View Full Version : Tarptents.....pros? cons?
Considering a tarptent, anybody have any suggestions for me? Advice?
Curious about experiences with vestibule(?) and if this was a damp choice with the floor/mest the way it is.....
get a hammock,they are more comfortable:cool: neo
http://www.whiteblaze.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/7105/sort/1/cat/500/page/1
titanium_hiker
09-11-2005, 21:40
hehehe. good ole neo. Yeah, I would have to reccomend a hammock, but sometimes that is not an option. :)
PRO
lighter than tent
bugnet with it (unlike tarp)
CON
you must use separate groundsheet
you are still sleeping on the ground lol.
with a hammock you can still tarp- with a hennessy it is almost like a tarp tent (re bugnet)
titanium
titanium_hiker
09-11-2005, 21:41
with a tarp the whole thing is the vestibule...
it's like this,sleeping on the ground sucks big time:cool: neo
justusryans
09-11-2005, 21:45
I have a Cloudburst 2 and we are very satified with it.
tried the tarp thing after getting out of the army, and it was just as nasty, hard, and windy as ever... so I gotta say 'get a hammock'... love my Hennessy... and i can't imagine myself camping anywhere there aren't trees...
that said, if you've never been there, check out the reviews at backpackgeartest.org. good site, mostly good people, and good reviews...
Whistler
09-12-2005, 07:37
Back on topic. Tarptents are an excellent choice, I have a Tarptent Squall that I'm quite happy with. You'll find gobs of information on this site as many have spoken for it before, check out the "Search" function above in the green field at the top of the page. I got 215 threads.
Before giving you better answers for you in specific, we'd probably need to know more about the size you'll need, if you'll be sharing mostly or mostly solo, where you expect to most often use it. Check out www.tarptent.com (http://www.tarptent.com) and www.sixmoondesigns.com (http://www.sixmoondesigns.com), both offer top-of-the-line products that will meet a variety of needs. I haven't heard any significant complaints about any of the models.
-Mark
12hrsN2AT
09-12-2005, 08:11
I live near the Everglades and I have a home made Tarp Tent, I used for a long time with no problems. I now use just a Tarp and seperate netting. The tarptent sets up on a beach, it's stable in winds, it takes a second to fold up and it's cheap. One sold on eBay yesterday for $50, a real Tarptent with netting.
Thinking that the world consists only of trails with trees is ignorant. The AT is small sample of what's on the rest of the trails this world has. In Nimbin the trees are to big to tie hammocks to, on PCT there are arid spots with no trees. Maybe one day you will venture above the tree line. All of the Everglades is treeless. I also hike with my wife....
Tarptents=Sex with a partner
Hammock= Sex with yourself
titanium_hiker
09-12-2005, 08:35
"you'll never find trees" - Check out setting up a hammock on the ground... you have multiple options then... :D
to go back to tarptents, if you want the openness of a tarp and the "no bug ness" of a tent, the tarptent is a great hybrid. you can google for "tarp camping" and get a bunch of raves about the "connect to natureness" of the tarp. However, the attached bugnet of a tarptent is a great "feel good and safe" thing.
titanium
peter_pan
09-12-2005, 08:42
12hrn2AT,
True hammockes are quite ingenious....learn to sting up at corners of fenced fields...carry jams, so that rock craigs will do in canyons...carry extra rope/webbing if tress are know to be big or distant...many large bushes like mountain laurel are strong enough to hold a hammock....On Big Cypress Seminole Resevation I once hung between a chain link fence post and a 3 inch sappling ( sorry no pic ) over a drainage ditch with up to 6 inches of water, as it rained all weekend....
...and most importantly.... as others have pointed out, on other threads... Hammocks make great sex swings....Pick a spot with a view....does the refrain, " the hills are alive with the sound of ..." start to have new meaning?
Some might even postulate that following a great nights sleep in a hammock...she might not be, "too tired" the next day...
Just some food for thought.
Pan
12hrn2AT,
True hammockes are quite ingenious....learn to sting up at corners of fenced fields...carry jams, so that rock craigs will do in canyons...carry extra rope/webbing if tress are know to be big or distant...many large bushes like mountain laurel are strong enough to hold a hammock....On Big Cypress Seminole Resevation I once hung between a chain link fence post and a 3 inch sappling ( sorry no pic ) over a drainage ditch with up to 6 inches of water, as it rained all weekend....
