Final choice...

[Thirsty_River]

Heres my final choices on which shelter to buy. Does anyone have any advice or consult?

1. Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight -- 2lbs 11oz -- $100 - TENT

2. Hennessy Hammock Ultralite -- 1lbs 15oz -- $180 - HAMMOCK

3. GoLite Lair 1 Tarp & Nest -- 2lbs 2oz -- $180 - TARP

4. GoLite Trig 1 -- 2lbs 9oz -- $180 - TENT

Some background...
I've only ever slept in a tent before but am tired of carrying my dad's 4+ pound tent when I go by myself. I'm leaning towards the SD tent only because I'm familer with the idea of a tent and the price. I'm open to the hammock idea, but every year I do a backcountry 4 day trip in a canyon in Utah. There is a lot less trees there. Please answer my plea to help with any reccomendations, reviews, or any advice.

Thanks.

[Johnny Thunder]

Thirsty,

Are you short?

Do you use poles?

Will you be able to pound 6 (to 9) stakes in canyon land?

If you answered yes to all three questions then the Lair setup may work. If not, maybe you should consider somethign else.

I'm 6'1 and found the Lair 1 to be too short for me to be comfrotable with the amount of overhang.

[Pedaling Fool]

I'd go with #1, it's a good tent and the cheapest.

[jesse]

not a hammock hanger, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Select! When comparing Cost and weight, and space, You might want to include the cost, weight and space of a underquilt. Also you might use different pads in a hammock vs tent or tarp.

[Grinder]

remember that the hammock alone is just a down payment, weight wise.

To sleep in a hammock, you need a system of rain protection and under insullation to sleep comfortably.

When you are all done, the two systems pretty much balance out weight wise. throw enough money at it and you get down to around three or four pounds for the system, including sleeping bag.

I got into hammocking because of those pictures of the hennessy, in the bag, in someones palm. If it's not a warm summer night, that's not the whole story.

[Tinker]

Go with the Sierra Designs tent.:confused:

Hammocks aren't for everybody. If you haven't used one long term, don't go out and buy one as your only shelter.

The Hennessy hammocks need a pad or underquilt to be warm in cold weather, as mentioned above. If you have a standard hammock without spreader bars, you can slide a semi rectangular bag over it and have insulation all around at a lighter weight - but then you'll have to deal with the bugs.

Or you can do what I did. Buy a Hennessy hammock, Byer hammock with a sleeping bag around it, a poncho-tarp with ultralight bivy Hilleberg Akto tent for winter, etc. etc. etc.

Buy the tent.:)

[take-a-knee]

#1 AND #2, in that order, you'll find uses for both.

[neo]

Heres my final choices on which shelter to buy. Does anyone have any advice or consult?

1. Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight -- 2lbs 11oz -- $100 - TENT

2. Hennessy Hammock Ultralite -- 1lbs 15oz -- $180 - HAMMOCK

3. GoLite Lair 1 Tarp & Nest -- 2lbs 2oz -- $180 - TARP

4. GoLite Trig 1 -- 2lbs 9oz -- $180 - TENT

Some background...
I've only ever slept in a tent before but am tired of carrying my dad's 4+ pound tent when I go by myself. I'm leaning towards the SD tent only because I'm familer with the idea of a tent and the price. I'm open to the hammock idea, but every year I do a backcountry 4 day trip in a canyon in Utah. There is a lot less trees there. Please answer my plea to help with any reccomendations, reviews, or any advice.

Thanks.


i have been hammock camping almost 6 years now,this the hammock
it has a double bottom to insert sleeping pad,so pad will not slip,it has an
oversize tarp great for cooking under.it wieghs 3lbs and cost 130.00 with
free shipping,it the claytor jungle hammock:cool: neo

http://www.mosquitohammock.com/junglehammock.html

http://www.mosquitohammock.com/

[rafe]

Making your "final choice" for a 2010 thru-hike???? :rolleyes: I'd say you've still got some time to think it through.

