View Full Version : Tarp Tent vs. Tarp
Bankrobber
07-20-2005, 15:59
I am going to buy a tarp in the next few days for the John Muir Trail. Is the tarp tent a good buy? It seems to weigh more and is more pricey than a simple tarp/bug net Jardine style combo. Any thoughts?
I am going to buy a tarp in the next few days for the John Muir Trail. Is the tarp tent a good buy? It seems to weigh more and is more pricey than a simple tarp/bug net Jardine style combo. Any thoughts?I have a tarp and a bug net. It worked very well except when there were a lot of mosquitos. Bug net was a pain to set up and keep up. I bought a Henry Shires tarpent (Squall, no floor) which weighs about 6 ounces more than my tarp/nettting combo. It is what you'd get if you permanently attached netting to the sides of a tarp and put in a zipper.
Spent $155 for tarptent (they are more now) and $95 for tarp/netting ($65 for simple 8x10 silnylon tarp and $30 for netting.)
If there aren't a lot of bugs where you are going, then a tarp should be fine.
The General
07-20-2005, 18:02
I started in Georgia last year carrying a six pound 2 person tent (dont Laugh) by the time I reached Damascus the tent and I had fell out as my partner was on and off the trail and I was using shelters too. so In Damascus I was Lucky enough to pick up a Henry Shires two person Tarp Tent. Less than 2lbs in weight, enough room to hold a Barn Dance in and it stood up well to some high winds a more than its share of heavy rain. I'm converted it was outstanding.
Parts of the JMT will be mosquito hell, maybe especially so this year since they had lots of snow and it's still melting. Otherwise, just a basic tarp would do fine with
You may want to checkout the Gossamer Gear Spinnshelter and Bug Canopy.
http://www.gossamergear.com/cgi-bin/gossamergear/xdpy/s/Shelter/index.html
Don't forget the Deet.
chowhound
07-20-2005, 21:50
I own and use a Tacoma tarp from Brawny (Dancing Light Gear). It is a simple floorless tarp tent. It is basicly a 9' or 10' X 5' tarp with a beak on one of the long sides. It is pitched as a baker tent using a hiking pole. There is mesh all around. There is no zipper, you just lift the mesh to enter or exit. Very simple and not much to go wrong. Right now I've spent about 20 nights in it including some fierce mosquito areas and have been pleased with it's performance. In several light rains and one heavy and long downpour I have stayed dry. If you are six feet or taller I would get the 10' version. My only concern would be camping on grass or brush where ticks are plentiful, and this would be an issue with any floorless tent, tarp tent, or tarp. The solution there is to carry an extra large ground cloth and tuck the mesh under it.
The solution there is to carry an extra large ground cloth and tuck the mesh under it.I bought a few 2MIL painters dropcoths to use as groundsheet for Henry Shires tarptent to use exactly as you describe. I got three groundsheets from each 9 x 12 painters tarp. I figured that they would tear, puncture etc quickly, but I'm still using the first one. Guess I'll have to paint my house now to use up all those extra dropcloths.