Tent or tarp?

“I am considering ditching my bping tent and trying something lighter. I thought about maybe a tarp or something. I am just tired of carrying something that I only use at night when I'm asleep. And it is always so much fun to set up a tent in the dark after a long day got too long.
Anyone have any suggestions?”

“Tee-pee style tent. Great balance between the two extremes.”

“Everyone should have both a tarp and a tent in their gear quiver.”

“...and a bivy”

“I was going to buy a bivy, but me climbing shoes blew out so I had to have them resoled. I think I will just sleep under a rock now.”

“Know anything about car insurance Mr.Gecko?”

“I wouldn't be without my NorthFace tent. It gives me a retreat when the bugs are bad and a home out of the rain. I've done gear spreadsheets to try and eliminate weight. I'll go for a lighter tent but I won't give it up even though it makes my 2 week trips a bit grueling.”

“Aren't we all forgetting about the monsters? Tents keep out the monsters.”

“Dude that was funny. My wife would agree that tents keep the monsters out and all the other things that lurk in the dark, maybe even ME!! HAHA.”

“Shouldn't you get those kids their own tent, tommy?”

“Check out the trekker tarp by Walrus. Its a 10x10 tarp that sets up sorta like an a-frame tent or a lean-to. Plus it has a removable insert that is mesh with a nylon floor. Its fairly light (including tarp,insert stuff sacks etc...5.5 lbs.Half that without insert). It has all the benefits of both. Oh yeah, you use sticks or hiking poles for the frame of the shelter.”

“5.5 lbs is not light! Not even fairly light!”

“Monsters. Oh yes monsters. It keeps most of them out except for Clark in the dark.”

“I use the Trekker Tarp Mesh insert under a Kelty Noah's Tarp (12'x12'). Works great. Weighs in at about 4 lbs. The good thing is you have about 144 sq. ft. of cover rather that the 34 sq.ft. a two man tent offers. It is great for when it rains. You just open the door of the mesh tarp and recline on the sleeping stuff and you have room under the tarp to stretch out or cook or just stay dry, and room for your gear. 4 lbs (with the mesh tent)is a luxury. In cooler weather, when my wife stays a home, I leave the mesh tent at home. Somebody tell me how to post a picture here and I'll show you my mesh tent/tarp configuration. (The Walrus Trekker Tarp did not offer the extra cover that I wanted from the 12x12 tarp.)

Oh, and with the tarp set up high, sleeping in the mesh tent allows you to see the monsters as they try to sneak up on you during the night.”

“Monsters. Oh yes monsters. It keeps most of them out except for Clark in the dark.”

“BillF, for a 100sq foot enclosed shelter 5.5 lbs IS fairly light. A tent of less than half that size (30-40 sq ft seems average for a two person deal) weighs from 2.5lbs and up. So if a 30sqft tent weighed 2lbs even, to get 100 sqft that 2lb tent would be at 7lbs.”

“Also hyper, the extra weight keeps ya in tip top shape!”

“I got a Trekker Tarp and have no complaints. Much more space, not as stuffy, and slightly lighter than my tent.

During bad weather, you can set the Trekker up close to the ground and not have any open areas, like a Sil-tarp. And the zippered Awning convertability gives the Trekker numerous ways of creating a door opening.

I also don't beat myself up worrying about a few pounds difference between it and a Sil-tarp.”

“Summer: bivy shelter with bath tub bottom and skeeter netting everywhere else. I also bring the tarp to use vistible style if needed.

Spring/Fall: two man tent, which one? That's another thread.

Winter: Tarp and a good sleeping bag. I had a tarp for a while but was really converted after seeing the others at the Winter Zeleski, OH ECT. Four season tent if things are likely to be nasty or I'm more than five miles from a bail out point.”

“I like a tarp, unless it is bug season. then I used a little tent.”

“Tent in warm weather to fend off the bugs. Tarp and/or bivy for cold days.”

“Hyper-that makes sense I guess. I just consider any tent that weighs more than 4 lbs 3-6 ounces as heavy and something less than a tent like a tarp with options at 5.5 lbs would seem like more weight for less comfort. But then my trips are 2 weeks long and at my usual full up weight of 56-58 lbs I get plenty of workout without adding any more to my tent weight.”

“I use a nylon tarp I got a wally world a couple years ago, they sold it as a cover for one of those cabin tents. It's nice 10x12 with tie outs all around it came with a bunch of guy cords that I pitched. I use the 2 person size mosquito(Campmore) net clipped under with those tiny office spring clips. Two people fit nicely just don't let your skin touch the net or they'll bite though the net! Dang bugs!”

“I have a Black DiamondMegaMid Northern Mountain has some cosmetic blems on sale for $129. It is big and light.”

“You know I like the idea of that Mega Tarp,but it looks like a circus tent and I always feel the need to be kind of hidden when I'm camped. Somtimes because bubba and his huntin' gun are around or maybe I'm not quite sure if the landowner cares if I practice LNT. Women just gotta be careful and muted colors help in my opinion.”

“is a tarp beter than a tent? if so what is it.”

“yes and no. Both.”

“depends on season.”

“I always prefer a tent.”

“I usually camp in a tent, but I went on a 3 week trip once with just a tarp and a plastic sheet. It was in the Uintas in August -- we had frequent rain and occasional snow. One night it snowed a couple of inches. We had Petzold bags with Hollofil 2 and were quite comfy.”

“I prefer the tarptent.”

“I am a switch hitter on this one. I firmly am against backpacking with NO form of shelter. I love sleeping under the stars but the lowest I will go is a tarp, then a bivy, then a tent. I also have a tarptent that I just bought that I warming up to. That said, I sleep pretty well in pretty much all situations. It think a lot has to do with what you are used to and where you live or when you camp. Here in the Midwest the bugs can get pretty bad in the summer and a tent (or hopefully a tarptent) or bivy is a real luxury.”

