View Full Version : Tarping it vs. ul Tent???
Seems like I'm coming across a lot of hikers on here saying that they will tarp instead of tent next time. Why?
What are the benefits and drawbacks of each? I have a 3 lb tent already, but am considering selling it and tarping instead.
Your thoughts would be appreciated.
Mountain Mike
01-12-2013, 00:45
For tents you need correct footprint to set it up. Tarps can be used to block wind in a shelter, set up depending on location & weather, can cook under them, roomy depending on size. Drawbacks: Bugs, knowing how to set up in high winds, time taken to set up in less than ideal conditions. I do both & consider trail & conditions when hiking. On AT NOBO I took a campmoor 10' X 10' tent tarp & loved it. Have since wore out 3 in 25 years. ON PCT in buggy conditions loved my tent.
Hosaphone
01-12-2013, 00:53
Pros:
Generally cheaper - $100 for a new 8x10 silnylon, $200 for cuben
Save a lot of weight - silnylon 8x10 will weigh ~15oz, cuben ~7oz. Can easily put together a sub-1-lb shelter/bug solution for $300ish, which is about what you pay for a new 2lb tent.
Versatility of pitches - pitch it high for ventilation so you avoid condensation, low to the ground for wind blown rain, pitch one side to the ground and leave the other open, etc.
Depending on size of the tarp, much more space to move around during a storm. Also more room for your gear.
Trivial to pack up in the rain - don't have to worry about keeping the interior of a tent dry. Just pack up all your other stuff and then take down the tarp last.
Can cook underneath it more comfortably and safely than cooking in a tent vestibule.
Easier to find camp spots - you don't have a big bathtub floor to worry about, so you don't need as much completely clear ground which can be hard to find in dense forest. Can pitch it over small shrubs, etc.
More versatile setup especially on the AT if you are a shelter person - use the tarp alone if no bugs, cowboy or use bivy if no rain, use the bivy inside a shelter for bug protection, use tarp to block wind/rain coming into shelter.
A tarp with enough pullouts, stakes, guylines will also be more storm worthy than many ultralight tents due to the fact that you can get the fabric very taut if you pitch it right.
Easier to pee at night...
Nice views, easier to identify night time noises
Cons:
Not as idiotproof as a tent - site selection and getting a good pitch are important if you plan on staying dry.
Can be more fiddly to set up, and more annoying in the cold. This can be mitigated with linelocs or certain knot systems.
Bugs will be more of an issue. Whether you go with just a bivy/bugbivy or a full net tent, you'll likely have less "bug free" space. However, if you like to stay at shelters, your "bug free" space will be more convenient...
Less privacy. You can pitch a tarp with 3 or even 4 sides to the ground, but if you're traveling with a significant other you may want more privacy. But you can always go stealth camp in the woods where nobody will find you.
I think the biggest argument against using a tarp for 3-season hiking is the psychological aspect. Some people just plain don't like it, for whatever reason. They feel more comfortable enclosed inside a tent. I'll admit my first few times camping under a tarp after tenting my whole life I was like, "jeez you can just sleep out in the open like this?" It felt really weird.
I'd suggest picking up a blue hardware store tarp and trying it out to see if you like it before diving in, selling your tent and buying a fancy backpacking tarp.
To me, it boils down to this:
A tarp is great for 3-season hiking, as it can be light and versatile, but there is a higher-level of skill required to pitch it effectively to deal with bad weather. The real downside is lack of bug protection, so where that is an issue I prefer a tent.
garlic08
01-12-2013, 10:50
I'll probably always stick with a hybrid approach--tarptent. If you add a ground cloth to your tarp, which most do, and don't bring one if you use a tarptent, which I do, the weight difference gets less important--just a couple yards of netting. I've tried tarps and tents extensively, and I prefer tarptents. Bugs are the main reason, pitching time second. The last time I used a tarp during a desert windstorm, I woke up with scorpions. The previous night there were ants. For safety and sleep, I went with a sewn-in floor and zipper door and haven't looked back.
