High Country Shelters - Aron Snyder

Joined
Apr 28, 2012
Messages
369
Location
San Jose, California, United States
Good article Aron. You make some very good points as well as solutions in the article. It was good reading your thoughts on the subject.

I was one that got sucked into the bivy sack years ago by the industry celebrity perhaps mentioned in your article. I still think that guy is a great inspiration and motivator but I never got used to the bivy sack for the reasons you mention.
 

Shortdraw

FNG
Joined
Feb 13, 2013
Messages
53
I still remember my old bivy sack circa about 1990. Spent the night in a rain storm in Rocky Mountain National Park. Every time I would roll in my sleep it would pour water down into my neck! Woke up (as if I really ever went to sleep) to find that a pica had eaten a hole in my pack. Yeah, I love bivy sacks.
 

Ronster

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 10, 2013
Messages
108
Location
Fairbanks, Alaska
Great article. Im leaning towards a Sawtooth next year when my credit cards recoup after this years gear purchases for a lot of the reasons that you bring up here.
 

Manosteel

WKR
Joined
Jan 24, 2013
Messages
1,391
Location
Alberta, Canada
Excellent article. Makes me want to buy a stove but I usually tag out before snow falls and I live in the Edmonton bow zone so WT's are literally at my door step when the snow falls during the November rut
 
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Longstride12

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 18, 2012
Messages
102
Location
Utah
Thanks Aron! It is nice to have someone with real experience tell me what is good and what is not. Makes it that much easier when I pull the trigger on the next purchase and I don't have to do all the gear testing and waste money on not so high quality gear. It also helps so I don't talk myself into something cheaper just because it is cheaper. :)
 

cmeier117

WKR
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Messages
1,552
Location
Salem, OR
It took me awhile to muster the courage but I love the versatility the tarp/bivy combo gives you. If you still want to have a lightweight shelter you can opt for a ti goat bivy or something like that. It is a good pound lighter than the bugaboo. One thing to think about though on tarps is most guys use two pads and a closed cell foam pad is going to be another 8 ounces or so. Not really needed but it helps to protect the pad a little better.
 

littlebuf

Banned
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Messages
1,983
aron, a question. im a 3 season tent guy (tarp tent) but ive been looking hard at the super tarp or one of bear paws tarp/teepees (forget the model) I cant do bivy sacks, just to Closter phobic. do you feel the need to carry a bivy with the tarp mainly for temp rating or for weather proofing also. I take a three season down to pretty cold temps and don't see why one of the tarps im considering wouldn't be able to do the same but I still have reservations about being floorless in the rain. you've undoubtedly seen some weather in a floorless shelter, is a bivy an absolute necessity in weather? I never think twice bout it with a bathtub floor in my TT.
 

Ironman

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Messages
209
aron, a question. im a 3 season tent guy (tarp tent) but ive been looking hard at the super tarp or one of bear paws tarp/teepees (forget the model) I cant do bivy sacks, just to Closter phobic. do you feel the need to carry a bivy with the tarp mainly for temp rating or for weather proofing also. I take a three season down to pretty cold temps and don't see why one of the tarps im considering wouldn't be able to do the same but I still have reservations about being floorless in the rain. you've undoubtedly seen some weather in a floorless shelter, is a bivy an absolute necessity in weather? I never think twice bout it with a bathtub floor in my TT.


You are asking Aron a question?

Ease up big guy!:)
 

Wrench77

WKR
Joined
Mar 16, 2013
Messages
603
Location
Parker, CO
aron, a question. im a 3 season tent guy (tarp tent) but ive been looking hard at the super tarp or one of bear paws tarp/teepees (forget the model) I cant do bivy sacks, just to Closter phobic. do you feel the need to carry a bivy with the tarp mainly for temp rating or for weather proofing also. I take a three season down to pretty cold temps and don't see why one of the tarps im considering wouldn't be able to do the same but I still have reservations about being floorless in the rain. you've undoubtedly seen some weather in a floorless shelter, is a bivy an absolute necessity in weather? I never think twice bout it with a bathtub floor in my TT.

Littlebuf checkout the cuben fiber ground sheet at zpacks.com this ground sheet has 5" walls. It is also lighter than the poplular Tyvek ground sheet although a lot more expensive. They can do custom sizing also. I'll be running one of these in my supertarp this year.
 
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