Re: [pct-l] Tents

[Owen Kittredge <owenk@quiknet.com>]

I think that Ray Jardine has a lot of good ideas but you need to use common
sense when applying.  I grew up the late 60's to 70's as a scout hiking with
army shelter half's and had some rivers flowing through my tent some nights.
But I am older now and would be careful in selecting my site. Additionally I
would see how light I could go on Whitney ascents and found out that even thow
I was caring only 18lbs that I really needed a sleeping pad when I discovered
that I could not warm up the whole Sierra Nevada Batholith in one night. So I
find myself coming up with or modifying someone else's idea and ending up
confident and mid weight.

To add to my first comment regarding tent quality, while my Quests failed a
Kelty and Sierra Designs came through with ok with minimal leaks. The location
was Coast Camp at Point Reyes during the first week of November and the storm
lasted for 7 hrs until daylight when we pulled out.  If I had not have some ill
equipped campers (cotton clothes) on the trip my wife and I would have held out
longer to see if the weather was going to break.  This brings to my other
change since I started backpacking I have NO COTTON even in summer.  I have
been rained on in the summer and the temps drop and I am happier than my fellow
hikers with cotton shorts and shirts.

I will now get off my soap box.

reynolds@ilan.com wrote:

> My belief is that the Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight is the best reasonably
> priced tent that I know of [This Wanderlust Nomad lite looks good but until
> I check it out I can't say how good].
>
>  I think space is a matter of expectation. Some people can fit three (3)
> people in a Stephenson 2R while I only want two (2) in a 3R [three person
> tent]
>
> Safety in a storm is another consideration colored by personal view. I
> started hiking with my wife and four (4) year old son. Walking out wasn't
> an option back then. We stayed put if it rained. Frankly, along the PCT the
> weather is usually pretty good during hiking season [June-August]. In
> April-May, when many thru hikers are traversing the Southern mountains and
> the Sierra it can get nasty. I personally would want a four season bomb
> shelter in April-May but then Ray Jardine would find me a big
> disappointment.
>
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