Odd Man Out
01-12-2013, 10:55
I am in a similar situations (contemplating tarp vs tent) and asked a similar question last May. There was some great input you might like to read.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?84434-Convince-me-to-buy-a-tarp!
To muddy the waters, there is a whole spectrum of shelters along a continuum from tarp to tent with hybrids in between - some of which are more tarp-like and some of which are more tent-like, so you could perhaps find your comfort zone somewhere in the middle. Products like the MLD Patrol Shelter with its net tent or bug bivy, or the ZPacks Hexamid with integrated bug screen, seem to be more among the more tarp-like of hybrid shelters on that spectrum. This seems to be where I am leaning, but still undecided.
Hosaphone
01-12-2013, 12:51
I'll probably always stick with a hybrid approach--tarptent. If you add a ground cloth to your tarp, which most do, and don't bring one if you use a tarptent, which I do, the weight difference gets less important--just a couple yards of netting. I've tried tarps and tents extensively, and I prefer tarptents. Bugs are the main reason, pitching time second. The last time I used a tarp during a desert windstorm, I woke up with scorpions. The previous night there were ants. For safety and sleep, I went with a sewn-in floor and zipper door and haven't looked back.
You make some good points - a lot will probably depending WHERE you're hiking.
In the dense forests of the northeast, the faster pitching time of a tent is insignificant compared to the extra time you need to spend looking for a suitable spot to pitch it... Hiking with a buddy who uses a hammock made me become really fed up with shelters that have a big footprint, as he could hang literally anywhere while I was scrambling around looking for a spot.
In a place where ants are a big problem, a tent is probably really nice. There are some pretty cool net tent options available though (check out Bearpaw Wilderness Designs).
Theoretically tarptent-style shelters should have the weight advantage, but since they are typically made out of silnylon instead of cuben that usually ends up not being the case (and even the cuben ones. Depending on what you're comparing, the weight/price differences can be big or small.
All comes down to personal preference I suppose.
I'll probably always stick with a hybrid approach--tarptent. If you add a ground cloth to your tarp, which most do, and don't bring one if you use a tarptent, which I do, the weight difference gets less important--just a couple yards of netting. I've tried tarps and tents extensively, and I prefer tarptents. Bugs are the main reason, pitching time second. The last time I used a tarp during a desert windstorm, I woke up with scorpions. The previous night there were ants. For safety and sleep, I went with a sewn-in floor and zipper door and haven't looked back.
Garlic is a wise man.
daddytwosticks
01-12-2013, 14:08
Down south here after the thru-hiker push is over and when the weather warms up, I tend to use a poncho-tarp and bug bivy on my shorter hikes when I plan to sleep in the shelters. Works really well. :)
Crawling bugs such as ants should not be a criteria on tarping or not. That issue is solved by checking the ground for insects around a prospective tarp campsite BEFORE setting up. As someone who used a small tarp + bivy on both the PCT and the AT, as well as other trips, I've only had problems with ants 1 time. And that time I couldn't check around my site since I was in a lava field cover in lava rocks and the only no rocky place to camp was the trail itself. The rocks made it impossible to see the ants until after I was already in bed and they came out.As for flying bugs (ie. mosquitos), you have to ask yourself, are you someone who camps to sleep or do you stop to hang out in camp. If you only camp to sleep, then being confined to a small bivy sack or bug bivy isn't a big deal since you are inside it only to sleep. If you like to hang out in camp for awhile (read, journal, talk, etc.) then having a larger space that a tent or tarptent makes more sense.I tarp mainly because I hate setting up any kind of shelter so I sleep out (cowboy camp) most of the time if weather permits. So having a bivy sack makes the most sense for me. And thus, needing some protection when it rains, I carry the lightest shelter I can with the amount of coverage that I want (ie. cuben fiber tarp). But it only gets used when the weather is bad so most of the time its just extra weight. So for me, having a seperate bug protection and weather protection is exactly what I wanted. And I have no weight penalty as my tarp+bivy is under 15oz which is lighter then most alternatives. On the PCT, cowboy camping is very common. On the AT, I got some strange looks many nights, "what is he doing!?".
