Tent vs tarp vs nothing.

[paleraider]

I should correct myself and say that I have experience backpacking and staying overnight but all I have is a 2 person Mountain Hardware tent that is 5 lbs. I am looking for something lighter and I don't know if I should get a tent or do something else. The cheaper the better.

As you have experience backpacking I would vote for a tarp. There are many ways it can be pitched and will provide as much protection for one person as a sawtooth or tut. I have a tut but only really use it for multiple people or when it is really cold. All other times I use a tarp.

 

[KH_bowfly]

I am setting up a very modular system with the Seek Outside LBO.

1 person tarp option
1 person floorless tipi option (w/ vestibule)
1 person tent option (vestibule, w/ bug net/nest)
1 person tipi with stove option

Then you can add a connecting tarp to add more room up to about 6 people with stove... This takes me from one person fall elk hunts (tarp) to late season (tipi plus stove) to spring bear/turkey (add bug net/nests) to a family canoe trip (base+tarp+base with stove) all with one modular system.

I'll have 2 base plus vestibules, 1 connecting tarp, 2 nests when all is said and done.

The only downside to this system is that I can't stand up in any of the options like I could with a 6 person tipi.

I have 2 bases and a vestibule (so far). I really like the LBO. My buddy (6’-6”) and I (5’-6”) went on a spring fishing trip and used base-base with stove and had plenty of room. I was worried if he’d fit in there but it worked fine. We had to leave a door open most of the time the stove was running because it was so toasty. That was high 30’s F.


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[ethan]

Just my thoughts on the hammocks, I run a hammock in warmer months on backcountry fishing trips. They are light weight and I think they’re pretty comfortable but if the temps are cool enough to need an under quilt the weight and bulk start to get to a point where a tent just makes more sense for me. Plus the ability to keep all of my gear dry if it rains is much easier in a tent. So hammocks are nice in the right situation, but only in the right situation, for me.

 

[Beendare]

First year backpacking in and spending several nights in the back country. Should I go with a tent or something else more lightweight?

FWIW,

I ran a tarp and a bivy many years ago. I ran into a couple issues with that setup.
My bivy would hold moisture next to my bag.

If I didn't run the bivy it was fine on nice days but on days of sideways rain and sleet.....hard to keep your bag from getting wet.

You can still run into problems with bugs...and mice and critters running over your bag and face in the middle of the night. No big deal but it can be an annoyance.

Finally I dumped the tarp and bivy for a Made in USA Tarptent that solved all of my problems ;full floor and bug mesh/ all in 2# 4 oz....lighter than my tarp and bivy....

Not quite the same feel of a tarp/bivy....or just a bivy on nice nights looking at the stars.....BUT I've had enough of those nice nights turn into pounding storms that I abandoned that setup.YMMV

 

[beardedbowhunter]

Has anyone used the Nemo Spike 2P?

 

[ndbwhunter]

I am setting up a very modular system with the Seek Outside LBO.

1 person tarp option
1 person floorless tipi option (w/ vestibule)
1 person tent option (vestibule, w/ bug net/nest)
1 person tipi with stove option

Then you can add a connecting tarp to add more room up to about 6 people with stove... This takes me from one person fall elk hunts (tarp) to late season (tipi plus stove) to spring bear/turkey (add bug net/nests) to a family canoe trip (base+tarp+base with stove) all with one modular system.

I'll have 2 base plus vestibules, 1 connecting tarp, 2 nests when all is said and done.

The only downside to this system is that I can't stand up in any of the options like I could with a 6 person tipi.

Hate to burst your bubble, but there is no way you'll get 6 with a stove in the base/tarp/base, unless you're all midgets. I have the exact same setup, and two guys over 6' with gear and a stove was all it could handle. If everyone is under 6', you could squeeze 4 with a stove and limited gear.

 

[Clarktar]

William will never toot his own horn on this site so I'll do it for him:

His shelters are truly world-class.

I've owned Seek Outside, Jimmy Tarps, and currently run a Kifaru Supertarp in addition to the shelter William built custom for me.

His shelter takes the cake in the quality department hands down...and I have beat the living hell out of it in it's first year.

70mph winds...like a BOSS during deer season in the Cascades of WA. No problemo.

I went with William because he let me fully customize the shelter. I didn't want a pole set, wanted 2 way heavy duty zippers, specific color, etc...oh and he seam sealed it for no additional charge.