[ARambler]

The SD Flashlight that had a good reputation in the 80's was over 4 lb (small 3 p tent). How much have they downsized it? How much are they lying?? This sounds like a footprint, pole, fly weight. No tent or stakes.
Rambler

[ARambler]

The SD Flashlight that had a good reputation in the 80's was over 4 lb (small 3 p tent). How much have they downsized it? How much are they lying?? This sounds like a footprint, pole, fly weight. No tent or stakes.
Rambler

That should be small 2 person.

Current lie on weight is 3 lb 11 oz (no stakes stuff sack, guy lines...)

http://www.sierradesigns.com/tents.display.php?id=14

[A-Train]

Have you looked into Tarptents? Lighter than tents, easy to setup, roomy, and the price isn't much more than the hammock and Golites.

Check out: tarptent.com and sixmoonsdesign.com

[Lyle]

Don't forget, you can sleep in a hammock set-up on the ground. Don't dismiss them based on not being able to hang for a few days each year while in canyon country.

[take-a-knee]

Don't forget, you can sleep in a hammock set-up on the ground. Don't dismiss them based on not being able to hang for a few days each year while in canyon country.

A hennessy sucks on the ground, it's like sleeping in a body bag.

[mudhead]

Curious. Where did you find the Clip for $100?

[rafe]

Curious. Where did you find the Clip for $100?

It was $130 at Campmor last time I checked (a week or two ago.)

[Del Q]

I chose the Big Agnes SL-1 with the Event fabric. Love having a freestanding tent, about 3 lbs, at the end of an exhausting I like the room this provides. Love the open air no see um mesh when no rain is in the forecast. Like the freedom of not having to get to / sleep in shelters all of the time. For a thru hike, might be too heavy.

Del Q

[Creek Dancer]

If you are talking about the SD Clip Flashlight Lightyear, that weight seems low. I have one and I think it's more like 3.5 pounds. After using it for several years, I finally grew tired of the tent. It's very narrow and I could barely sit up in the tent. I also had problems with condensation in the footwell. The tent holds up very well in a storm though and I trust it more than any other tent I have for reliability.

I recently bought a Tarptent Contrail. Very low weight,small bulk and lots of room. I haven't used it in bad weather though, but I have read that it should hold up fine.

Good luck with your tent shopping.

[ARambler]

I chose the Big Agnes SL-1 with the Event fabric. Love having a freestanding tent, about 3 lbs, at the end of an exhausting I like the room this provides. Love the open air no see um mesh when no rain is in the forecast. Like the freedom of not having to get to / sleep in shelters all of the time. For a thru hike, might be too heavy.

Del Q

"Event fabric" ???
How can we compare shelters with inaccurate descriptions? Also no criteria to base the decision. Just weight and money? Just buy a rectangular tarp. Just WB advise, buy a hammock. Just weight and weather proof, buy an RV.

Rambler

[ARambler]

SL-1
http://www.bigagnes.com/str_tents.php?bid=7

[Thirsty_River]

Sorry guys I meant the SD light year not the flashlight and terrapin, i've been looking for a shelter recently and i go backpacking other than my '10 thru...

[Jim Adams]

go with what you feel is the right one for all your camping needs while backpacking but under the criteria that it be used in forest, in canyons, above tree line and in the desert...I would definitely choose a free standing tent.

hubba?

geek

[Tinker]

go with what you feel is the right one for all your camping needs while backpacking but under the criteria that it be used in forest, in canyons, above tree line and in the desert...I would definitely choose a free standing tent.

hubba?

geek

Free standing is only in benign conditions. All tents need stakes. However, in wild conditions, some of the "freestanding" tents, with all their fabric surface, require more stakes than something low with more sloping wall (and less interior space, unfortunately).

So, for solo three season, lightweight two walls, the best thing I've seen is the Sierra Designs Lightyear (except for the small vestibule). Why?
Two stakes anchor the tent, one at either end. One holds the vestibule. More stakes can be used in other than perfect conditions.
I believe that Mountain Hardwear has a new tent on the market which incorporates the vestibule into the tent structure, but it may require more "necessary" stakes.
My Hilleberg Akto - four stakes, it's up and relatively solid, but for "wicked" conditions, there are 12 staking anchors. I probably will never need to use all 12 due to the aerodynamic design of the tent.

It really ain't all that simple. :(

But, hey, shopping is Fun!!!!! :banana (Especially for hiking gear)!