View Full Version : tent for winter thru-hike
Companion
09-09-2003, 13:31
what would be a good tent if one were to consider starting in early january..nobo...
i was browsing and thought that the bibler eldarado at around 5 pounds was reasonably ok..single wall tent...its like a tent made of goretex!..only they call it ToddTex...altho' the price wasnt reasonable...*what* is with these COSTS? its about $585...USD....overpriced? worth it?
thoughts?
gravityman
09-09-2003, 13:57
I think that is too much tent for the AT even in Jan. I also am sceptical at how well it will breath in the humid environment of the east coast. It is made for cold, dry climates. I would check out http://www.tarptent.com/products.html Cloudburst. No personal experience with this tent, but I am considering it for my "winter" tent.
Gravity Man
Something like a Clip Flashlight but with solid interior walls and door rather than mesh would fit the bill. Don't know who makes such a thing now.
dionalaniz
09-09-2003, 14:14
I've got the Bibler I-Tent. It's even lighter than the eldorado. It's awesome and worth the $. Driest tent i've ever been in - even when soaking and pouring outside. Also it's a mega sturdy brick building of a tent, yet still very very light. I'm taking the bibler I-Tent on my winter thru-hike.
I would either go the Bibler or Integral Designs single wall way (in which case the Bibler/Eldorado would be perfect) or go with a bivy/tarp combo. The Bibler is made out of something like GoreTex, but much more suitable for the job. Bibler makes the strongest, toughest mountaineering tents around. You see North Farce stuff alot on sponsorted expeditions, but anyone who carries their own gear has (or wish they have) a Bibler of some sort. It is worth the money if you want the strongest tent you can buy.
Set up whereever you want and let the storm come. Your tent will stand strong.
That being said, you have to examine what you want out of a shelter. For example, are you willing to gamble that you won't have too much bad weather, and could stay in a shelter anyways? Take a tarp and a basic bivy. After all, shelters are close together. You probably won't get into too much trouble with the weather. Moreover,the shelters will be pretty empty if you start in Jan. The tarp will serve as shelter for when you want to camp, the bivy will provide solid protection, and additional warmth.
However, maybe you want to lock in the strongest, best shelter you can. Carry something like the Bibler. It will work well in the winter and respectably in the spring. You'll be off the trail before it gets too warm.
The route I would not take is something like a Clip Flashlite. I would bring a tent to be prepared for the worst. Have fun pitching a tunnel type tent while it is snowing, on a bunch of fresh snow. How much fun do you think such a tent would be in a full on winter storm? Not much.
If I was leaving in January, a bivy and tarp is what I would take, with the shelters as a backup on really foul days.
tlbj6142
09-09-2003, 15:22
As chris stated, the shelters are going to be empty until March. You are probably better off buying a 30'x12' piece of Tyvec. Place several dozen eyelets along the edged. And use it to close off the open side of a shelter.
First, as suggested, I would plan on using shelters during the winter. Not going to be that many people out there.
Second, as suggested, I would bring along a sil nylon tarp to close off the front of the shelter when needed.
Third, if I were to bring along a tent for winter use, it would be a free standing tent, not one that requires driving stakes into frozen ground or snow.
Fourth, I would switch over to a lighter tent around the first day of spring.
tlbj6142
09-09-2003, 22:12
Let me metion the Tyvec (or any tarp for that matter) again. This past Janurary 2th-5th I was in the Smokies. The night of the 3rd we stayed at Ice H20. Two other folks who always do an annual hike that week were there as well. They brought a huge sheet of Tyvec to place across the face of the shelter (16-20 person shelter).
The next morning was a windy 22F and we had 4"-6" of new snow (the Tyvec boys were also weather geeks and brought a remote indoor/outdoor thermometer with them). There were 10-12 of us there that night. The indoor temp was 34F. All from the body heat and the tyvec wall (which didn't cover the 10" 'vents' that run just above the main beam over the entrance).
On the night of the 4th we stayed at Peeks (along with ~8 others). We only had enought tarps to make a partial wall across the opening. It was 18F the next morning in the shelter according to someone's cheapo keyring thermometer.
NOTE: It was a sunny 55F+ on the 2nd as I was wearing shorts on Charlie's Bunion.
MedicineMan
09-29-2003, 06:36
4 season bombproof tent for around 350$ is the Hilleberg Akto, and if you sub out the aluminum pole for carbon and remove all the zipper pulls and sub with triptease you can weigh it in at less than 3 pounds...I have tented in the Akto in gale force winds and it doesnt even shake.....
but reality is that in my winter hikes on the AT-from Nov-Feb- you will barely see a soul, so the shelter recommendation is a good one...but still you are sleeping on a slab....have you considered a hammock? i know what you are thinking-that you will freeze your banana off but maybe not, many are researching how to hammock in colder and colder temps....
with all that said, note that the Triple Crown dude Flying Brian started on Jan1 at Springer and did it all with a tarp!
with all that said, note that the Triple Crown dude Flying Brian started on Jan1 at Springer and did it all with a tarp!
And, his tarp was also his poncho.