ChinMusic
01-12-2013, 15:36
I'll probably always stick with a hybrid approach--tarptent. If you add a ground cloth to your tarp, which most do, and don't bring one if you use a tarptent, which I do, the weight difference gets less important--just a couple yards of netting. I've tried tarps and tents extensively, and I prefer tarptents. Bugs are the main reason, pitching time second. The last time I used a tarp during a desert windstorm, I woke up with scorpions. The previous night there were ants. For safety and sleep, I went with a sewn-in floor and zipper door and haven't looked back.
I agree 100%. I don't want crawling/flying visitors to my sleep. My "tent" is basically a tarp with attached bug netting and a bathtub floor. I just have it all "prepackaged" and for 20 oz.
I ain't lookin' back either.
mtnkngxt
01-12-2013, 19:12
MLD Cuben Solo Pro and a Cuben Patrol Shelter in conjunction with an MLD bug bivy or TiGoat Ptarmigan bivy are my only shelters. I can add in a Zpacks ground sheet to give myself a bathtub floor if the weather on the trip looks like it could get squirrely.
Personally this is more than enough "protection" from the elements for me. I wouldn't judge anyone though if they were uncomfortable in it though. You cannot "hang out" in these shelters and it isn't somewhere I'd want to spend a 0 day. It does encourage me though to get up and moving quickly and to hike longer due to the speed of setup and ease of finding a spot to pitch my shelter.
RedBeerd
01-12-2013, 20:27
Solo I wouldnt be comfortable under a tarp..alone..with things moving around.. I had a few visitors on the LT sniffing around my tent (a massive hare, bold deer, skunk, possibly black bear) and if I were under a tarp versus being cozy in my tent I may have **** myself in all honesty. I heard a story of some rabid skunk trying to get into a tent and this skunk was like charging into the sidewall. Imagine if you were under a tarp? No thanks..others may be tougher but I'm comfortable in my tent thank you very much!
As far as weight I think my BA fly creek 1 is 2lb. Obviously lighter out there (cha-ching) but it is a really solid tent and probably the only piece of gear I don't daydream about upgrading.
BirdBrain
01-12-2013, 22:01
My setup consists of a homemade 10' x 10' silnylon tarp, OR Alpine bivy, 45+ Big Agnes Cross Mountain sleeping bag, and Exped UL 7 M air mattress. If it is nice out, the tarp will stay in pack. I will only use it when weather requires it.
To me, it boils down to this:
A tarp is great for 3-season hiking, as it can be light and versatile, but there is a higher-level of skill required to pitch it effectively to deal with bad weather. The real downside is lack of bug protection, so where that is an issue I prefer a tent.
This sums it up! I love a tarp in great weather, but in a windy downpour, it is a problem for me!
All good answers. Notice how many people with many different experiences all found what worked for them and their style of hiking. You might think there is nous uh thing as the best gear or something... ;)
Mountain Mike
01-13-2013, 00:23
All good answers. Notice how many people with many different experiences all found what worked for them and their style of hiking. You might think there is nous uh thing as the best gear or something... ;)
There is always the perfect piece of gear...as long it's the right time, place & weather. It's up to the user to decide which piece it is.
Stink Bug
01-13-2013, 01:52
There is always the perfect piece of gear...as long it's the right time, place & weather. It's up to the user to decide which piece it is.
I use a tarp, a tarp tent and a hammock, and I like them equally. As Mags and Mountain Mike said (to paraphrase), it's the right tool for the right job.
In the winter, I actually prefer my tarp. It's lighter and, with the bivy to protect against spoondrift and horizontal rain, pretty bomber proof. The only caveat is that, as others have mentioned, with a tarp, it requires some judicial site selection.
That being said, I've survived nights on the JMT and the West Rim Trail with THE worst thunderstorms with just my tarp and stayed warm and dry.
My problem with a tarp, at least in the windy West, is that my gear might blow away. It has before, and I had put my heavier items on top of the gear that blew away. Unfortunately there were no nearby rocks to place on my gear. So that's why I prefer fully enclosed shelters. At least I know all my gear will stay inside it.
stranger
01-13-2013, 07:18
For me...tarps alone make little sense now with various tarp tents coming in around 23-27 ounces. Most tarp users I know, myself included, also carry a groundsheet and some bug net, combined with 10-14 stakes and it's easy to get up to 2lbs with a tarp.
