[pct-l] Tents vrs Tarps - Numbers do not make sense

[Jason Moores]

John,

I would also argue the temp. difference between your tent and a tarp. When I
bring my tarp in tight for a cold night, I sleep quite warm. Pitched right a
tarp can be very efficient at trapping your body heat, perhaps as well as
most tents. If you can handle a 32 deg. quilt with your tent, it can be done
with a tarp.

Kevin made some very good points about condensation and a willingness to be
uncomfortable from time to time.

If you can concede that you wouldn't need to change your sleeping bag, the
numbers start to look a bit better. Here's the set up that I plan to use:
polycryo sheet, MLD Mini Solo, Six Moon Designs bug net = 12.4oz without
stakes, that would be 11.6 oz.off of your weight.

I'll only be carrying the bug net north of KM and will ditch it when I feel
it safe. That will put me at 5.4oz.

There is nothing wrong with your current tent, it looks like a great design,
especially if you can ride out a storm without condensation. You can carry
just the tarp or add the beak if you feel that you need it, with or without
the net.

Your original post stated that you were trying to lower your base to 7# and
asked for suggestions to get ya there. You also asked how do people get to
sub 5#. The answer to both is trimming ounces, they add up. Combine this
weight difference with some of the additional weight saving suggestions that
others have made and you'll get there.

Also, if you consider the difference in volume of a 3.8oz tarp to that of
your tent, in addition to removing a few more items that you find you don't
need,you might be able to go to the next smaller pack that you were looking
at-and again the weight goes down a bit.

You obviously like your tent. Stick with it. Play around with using only the
tarp segment. If it's not for you...hell, ya can't really complain about a
24oz shelter.

Jackass





On Thu, Feb 3, 2011 at 9:19 PM, John Abela
<pacificcresttrail2011 at gmail.com>wrote:

> Hey Kevin,
>
> I don't have numbers. The flaw is assuming the minimalist tent will allow
> > that much of a difference in sleeping bags. The ultra light tents will be
> a
> > single wall design and therefore have condensation. Especially when the
> > temps are low enough to warrant the greater protection and/or warmer bag.
> To
> > control condensation in these shelters, you have to vent them. At that
> > point, what's the difference? With a tarp you can pitch it lower in bad
> > weather to minimize the air flowing through. I think my point is that the
> > temp difference won't be 12 degrees.
> >
>
> Totally agree... IF these tents were single wall tents.
>
> The HMG is a double wall tent that suffers from zero condensation (well,
> ok,
> after 9 days of 100% rain the tarp began to suffer from condensation) See
> here:
>
> http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/hyperlite_mountain_gear_echo_shelters_review.html#352115and
>
> http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/hyperlite_mountain_gear_echo_shelters_review.html#353518for
> my write-ups on this)
>
> The ZPcks tent is a double wall tent that should also suffer from zero
> condensation. (I say 'should' because it is new and nobody has had a chance
> to test this yet).
>
> The GG One however, is not. The GG, like any TarpTent, would suffer from
> condensation (I've personally encountered it)
>
> But the HMG and ZPacks should not suffer any condensation or saturation.
>
>
> That said, I have never gotten 12-degrees of warmth from a tent (at least,
> not that I could discern was 12-degrees). I sleep cold so I am lucky to get
> 8-10.
>
> Thanks for the comments/thoughts.
>
>
> John
> Redwood Guy
> _______________________________________________
> Pct-L mailing list
> Pct-L at backcountry.net
> To unsubcribe, or change options visit:
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
>
> List Archives:
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/
>