Six Moon Designs Gatewood Cape Shelter/Poncho

Product detailed description

This isn’t just any old poncho or tarp! Anyone who’s been caught in a storm overnight in the mountains under a makeshift shelter or raincoat knows that the hours until dawn are long and grueling… Let’s not kid ourselves—unless you’re one of those dwarves who can squeeze into absolutely anywhere, a raincoat shelter won’t offer you much protection. But the Gatewood Cape poncho-tarp is a whole different story.

Unique design The Gatewood Cape provides complete protection from the elements from all sides, whether you wear it as a poncho or use it as a tarp. Unlike a classic poncho, the Cape doesn’t have long open sides, just narrow armholes, so you won’t be caught off guard by rain or strong winds. A long front zipper with two sliders ensures good ventilation—you can adjust the airflow to suit the current conditions. Plus, the Cape is wide enough to easily cover even a giant backpack, providing excellent ventilation from below.

Protection from all sides

As a shelter, the Gatewood Cape provides incomparably better protection than any other poncho or tarp. It’s set up using a single trekking pole—simply snap a simple “harness” into the collar around your neck using small clips, then insert the tip of the pole into it.  The Cape is designed to easily handle rain and snow, and the wind simply “slides” right past it—you’ll see for yourself! Because the tarp is enclosed on all sides, you won’t have to go outside at night to reposition the tarp just because the wind has shifted direction… 

Gatewood Cape is not a makeshift shelter – you can rely on it to sleep soundly and safely even in inclement weather. Ron Moak—founder and owner of Six Moon Designs—has been using the Cape for several years and relies on it even during multi-day treks in the Rocky Mountains, where you’re constantly above 3,000 meters. Normally, I might not have believed him, but after meeting him in person at the trade show in Friedrichshafen, where he slept under a tarp at the campsite for the entire five rainy days, I have no doubts—Ron is a total enthusiast, his tarps are a labor of love for him, and he spends a lot of time outdoors.

On our Nalehko team, Vašek uses the Gatewood Cape the most. He’s already slept under it for a good 150 nights and swears by it. The shelter provided him with perfect protection even in higher mountains such as the Dinaric or French Alps.

With a covered area of over 3m², you’ll have plenty—I’d almost say a lot—of space for yourself and your gear. Depending on conditions, you can adjust the zipped-up vestibule to different heights to optimize ventilation and views. Entry into the shelter is easy thanks to the long zipper. The Gatewood Cape is also a great option for long day trips—it packs down extremely small, and at 290g, it’s a reliable backup to have on hand in case of unexpected events.

If you’re concerned about condensation, we recommend reading our article dedicated to condensation.

We also offer an inner tent with a floor – Serenity Net Tent.

Six Moon Designs Gatewood Cape:

• Single-layer construction, sets up on a single trekking pole.
• Micro buckles for easy and quick attachment of the straps to secure the pole.
• Complete protection from all sides, whether you use it as a poncho or a shelter.
• Long zipper with two sliders for easy entry into the tent – when fastening the tarp, first pull both sides together with the Velcro, then fasten the zipper – this will prevent damage to the zipper.
• The adjustable height of the tarp above the “vestibule” allows for good ventilation while still protecting against rain. The tension cord features a prusik knot with a plastic hook; thread the loops at the bottom end of the vestibule zipper through it, and by moving the prusik knot along the cord, you can pull the vestibule up or tighten and pull it down.
• Snaps on the inside of the sides allow you to hang the long flaps when using the Cape as a poncho.
• You can adjust the height of the shelter above the ground by changing the length of the pole according to outdoor conditions.
• The integrated large zippered pocket easily holds even a larger map; when used as a shelter, it serves as an inner pocket for small items, and the poncho can be fully packed into it.
• The pyramid structure with a pole in the center is the most stable tent design possible, so you need not fear wind or snow.
• The open hood serves as a peak vent, or can be completely pulled down with a cord when it rains.
• The main tension cord has a tensioner inside, so if the strong nylon sags a bit when wet, just pull the cord from inside the sleeping bag, and the tent is taut again.
• Option to add an inner tent with a floor – Serenity Net Tent.
• You will need 6 tent stakes to set up the tent – they are not included with the tent!!!

Technical Specifications:

• Weight: 290 ± 5 g.
• Packed dimensions: 20 x 23 cm pouch.
• Covered area: 3.25 m²
• Internal height: 114 cm.
• Number of entrances: 1.
• Number of people: 1.
• Taped seams: No – must be taped by the user. 

Materials:

• Canvas: 15D Silicon Nylon.
• Zippers: #3 YKK.

Warning! The tent does not have taped seams!!! As with other UL tents and tarps, you must do this yourself. For tarps made of siliconized nylon, you can purchase this adhesive or mix your own blend according to these instructions. 

It might be a hassle, but at least you’ll get to try setting up the tent and get familiar with it while taping it. If this is an insurmountable problem for you, then you aren’t ready for the ultralight concept and should look for your gear in a different category… Ultralight is about knowing your gear and its limits, and treating and caring for it accordingly. My reward is a feather-light backpack that makes it a joy to spend whole days roaming the mountains! If you don’t want to use trekking poles to set up the tarp, you can purchase an original pole.

We’ve even filmed the entire seam-sealing process for you.

Named after a legend

The poncho’s name is also quite symbolic, because “Grandma” Gatewood was already a cult figure among all nature wanderers a century ago—she hiked trails several thousand kilometers long with nothing but food, an army blanket, and a large raincoat in a bag slung casually over her shoulder. A truly incredible woman, she managed to raise 11 children and, at the age of 75, hiked the entire Appalachian Trail (3,500 km of really tough terrain). Don’t you think we’ve gotten a little soft???