Tarps are certainly more versatile, but I've not found a huge need for this...For me I need rain protection, I want bug protection, and I desire protection from groundwater and blowing rain, so a tarp tent does the trick for 23-27 ounces.
I use a tarp, a tarp tent and a hammock, and I like them equally. As Mags and Mountain Mike said (to paraphrase), it's the right tool for the right job.
In the winter, I actually prefer my tarp. It's lighter and, with the bivy to protect against spoondrift and horizontal rain, pretty bomber proof. The only caveat is that, as others have mentioned, with a tarp, it requires some judicial site selection.
That being said, I've survived nights on the JMT and the West Rim Trail with THE worst thunderstorms with just my tarp and stayed warm and dry.All three, tarp, tent, and hammock can be carried at once and be under 4 lbs total. I carried a three man tent for 35 years that weighs more, because it is what I had, and works solo or with family/friends. Sitting out a rain storm, cooking under a tarp, works great for a minor weight penalty. Hammock is a nice change when its warm and can be put up many places a tent or tarp cannot. Ultralight gear is the best thing that ever happened for those of us who don't mind carrying a "heavy" pack. Versatility allows comfort which makes staying out of town more appealing. A tarp can be had for the price of one night in town and weighs practically nothing.
Hosaphone
01-13-2013, 14:14
All three, tarp, tent, and hammock can be carried at once and be under 4 lbs total. I carried a three man tent for 35 years that weighs more, because it is what I had, and works solo or with family/friends. Sitting out a rain storm, cooking under a tarp, works great for a minor weight penalty. Hammock is a nice change when its warm and can be put up many places a tent or tarp cannot. Ultralight gear is the best thing that ever happened for those of us who don't mind carrying a "heavy" pack. Versatility allows comfort which makes staying out of town more appealing. A tarp can be had for the price of one night in town and weighs practically nothing.
Didn't expect someone to answer "all of the above"! :D
dandandan
01-13-2013, 16:37
I used an 8x10 tarp initially to save weight, and found that it gave me 3x as much space if not more, than my tent dwelling comrades. Worked for me, I was comfortable with it. Site selection is key!
After sleeping under a tent a few times I decided that I liked the sense of security a tent (Hammock) provided. I did not care for the bugs flying around my face at night.
ChinMusic
01-13-2013, 19:31
After sleeping under a tent ..........
Well, there's your problem right there.
Odd Man Out
01-13-2013, 21:08
MLD Cuben Solo Pro and a Cuben Patrol Shelter in conjunction with an MLD bug bivy or TiGoat Ptarmigan bivy are my only shelters. I can add in a Zpacks ground sheet to give myself a bathtub floor if the weather on the trip looks like it could get squirrely.
hey mtnkngxt - we seem to be on the same page again. This is pretty much the same way I wanted to go. I am seriously considering the Patrol Shelter. You say you could add a ground sheet if necessary, but I thought the bug bivy had an integrated bathtub floor. Is that not correct? Also, if bugs are not in season, can you lie on top of the netting and just use the bug bivy as a ground sheet? I was attracted to this option as it seems the Bug Bivy gives more head room than a traditional bivy. To get even more room, I was also considering the MLD Serenity Shelter instead. Anyone know how these would compare?
I like using my Hennessy Hammock---with a bit larger than standard (and detached) tarp. Not the lightest set up--but by no means heavy.
Using the bigger/detached tarp lets me have a roomier and taller area to be under on "zero" days or on rainy days. I can cook under it. I can sit in my hammock like a chair under the tarp. I can pitch the larger tarp in some really good ways to keep out more rain in a bad storm. The netting and enclosed nature of the hammock address the bug issue. When "hanging" in my hammock isn't possible--I can then just pitch the tarp alone in multiple ways. (I can even pitch the hammock on the ground like a bivy). Using a hammock means I can set up over an area where the ground is covered with roots and boulders. Just so many different options with this combination.
