View Full Version : a few questions
Ok, i am leaving in early may and need some help figuring out what i want to use as a shelter. I wouldnt consider myself ultralight ( i think i am around 18 lbs). and since i am leaving in may i was wondering if i am giong to encounter heavy bugs and would need netting. my ideal would be super light, breathable, floor netting (if needed). Would a bivy/tarp combo be a good idea, or something like the microzoid? just need some info. Also anybody know anything about the mountainsmith wisp, it is super light but am a little reserved cause i have heard nothing about it... anybody have any experiences with it?
thanks so much
wacocelt
02-19-2005, 11:53
I'm not being trite here, but if you do a general search on any of those shelters you'll find enough threads to keep you reading until your hike begins.
I personally prefer a large (12'x12')tarp and reflective ground sheet. The tarp I'm carrying is a prototype from antigravitygear.com which has bug netting across the front which can be staked to the ground. It's big enough to sleep 3 people and gear comfortably so is perfect for just my wife and I.
Good luck and happy hiking!
BookBurner
02-19-2005, 21:01
You will definately hit the bug season so I would opt for the extra weight of netting! That being said, if lightweight and breathability are the other important characteristics that you want in your shelter, I suggest checking out Tarptent's Virga. It's a tarp with full netting that weighs only 19 oz. And if your heart is set on a floor, you can add one of those too for a few extra ounces (I suggest just using a Tyvek groundsheet.) The Virga breathes much better than any double-wall tent I've had (especially in a muggy, summer rainstorm) and it provides more interior room. The only complaint I have had is that I sometimes awake near shelters with a curious mouse running around my bedroom. Somehow they can figure out how to crawl under the netting but can't get back out. Bothersome but not a deal breaker!
Good Luck.
-BookBurner
AT '02
www.enlightenedthruhiker.com
Kerosene
02-20-2005, 09:29
In addition to the TarpTent Virga (http://www.tarptent.com/virga2.html) , check out the Six Moon Designs Europa II (http://www.sixmoondesigns.com/shop/shopexd.asp?id=25) (32 oz) and Lunar Solo (http://www.sixmoondesigns.com/shop/shopexd.asp?id=33) (24 oz). Both are single wall, floored, with netting. I think that these are some of the best shelter solutions on the market if you want a lightweight tent. Your tarps will be lighter and provide more room, and you could always get something like a Bug Bivy (http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=7581&memberId=12500226) to provide protection in your tarp or when you decide to sleep in a shelter.
bearbag hanger
02-20-2005, 12:18
If I weren't a hammock hanger, I think I would use this:
http://www.trailquest.net/dlgcsleepnet.html
along with a tarp. I'd use my poncho for a ground cloth under my sleeping bag.
Kerosene
02-21-2005, 10:38
If I weren't a hammock hanger, I think I would use this:
http://www.trailquest.net/dlgcsleepnet.html
along with a tarp. I'd use my poncho for a ground cloth under my sleeping bag.This design saves 6 ounces on the Bug Bivy I referenced above.
I wouldn't worry so much about bugs on the AT. I didn't find them to be too bad at all, and a little DEET kept them away. Pack something like Dancing Light's sleep net, which is as basic as you can get, cheap, and light. You can find their website at http://www.trailquest.net.
However, if by "leaving in May", you mean heading south from Maine, you might want something with a bit more space. Henry Shires tarp tent works very well with bugs (as well as a tent), even without the floor. If it kept the bugs of northern Canada off of me last summer, I think it can handle the bugs in Maine.
I wouldn't worry so much about bugs on the AT. I didn't find them to be too bad at all, and a little DEET kept them away. .
Nor did I in '93. I carried a tent but slept in shelters with no bug protection all except a dozen nights.
Occasionally someone would use a flash light for reading or journaling and attract mosquitoes or no-see-ums. I solved the problem with a bit of DEET and went to sleep.
If you are south bound, black flies are a daytime problem in Maine, but they disappear after dark, only to emerge early the next morning -- through late June, early July. Otherwise mosquitoes are a problem in rainy seasons, and occasionally no-see-ums.
1993 tended to be a dry year, for what that is worth.
Weary
First, there is no consensous about what shelter works best. Some use tents, some use tarps, others use hammocks. Some use small tents, and others use larger tents.
How much stuff do you want inside with you at night? Are you a large person, or average or small size?
Best way to figure out some of this is to go to your local outfitter and try on some different products.