Sea to Summit Nano Head Net Review

Overview

The Nano Head Net is Sea to Summit’s stripped-down bug veil: a sock of fine black mesh with an elastic drawcord at the neck, weighing 11 g. It is aimed at thru-hikers and ultralight backpackers who want mosquito insurance that costs almost nothing in weight or pack space. The trade-off is the mesh. It handles mosquitoes well, but it was never designed to stop no-see-ums or midges.

Key Specs

Spec	Detail
Weight	11 g (0.4 oz); one retailer lists 12 g with the stuff sack
Mesh	15D Ultra-Vis, hexagonal weave, black
Mesh density	80 holes/cm² (about 500 holes/in²)
Closure	Elasticised neck drawcord with cord lock
Packed size	About 7 cm long x 2 cm diameter
Sizing	One size
Treatment	Untreated (no permethrin)
Includes	Small stuff sack
Price	Roughly €14.95 / £12 / A$21.99, depending on market

Performance

Weight and packability. Sea to Summit positions the Nano as roughly 60% lighter than its own standard head net and about half the size. The standard net is listed at around 27 g in some retail roundups. The Nano collapses to a roll about the length of a matchbox. One hiking-gear roundup argues there is “no excuse” not to keep one in a hip belt pocket, and that is the right way to think about it. At 11 g, it is a piece of insurance rather than a piece of gear to be debated.

Visibility and airflow. The black mesh is the main design choice. Dark netting is easier to see through than white or beige netting, because it cuts glare and the eye focuses past it. The hexagonal weave also moves air better than a tighter no-see-um mesh. A Backpacking Light forum thread on head nets makes the same point from the trail. A poster there notes that standard mosquito netting costs far less vision and feels less clammy than no-see-um netting. Another recalls using a Sea to Summit net in the mosquito swarms of Tuolumne Meadows and finding it worked well.

Comfort. Owners and forum users repeatedly mention how soft the mesh is. One Backpacking Light poster preferred it to a stiffer Coghlan’s net that irritated the neck while hiking. The elastic neck drawcord is adjustable and uses a lightweight cord lock, so it can be cinched over a collar or a jacket hood.

Fit and structure. There is no hoop, brim or wire. The net is meant to be worn over a cap or wide-brimmed hat, which holds the mesh off the face. Without a hat, the mesh drapes against skin, and mosquitoes will bite through it. Anyone who doesn’t wear a brim on the trail should plan to carry one. A UK retailer’s review makes the same recommendation: pair it with a wide-brimmed hat.

Where it falls short. Sea to Summit says plainly that this mesh, about 500 holes per square inch, is good for mosquitoes and most other bugs but is not no-see-um proof. Its guidance puts no-see-um protection at 1,200 or more holes per square inch. For midges, sandflies and no-see-ums, Sea to Summit sells a separate Ultra-Mesh net at 2,000 holes per square inch. Ben’s makes no-see-um-rated nets of its own, such as the UltraNet, which is rated at 0.5 mm pores and weighs about 1 oz. A tester at one UK retailer also suspects the Nano is less durable than the standard net, which is a reasonable expectation for a 15D mesh that is 60% lighter. In practice, that means keeping it out of the part of the pack where branches, trekking pole tips and zipper teeth live.

Treatment. The net is untreated. Hikers who want a permethrin-treated option need Sea to Summit’s separate Insect Shield version, which is heavier.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 11 g and about the size of a matchbox
• Black hexagonal mesh preserves visibility and airflow
• Soft against the face and neck
• Adjustable elastic drawcord with a cord lock
• Comes with its own stuff sack
• Inexpensive

Cons

• Mesh is too coarse for no-see-ums, midges or sandflies
• No structure, so it needs a brimmed hat to stay off the face
• Lighter mesh is likely less durable than the standard version
• Untreated
• One size, with no way to adjust the head opening beyond the neck cord

Who Should Buy This

This net suits thru-hikers and weight-conscious backpackers in mosquito country. Alaska, the Sierra in early summer, the northern Appalachians and Scandinavian forests in July all qualify. It is also a sensible spare in a first-aid or repair kit, since it weighs less than most of the items in them. It works best for hikers who already wear a cap or sun hat.

Buyers heading to Scotland in midge season, the coastal Southeast, or any area where no-see-ums are the main problem should skip it. A no-see-um-rated net, even a heavier one, is the better choice there. So is anyone who wants a rigid brim or a hoop to keep a net clear of the face without a hat.

Verdict

The Nano Head Net does one job, stopping mosquitoes, at a weight most hikers will never notice. Its limits are clear: no hoop, no treatment and no defense against the smallest biters. Buy it for mosquito season and a brimmed hat, and look elsewhere for no-see-um country.