This has been very very helpful.
I love the idea of a tarp tent. The only thing is that I haven't been able to find one for a cost within my budget. Anyone know of a good one $100 or less? I'd eat the $53 I already spent on my used REI UL Tent if I could find the right tarp tent at the right price.
This has been very very helpful.
I love the idea of a tarp tent. The only thing is that I haven't been able to find one for a cost within my budget. Anyone know of a good one $100 or less? I'd eat the $53 I already spent on my used REI UL Tent if I could find the right tarp tent at the right price.
I think this is the least expensive. $125. It was cheaper during the intro. Production of this tent was done overseas to get the price this low.
http://www.sixmoondesigns.com/tents/SkyscapeScout.html
I think this is the least expensive. $125. It was cheaper during the intro. Production of this tent was done overseas to get the price this low.
http://www.sixmoondesigns.com/tents/SkyscapeScout.html
Yeah, I was actually looking at that at one point. I guess an extra $25 couldn't hurt. Thanks!
Mr Breeze
01-14-2013, 22:16
Seems like I'm coming across a lot of hikers on here saying that they will tarp instead of tent next time. Why?
What are the benefits and drawbacks of each? I have a 3 lb tent already, but am considering selling it and tarping instead.
Your thoughts would be appreciated.
I used a 10x10 Sil Nylon Tarp on my thru hike last year. I liked being able to have multiple pitching options for different campsites. I also used a 30ft adjustable ridgeline most of the time for setup. I simply clipped the ends to the ridgeline, and then staked out the other guy out points, and i was done. It kept me and my gear completely dry the whole trip. And as far as bugs go, i had no issue with them at all. It was my first time using a tarp, and i wouldn't go back to a tent. Another plus for me was not having to deal with condensation. It was also nice to be able to sit up and cook under it in bad weather, without worrying about burning it catching on fire. It did take a little bit to get used to sleeping out in the open, but after i got used to it, it was great.
Hi Mr Breeze,
It's great when you find a piece of gear that works well for you. When you say And as far as bugs go, i had no issue with them at all are you saying there were virtually no bugs or that you used repellents or netting or that you are the type of person that insects don't bother?
I have a fairly high tolerance for insects, but there were nights on the AT for me where it would have been miserable without bug protection. Personally, I was good without bug netting until New Jersey.
I have a fairly high tolerance for insects, but there were nights on the AT for me where it would have been miserable without bug protection. Personally, I was good without bug netting until New Jersey.
I have been using a bivy with and without a tarp for the last couple of years, mostly out west. The setup had also worked well on the AT until...... A trip last summer in NJ when it has extremely hot AND the mosquitoes were out. It was the first time my system really couldn't adapt. It didn't cool down for hours and the skeeters didnt go away, this was rare out west. It made me rethink that setup for the AT. I likely will continue to use the system for my AT hiking but if I were outfitting for the AT, I'm not sure I would go tarp bivy.
During my thru hike, I heard a recurring theme from some hikers that there is a correlation between people that used tarps and Lyme disease. I've never seen any actual facts on this, but I do know that one hiker found numerous deer ticks after camping at a campsite in CT. I camped there the next night in a hammock and didn't find any. I know this is weak, but this food for thought.
MyName1sMud
01-15-2013, 11:49
During my thru hike, I heard a recurring theme from some hikers that there is a correlation between people that used tarps and Lyme disease. I've never seen any actual facts on this, but I do know that one hiker found numerous deer ticks after camping at a campsite in CT. I camped there the next night in a hammock and didn't find any. I know this is weak, but this food for thought.
Very good point.
nothing is stopping ticks from crawling on to you during the night.
The main way they get onto you is by falling so in reality...... you've got a better chance of getting one on your while walking down the trail than you do when you're sleeping in your tarp.
