tents for camping 4 seasons image
Ruby
My dad and I go backpacking a lot and while we were hiking a section of the Pacific Crest Trail we met some other hikers who were using a tarp for a shelter, instead of the usual tent. Using a tarp is not only lighter than a tent, but it is larger and easy to set up. We've been wondering if maybe using a tarp would be better.
Answer
Ultralight backpackers such as Ray Jardine have revolutionized backpacking with the popularization of using sil-nylon tarps instead of tents.
Tarps provide ventilation which tents do not, thus reducing condensation, which dampens everything inside your tent, especially your clothing and the insulation of your sleeping system, which, especially on long trips, will leave your gear heavier and colder every day, especially during inclement weather. Tarps are lighter and offer more coverage as you've already mentioned. Tarps require no poles and can be pitched between two trees or using two branches or a combination of the two. And tarps are actually stronger than tents by weight, contrary to ignorant assumptions, because they can be pitched low into high winds, and ideally have multiple guy lines that can be staked or tied out. And there are no poles to bend or break. It's utterly laughable for anyone to state that tent poles are stronger than a couple of stout poles found in the woods: You're doing it wrong.
A couple years ago I sewed my own tarp and net tent, which hangs underneath the tarp as protection from mosquitoes, and replaces the need for a ground cloth, using Ray Jardine's tarp and net tent kit and Tarp Book, which includes all the instructions you need.
Since then my wife, daughter and I have successfully and comfortably camped under our tarp tent inside our net tent several times in the Sierras, strangely often in high winds. I have had a corner stake pull out during the night but on our last trip to Winnemucca Lake in Mokelumne Wilderness the winds were just as strong but the tarp required no adjustment during the night.
My tarp is 17.6 ounces with its stow-bag. 8 anodized aluminum stakes plus stow-bag weighs 4.5 oz. And the net tent its stow-bag weigh 11.9 oz. For a total of 2 lbs, 2 oz. for a shelter for 2 1/2, half the weight of the 2 man REI Quarter Dome with stakes. Like I said, no ground sheet needed because the net tent has a sil-nylon floor which hasn't shown much sign of wear.
We haven't had too much rain yet, but after sewing and seam sealing my tarp I set it up in the backyard and rigged up a sprinkler to test it and I have no doubts I'd stay dry and comfortable in any weather short of a blizzard.
Of course tarps are three-season use only and in winter you'd want a single wall tent but why suffer the other three seasons because you can't afford two tents when your second tent can be an inexpensive tarp.
You can read about Ray Jardine's 2009 through-hike of the Appalachian Trail where he evaluates the performance of his own tarp and net tent here: http://www.rayjardine.com/adventures/2009-AT/index.htm
Before Ray designed his net tent he used the same tarp but to protect against swarms of mosquitoes he wore a set of uncoated nylon wind-shirt and wind-pants to bed along with homemade nylon mittens and of course a head net. The wind-pants and wind-shirt are dual use of course, keeping you warmer in the wind and drier in light rain while repelling mosquitoes.
Everyone in my family has a set of wind-pants, windbreaker and mosquito head net because you can't stay in the net tent forever, and I've gone without it, sleeping with mosquitoes buzzing around my head net in the evening, and would anyway to save weight, but my family likes the comfort of the net tent.
Of course if you don't want to sew your own sil-nylon tarp with "beaks" and other features you can buy plain square tarps of various materials and weights from coated nylon to sil-nylon. I used the $60 Campmor Sil-Nylon Tarp before Ray started making his kits but it's not the best, which is sewing your own.
Here's another article on the subject: http://www.the-ultralight-site.com/backpacking-tarps.html
If you're planning to camp above treeline it's a simple matter to pick up a couple of sticks along the way and keep or discard them as needed. Better than carrying poles ALL the time.
They also make tarp poles for the uninitiated.
Anyone who's sewn their own tent, sleeping quilts and backpacks for themselves and their family and used them successfully while backpacking solo and with a child from age four to six, all over the Sierra in all kinds of weather , please stand up, otherwise you don't have a leg to stand on nor any right to tell me what I've said isn't true and what I've written doesn't work. If you don't know how to pitch your tarp in the wind or don't have the wherewithal to move your camp to somewhere more sheltered if the weather becomes unbearable you don't belong in the wilderness.
Ultralight backpackers such as Ray Jardine have revolutionized backpacking with the popularization of using sil-nylon tarps instead of tents.
Tarps provide ventilation which tents do not, thus reducing condensation, which dampens everything inside your tent, especially your clothing and the insulation of your sleeping system, which, especially on long trips, will leave your gear heavier and colder every day, especially during inclement weather. Tarps are lighter and offer more coverage as you've already mentioned. Tarps require no poles and can be pitched between two trees or using two branches or a combination of the two. And tarps are actually stronger than tents by weight, contrary to ignorant assumptions, because they can be pitched low into high winds, and ideally have multiple guy lines that can be staked or tied out. And there are no poles to bend or break. It's utterly laughable for anyone to state that tent poles are stronger than a couple of stout poles found in the woods: You're doing it wrong.
