Tent Needed??????

[woodsman]

Hiking from 4 Pines to Pearisburg next week. I assume there would be plenty of space in the SHELTERS this time of year?

I usually tent, but thought about leaving it home due to very few people out this time of year.

[Feral Bill]

I'd take a tarp, just in case of unexpected circumstances.

[Kaptain Kangaroo]

I'd take a tarp, just in case of unexpected circumstances.

+1........ I would hate to end up as a Darwin Award.......... eg. "The guy was out hiking in November without any kind of backup shelter!!! "

[FarmerChef]

I'd take a tarp, just in case of unexpected circumstances.

+2 The shelters will probably have room but it would be far safer to have some sort of shelter along with you.

[Feral Bill]

Even with empty shelters, a cold and windy day can make a tarp across the front a nice addition.

[snifur]

live on the edge and do what you want to do. dont listen to those that tell you to have a back up plan and carry the stupid weight of useless tent or tarp. if the shelter is full then use the privy. if the privy and shelter is full then just keep hiking until you find an empty one. i mean really, what good is a tent or tarp in your pack anyway if you mess yourself up on the way to the hard shelter? you would have to unpack it and set it up and just think of all the work the following morning. nah, leave it and save yourself the trouble of all the work. do like the homeless do in the park, use newspaper. its light, burns great, and you can use it in the privy.
but it is your decision. i hope i helped. and your welcome.

[daddytwosticks]

This time of year, a tent is usually warmer than sleeping on the wooden floor of an AT shelter.

[SCRUB HIKER]

live on the edge and do what you want to do. dont listen to those that tell you to have a back up plan and carry the stupid weight of useless tent or tarp. if the shelter is full then use the privy. if the privy and shelter is full then just keep hiking until you find an empty one. i mean really, what good is a tent or tarp in your pack anyway if you mess yourself up on the way to the hard shelter? you would have to unpack it and set it up and just think of all the work the following morning. nah, leave it and save yourself the trouble of all the work. do like the homeless do in the park, use newspaper. its light, burns great, and you can use it in the privy.
but it is your decision. i hope i helped. and your welcome.

I like it. If you use your wits and lower your expectation of comfort you could survive almost any emergency without a tarp. You just have to be prepared for unpleasantness if an unforeseen problem arises. Is it worth it for simplicity and lightness of packing, and maybe a greater feeling of independence? That's for you to answer, but I'd go against conventional wisdom and skip the tarp too in your situation.

[max patch]

live on the edge and do what you want to do. dont listen to those that tell you to have a back up plan and carry the stupid weight of useless tent or tarp. if the shelter is full then use the privy. if the privy and shelter is full then just keep hiking until you find an empty one. i mean really, what good is a tent or tarp in your pack anyway if you mess yourself up on the way to the hard shelter? you would have to unpack it and set it up and just think of all the work the following morning. nah, leave it and save yourself the trouble of all the work. do like the homeless do in the park, use newspaper. its light, burns great, and you can use it in the privy.
but it is your decision. i hope i helped. and your welcome.

Minnesota Smith had to spend a cold nite in a park bathroom when he slackpacked a day and didn't make it as far as he planned.

Which proves 2 points; Always carry some type of shelter, and Don't slackpack.

[snifur]

But MS saw the next day which proves that carrying a shelter is over rated and that a park bathroom provides all you need.

[Deadeye]

Funny thing about winter and shelters... that tends to be the time of year when people really want a fire, and those shelters burn real nice.

Bring back-up!

[Blissful]

Well you can go without and see what happens. Carrying a shelter is part of LNT planning and prep.

[Raymond James]

This time of year, a tent is usually warmer than sleeping on the wooden floor of an AT shelter.

X2

I think you need something as a backup and if it gets real cold or extremly windy you can use the tent inside the shelter.

[Zipper]

Personally, I like the backup of having a shelter with me, in case something unforseen happens. Like it's raining cats and dogs and I'm miles away from a shelter. Or I get hurt or sick and just need to crawl into a shelter. I'm about comfort and so I would have my tent just in case. I know I could crawl under a downed tree a la Earl Shaffer, but for me the peace of mind of having the tent with me (it's only 27 ounces) is worth it.

[bigcranky]

When you get to a shelter that happens to be full, just tell one of the other hikers to go set up his own tent so you can have the shelter space. That always goes over well with the other hikers. Someone is sure to help you out, especially if the weather is really bad.

[HikerMom58]

X2

I think you need something as a backup and if it gets real cold or extremly windy you can use the tent inside the shelter.

Haha!! Excellent advice. My daughter gave herself the trail name- Strange Habit. That was her "strange habit"- if at all possible she liked to set her tent up inside the shelter. Someone told her that wasn't a "strange habit" but it was called the "Hubba trick" ,-it was awesome- they did it, themselves, alll the time.

[Del Q]

I always carry a tent, have gone from a 47 ounce tent to 34 to about 22 ounces or so.

Forgetting weight, I like to camp where and when I want to camp, more often than not where I end or want to end up each day is not at a shelter. Even if I do, I rarely sleep in the shelter, just use the resources, picnic table, place to hang stuff, privy.............sleeping in a tent is warmer, private and a softer place to sleep.

Piling up some leaves or pine needles underneath is an added +, LNT in the morning.

[turtle fast]

Wow...I had not heard that story about Minnesota Smith. I have to agree about the tarp as I have seen it used to cover the fronts of 3 sided shelters when the winds come in the front like it does often at Ice Water Spring Shelter. It can be used as a shelter, ground pad in a shelter, a backup rain coat, a shelter while you cook/dine in a rain, etc.

[oldbear]

Oh, a storm is threat'ning
My very life today
If I don't get some shelter
Oh yeah, I'm gonna fade away

[Lone Wolf]

pretend there are no shelters. bring a tent