[pct-l] It's all about having fun!!!

[reynolds@iLAN.com (Reynolds, WT)]

I have no doubt about Ron's tent. I saw it at ADZPCTKO and liked it but
judged it too small for both my wife and myself plus gear. A single wall
tent will work fine under certain conditions but will rain condensation in
other conditions. For summer in the Sierra a tarp-tent is really all you
need to combat the occasional extended thunder shower.

However, Ron is talking about tarps yet set it up less than 10 days on his
PCT hike. Somehow, Ron's experience does not negate Greg's [bighummel]
experience in an eight day storm. In an extended storm one must leave
ventilation because the humidity of the air is close to the dew point. This
is why nothing dries. I have read that the typical down bag loses its loft
after about 5 days of continuous use if it is not given an opportunity to
dry out. Synthetic bags don't collapse as much as down although they are not
"warm when wet". "The only thing that is warm when wet is a sauna" -- Jack
Stephenson. They are cold and clammy but still provide some loft.

Now Ron states that he has trained himself to speep naked in 55 degree
weather. What that means is that he needs to use the bag rarely.
Interestingly, I see the main benefit of a tent over a tarp is that one
needs to use the bag less when one has a tent. Bottom line is that I see
Ron's experience and capabilities as atypical.

Tom

-----Original Message-----
From: David Dalbey [mailto:dave@dalbey.org]
Sent: Friday, September 27, 2002 10:37 AM
To: pct-l@backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] It's all about having fun!!!


Just a plug for Fallingwater's "Europa" tent.  I've used it a  few times
now, alone, with my wife, and a friend last weekend.  The neat thing is even
in moderate rain I can sleep with the front door wide open due to the shape
of the tent.  One of the first times I used it was with my wife and the
front closed up, (she's still a little scared of the bogey man!).  We had
condensation inside but our Down bags with Pertex shells did a good job of
keeping us dry when inevitably brushing up against the sides of the tent.

I haven't used this tent for 8 days of continous rain (yet) but in my
limited nights out so far I think Ron has come up with a real winner of a
tent!

Dave
dave@dalbey.org

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ronald Moak" <rmoak@fallingwater.com>
To: "'Reynolds, WT'" <reynolds@iLAN.com>; "Ronald Moak"
<rmoak@fallingwater.com>; <Bighummel@aol.com>; <pct-l@backcountry.net>
Sent: Friday, September 27, 2002 9:59 AM
Subject: [pct-l] It's all about having fun!!!


> >> Ron, I challenge you to sleep in your 25 year old down bag under a tarp
> on a
> star-filled twenty degree night!  My bet is that you won't sleep and
you'll
> freeze. <<
>
> Ah, a challenge. I love challenges. I'll do you one better I'll skip the
> tarp and just sleep out under the stars. On the PCT I used my tarp less
than
> 10 nights on the entire trail. I zipped up my sleeping bag only twice. The
> rest of the time I simply used it as a quilt.
>
> In the months preceding the hike I trained to sleep cold. By the time I
left
> for the trail I was able to sleep comfortably in a 55 degree room with no
> clothes or covers. It is quite possible to train our bodies and minds to
go
> beyond our normally prescribed limits.
>
> My little training pales in comparison to Buddhist monks from Nepal who
can
> sleep out at 14,000 feet in the dead of winter with nothing more than a
thin
> cotton robe. Yes, it's been thoroughly documented.
>
> >> In my old SD Starflight this is the case.  The pyramid shape provides
> ample head room and sheds consensation excellently.  It most cases the
> condensation formed not on the inside of the tent (very rare) but on the
> inside of the fly collecting then outside of the tent on the ground. <<
>
> I love that old SD Starflight, my wife and I used one on the AT. The two
of
> use slept in one and hiked through 8 days straight of rain in Maine and
> managed to keep our down bags dry. The foot of the bags got a bit wet, but
> hardly enough to prevent a comfortable nights sleep.
>
> Tom writes >>For you, now that you have decided to use your brain, I
suggest
> that you go out and make some money and buy a Stephenson tent  for those
wet
> conditions. A well pitched tarp in cold, wet conditions is an oxymoron. <<
>
> On the PCT one of our companions had a Stephenson's tent. He had more
> problems with wet gear from rain or condensation than I did with my tarp.
I
> can hike a lot of miles on money differential between a $400 tent and a
$40
> tarp. Besides I like wasting brain power on activities that have little or
> no economic return. Like designing tents and backpacks. Of course I'd make
a
> bit more if you'd buy my tent.
>
> Bob asks >>OK. Enough ruffled feathers. How about real advice? Where do we
> find information on properly pitching tarps? <<
>
> First Bob let me say I've got two rules when it comes to backpacking. I've
> stolen them from Greg who probably stole them from someone else. They are:
>
> 1) There are no rules.
> 2) Refer to rule number 1.
>
> So when it comes to talking about tarp/tents down/synthetics etc. I don't
> take myself too seriously. The goal is to go out and have fun. What's
> important is what it takes to get you out there and keep you happy. There
is
> no right or wrong / good vs. bad approach. If however, what you're doing
is
> no longer fun then you look for alternatives.
>
> As to information on pitching tarps, there are a number of references
> available on the net. You should be able to find some with a reasonable
> amount of searching. Then it's a matter of going out and finding what
works
> for you.
>
> -Fallingwater
>
>
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