A couple years ago I sewed my own tarp and net tent, which hangs underneath the tarp as protection from mosquitoes, and replaces the need for a ground cloth, using Ray Jardine's tarp and net tent kit and Tarp Book, which includes all the instructions you need.
Since then my wife, daughter and I have successfully and comfortably camped under our tarp tent inside our net tent several times in the Sierras, strangely often in high winds. I have had a corner stake pull out during the night but on our last trip to Winnemucca Lake in Mokelumne Wilderness the winds were just as strong but the tarp required no adjustment during the night.
My tarp is 17.6 ounces with its stow-bag. 8 anodized aluminum stakes plus stow-bag weighs 4.5 oz. And the net tent its stow-bag weigh 11.9 oz. For a total of 2 lbs, 2 oz. for a shelter for 2 1/2, half the weight of the 2 man REI Quarter Dome with stakes. Like I said, no ground sheet needed because the net tent has a sil-nylon floor which hasn't shown much sign of wear.
We haven't had too much rain yet, but after sewing and seam sealing my tarp I set it up in the backyard and rigged up a sprinkler to test it and I have no doubts I'd stay dry and comfortable in any weather short of a blizzard.
Of course tarps are three-season use only and in winter you'd want a single wall tent but why suffer the other three seasons because you can't afford two tents when your second tent can be an inexpensive tarp.
You can read about Ray Jardine's 2009 through-hike of the Appalachian Trail where he evaluates the performance of his own tarp and net tent here: http://www.rayjardine.com/adventures/2009-AT/index.htm
Before Ray designed his net tent he used the same tarp but to protect against swarms of mosquitoes he wore a set of uncoated nylon wind-shirt and wind-pants to bed along with homemade nylon mittens and of course a head net. The wind-pants and wind-shirt are dual use of course, keeping you warmer in the wind and drier in light rain while repelling mosquitoes.
Everyone in my family has a set of wind-pants, windbreaker and mosquito head net because you can't stay in the net tent forever, and I've gone without it, sleeping with mosquitoes buzzing around my head net in the evening, and would anyway to save weight, but my family likes the comfort of the net tent.
Of course if you don't want to sew your own sil-nylon tarp with "beaks" and other features you can buy plain square tarps of various materials and weights from coated nylon to sil-nylon. I used the $60 Campmor Sil-Nylon Tarp before Ray started making his kits but it's not the best, which is sewing your own.
Here's another article on the subject: http://www.the-ultralight-site.com/backpacking-tarps.html
If you're planning to camp above treeline it's a simple matter to pick up a couple of sticks along the way and keep or discard them as needed. Better than carrying poles ALL the time.
They also make tarp poles for the uninitiated.
Anyone who's sewn their own tent, sleeping quilts and backpacks for themselves and their family and used them successfully while backpacking solo and with a child from age four to six, all over the Sierra in all kinds of weather , please stand up, otherwise you don't have a leg to stand on nor any right to tell me what I've said isn't true and what I've written doesn't work. If you don't know how to pitch your tarp in the wind or don't have the wherewithal to move your camp to somewhere more sheltered if the weather becomes unbearable you don't belong in the wilderness.
What is a good, relatively inexpensive tent to buy?
fraucarlso
I am not really planning on backpacking so I am more interesting in a one or two person tent that can withstand all weather possibilities. I know the best tents tend to be expensive but I would like to find the best one at the lowest price. So can you tell me which tents are best for what I want and if they are expensive or not? Thanks! :)
Answer
To be clear, Coleman tents leak just as much as most other manufacturers, but they will replace/repair the tent if you send it in. For the price, they are good tents and you can pick up something that will work for around $50.
For my money though, you can upgrade to an REI tent for about $100. Their Camp Dome 2 is a tried and true tent. It's well built and they will also work with you if there is a manufacturing defect. If you go to their website, the tent has been reviewed by over 100 people and received very positive remarks.
http://www.rei.com/product/731378
Lastly, if you buy from REI, if you try the tent out and decide you don't like it, you can usually return or exchange it as long as you didn't damage it.
Most tents are for 3 season use. A 4 season tent is designed to hold up the weight of snow during winter. If you aren't planning to use it during the winter, or it doesn't snow in your area, a 3 season tent is all you need.
To be clear, Coleman tents leak just as much as most other manufacturers, but they will replace/repair the tent if you send it in. For the price, they are good tents and you can pick up something that will work for around $50.
For my money though, you can upgrade to an REI tent for about $100. Their Camp Dome 2 is a tried and true tent. It's well built and they will also work with you if there is a manufacturing defect. If you go to their website, the tent has been reviewed by over 100 people and received very positive remarks.
http://www.rei.com/product/731378
Lastly, if you buy from REI, if you try the tent out and decide you don't like it, you can usually return or exchange it as long as you didn't damage it.
Most tents are for 3 season use. A 4 season tent is designed to hold up the weight of snow during winter. If you aren't planning to use it during the winter, or it doesn't snow in your area, a 3 season tent is all you need.
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