Tarps/teepee question

[Chad44]

I'm considering going with one of these. I have questions though as I've never used one. Does water come in the bottom if you get a soaker? If you set up in the rain/snow how do you keep dry without a floor? Are bugs an issue? I have only used a tent to date so forgive the ignorance.
Thanks
Chad

 

[bbrown]

Nope - no problems with rain or bugs. If its already wet when you set up the grounds dries pretty quickly.

Do it - so many more benefits to a floor less tent/ tipi!

 

[slim23]

Very interested in this also

 

[Shrek]

The ground staying dry is dependent on you setting it on a reasonably high spot and not in the middle of a wash that fills when it rains. Just saying because we have to label hot coffee cups with warnings that the coffee is hot and such.

 

[ScottR_EHJ]

If you pitch a floored tent in a depression, you will end up with a wet floor, wet pad, and a mess. If you pitch a floorless in a depression, you get the same thing, except minus the wet floor. Pitch it in the right spot, regardless of floor and you won't get wet.

 

[littlebuf]

ive been on the fence for a floorless shelter for some time. I don't see how you couldn't have the possibility of some water seepage even in a high spot. I suppose as long as the ground is porous there's no issue as water should be absorbed into the ground after running off the tent but if pitched on a harder piece of ground (sometimes the only option, and only high spot) wont water inevitably seep under the perimeter of your shelter? the other big snag for me is bugs, mosquitoes drive me nanners. not having a net to close is just about not an option

 

[Brock A]

I am going to use my borah bivy under the tarp. That should keep me dry if any water does get under it.

 

[TJ]

ive been on the fence for a floorless shelter for some time. I don't see how you couldn't have the possibility of some water seepage even in a high spot. I suppose as long as the ground is porous there's no issue as water should be absorbed into the ground after running off the tent but if pitched on a harder piece of ground (sometimes the only option, and only high spot) wont water inevitably seep under the perimeter of your shelter? the other big snag for me is bugs, mosquitoes drive me nanners. not having a net to close is just about not an option

Ditto littlebuf. I hate skeeters.

 

[Bighorse]

I use a floorless tepee in a rainforest in SE Alaska. I've been doing it for years. I use a bivy over my bag. If I know the weather is going to be dry and it's a short trip when the weather is predictable than I leave it at home. I also us a tarp on occasion.

Your pad is the barrier between you an the ground and a secondary layer is just extra. Your outdoor gear can handle a little ground moisture and dirt. In fact I rather enjoy the ground textures and color vs. nylon.

It's all about pitch location. I won't go into that here.

 

[RockChucker30]

Have you ever moved your vehicle after a hard rain and noticed the big dry spot underneath it? Floorless shelters work the same way, but better because they're tight to the ground.

Bugs can be dealt with too. SO has a nest option that keeps all bugs out. I was in a two day rain in my BCS last year and had minimal seepage. So minimal it wasn't an issue at all.

Also, bugs shouldn't be an issue in the high country from archery on.

 

[justin davis]

No rain doesn't come in.

Yes you can stay dry. I don't use a bivy (but I'm in Colorado)

I've never had a issue with bugs

 

[ScottP]

I'm a new floorless shelter user, so don't have a lot of experience in rain. You can't beat it for weight savings though and mine pitches tight to the ground so can't see it being a problem with keeping dry (given above advice about pitch location). I see some guys put a sheet of tyvek down under their pad - a bit bigger than the pad footprint to add a moisture barrier and bit of protection. Tyvek weighs very little.

I'm thinking about having bearpaw wilderness make a bug nest for my tarp when I'm using it in the summer. Will keep wife happy too. after one backpacking trip with the tarp, I can't fathom carrying my rei tent body, footprint, poles, fly up 2000ft like I used to do.

 

[littlebuf]

Also, bugs shouldn't be an issue in the high country from archery on.

you've never hunted my archery elk area. 6k plus and loaded with bugs

 

[Chad44]

Thanks for the input. What are some good brands? Do you buy a three man if you only have 2 guys for extra room? What is the weight of a 2-3 man?

 

[ScottR_EHJ]

Buy double the number of people you intend to have in your shelter.

Seek Outside and Kifaru are the two brands most talked about on the high end. TiGoat is another.

Mid grade is usually Go Lite.

 

[Chad44]

Great thanks

 

[ScottP]

search for the mountainsmith shelter on this forum. there are some great photos there. Its what I bought, and its an inexpensive way to try out floorless. Mine is <2lbs. Tons of room for one, ample for two.

tons of other options too. MSR, black diamond, mountain laurel, bearpaw, golite, tarptent. These typically use trekking poles or cut sticks for support.

Also, some of the UL backpacking tents will pitch with the fly, poles, and footprint - which will save some weight if you leave tent body at home (but you always have the tent body to fall back on if you decide that you like it better).

 

[Backpack Hunter]

No problems with rain coming in. Here is a picture I took for a friend recently who had the same questions. It had been raining steady for two days when I took the pic.

I don't normally have problems with bugs, but I will be hunting this year in an area really known for them so I have been trying out a bug bivy. Working well so far.

I tend to use a piece of tyvek if setting up on wet or snowy ground.

 

[204guy]

I couldn't imagine camping in the winter without a wood stove. How would you ever dry or thaw anything out, or just take the chill off after a hard day of hunting. I always use a tyvek ground sheet snow or not just to help preserve the blowup pad. With snow I take an extra piece to lay things on that I don't want laying directly on the snow. One cool thing that happens is after a good burn with the stove, the snow in the tent kind of glazes over and you don't have to worry about powdery snow getting on everything.

Here is a supertarp with a ti goat roll-up stove. Doable but pretty tight even solo when there
s snow. It's just hard to get dressed and have some comfort. Plus no line to hang things up to dry. Sorry no interior shots.


Here is a sawtooth, pretty comfortable solo with lots of room to get dressed, dry things out etc.



As far as bugs, I'm addicted to taking a wood stove with even in the summer when I shouldn't. Burn that and get a little smoke in tent no bugs. Couple other things that can be done is to use dirt and pine needles etc. to bank the bottom edge of the tent, so there's no gap. 3rd is I find the weight of taking a thermacell to be worth it when the mosquitos are really bad, I use it inside and outside the tent.