...and most importantly.... as others have pointed out, on other threads... Hammocks make great sex swings....Pick a spot with a view....does the refrain, " the hills are alive with the sound of ..." start to have new meaning?
Some might even postulate that following a great nights sleep in a hammock...she might not be, "too tired" the next day...
Just some food for thought.
Pan
once a hammock hanger always a hammock hanger:cool: neo
12hrsN2AT
09-12-2005, 10:20
OK OK I am not against Hammocks, I own a few and believe that a hammock is the only place I can actually sleep in direct sunlight, it has a great calming effect. When I camp I always carry a hammock. Please note that my spouses and I's combined weight is about 400lbs, so sharing a hammock is not always an option.
As I am heading out this weekend to Ocala National Forest, I will bring the Tarptent (and a hammock) and send some pics of it setup with blow downs.
I live near the Everglades and I have a home made Tarp Tent, I used for a long time with no problems. I now use just a Tarp and seperate netting. The tarptent sets up on a beach, it's stable in winds, it takes a second to fold up and it's cheap. One sold on eBay yesterday for $50, a real Tarptent with netting.
Thinking that the world consists only of trails with trees is ignorant. The AT is small sample of what's on the rest of the trails this world has. In Nimbin the trees are to big to tie hammocks to, on PCT there are arid spots with no trees. Maybe one day you will venture above the tree line. All of the Everglades is treeless. I also hike with my wife....
Tarptents=Sex with a partner
Hammock= Sex with yourself
i have been to five continents and am pretty well aware of what the world looks like... have developed some likes and dislikes over the years... treeless landscapes are one of them... even the alps and rocky mountains... didn't like any of the deserts i've been in. don't like jungles either... i like old mountains, trees, water, and wildlife... the one time in my life i got to choose where i was going to live, i chose knoxville, tn. all i meant was that i choose to camp in wooded/mountainous/water-filled areas to as great an extent as possible.
and sex outside the hammock, on a bed of grass next to a waterfall, is better than in a tent, imho...
sierraDoug
09-12-2005, 14:46
I've heard tarps are better for avoiding condensation as you can adjust the pitch from low down to up high as needed. Do tarptent users have any comments on condensation issues or solutions?
Footslogger
09-12-2005, 15:20
I've used both (tarps and tarptents) and have had about the same condensation with them, which is minimal. Pretty much all comes down to ventilation.
I've got the Golite Cave I, the Tarptent Squall and now the Six Moons Lunar Solo-e. Plenty of difference in the shelters themselves but if I set them up to maximize air movement I have no problems with condensation.
'Slogger
pro-cant think of anything
con-your sleeping on the ground:cool: neo
C-Stepper
09-12-2005, 16:05
Pros--I have a Squall with the sewn-in floor, extended beak, and the bug netting. It is a quality product. I've only had condensation once in the 16 nights I've slept in it (all 4 seasons, but no snow), and the only time was when I brought a second person to share the tent with me (my daughter). The condensation was very light and, just before sitting up, I just wiped the roof with my bandana (it was no biggie). It's very roomy for the weight. Mine uses a hiking pole for the front, which gives extra headroom.
Cons--I'm only 5'7", so I can even sit up in the Squall...however, if I were taller, I might have gone for the Cloudburst instead. I never considered the Virga, as I like to have all the extra space for spreading around my stuff for my evening activities.
Good thoughts and advice here.....
I really figured the netting on the sides would make thiings really damp inside when the weathers foul...but won't be sharing this time out so hopefully condensation will be minimal. How about critters, anybody have any experiences? Just seems the "walls" of my standard tent seem to give a more secure feeling between me and the possible skunk or porcupine...
titanium_hiker
09-12-2005, 18:58
the big debate is wieght versus percieved security (tarp vrs tent) and the tarp tent is the middle ground.
titanium
I checked out the TarpTent site and liked that better....no disclaimer though like the other about the floor possibly leaking upwards from body weight, has this happened to anyone who can comment on this? thanks, this advice is terrific!
bobgessner57
09-13-2005, 00:15
My daughter and I used a Virga over the labor day weekend. We had adequate room given the fair weather but I would have been concerned about stuff around the edges if it had been a rainy weekend. I bought the Virga as a solo rig and am impressed with the useable space and could stay dry solo. Will seriously consider a larger tarptent for trips with my wife or kids.