A trip last summer in NJ when it has extremely hot AND the mosquitoes were out. It was the first time my system really couldn't adapt. It didn't cool down for hours and the skeeters didnt go away, this was rare out west. It made me rethink that setup for the AT. I likely will continue to use the system for my AT hiking but if I were outfitting for the AT, I'm not sure I would go tarp bivy. That is why I have a backup system. In addition to my normal bivy I have a MLD bug bivy which is just bug netting with a floor. If I think the temps are going to be too hot to use the bivy as a sleepig bag (without using my down quilt), I bring the bug bivy instead. As added protection, I sometimes spray the netting with permithrin though its probably not necessary. On the AT, if you have a bounce box, its easy to bounce it ahead until you need it.
Odd Man Out
01-15-2013, 16:51
That is why I have a backup system. In addition to my normal bivy I have a MLD bug bivy which is just bug netting with a floor. If I think the temps are going to be too hot to use the bivy as a sleepig bag (without using my down quilt), I bring the bug bivy instead. As added protection, I sometimes spray the netting with permithrin though its probably not necessary. On the AT, if you have a bounce box, its easy to bounce it ahead until you need it.
How does the bug bivy work with a quilt?
I started tarping 2 years ago, and it worked until I hiked during a very wet and rainy time. Then it sucked!
I tarped due to the lower weight. For this year, I picked up a UL tent... Yea baby!
How does the bug bivy work with a quilt? Works well with a quilt. The only issues are when you aren't using a quilt or sleeping bag when its too hot to sleep in anything other then your clothes. Then you have to make sure you don't touch the sides with bare flesh. As I treat my clothing with permithrin, having clothing touching the netting is fine since they won't bite through the permithrin. However, the bug bivy works better if you having it hanging from something rather then just drapped over you since you can create space between you and the netting. The MLD bug bivy has 2 loops, one at the head and the other down by the feet so you can hang it below your tarp or from a tree, or from your hiking poles.
Odd Man Out
01-15-2013, 23:55
... the bug bivy works better if you having it hanging from something rather then just drapped over you since you can create space between you and the netting. The MLD bug bivy has 2 loops, one at the head and the other down by the feet so you can hang it below your tarp or from a tree, or from your hiking poles.
I was thinking of using this with a MLD Patrol Shelter so the bug bivy would be suspended from that. Was also considering their Serenity Shelter. Wasn't sure if the extra room is worth a few extra ounces. Also, would either of these (Bug Bivy or Serenity Shelter) work well as a ground sheet (lying on top of the net) for time when bug protection is not necessary?
mtnkngxt
01-16-2013, 09:10
hey mtnkngxt - we seem to be on the same page again. This is pretty much the same way I wanted to go. I am seriously considering the Patrol Shelter. You say you could add a ground sheet if necessary, but I thought the bug bivy had an integrated bathtub floor. Is that not correct? Also, if bugs are not in season, can you lie on top of the netting and just use the bug bivy as a ground sheet? I was attracted to this option as it seems the Bug Bivy gives more head room than a traditional bivy. To get even more room, I was also considering the MLD Serenity Shelter instead. Anyone know how these would compare?
i suppose you could. Just remember the mesh Ron uses is really fine and if you tear it, well you'll end up with guests at your sleep over. The bivy does have a floor, but personally I prefer the bathtub floor of the zpacks Cuben ground sheet if there is a chance of heavy rain. Keeps my gear dry as well as keeping my sleep system dry.
I'm actually about to order a Zpacks Hexamid Solo this afternoon. Planning on using it on shorter "camping weekends" this spring and in the fall and then using it on my JMT Thru July of '14.
Also, would either of these (Bug Bivy or Serenity Shelter) work well as a ground sheet (lying on top of the net) for time when bug protection is not necessary? You can do just that. The only issue I can see would be causing wear on the netting as your sleeping pad shifts around at night while on top of it. Not a problem for casual use, but may be an issue with long term use. I rarely use my bug bivy preferring my regular bivy except in the hottest weather, so it doesn't have much wear on it so I'm just guessing.
I'll mention this since I once had someone ask, to get outside of a MLD bug bivy when it's attached under your tarp: You unzip the top, reach up and unclip the line above your head so the bivy falls flat around you and thus you can crawl out. To get back in, you crawl in, reattach the clip, and zip it up. All MLD tarps have loops under them for hanging a bivy from them.
