[pct-l] Facing the wet North - tarp advice

[Diane Soini]

When I was hiking the PCT, if I was ever unsure of a "luxury" item I  
was considering, I would test it out for a segment and if it proved  
worthless, just mail it home. So give your tarp idea a try. If it's  
not a good idea, no harm done. I recommend for a good cheap tarp the  
Equinox 8x10 flat tarp. Not as fancy as a cuben fiber or catenary cut  
tarp of some sort, but cheap.

I will say that I found in the old-growth areas that it was  
surprisingly dry under some of the bigger trees, so I didn't have too  
much trouble with finding a good place to put my stuff while I set up  
my tent. But I was in Washington in August, a cold rainy August, but  
still not October.

I'd keep the tent.

For a pack cover I used a big garbage bag I bought at the Kracker  
Barrel convenience store on White's Pass. It was noisy but it did the  
job and was cheap. I cut a couple holes for the straps and just  
threaded them through, tucked all the excess in behind my back and  
puff-puff-puffed down the trail with my big giant bag, tucking parts  
in that would poof out now and then. I now have a real pack cover but  
have never used it so I can't compare.

I didn't have a real rain jacket. I had an umbrella and a wind  
breaker. This was inadequate. I also had chaps rather than rain  
pants. Also inadequate. It was a cold, rainy August that I was there  
and I could not sit down until my tent went up at night thanks to my  
chaps and also I could not sit down because I had to keep moving or  
else I'd get cold. So yeah, decent rain gear for your body is what  
I'd recommend.

Embrace the foot soakings.

Diane

On Sep 11, 2013, at 10:00 AM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:

> From: b j <xthrow at yahoo.com>
> Subject: [pct-l] Facing the wet North - tarp advice
>
> Hello O Wise Ones!
>
> I'm hiking the PCT this year and I'm at Highway 242 / McKenzie Pass  
> in the middle of Oregon.  I'm targeting to be done and in Canada by  
> mid-October or a few days later.  I'm reconsidering my gear for the  
> possible sideways rain / sleet / snow [gulp] storms that might come  
> my way as I head further North and further into the Fall.
>
> I have a ZPacks Hexamid Solo Plus shelter for myself and am  
> considering also getting a tarp.  Imagine this.. pouring rain, whip  
> out your tarp and set it up, unpack your pack under your tarp  
> darting out here and there to set up the shelter, cooking under the  
> tarp, repacking, everything really under the tarp.  Here are the  
> questions I'm contemplating which I'd love to hear your thoughts on:
>
> 1) What tarp (durable and light and not too pricey)?
>
> 2) Should I ditch the Hexamid and just go tarp and bivy for shelter  
> if I'm going to have a tarp anyways?
>
> 3) How big a tarp?  a) To do everything but sleep under, and  b) to  
> do everything AND sleep under
>
> 4) Am I being a wussie for wanting a tarp?
>
> 5) What other things should I consider gearwise / systemwise /  
> strategywise for the possible upcoming ugly weather
>
> Also, I'm contemplating a pack cover to keep the pack (ULA Circuit)  
> from getting sopped inside and out.  Again, I'd love your input on  
> these questions:
>
> 6) What pack cover (durable, light, not too pricey)?
>
> 7) Other strategies besides a pack cover?
>
>
> As I'm hiking the trail, I will only have email access sporadically  
> and so there may be a delay in my response -- also it will be  
> easier to identify your responses if you copy this email address in  
> your reply to the listserv.
>
> Thank you!!!  Wish me luck -- I so want to finish!!
>
> -Rhiannon / Porsche