banned

[Dechristo]

Those, plus a complement of shit flies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

burrow flies

[Wastral]

Definetly true mattp and Denalidave. tarps below timberline Rule. You get to stand/sit instead of crawl/lay around. Tarptents have their place though.

 

I only bought one for longer trips 4+ days where a tarp-only or no shelter option would be rather problematic. In a bivy its really hard to play cards in the rain, change clothes, and not go insane when its been raining for 40 hours straight...

 

The problems, except the freestanding part you stated aren't problems in a tarptent. The maker has an ingenious design for the condensation issue via #1

 

1) Condensation goes down the inside of tent and out through the netting which is then sown at a 45 degree angle towards the bottom of a "tub" floor. In otherwords, condensation cannot enter onto the "sown-in-floor" since there is a 2" lip all the way around the "floor".

 

2) Horizontal rain is no problem since you can close the flaps over the front opening. We camped for 2 days on a 25 degree heather "bench" in the pickets since it was the only "flat" spot we could find and we had torential rain, sleet, wind and no water came in the front. Instead due to bad placement we got wet by having to have our sleeping bags up against the sides... Since we were avoiding large rocks and heather hillocks.

 

I still don't take anything for weekend trips unless I expect rain, let the sleeping bags get wet and save my knees an extra 2lbs of wear and tear. =)

 

Of course Your mileage may vary. Free standing is rather nice though...

 

Brian

[johndavidjr]

Potential confusion about term "Tarptent" which is brand name of somewhat expensive line of light-weight tents made in PNW.

 

They have integral coated floor and coated canopy.

 

Nice, but not so good in snow or other circumstances with relatively high condensation problems.

 

Super-dirt-cheap Wal-Mart backpacker is somewhat comparable in performance and weight.

 

Better for snow are the various "tarp shelters" or tarps or whatever.....Floorless design drains condensation.

 

 

[Wastral]

erm what u said is true of ALL single walled "tents" etc. As for snow, they are fine as. Wind is a different issue which they DO have a distinct problem with.

 

The brand name Tarptents are made in Utah.

 

Personally, shelters for 1 person are pointless, just go with a bivy.

 

Brian

[Vickster]

I got blown away in a ghetto tent when I was in my teens.... now I roll with a Hilleberg Atko for fair weather and my Soulo for foul weather. Good luck in that $20 pre civil war design.