Tent vs hammok vs lean-to

[shaughnessey34]

I'm on the fence about if I would need my 4 pound tent vs a hammock i want to sleep comfortable and dry which is my biggest concern. Also considering bringing my pad and using lean-tos but not knowing if space will be available is putting it on the bottom of my list. I'm headed nobo April 1st. Any thought or suggestions on this

[Feral Bill]

You might add a tarp (cheap, light, versatile) to your list. Do have some personal shelter. All work.

[ScottTrip]

I ditched my tent when I reached Harpers Ferry. Looking back I spent about 5 nights in my tent. You will find the shelters much more crowded at the beginning of you hike, but it eases up after a couple 100 miles. I just figured I had to be really unlucky to have a rainy night and no shelter space (it did not happen). Everything mention about the shelters is true (mice, snoring, bugs) but I got use to the conditions.... Realize you may have big mile days to reach your shelter.

[illabelle]

I ditched my tent when I reached Harpers Ferry.....

As Feral Bill said, at least bring a tarp. You can't control the weather, and a personal shelter is important for your safety.

[shaughnessey34]

What type of tarp do you recommend

[kayak karl]

What type of tarp do you recommend

i have a z-pack custom cuben 9 - 11 tarp. works well with hammock or ground.

[imscotty]

If you have the money to spend get a hammock/tarp/underquilt right now and start testing it out. There is a bit of a learning curve to hammocking that you will want to figure our before starting on a long hike. Everyone has their personal preferences but for comfort and to be high and dry - a hammock works for me.

[shaughnessey34]

I am hiking with my dog keeping him dry is important to not sure how hed do in a hammock

[kayak karl]

I am hiking with my dog keeping him dry is important to not sure how hed do in a hammock

my dog sleeps in my hammock if she wants.

[shaughnessey34]

I guess I'll get a hammock and try that out cutting out 5 pounds would be great thanks for the advice

[jimmyjam]

Not meant to hurt your feelings but, a 4 pound tent is a car camping tent, not a backpacking tent.

[Feral Bill]

What type of tarp do you recommend

I use an 8x10 Equinox Silnylon tarp. It's about a pound with lines, and works with a hammock or sleeping on the ground. When I had a dog, he slept on a small ccf pad he carried.

[4shot]

I ditched my tent when I reached Harpers Ferry. Looking back I spent about 5 nights in my tent. You will find the shelters much more crowded at the beginning of you hike, but it eases up after a couple 100 miles. I just figured I had to be really unlucky to have a rainy night and no shelter space (it did not happen). Everything mention about the shelters is true (mice, snoring, bugs) but I got use to the conditions.... Realize you may have big mile days to reach your shelter.

otoh, take a shelter of some sort. There are many of us (myself included) that spent just 5 nights in a shelter and the rest in a tent or hostel/hotel. I couldn't sleep in a shelter and didn't feel like there was any advantage to them. i can setup/takedown my tent in just a few minutes. I carried a shires tarptent on my thru and have since started hammocking some. The biggest (and it is critical imo) disadvantage to just a tarp as a shelter is the lack of bug protection that a tent or hammock with bugnet afford.

[Slo-go'en]

Adding a dog pretty much limits you to camping out, so you can cross shelters right off the list.

What I would do is make a little doggie tent using a small tarp and a piece of CCF pad for him to sleep on. Pitch it right next to your tent, which could be a typical sub 2 pound, single person tent. It might take some training to get him used to it, but they catch onto the idea of dog house pretty quickly.

[Nooga]

I am hiking with my dog keeping him dry is important to not sure how hed do in a hammock

I don't hike with a dog, but couldn't the dog sleep on the ground under the hammock? With my hammock setup, it is dry, particularly if you bring a small ground cloth for the dog.

[shaughnessey34]

Not meant to hurt your feelings but, a 4 pound tent is a car camping tent, not a backpacking tent.

Yeah ive looked at lighter options its a 2 person winter tent used in when climbing Kilimanjaro. A hammock I was looking at 2 person, rain tarp, bug netting, and rigging was 4lbs 11 oz. I wouldn't consider bringing my dog a small shelter that seem like unnessary weight. Im headed down south today will be looking at lighter tent options that seems the way to go also needing a sleeping pad just looking for the lowest weight at this point. And I agree on the shelters as a no go with the dog

[Slo-go'en]

Most tents have some kind of vestibule and I believe that is where most people have their dog sleep.

[WILLIAM HAYES]

well personally I use a hammock you really dont need a two person hammock your dog can sleep underneath your hammock on a pad

[pnkwolfe]

One of the things I'd recommend is considering what your personal goals truly are. The different sleep strategies are very different. Hammocks tend to to run a little heavier, all in, but can be very comfortable. Tarps can be ultralight, but can fall short in comfort (e.g. bug protection). You can find very light, easy to use tents, but you might find sleeping on the ground (tarps, tents, somewhat for shelters) less comfortable. I agree with the recommendation on carrying something, though. You might be annoyed at the weight, if you don't need to use what you're carrying, but a shelter can be a lifesaver in certain conditions. Try out different options now, if you can.

[msupple]

If you want "dry" you want a hammock. I used one on my AT hike and never had a problem with wetness except a time or two in heavy dense fog. It's a simple matter to set and tear down your hammock while under the safety of your tarp. Upon leaving in the rain you'll be all packed up and ready to go before ever taking down the tarp. The tarp is then sored separately on the outside of the pack.