Can't go wrong with the big names but having a truly built to spec backpack hunting shelter is pretty dang slick.

I'd shoot him a message, you won't be disappointed.

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How much does that thing weight? What do you mean no pole set?

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[ianpadron]

2 pounds 9 ounces.

I didn't want the pole set with the canopy, Kifaru was unable to accommodate that.

I use logs or a UL carbon fiber pole to save weight.

Check out my review on here DIY Sawtooth Review is the name.

How much does that thing weight? What do you mean no pole set?

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[mfllood3800]

I am looking into a tarp currently. Not for sleep but for shelter. I have a floorless tipi already and am sold on these set ups. For the weight, a tarp is a valuable item in my system I need. I have utilized pine trees in storms in the past, and honestly they work well enough. But, I'd rather have the security of a true shelter, as well as optional sleep system, should crap come unglued during the hunt.
I'm asking William Hanson about options now. With floorless tents/tipis so cheap and light any more, I don't know why one wouldn't utilize these as an option to a shelter. I use mine year round.

 

[beardedbowhunter]

I just can’t get myself to try floorless. I keep leaning towards a tent. I guess I need talked into it haha.

 

[colersu22]

I just can’t get myself to try floorless. I keep leaning towards a tent. I guess I need talked into it haha.

Try the mountain smith, you can pick them up from 80-100 and if you don’t like it sell it for what you paid if you got it used and it doesn’t cost you anything. That’s what I did when I was unsure of the floor less gig but that was 3 years ago and I have no plans on going back to a floor. I use either a cimarron or DST tarp now and love climbing in them after a long day.

 

[beardedbowhunter]

Ya I just keep going back and forth. Floorless seems like it would be a nuisance with bugs and rain. And what do you do when you leave and take your trekking poles with you?

 

[Cdpp880]

Don’t have a ton of experience with floorless but have used the mountainsmith LT and for one person and gear I don’t see how you can beat it for the price. Can fit two in there but it will be tight but still doable. If you try it and don’t like it you can sell it with a very minimal loss. and could sell it pretty quick for $75if you didn’t like it.

 

[Bulldawg]

Ya I just keep going back and forth. Floorless seems like it would be a nuisance with bugs and rain. And what do you do when you leave and take your trekking poles with you?

Rain is no big deal never have an issue with it coming under. If there’s bugs around then yeah you don’t want a floor less but in Idaho I’m september October you shouldn’t have an issue. Now South Georgia is August, yeah I’m gonna need a tent for mosquitos


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[KH_bowfly]

For bugs, a nest works great. It sure saved my floorless experience last year backpacking with my wife. We ended up at a lake with so many mosquitoes it sounded like we were at a nascar race! The nest basically turns my LBO into a “normal” tent with a giant vestibule. All-in (not including trekking poles) my setup still saved me something like 1.5 lbs from my 2008ish 2-man backpacking tent and the difference in space underneath is laughable.

I also just ordered a Borah bug bivy for when I’m solo and expecting mosquitoes. If mosquitoes are really bad it will be miserable, but the 6.5 oz isn’t bad for summer solo fishing trips as an insurance.

I guy out everywhere to raise it for airflow, but my opinion would be that condensation and not being freestanding would be the main considerations where I might not bring floorless. So far they’ve both been manageable and the pros have far outweighed the cons for me.


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[beardedbowhunter]

What do you do when you head out for the day to hunt and bring your trekking poles with you?

 

[KH_bowfly]

What do you do when you head out for the day to hunt and bring your trekking poles with you?

I would do one of a few things:
- don’t take trekking poles with me for day hunt
- use branch for shelter setup instead and bring trekking poles
- guy line top of shelter up to tree branch for the day
- pull one of the linked poles out and use for the day and let shelter sag lower (just tighten a couple guy lines so it doesn’t fall apart - need good weather for this option)

Or bring everything and sleep closer to the critters the next day if applicable.


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[huntcoop]

I just can’t get myself to try floorless. I keep leaning towards a tent. I guess I need talked into it haha.

I'm with ya, nothing better than the security of a tent.

 

[beardedbowhunter]

I think I’ve settled on going floorless even though I’ve never tried one. I’m thinking either start off with the Mountain Shelter LT or just putting the money down now for something nicer like a Seek Outside or Kifaru. I’m really liking the ability to run a stove.

 

[superA]

Just picked up a couple of bugs nests for hammocks. We will use them as bug bivys when in our tipis.