Spiders and ants [Archive]

maxNcathy

07-04-2007, 06:33

superman

07-04-2007, 07:07

I am seriously thinking of buying a floorless tarp to use as shelter for my upcoming section hike in April in Ga and NC.
I wonder how much of a nuisance ants and other such critters might be.

Has anyone used a floorless tarp on that part of the trail at that time of year who could help me decide what to buy for shelter?

Thanks very much

We use a tarp (no floor) in the spring and fall. In the summer we use a tent that is only mesh or a regular tent. We used a tarp this last spring (April) in GA. We adapt our gear to the conditions. When we thru hiked we carried a tent all the way.

maxNcathy

07-04-2007, 08:53

Thanks, Superman. I assume you are saying ants etc are not evident or at least a pain in April in GA in your experience. I do hope that is true because a tarp would save me about 2 pounds in weight over my BA Seedhouse SL1.

I may pick up the Trail where I got off near Hot Springs and continue north to Damascus this coming spring so I am hoping what you noticed in GA would be the same for that stretch of the trail in April.

bigcranky

07-04-2007, 09:56

I use a tarp year-round on the Trail. In April, you won't have to worry about bugs too much. I generally use a mesh homemade bivy sack in conjunction with the tarp, especially in the summer -- this provides a floor as well as some mesh screening.

There are other advantages to tarps besides the weight savings, especially the views. But be careful -- soon you'll be sleeping out under the stars, and only using the tarp when it rains. :)

maxNcathy

07-04-2007, 10:21

Thanks, bigcranky. I trust you didn't get your trailname due to lack of sleep from pesky ants in April. haha

I do carry a netting to cover my head.

Would you carry your bivy netting if you were on a section hike in April?
How much would it weigh?

Thanks

Marta

07-04-2007, 13:05

I had a floorless Virga I Tarptent, and had a floor retrofitted. I had been thinking about it for a while, but the final straw was when I found a desiccated salamader in the foot pocket of my sleeping quilt a week after using the tent. That was in the Standing Indian area of the Nantahala section in the early spring. (I wasn't creeped out in the "I hate critters" way--I really like salamanders and was distressed that one crawled in to get warm and ended up dying.)

I used the Virga for more than a year without the floor. Bugs weren't a huge problem. Other than the salamader, the main issues were having things small slide out of the tent and, once, when I was set up on a slope, the Tyvek groundcloth and I ended up a couple of feet downhill of the upright part of the tent in the morning. It was pretty comical.

The silnylon sewn-in floor is lighter than the Tyvek groundcloth, too.

I'm sure you'll be fine using a tarp for that section.

Marta/Five-leaf

bigcranky

07-04-2007, 14:29

Would you carry your bivy netting if you were on a section hike in April?
How much would it weigh?

Yes. 8 oz.

I like the combo of a bivy and a small-ish silnylon tarp. In bad weather the bivy adds some significant protection to an ultralight down sleeping bag. In winter it adds some warmth and wind protection. In summer at keeps the critters out. If I want to stay in a shelter, the bivy keeps the mice from crawling over my face.

My bivy is homemade, using silnylon for the floor and Momentum 90 for the top, with a large mesh area over the upper body and face. The Momentum 90 is very water resistant and very breathable, though not waterproof like Goretex. The materials are available from several places; I got mine from www.thru-hiker.com.

A tarptent has some advantages over this tarp/bivy combo: you get a larger floor area and plenty of bug-free headroom, at the cost of a few ounces in weight and some additional cash.

maxNcathy

07-04-2007, 15:24

Thanks so much Marta and bigcranky.

I was looking for a Virga like Marta mentioned but couldn't find a new one to buy. And perhaps a light tarptent like the Contrail wouldn't be much heavier than a tarp and some netting and a ground sheet.
I have been really studying Gassamer Gear shelters the last few days and am leaning towards the Spinntwin tarp at this time.Grant emailed me back and said GG will come out with solo tarptent this year but I don't know if I am patient enough to wait..it would be over 200 dollars too.

Marta

07-04-2007, 16:26

... perhaps a light tarptent like the Contrail wouldn't be much heavier than a tarp and some netting and a ground sheet.

That's pretty much what I decided. I added up the weights of the components and came up with something heavier than the Tarptent.

In past years, Tarptent has had a sale in the late fall (Nov.?) as they clear out this year's models and get ready for next year's. Since you're looking at something for next spring, you might wait until then and see if you can save some $$$.

I keep thinking I need to upgrade to a newer model...but the old ones keep working just fine. The Contrail looks really nice.

Marta/Five-Leaf

maxNcathy

07-04-2007, 17:12

bigcranky

07-04-2007, 17:28

While the total weight of the tarp/bivy combo may be heavier than the Tarptent, it really depends on the specific gear. My bivy is 8 oz, and my 6x10-foot silnylon tarp is a pound including the stakes and guy lines. That's comparable to the GG spinnaker version of the squall. (If I had the cash, I could cut the weight of both items in half.)

All that said, of course, we're still talking about minimal shelter weights either way. I think there are two major differences between the tarp/bivy combo and the Tarptent:

The tarp/bivy combo is versatile, as you can use the bivy by itself under the stars or in a shelter.
The Tarptent provides significantly more usable covered space to spread out with your gear and bag.

