[pct-l] Tarp shelters

[CHUCK CHELIN]

Good afternoon, Mike,

My primary objective is to sleep out, under the stars, with all of the
associated freedom, while having the option to erect protection for the
10-15% of the time when the weather threatens to turn wet.  I want that
protection to be adequate – by my standards -- but minimal because weight is
the secondary concern.  Protection against mosquitoes, or any other
real/perceived terror-of-the-night, is a weak tertiary concern.

When sleeping out, I choose a site to reduce the nuisance of ants, and I go
to sleep wearing a head-net to keep the mosquitoes at bay; removing it if I
awake later in the night when the cold air grounds them.  Not all hikers
can/will abide the whinny little buggers:  I can because I have considerable
high-frequency hearing loss – I barely hear them – and I will because it is
a low-weight position.

I must also deal with dew on the outside, top of my bag in the morning, but
many/most of the enclosed, single-wall shelters also have condensation
issues which can similarly dampen a bag.

I’m not a big bivy fan, although many experienced hikers swear by them.  It
seems to me they are a relatively heavy solution in search of a problem, as
is – again in my opinion – most of the GoreTex-type stuff.

You must determine for yourself what your objectives and methods will be,
but if enclosed shelter is the answer the options you mention are good ones.

Steel-Eye

-Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965

-http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye

-http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09


On Sun, Jul 31, 2011 at 7:05 AM, Mike Jurasius <syntectonics at yahoo.com>wrote:

> Steeleye,
> I'm debating whether or not to buys tarp Vs, tarp tent for my 2013 thru
> hike. I think bugs, especially of the blood sucking itchy variety, would
> keep me away all night without netting. Is there anything wrong, in your
> opinion, with say, SMD Lunar Solo...or anyother UL tent, other than a few
> extra ounces?  I like the airy tarp idea otherwise. I've heard some will go
> with a tarp and bivy. Have you tried this in your later UL years of hiking?
>
> Mike
>
>
>
>