[pct-l] Tents....I know, I know, beating a dead horse

[Sean Nordeen]

Brad,

For lightweight bug netting only options, check out Mountain Laurel Designs' Bug Bivy and their Serenity Shelter or Six Moon Designs' Srenity Net Tent.  Gossemer Gear sells a really small one (only good for sleeping) and BackpackingLight.com sells one that covers the upper half of your body like a tent but the lower half of your sleeping bag sticks out.  An older, but popular, option for  bug protection when sleeping out is the A16 Bug Bivy.

You could carry any of them with a tarp tent of some sort and use which ever one is called for by the weather.  Though I'd recogmend instead getting a Tarp of some type to put over it when rain threatens or you want to block some wind.  If you have no experience with Tarps and weather, get a 8'x10' sized one as the larger size gives better protection.

I've been using a smaller MLD Grace Solo Tarp along with a MLD Bug bivy and have been quite happy.  Though I only carry the Bug Bivy in July &August.  The rest of the time I carry a regular bivy bag instead (though it does have a bug head net sewn in).  It all weights less then a pound and I've weathered hard wind blown rain and snow with this combination.  Embrace the "dark side" and try out tarp camping.  You still have almost 2 months to practice with it.

-Sean

Sorry for bringing this topic up again as I know it has been exhausted to
the extreme.....like most other topics.  However, I have been doing my
research, going back and forth trying to decide on what kind of shelter to
buy and I am still undecided.  The following are the features I would like
to have for my shelter:

Lightweight (obviously).  Preferably around 24oz. or less like the contrail
tarptent, which does not have the next feature I really want:
Ability to be used as just the net without the fly
Bathtub floor

I am 6'1' and will have trekking poles to use for my shelter.

So, I am heavily leaning towards the contrail, or the sublite, except that
you can't use either without the rain fly to stargaze on nice nights while
keeping out pesky insects etc..
I am also considering the gatewood cape/serenity net combo.  This seems like
a good option, even though I don't think I would use the cape as a poncho.

If anyone has any advice, and recommendations for a net/tarp combo I would
sure appreciate it.  Again, sorry for the redundancy.

Can't wait to start this adventure already.  See y'all on the trail.

Brad.