So in this case I would choose based on the features, not on the weight, as they are similar. When I want lots of interior, bug-proof space for two or three people, I take my Tarptent Rainshadow (huge, 3-person shelter). When I go by myself, I take the tarp/bivy. They are both excellent choices.

bigcranky

07-04-2007, 17:29

Let me add one final advantage of the Tarptent -- it's way faster and easier to set up than a flat tarp. Just FYI.

Marta

07-04-2007, 19:00

Marta, I am guessing Gossamer Gear will soon come out with a refined Contrail type shelter made of spinnaker sail material that will weigh about 4 ozs less than the Contrail...as they did with the squall.

Now you're causing me pain!!! My currents tents are just fine. I do not need to spend a bunch of money to go lighter...at least until I lose the thirty pounds of stored energy I overburden my poor feet (and heart and lungs) with. The cheapest weight for me to lose is from the skin in. :D

But I still want a Tarptent made of spinnaker cloth. And a Rainbow.

Marta/Five-Leaf

FanaticFringer

07-04-2007, 19:37

Get yourself a hammock. No spiders or ants to worry about and you will sleep much better.

Time To Fly 97

07-05-2007, 08:52

I thrued with a tarp and had no trouble with ants or other critters. I used a tyvek ground sheet and tied a bug net for a single cot to my hiking pole supports for no-see-ums as the weather got warmer. I'm into hammocks now, but loved the tarp.

Happy hiking!

TTF

maxNcathy

07-05-2007, 11:34

Thanks, Time To Fly..

I would like to try a hammock..ever get bitten by a tree frog?
haha

Time To Fly 97

07-05-2007, 13:37

I was always hoping some tree frogs would join me for dinner LOL

Happy hiking!

TTF

Appalachian Tater

07-05-2007, 13:43

Ticks would be more of a concern than ants and spiders, although at least one thru-hiker had to seek medical attention for a severe spider bite in 2006.

jlb2012

07-05-2007, 13:47

never been bitten by tree frogs but one spring evening it was somewhat difficult to sleep in the hammock because the spring peepers were so loud

Dances with Mice

07-05-2007, 14:19

I've done Georgia with a tarp or floorless tent (Black Diamond Megalight) and have only had two visitors in several years.

One was a salamander that came in for a visit at Slaughter Gap, back when you could camp at Slaughter Gap. He wasn't a problem. We just turned him around and he crawled back out.

The other was ants at Woody Gap. But that's like camping in a picnic area. In fact it's exactly like camping in a picnic area.

Other than that, no problems.

maxNcathy

07-09-2007, 08:38

I wonder if anyone has ever had a snake or a raccoon or a skunk come pester them under an open tarp.

bigcranky

07-09-2007, 17:33

I wonder if anyone has ever had a snake or a raccoon or a skunk come pester them under an open tarp.

Probably, though I don't remember anyone ever mentioning this.

I've had deer come right up to my tarp while grazing in the early morning. Snakes won't bother you (the idea that a snake will crawl into your bag for warmth is an urban legend). Other small mammals will give you a wide berth.

Footslogger

07-09-2007, 17:44

Here's something that weighs about 11-12 ounces (website says 13 ounces but mine came in a tad lighter), has enough headroom to sit in, enough space for me and my pack and has noseeum mesh around the bottom to keep the critters out. Plus ...it's "side entry", which makes it much easier to get in and out of.

The mesh "skirt" folds under inside the tent. When you lay down a piece of Tyvek or silnylon you essentially seal out flying insects and creepy crawlies.

http://www.sixmoondesigns.com/shop/shopexd.asp?id=48

Taking it on my section hike in Maine next month.

'Slogger

rev_sunshine

07-09-2007, 17:48

I wonder if anyone has ever had a snake or a raccoon or a skunk come pester them under an open tarp.

I've had an encounter with a skunk running over me while under a tarp (even though food was hung many yards away). I've also gotten a couple visits from some unidentifiable, midnight visitors

While I still like the idea and the weight of tarps, I don't use them anymore

Urban legend or not, I just don't like snakes, and I have no desire to wake up next to one. It's worth it to me to carry the minimal extra weight of a tent. I sleep much better, and that outweighs (ha ha) carrying another pound.

Reverend Sunshine

shelterbuilder

07-09-2007, 19:00

I've had an encounter with a skunk running over me while under a tarp (even though food was hung many yards away). I've also gotten a couple visits from some unidentifiable, midnight visitors
While I still like the idea and the weight of tarps, I don't use them anymore
Urban legend or not, I just don't like snakes, and I have no desire to wake up next to one... Reverend Sunshine

A tarp definitely affords greater contact with nature...sometimes it's good, sometimes it's not so good. I can relate to the skunk story - years ago, I woke up to see one nosing through camp (of course, the business-end was aimed in my direction!:eek: ).
The trick is NOT to move around until you've had a quick look around. Just train yourself to open your eyes, slowly turn just your head from one side to the other, and when you know that it's "all clear", then sit up and start to stir about.
As for the ants, they will leave you alone UNLESS you are foolish enough to set up camp over an anthill - then, all bets are off!:eek: :eek: