View Full Version : Tarping v. Tenting v. Hammocks?
ShelterLeopard
06-10-2009, 22:36
I'm preping for my next years NoBo, and I can't decide what kind of shelter to bring. My solo tent is out of the question- way too heavy. I made a make shift tarp for my parachute hammock, but in Georgia in March it'll be cold if I don't manage to get in the shelter. What is your experience with this all?
Should I just get a bivy? Start with a solo tent, exchange it for my hammock and tarp when it warms up?
garlic08
06-10-2009, 23:14
You see them all out there, so it's going to be your choice. Lots of hammockers manage to stay warm in cold weather with the right gear (not me when I tried it). I managed fine the whole AT with a Henry Shires Tarptent. I believe the tarptent was warmer and more comfortable than any shelter floor in the cold. Can you rig your tarp to stand alone in cold weather? You should be fine with a well-rigged tarp, a pad and a warm bag.
personally, due to my back, i won't sleep on the ground in any weather. i can get my hammock rig comfortably down to 27*, and i'd find a way to go lower if i were going out in that sort of weather.
your lightest combo is a tarp and a blue foam pad (too hard for me). a tarp can be very cozy if pitched correctly. but even my daughter can pitch a tarp. the trick is knowing WHERE to pitch it... and that's what takes an experienced eye for wind/ terrain/ drainage, so you don't end up in a puddle with the rain blowing in the front... knowing how to deal with a shift in the wind also helps.
why do you think an open faced shelter is going to be warmer than a bivy, tarp, tent, or hammock/tarp? just because it's a permanant structure doesn't make it warm. it's big, drafty, open on the front (though some carry plastic sheeting to close it up some), and full of people (which you may desire. i usually don't.)
how do you think a bivy differs from a tarp? we used them in the army; experimental deal at fort drum in the mid/early 90s. we hated them. everyone i knew went back to sleeping under their poncho, and wearing a mosquito headnet to deal with the bugs. bivy was way to heavy and way too small for what it afforded. ymmv.
just my two cents worth... the first of many opinions, i'm sure! :D
stranger
06-11-2009, 08:21
Starting in March will mean some cold weather, and it can last until the very end of April. More and more people are using hammocks but they are not known to be warm. Shelters are useless in terms of warmth as well, shelters and hammocks will be colder then tenting or tarping. As a general rule, a tent will be warmest.
Big Agnes and MSR now make solo tents that are in the 2.5lb range, double wall tents. Check out the MSR Hubba, Carbon Reflex and the Big Agnes Fly Creek and Copper Spur models.
In terms of going very light, check out Tarptent by Henry Shires and Lightheart Gear, both make fully functional tents under 2lbs, the lightheart looks pretty awesome.
For a tarp, I don't think you will beat the Patrol Shelter by Mountain Laurel Designs in terms of protection from driving rain and overall design.
If you do end up going with a tarp, Go-Lite makes stand alone bathtub floors that will help with any pooling ground water.
I can not sleep on my back so its the trusty seedhouse for me. Weighs a little more than a hammock but a good nights sleep is way more important than weight.
Nasty Dog Virus
06-11-2009, 10:05
I, like Seeker, need my hammock to keep my back from getting sore. I was out on the trail last week with my brother and my back was sore as we sat around the campfire at night. The next morning when I got out of my hammock...not one back pain. Hammock is the only way I can sleep straight thru the night. When I'm on the ground, either an arm or leg always falls asleep at some point. I've slept comforably in the hammock down to single digits with the proper gear. If I was hiking a thru, I'd have a hammock from day 1. All personal preferrence tho...
World-Wide
06-11-2009, 11:10
I'm preping for my next years NoBo, and I can't decide what kind of shelter to bring. My solo tent is out of the question- way too heavy. I made a make shift tarp for my parachute hammock, but in Georgia in March it'll be cold if I don't manage to get in the shelter. What is your experience with this all?
Should I just get a bivy? Start with a solo tent, exchange it for my hammock and tarp when it warms up?
Hey Tracless,
What's too heavy in your opinion? I have a MSR Hubba HP that weighs 2.9 lbs. I've slept in some pretty heavy rain storms that lasted hours on end and had no problems w/leaks. Definitely have to use the rain cover though because of the mesh skylight. Simple to set-up also! No more than about 3-4 minutes on a bad day. Not an expert on the cold though. It doesn't get too cold here in Okinawa! Possible downside, it was a bit pricey at around $349! :() Good luck w/whatever you decide on! :) W-W
brooklynkayak
06-11-2009, 11:49
If you can't sleep in a hammock like me, a tarp and a good warm/comfy sleeping pad (with net tent if there are bugs) are the lightest and most flexible option. A tarptent is a popular option, less flexible, but light.
I have slept in many dome tents and I just don't see the point of carrying the extra weight. They aren't any more comfortable or drier or any of the other reasons people like em so much.
brooklynkayak
06-11-2009, 11:52
For a tarp, I don't think you will beat the Patrol Shelter by Mountain Laurel Designs in terms of protection from driving rain and overall design.
Also take a look at the Mountain Laural Designs TrailStar. It's big, light, and has no zipper or parts to break.
I think it may be my next shelter, but not for a while.
ShelterLeopard
06-11-2009, 15:31
Thanks everyone for your advice- what I was thinking of doing was March/ early April with a tent, sending it back and switching it for a hammock.
i think that's the best plan. then switch back to the tent when you hit new england
garlic08
06-11-2009, 17:04
When my wife hiked, she started with a heavy tent, bought a hammock at Trail Days and used it up until the Whites and then switched to a tarp. It worked great for her.
I am a hammocker, but I have only gone on hikes of 1-week or less. They work well while on the trail. But as I read everything I can about the AT, in prep for a future thru-hike, I realize that a hammock may pose an issue. I understand that there are several places like basements, barns, etc. that thru-hikers spend a night or two. One of the benefits of a hammock is you don't bring a fancy mattress pad. So when I eventually attempt a thru-hike, should I bring a mattress pad for those nights I'm sleeping in a barn or basement?
take-a-knee
06-11-2009, 20:27
I am a hammocker, but I have only gone on hikes of 1-week or less. They work well while on the trail. But as I read everything I can about the AT, in prep for a future thru-hike, I realize that a hammock may pose an issue. I understand that there are several places like basements, barns, etc. that thru-hikers spend a night or two. One of the benefits of a hammock is you don't bring a fancy mattress pad. So when I eventually attempt a thru-hike, should I bring a mattress pad for those nights I'm sleeping in a barn or basement?
Take a 3/4 underquilt like the Warbonnet Yeti (it is available in a 3-season version with a winter version forthcoming) and a 48in pad for your feet and to use as a sit pad. If you have to sleep in a shelter/hostel, you can sleep on the pad and put your pack under your legs. Most packs have padding in the back that will insulate well.