Re: [pct-l] Tents

[Dude Spellings <dude1@pdq.net>]

> However, the Clip Flashlight will fit two [2] snugly but not gear. My style
> is to bring all my gear into the tent at night to avoid a nosey bear
> damaging it. [I leave all food out of the tent] Also, I think that the Clip
> Flashlight is too small to ride out a serious storm. Most people would get
> stir crasey and try to walk out. The Clip Flashlight is three season, not
> four season. I would not trust a 3 season tent in the weather I saw last
> year in August [in the Ca Sierra], much less a Sierra Thruhike in May-June.

Last september, I spent 12 nights in my 8 year old Clip Flashlight.  Of the 12
nights, it rained 8 of them and sleeted/snowed 2 of the 8 rainy nights.  We
also packed all of our gear and food in the tent with us.  It is an old Clip
Flashlight that has a bigger interior, but no vestibule on the front.  The new
ones with the vestibules allow you to put your gear/food under the vestibule
where it will be safe/dry, but not inside where it gets in the way.

As far as being storm-proof, of the 8 nights that we had bad weather, we did
not suffer any severe damage.  Our sleeping bags did get a little wet, but not
enough to keep the down from working properly in 28 degree weather.  About
halfway through the storm lightened up for a day and a half and I was able to
dry my bag in the sun.  Granted, the storms we ran into were nothing compared
to what the Sierras can dish out, as there was not really any serious wind and
the rain was not pouring(just a little harder than light rain).  However, I
feel that for the price the tent did what it should do.

The fact is that if you want a totally bomb-proof tent, then you either:
1.  Sacrifice weight and carry a heavy but sturdy tent, OR
2.  Sacrifice your wallet and pay an arm, a leg, and a testicle(or ovary) for a
light-weight tent made of dream-like materials that weigh nothing, yet are
strong enough to stand upto hurricaines.

I choose to roll the dice and bet that I will not need a tent that can
withstand 200mph winds, golfball size hail, and a foot of snow per hour so that
I don't have to spend more than is reasonable.  The way I look at it, I can
take any type of weather for one or two nights with almost any kind of gear;
and if the weather is that bad for more than a couple of nights, then I would
probably WANT to walk out and get a motel anyway.


Anyway, just my 2 cents.

peace and merry Christmas,
Dude in TX


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