Aloha Cutman11! I have the Nomadlite and absolutely love it. It was well used on my AT hike.
Pros: very light weight, uses your poles (if you carry poles), easy set up; allows for sitting up in the center, fits approximately 1.5 people (me and my pack did just fine - pack against the side when raining or at the foot for leg lift), and has good ventilation depending on which model you get. Cons: pointed ends may cause problems for taller folks (I’m 5’10" and did fine with room for placing boots, etc if needed); footprint is much longer than most resulting in limiting campsites at times (particularly in the north); single-wall construction can cause more condensation than other choices due to being closer to the face (heavy breathers) or skin. I never really had much of a condensation problem but I’ve heard the opposite for a few (very few) others.
It’s my understanding from others purchasing from Kurt this past year or so that he’s quite behind schedule and hard to reach. (A little slower than anticipateded in '01, received one week prior to starting, but he did throw in Sil stuff sacks of various sizes as an apology.) Should you decide to go this route, you may consider looking online (this site and others) for used Nomads being sold. I was just chatting with a seller about his priced at $285 - never used. I believe Hammockhanger also just purchased a used one for something like $175. There are different models resulting in different airflows (better ventilation windows) so keep an eye out for that also. Anyway, they’re out there – maybe an email on a couple of gear selling lists will do the trick.
Good luck on your search. Ain’t gear shopping fun!
Aloha!
In short, I really do love my Nomad and anticipate taking it on my PCT hike next year.
Aloha! Ann