I love my tarp. I have woken up under it with a skunk on me. I still love it, but I'm going to get a Tarptent Notch when my budget allows.
Tarp requires that you develop the skills to pitch it correctly for the conditions, but would be my choice. I really like "shaped" tarps like the SMD Gatewood Cape, or the ZPacks hexamid. Very light, very weather-worthy.
coach lou
01-26-2013, 12:05
Pros:
Cons:
I think the biggest argument against using a tarp for 3-season hiking is the psychological aspect. Some people just plain don't like it, for whatever reason. They feel more comfortable enclosed inside a tent. I'll admit my first few times camping under a tarp after tenting my whole life I was like, "jeez you can just sleep out in the open like this?" It felt really weird.
I'd suggest picking up a blue hardware store tarp and trying it out to see if you like it before diving in, selling your tent and buying a fancy backpacking tarp.
This about covers it I think. I have only hiked with tarps since my Scouting days, we have 4/ 5 tents, but use them for car camping. I sling a USMC issue net under it, and when I need to use a shelter it keeps the mice off, and bugs.
takethisbread
01-26-2013, 14:43
I utilize all three shelters. I have a 22oz tarp . A 30 oz tent (flycreek1) and a Hennessy hammock. I use them all. I rarely use the tarp except in July and August . I use the tent most because the weight is similar and the ease to set up. But all three are used depending on situation
Chaco Taco
01-26-2013, 15:05
I'll probably always stick with a hybrid approach--tarptent. If you add a ground cloth to your tarp, which most do, and don't bring one if you use a tarptent, which I do, the weight difference gets less important--just a couple yards of netting. I've tried tarps and tents extensively, and I prefer tarptents. Bugs are the main reason, pitching time second. The last time I used a tarp during a desert windstorm, I woke up with scorpions. The previous night there were ants. For safety and sleep, I went with a sewn-in floor and zipper door and haven't looked back.
+1 on tarptents
I have to say I hated my Moment Tarp Tent. I traveled with it about 400 miles, from Springer Mt. to Damascus. Constant condensation no matter what setup I tried. I was going to get something to replace it for this summer's planned section, but I found out Henry now offers a liner, which I'm going to try out. Other than the condensation, I loved the ease of use and how lightweight the tt is.
Chaco Taco
01-28-2013, 14:58
I have to say I hated my Moment Tarp Tent. I traveled with it about 400 miles, from Springer Mt. to Damascus. Constant condensation no matter what setup I tried. I was going to get something to replace it for this summer's planned section, but I found out Henry now offers a liner, which I'm going to try out. Other than the condensation, I loved the ease of use and how lightweight the tt is.
So you hated it but love it :sun. I used to be in the same boat with my Double Rainbow. The model I have is a snug fit for 2 of us, so its my solo. I improperly, seam sealed mine, and had a really bad experience with it the first couple of nights I had it out. The seam seal is the key. With that said, its the east and our climate is crazy wet, you will have to deal with it. Nothing wrong with the tent. I learned that the hard way. We float between a hubbaX2.
With that said, I think the one thing you hate about your HS tarptent can easily be remedied with a half of a shammy, and the liner HS offers. Reinforce your seam seal especially if you use the hell out of it. I have become a huge fan of these tarptents after hating them at first. I think we are going to try and work it so we can manage to use it as a 2 person on our colorado trip. Being out there will be perfect for tarptenting!
turtle fast
01-28-2013, 17:30
Ive been an advocate for tarps as compact and lightweight with skill to be also very multifunctional , but now I have switched to tarp tents. The problem is due to insect control...lets face it diseases by these insect vectors is no laughing matter....we did not have to worry about Lymes or West Nile Virus many years ago. Now its peace of mind and I don't have to worry about a mouse running across my lips in the middle of the night like I saw happen to a fellow hiker or wake up to a copperhead slithering into my bag because its warm.