“The tarp is light, versitile and takes up less room in the pack. I prefer a tarp over a tent in all but the buggiest times and places but sense I have the dog with me I take the tent just to keep the dog from wandering off.”

“Another vote for Henry Shires.
http://www.tarptent.com”

“I would 2nd that but it didn't perform well for me on the Mammoth Cave trip. A line tore from it which really was sad (I am sure I can get it fixed). I did get wet during the thunderstorm but that was operator error. I put my dry clothes under the tent but put them next to the mesh walls so they got wet when it rained. That's not the tarptents fault... operator error. I won't make that mistake again. I'll get it fixed and try again next season. I think it was very cool and indeed it is the lightest closed shelter in my pack next to my Bivy.”

“pitts - Plastic bags can keep your clothes dry. However, I did find that bears in GSMNP associate the plastic bags with food.”

“I can see that. Bears are not stupid. If they found food in plastic bags before, it would certainly seem reasonable for them to check out other plastic bags on the off chance there was more food.”

“pitts - Henry has second to none customer service. He stands behind his products very firmly. Give him a phone call and he'll make you happy.”

“While I have spent many nights under the stars, I do like a tent. Don't want to wake up with a snake in my bag (phobic) or critters crawling across me. I'm a (current)non-hunter but some of these critters made me believe in capital punishment. None of these critters have ever penetrated my tent but many have sniffed & scratched. I have yelled & pounded the ground which thoroughly frightened these man-eaters away for aprx 15 mins. I just don't like things crawling across my face.”

“StoveStomper: Like I said, I am not worried. I am sure they will be able to fix it. It looks like a great product from a great company/great person.”

“Yet another vote here for tarptent.com. All the plusses of a tent, all the plusses of a tarp.

Just don't tell that to certain people on this board that claim to own a tarptent yet will spend 3 weeks arguing against their benefits, when they had never used it. LOL.”

“A TarpTent, like all other ultralight gear, requires some common sense to use correctly. It is not designed to be bombproof or foolproof.
Like a certain person I know that does very strange things to an alcohol stove burner.
Right,
lizs????
MOOOOOOOOOOHAHAHAHAHAHA”

“Bears also associate bags hanging from trees and bags filled with food. That's why you won't find me in a hammock in bear country.”

“WTF??!? I have used my Tarptent!!!

azzholes!!! grrrrrrrrr... >8-\

Lets see... have had it out a bunch this fall. WHY, I have been out camping/backpacking at least one night of each of the last four of five weekends... How 'bout you guys???

On a very misty, no-wind overnight, there was hugely BAD condensation in the Tarptent. Every bit as bad as the Zeus Exo. The only good point was I could get out before it all rained inside on me and my gear, so it must "hold" the water onto the tent surface somehow.

A couple weeks ago it was really windy... and sprinkled around 3 a.m. (or was it 4 a.m.? Was the time change weekend) I slept cold. (since then I have come up with a few rememdies to that.... like hand, feet and body warmers)

I have been using extra stakes on it. I use one on each side of the non-open end, just to make sure the loop tent pole stays back and doesn't creep forward.

Also, I ususally am using stakes midway down each side.

Am still not sure of the proper pitching angle... AS IN: I use my trekking pole for the open end. I see there's a range of heights you can put it at, but when you set the pole up to a taller height, the extended beak doesn't stake out right. It will be tight in the center, where its cord and stake is, but in between that and each side of the tent body, it hangs loose.

I'd rather have it staked out taller than not, so... what's the solution to this, almighty Tarptent users?? ;-P

I think I've figured out, with the sewn-in floor, that you use the extra set of elastic loops at each corner in rain situations, to pull up the sides of the bathtub floor. But otherwise, unhook and let it spread out the 2" more on all the sides.

I don't like that you have to tighten and restake it to make it taut, since it loosens up (as stated in the instructions). I mean, you wake up and it's raining? That's a fine time to have to restake.

I can tell you the bag it came in is totally and I mean totally ripped out and ruined. Suppose I should call ole Henry on that.

Due to "operator error," I put a hole in it where the trekking pole is supposed to go through the grommet. I hadn't used it in awhile, was trying to set up in the dark and just didn't find/didn't remember the grommet. Boom, hole. Although I guess that is minor. I could patch with something.

So there, I've had enough Tarptent experience to ask what I think are good questions now. I like the weight... but, last weekend when it rained for 15 hours or so overnight, I was glad I had a tent with a rainfly. A mesh tent, but there was no condensation due to good ventilation.”

“lizs - At an Army Surplus Store you can find wool gloves(inserts, actually) and wool socks. Add a wool hat and you should be warm, while saving the chemical heat things for any emergency.

For even colder weather, I have heavier wool socks and some real warm gloves from Walmart. I, also, have a heavier wool hat. In addition I can don a jacket or sweatshirt with a hood. The wool hats I can pull over my ears and down to the tip of my nose.
last edited: 11/09/05 10:40:13 AM”

“lizs - my comment wasn't aimed at you, it was for 2 others I've spared with in the past over tarptents.”

“MY comment was aimed at lizs. LOL
No stove burner should be abused the way lizs abused my poor little creation. ;-)
last edited: 11/09/05 11:00:03 AM”

“So can anyone answer my Tarptent questions?

I do like the Tarptent, within reason. If I'm camped somewhere with no chance of rain and barring heavy condensation, I love the all-mesh tent. Nothin' like it in the Badlands this past summer.”

“I just pitch mine high and go with it.

As far as the retightening thing all tents sag when wet. I just retied the knots using taught-line hitches so all I have to do to re-tighten is just slide the knot.”