Are these good choices in tents ?

[jcramin]

Well after reading LOTS of posts out here I think I have come to some decisions, but I fully expect to get answer to this post that probably will make me think even more about my what tents I really need or want.

Right now I have a Kelty Gunnison 3.1 for my son and I to use together for backpacking and car camping, We used this on a three day trip in August when it was in the mid to hi 90's during the day and did not cool off much at night and the Gunnison did not have enough screen and airflow even without the rain fly. NOW it is great when its cold and raining, but not when its HOT.

I am thinking about lighter weight so I was thinking about getting a Go-Lite Shangri-La 3 along with the nest for when the two of us go backpacking so we can also keep all out gear inside.. My thinking is I can use the nest alone if its hot and we know we will be around lots of bugs or the tent alone or both if needed especially if we plan to backpack when its snowing.

Then I was thinking about getting the Six Moon Design Lunar DUO for when I go alone so I have plenty of room for gear inside with me.

Of course for the price I sure wont be ordering all this stuff at one time. BUT are these good choices for my 14 year old son and I ?

Thanks,
J

[wheatus]

i would recommend a tarp. lighter, cheaper, and offers more protection than a tent. i would seriously research this option before you make a purchase. with all the money you save you could buy a lot of other gear.

[scope]

You'd be amazed how hot you can stand it if you're not sleeping on the ground.

[brooklynkayak]

i would recommend a tarp. lighter, cheaper, and offers more protection than a tent. i would seriously research this option before you make a purchase. with all the money you save you could buy a lot of other gear.

And if you feel you want even more protection you could add an ultralite bivy. There are many with bug nets at less than a 1/2 lb.

The combination is far more flexible and lighter than a tent.

[jcramin]

You'd be amazed how hot you can stand it if you're not sleeping on the ground.

I have thought about a hammock, but I toss and turn and roll and like sleeping on my stomach a lot too.

[tammons]

Makes sense.

Any all net inner tent with a big vestibule would work.

Personally I would want a freestanding tent, about 3# that I could use in fly only mode.

2 doors is nice too. I had a velox 2 and a 3 and they were both nice in that they had 2 vestibules, and 2 seperate side entries. Not totally mesh though and a bit heavy although the velox 3 was 5# which is not bad for a 3 person tent.

[brooklynkayak]

Personally I would want a freestanding tent, about 3# that I could use in fly only mode.

2 doors is nice too. I had a velox 2 and a 3 and they were both nice in that they had 2 vestibules, and 2 seperate side entries. Not totally mesh though and a bit heavy although the velox 3 was 5# which is not bad for a 3 person tent.

Keep in mind that an 8x10 silnylon tarp with something like a Meteor Bivy weighs less than 1.5 lbs (plus stakes) and is big enough for two people plus gear.

[bigcranky]

The Lunar Duo would be plenty for you and your son. (And way more than enough room for you as a solo shelter.) We love ours.

[Franco]

I really doubt that a guy that uses a tree person shelter for two and is attracted to a largish double (Lunar Duo) for himself alone , would be happy in a hammock or inside a bivy. But maybe it is just me...
Franco

[Blissful]

I've heard good things about the Six moon lunar series. I also have the Tarptent squall which is fine for two people, though in bad weather you will get condensation. We used our MSR hubba hubba on our hike up north and loved it - no condensaton problems.

I wouldn't use a tarp set up say from MA north, IMO. Still think of those guys with a tarp on "TREK" in the Whites in the wind and rain, boy were they miserable.

[ChinMusic]

The Lunar Duo would be plenty for you and your son. (And way more than enough room for you as a solo shelter.) We love ours.

I'd vote for the Lunar Duo as well. The ventilation is great and you have room for the son you mention.

I have the Lunar Solo and love it. There is plenty of room inside for all my gear, shoes, dog. The head room is a bit cramped.

But I would still consider the Duo myself, if it were something I was going to be spending half a year in.

[FamilyGuy]

Kids move a lot and single walled tents are not ideal in managing condensation so I would look at a double walled shelter for two to keep everyone a little drier and a solo single wall for you.

[ChinMusic]

Kids move a lot and single walled tents are not ideal in managing condensation so I would look at a double walled shelter for two to keep everyone a little drier and a solo single wall for you.

A kid is gonna have a REAL hard time touching much of the material in a Lunar Duo unless he does jumping jacks in his sleep.
4 adults can play cards in the thing.

[FamilyGuy]

A kid is gonna have a REAL hard time touching much of the material in a Lunar Duo unless he does jumping jacks in his sleep.
4 adults can play cards in the thing.

Ah, yes, the voice of reason from one with limited experience in the matter.

[LIhikers]

Consider the Sierra Designs Sirius 2 for hot weather use for you and your son. Half of it is single wall coated nylon and the other half is netting with a fly that goes over it. In hot weather we leave the fly off, or rolled up, so the netting is uncovered and provides plenty of ventilation.
Here's a link to it http://sierradesigns.com/tents.display.php?id=70
My wife and I have the 3 person version of this tent and that works great for us and the dog we used to have.

[ChinMusic]

Ah, yes, the voice of reason from one with limited experience in the matter.

Have YOU been in a Lunar Duo?

I have.

[scope]

I have thought about a hammock, but I toss and turn and roll and like sleeping on my stomach a lot too.

Oh, I said the same thing. I remember going to REI once when I was looking for a good solo tent and after explaining everything I was looking for, the guy suggested the hammock. I blew him off. I was stubborn enough to go another 6 months, but never did find the tent I wanted. Spent a miserably hot summer night in my mostly mesh 2-man tent, and ordered a HH shortly thereafter.

You might consider that the reason you toss & turn and roll is that you're sleeping on the ground. I still do it some in the hammock, but I go through longer periods of not doing it - not doing any tossin' and such, just sleepin'.

[sylvia_claire]

I have thought about a hammock, but I toss and turn and roll and like sleeping on my stomach a lot too.

I do that alot too and I find that that is one of the many reasons I love my hammock. It is so much easier to toss and turn and sleep curled up or how ever I want to in a hammock under a quilt than zipped up in a sleeping bag on a narrow pad in a tent. (it does take a little getting used to to move around in a hammock and not feel like something terrible is going to happen but by my second night I was good)

of course I don't know that you want to buy two hammock setups, for summer that is easy and relatively cheap but once you add in cold weather underquilts and such the cost would increase greatly

also the weight doesn't make so much sense if you aren't solo with some hammocks (why have two or three of you carry hammocks when one could carry a tent?)

[FamilyGuy]

Have YOU been in a Lunar Duo?

I have.

No - I own a Refuge X, which is the same size. I also have three figidty children.

[Egads]

Then I was thinking about getting the Six Moon Design Lunar DUO for when I go alone so I have plenty of room for gear inside with me.

BUT are these good choices for my 14 year old son and I ?

Thanks,
J

You can't go wrong with the Six Moon Design Lunar Duo