[pct-l] Fw: Tents vrs Tarps - Bivies?

[Edward Anderson]

Sorry I cant send the pictures to the PCT-L list.  I did send them to Diane.



----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Edward Anderson <mendoridered at yahoo.com>
To: Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes <diane at santabarbarahikes.com>
Sent: Sun, February 6, 2011 8:23:41 AM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Tents vrs Tarps - Bivies?


Hello Diane,

I always read your posts as they bring up a lot of useful information. You are 
an excellent writer, always interesting. 

On this subject of tents I want to mention and also illustrate with 
pictures that you don't really have to wall yourself off from nature in a single 
wall tent. I rarely used the rain fly of my tent - I only used it if it was 
raining or looked like it would (on just a couple of occasions I mis-judged the 
weather and had to put up the rain fly during the night), or if I wanted 
privacy.  Privacy was not often an issue since, by preference, I almost always 
camped alone and well off the trail.  I wanted to be surrounded by nature, not 
people and all of their distracting sounds and their visual litter (tents and 
tarps).  I lived on the PCT with Primo - I did not, and did not want to, suffer 
the distraction of towns either.

I know, a tent with a rain fly will weigh more. And I realize that you are 
someone who wants to go as light as possible.  But - I think, given that you are 
also someone who especially enjoys experiencing nature, you should seriously 
consider that you are denying yourself the view outside just to save a little 
weight. In life there are usually trade offs.  

Another advantage of my tent, which I came to appreciate, is that it is 
free-standing with just the netting.  I sometimes moved it around to obtain a 
better view. The night sky is also sometimes awesome to enjoy from inside your 
tent.

Using the insect netting part of my tent kept the insects and other critters out 
and allowed me to enjoy the beauty surrounding me including my horse.

MendoRider/Ed Anderson




________________________________
From: Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes <diane at santabarbarahikes.com>
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Sent: Sat, February 5, 2011 10:26:36 AM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Tents vrs Tarps - Bivies?

I read all the pros and cons about tents and tarps, did all kinds of  
calculations, yadda yadda but what ended being the best for me was to  
go with the tent. It wasn't the lightest option, it wasn't the most  
versatile, I did hate that I was walled off from nature inside, etc,  
but it was easy. Just one stuff sack sitting in my pack that would do  
the job.

If I were you, I would get the gear to have an optimal tarp set-up  
and an optimal tent set-up and then use your PCT hike to test both  
out. When else will you have so much time to try stuff out? I tried  
out all kinds of stuff while hiking the PCT. It was great fun. Nobody  
is going to care out there if you have the lightest pack, or chose  
something heavier. You won't even care.
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