The netting was a real blessing one night when noseeums were driving us nuts before bed. I slept on top of my bag and wasn't bothered at all. It was much more comfortable than my old tarp without any netting and more convenient than a suspended net.
The tarptent was much quieter than a regular tarp one windy night. No annoying flapping and the taught pitch is hard (nearly impossible) to achieve with a regular tarp.
The Virga will be my primary shelter for solo trips until I convince myself I want to be the filament between two lightning rods. Seriously, I like the concept of hammocking on a slope or over a rocky area, but find the tarp or tarptent an economical, lightweight option that can easily be adjusted to suit the season, especially for two or more people.
I use a tyvek ground cloth with duct tape reinforced "grommet" holes so that it can be used as a small tarp at a shelter or for a rainy lunch break. I like the flexibility of that system.
Two Speed
09-13-2005, 16:26
. . . Just seems the "walls" of my standard tent seem to give a more secure feeling between me and the possible skunk or porcupine . . . I used to have the same idea until I got a good look at the claws and teeth on a skunk. I presume porkies are similarly equipped. Couple of points:
1) IMHO the security offered by a tent is more psychological than physical. Most animals in the woods are more than able to rip a hole in a tent if they want to. If you don't share my opinion, spend a night at a shelter, put some trail mix in a side pocket of your pack and zip it completely closed. Let me know what the mice do. (Hint: you ain't gonna like what's probably going to happen to your pack and will very likely regard me as a terminal a**hole with no redeeming features. :eek: )
2) I've never had a skunk enter a tent (don't have porkies here in GA, so I don't know anything about them). Been backpacking off and on since the early '80's and neither me nor my hiking buddies have ever had that happen. Given the number of idiotic things I was inclined to do in my heavy drinking days I'd say that skunks generally don't enter tents, particularly when occupied. Either that or skunks don't like the smell of Scotch. :-?
I've bought a SMD Lunar in the last year and am very satisfied with it. Like all single wall designs it can suffer from condensation if you don't manage the ventilation correctly. You can take a look at some specific comments about the Lunar at:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=10141&highlight=SMD
FWIW, I'm convinced that the lightweight, single wall tents require a better sense of judgement about site selection, ventilation, orientation of the opening, etc. Speaking for myself, I think the slightly higher demands to demonstrate common sense are a small price to pay for the reduction in weight. If you take the time to get to know your gear and how to manage it in inclement weather, SMD, Henry Shires, whatever you choose, I think you'll be well pleased with it.
Bob,
Thanks, good advice and well put! Will take all this into consideration. I actually like sleeping on the ground and don't know what I would do above treeline in a hammock if the need arose.
Two Speed,
Thanks also, checked out the other thread, let me ask this....I wonder if the Tarptent brand of shelter needs seamsealing as well? Is this the fabric and just part of the deal...I truly do not want to get into self seam-sealing, that's always been a nice feature of a tent, comes sealed. But I really want to go with this lighter option if possible. I saw on the Tarptent website the following statement, does it ring true for other brands as well that have floors in them?
Cloudburst model states: the Cloudburst offers excellent 2-person comfort and storm protection. Double arches and steep walls shed rain and snow. Generous front awning and roll-down sidewall flaps protect living space when needed; roll-up to reveal extensive netting for ventilation.
Also they offer this for all models, but I can't see how the floor would work i this "cake pan" way, do you adjust it yourself, would like to hear comments about this as well.
"Extended Sewn-in floor floor offers full insect protection. Floor edges clip to tent corners when needed to form "cake pan" enclosure"
Two Speed
09-13-2005, 19:28
Every shelter I've ever owned has required seam sealing. I always set up a new shelter at least once at home before going on a trip. I view sealing the seams as part of getting to know and understand the shelter. If you really object to seam sealing Walasi-Yi http://www.mountaincrossings.com/ was offering SMD products that had already been sealed. They may offer the same service for Henry Shires products, or Henry Shires may offer that service. I would not take a tent, single or double wall, on the trail that hadn't been seam sealed.
As far as the claims about the Cloudburst, Squall, Virga, etc, I've heard nothing but good things about these products. I just happened to see a Lunar on closeout on SMD's website and couldn't resist; a Henry Shires product might have been just as suitable, but SMD had a better price when I needed a new shelter.
As an aside, I own gear made by SMD, Etowah Outfitters and Anti-Gravity. My experience with the smaller outfits has convinced me that the premium in price is well worth it. It's just tough to beat gear built by backpackers for backpackers.