of the zippers - but not by much. And it takes a little more time to sew, again because of the zippers. But the design is very simple with only four pieces of netting to sew together (like the door-flap version). Order the one-person version, or the two-person version. Ray used a 2P Net-Tent with zipper closure on his 2011-Moto-Prudhoe trip.
The Spitfire version of the Net-Tent, 11.6 oz.
3) The Spitfire version of the Net-Tent is a one-person netting enclosure designed to fit under a Ray-Way one-person tarp. It comprises 10 pieces of netting and extra seams for strength. And again it has a zipper closing door. This model is its more durable because of how the seams add strength, so it would be more suitable for a summer-long hike. However, it takes more time to sew.
Ray used a Spitfire on both his 2009 AT and 2010 thru-hikes, and on his TransAm-2010 cycling trip. Comes in a one-person version only.
There is more info about the Spitfire on the next Page of this writeup.
Ray demonstrates how he uses the Tarp and Net-Tent in his 2010 A.T Gear Video.
Contents of the Net-Tent Kit
Our Ray-Way Net-Tent Kit comes with full sewing instructions.
The kit also contains the no-see-um netting for the roof, side walls, headwall and footwall; silicone or urethane nylon for the floor, and all the suspension lines, reinforcement material, cord locks and suspension hooks. Additionally, the kit contains enough fabric for making a net-tent stowbag.
The cord locks included with this kit (for the adjustable suspension lines) were custom made expressly for Ray-Way Products to be small and lightweight.
Size
* One-person flap or zipper closure: Floor 81" by 31", Height: 24"
* Two-person flap or zipper closure: Floor 81" by 49", Height: 30"
We feel that our Net-Tent flap or zipper model is plenty wide. But should you want to make it wider, you can. For the flap model, the materials that come with the Kit will make a 1-person or a 2-person. With these materials you can make a 1-person as wide as you desire. Or you can make a 2-person Net-Tent 12" wider than normal for the silicone floor, or 8" wider for the urethane floor.
Length
* Our basic Net-Tent with flap closure, 1-p or 2P, is 81" in length. You can order the X-Long which you can make up to 12" longer.
* Our basic Net-Tent with zipper closure, 1-p or 2P, is 81" in length. You can order the X-Long which is 6" longer.
During the 2011-Moto-Prudhoe trip.
Weight
The completed one-person Net-Tent with a silicone floor weighs only 9.0 ounces! The two-person Net-Tent is only a few ounces more. A 1-P Spitfire with a urethane-coated floor weighs 11.6 oz.
However, in most cases the Net-Tent would serve also as the groundsheet. So when figuring your load and adding the weight of the Net-Tent, you would subtract the weight of the groundsheet. The resulting increase is minimal.
Note, too, that the Net-Tent can be used as a groundsheet - with or without the tarp - when the bugs are not a problem. Simply spread it on the ground, floor side down, fold the netting on top of the floor to keep the netting clean, and lay your insulating foam pad on the netting. This gives you an additional layer under your pad, for a little more comfort and warmth. This option can be especially attractive when carrying a minimal foam pad.
At order time, you can choose a urethane-coated nylon floor or a silicone-coated nylon floor. Please see our Order Form. Most commercially manufactured tents come with urethane-coated floors. This material is more durable and not as slippery as the silicone nylon, but it weighs almost twice as much.
Despite the weight increase, Ray uses a urethane floor during all of his trips.
On our "CA Mountains & Coast" trip
On our "CA Mountains & Coast" trip
If you have an existing Net-Tent with a floor of silicone nylon, and find that the floor is too slippery, you can undertake one of two modifications: 1) Sew stake loops at each of the four corners of the bathtub floor and carry two extra stakes for the uphill side. Leave the downhill loops un-staked to save weight. Or 2) replace the floor with a sheet of urethane-coated nylon, available from us.
See the next Page for more info about the Spitfire --->
We invite you to keep reading on the next page ----->