I use a tarp over my hammock. The main disadvantage of a tarp is that of "bucking" in the wind. It's much easier for the wind to get under a tarp (unless it's pitched right to the ground) than a tarptent or a tent. With either of these, the mesh attaching the fly to the floor will limit the motion of the bucking. Without it, the tarp is free to move unrestricted except by however many guy lines are attached to it. Add the guy lines necessary for wicked weather and the additional stakes necessary to anchor the lines, and you'll find that you have a lot more weight in metal and cordage than your average tent takes. I've gone to a slightly larger fly for fair to moderately severe weather over my hammock. The new fly has an actual catenary cut to the ridgeline. The last one had an imaginary one that was formed by the shape of the hem of the fly which only had four guy line attachment points (plus the ridgeline). The new one is much better in the wind.
RedBeerd
01-30-2013, 19:36
If you have a tent with a footprint you could always just use the footprint and rain fly and leave netting at home if you aren't expecting buggy conditions. This setup brings my fly creek ul1 to a respectable weight. Refer to numerous other threads about condensation..
My TT Contrail weighs almost 1 pound (32 oz.) more than my Wild Oasis tarp (15 oz). I might use the tarp from time to time, but the Contrail is my go to for long hikes, and the extra pound is worth it for me.
run2hike
02-12-2013, 15:41
I'm having the same dilemma as I prepare for my 2013 thru. I have a 8x10 silnylon tarp I love it. I've used it on a few section hikes between Springer and Damascus in the spring and summer months. I don't have any bug netting and I've never had a real problem with bugs. Do the bugs get worse up north?
Also, for those of you who use tarptents, have you been able to cook in the vestibule while staying dry and not melting your tarptent?
garlic08
02-12-2013, 15:52
... Do the bugs get worse up north?
Also, for those of you who use tarptents, have you been able to cook in the vestibule while staying dry and not melting your tarptent?
If you get north early (before July) and find black flies, you'll want netting. Mosquitos are heavy in the north, too, but I don't know what you're used to.
As a rule, I do not cook in or near a tent. It would be wise to carry enough food that can be eaten without cooking just for occasions like that. Examples are extra cereal, instant potatoes, ramen, and deli stuff.
I'm having the same dilemma as I prepare for my 2013 thru. I have a 8x10 silnylon tarp I love it. I've used it on a few section hikes between Springer and Damascus in the spring and summer months. I don't have any bug netting and I've never had a real problem with bugs. Do the bugs get worse up north?
Also, for those of you who use tarptents, have you been able to cook in the vestibule while staying dry and not melting your tarptent?
There are times of the year in New England where it would be absolutely foolish (and painful) not to have full no-see-um netting.
run2hike
02-12-2013, 22:03
There are times of the year in New England where it would be absolutely foolish (and painful) not to have full no-see-um netting.
Can you be any more specific?
Can you be any more specific?
Sure. There are black flies through much of the U.S., but not in the numbers you will find in New England, and those are worse in ME, NH, and VT. Late May and June are usually the worst part of the black fly season, but they persist later. The good news is that black flies are not active at night.
Mosquitoes, on the other hand, can be active all day and night (there are more than 50 species in MA alone). Where I live in northeastern MA, there is rarely a night from late spring until it cools off in the fall where it is comfortable to sit outside given mosquito activity. We live a suburban area on the rural side, and we love our screened-in porch.
Then you get your no-see-ums, which tend to be most active around dawn or dusk, and your deer flies (like a horse fly) which favor the bright sun.
Now, if it is cold enough, or windy enough, you get some relief. I have had plenty of hikes in the Whites where the black flies were nasty until we reached higher elevations and the winds picked up.
I highly recommend having a headnet, treating clothing with permethrin, using an insect repellent (DEET or 20% Picaridin, which I prefer because unlike DEET it is not a plastic solvent), and no-see-um netting for sleeping. You can always stow your headnet and roll up your netting, but when you need it it is best to have it.
SunnyWalker
02-19-2013, 01:07
Gatewood Cape with Serenity Net Tent = tarp with netting protection against bugs AND a poncho for rain. I also use a bivi under the cape and all in al much lighthe then my tent set up. One option I have is hennessee hammock for summers.