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The DCF Whisper

The DCF Whisper

Regular price $718.00
Regular price Sale price $718.00
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The DCF Whisper

Product Details

Gear Notes

Catenary-cut panels and 7 stakes provide great stability. Meticulously designed with 0.51-oz Bio Based DCF, the Whisper sets up with 2 trekking poles for sufficient headroom and toe box clearance. The generous mesh skirt keeps bugs at bay and offers ventilation, while the waterproof zipper and taped seams keep you dry. The vestibule supplies space to stow gear and is raised to maintain visual contact with your surroundings. And the floor-less design gives you the freedom to pack your ground cloth separately for those extra muddy days. 

**Stakes and poles not included
***The Whisper is not eligible for discounts and is excluded from promotions

Gear Video

Features

  • More spacious than you think
  • Taped seams throughout
  • Ridgeline sewn & taped for strength
  • Vestibule for gear storage
  • Full mesh skirt for bug protection
  • Reflective guy lines
  • Door tie back

Specs

Weight

Shelter 9.8 oz / 277.8 g

Shelter Stuff Sack .2 oz / 6 g

Whisper Poles Set (Sold Separately) 5 oz / 142 g

Dimensions

Length 102"

Head End Width 49"

Foot End Width 25"

Interior Height at Pole 1 130.5 cm

Interior Height at Pole 2 59 cm

Packaged 5" x 13"

Materials

Shelter body: 0.51 Bio based DCF

Side Walls: 15D nylon no-see-um mesh (without FR treatment)

Guylines: 1.5 mm dyneema reflective string

FAQ

How do I set it up?

  1. If using trekking poles, set one to 130 cm, and fully collapse the other Lightrek 5 (length of 23”).  If using a stick for the rear, you’re looking for a 60 cm stick, set your trekking poles to 120 and find a stick half their length.  Be careful to use a smooth stick, to avoid damaging the tent.  If using segmented poles, extend them.  Get 7 stakes available.  I typically have beefier stakes to use for the main guylines, #3 and #4.  Zip the vestibule closed.
  2. As always, select an appropriate location for the shelter, well-drained, not in a hole.  Because the DCF fabric used is delicate, be wary of setting up under trees or cliffs where debris may fall onto the tent from above.  Lay out the shelter in your preferred orientation.  The rear of the shelter is designed to be set towards the prevailing winds, as there’s more ground clearance on the front.  At the toe of the shelter, stake the two corners #1 and #2, inserting the pole on the outside of the shelter (handle up if using trekking poles) up into the peak of the hood, and stake out the guyline #3 (use beefier stake).  The cordloc and loop can be fastened around center of the rear pole if it makes it easier to set up in windy conditions, but it is not needed for stability. Keep slight tension on the ridgeline as you move to the head of the shelter.  Put the long pole inside the shelter (tip up if using trekking poles, unless you have baskets on, then put the handle up), vertical and in line with the ridgeline (MAKE SURE THE TIP OF THE POLE GOES INTO THE GROMMET SO IT DOESN’T PUNCTURE THE TENT), and set stake #4 (use beefier stake).  It should pretty much stay up in this configuration.
  3. Move toward the front and get ready to  set stake #5.  First move the bottom of long pole about 6” toward the front of the shelter (toward stake #5), and about 6” toward the head of the shelter (in the direction of stake #4).  This gives you more interior space.  NOTE:  if the ground is smooth and hard, it may be helpful to use a rock to scrape a small ‘divot’ for the pole handle, to keep it from slipping out of position.  After adjusting the bottom of the pole, set stake #5.
  4. Pull out corner and set stake #6.
  5. Pull out corner and set stake #7.
  6. Go around the shelter, tightening lines in tensioners at corners #3, #4 and #5, and adjust any other corners necessary for a taut pitch.
  7. Open zipper, and use small stones or sticks to pin the netting to the ground (when going to bed, you can also use shoes, water bottles, etc. for this).
  8. If sleeping with a minimal pad, create your ‘GVP Divot’ for sleeping.
  9. Install ground cloth, keeping it on top of the mesh, so that any water sliding down the mesh doesn’t end up on top of your ground cloth.
     

Special Case Setup - Wind

While airflow ventilation is important to minimize condensation in a single-wall shelter, there may be cases where you want more of a windbreak.  It would be easiest to find a protected location to pitch the shelter, behind a large rock, or a downed tree, but if unable to find a protected location, you may try setting the main pole to 120 cm, and staking corners #6 and #7 directly to the ground, using the loop in the line rather than the tie out loop itself, to give a little distance from the delicate tent fabric.  In addition, using a shorter stick for the rear pole, about 19” (you can separate your LT5 poles and use the top section, just be sure not to get any grit inside the pole), will allow you to adjust the shelter and stake corner #1 directly to the ground.  This setup will have less interior space, and will not be as taut as the standard setup, but in some conditions that may be a fair tradeoff. 

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