davesenesac
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Post by davesenesac on Aug 5, 2021 10:01:24 GMT -8
Many enthusiasts here are users of tarp type tents. Although some models have bug netting features, most are not sealed like a tent with zippered netting. How do you users deal with creepy crawling bugs like mosquitoes and spiders or critters like mice? Often not much an issue late season after vegetation dries and bugs leave. Some threads have mentioned the issue briefly.
Note for years while I carried a heavy 4x5 view camera, I tended to just use a Gortex bivy sack that has a zipper to seal off the outside I disliked needing to use so also often wore a mosquito head net at night. In places mice can be extremely annoying at night even to the point they will even sneak into tents without closure if they smell food. I also have a lightweight mesh tent I've occasionally used. Most require some way to keep the netting away from one's head. Move around at night as I do rotating side to back to side etc, it can be annoying each time to have to deal with how the netting is laying.
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Post by cweston on Aug 5, 2021 10:24:27 GMT -8
Just to clarify, Are you talking about a general category of tents, or about the brand Tarptent?
(I’m guessing the former, since most Tarptent models do, in fact, have complete bug enclosures.)
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zeke
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Post by zeke on Aug 5, 2021 10:33:57 GMT -8
Yes, most of Henry Shires Tarptents have full enclosures to keep out the bugs. I've been known to sleep cowboy, or under just a tarp if precip is in the mix, when the bugs are minimal. Mostly, that means in the Grand Canyon. Since there is little in the way of water, there aren't many mosquitoes. There are scorpions and rattlesnakes, but I've only seen a few snakes and 1 scorpion in all of my years bp'ing there.
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Post by trinity on Aug 5, 2021 12:31:24 GMT -8
I mostly sleep in tarps these days, usually a Duomid. I do a lot of camping outside of bug season, but when they are a concern, I carry a Sea to Summit Net Tent. I have had rodents come into my tarp (including a thieving marmot in the Sangres), but I don't know that netting does much to dissuade most rodents. On the contrary, I've heard stories of mice chewing their way into tents. I prefer just to give them free access.
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swmtnbackpacker
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Post by swmtnbackpacker on Aug 5, 2021 13:50:26 GMT -8
Besides built in netting like single wall shelters, many now offer a fitted inner net tent. Could shave off 3-4 oz using a Borah or MLD water-resistant bivy, but most like to have that added space. It’s all “bug-proof” it’s more about convenience.
The one young woman who’ve I knew to get bit on a long hike (visible ulcer) was actually in a lightweight tent, forgetting to zip her door up all the way.
This year I’ve met a couple hikers along the PCT using nothing but a tarp sometimes during their cowboy camping. I decided to let them find out about the clouds of skeeters on their own (the Sierra this year).
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davesenesac
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Post by davesenesac on Aug 5, 2021 15:37:22 GMT -8
Although most nights I tend to retire to my sleeping bag once dusk wanes, there are times when I'm out late at reflecting ponds for dusk work. Then by time I headlamp hike back to my camp, it can be later. If so even if I don't make a meal I'll need to deal with gear before retiring. Especially if expecting to rise early at dawn or sunrise set to run. Thus need to be in a bug free enclosure during the peak Sierra Nevada aesthetic part of summer as any light at night on balmy less windy evenings may attract endless moths, flies and gnats, not to mention squeets. Inside a bivy indeed but confined. Life inside the netting of my Copper Spur UL2 zipped up is nicely isolated in a way that soothes my mind magically out in nature especially laying inside on a quiet dark night.
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BigLoad
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Post by BigLoad on Aug 5, 2021 15:56:41 GMT -8
Yes, most of Henry Shires Tarptents have full enclosures to keep out the bugs. Yep, the only objectionable critter in my Tarptent is me. Besides being fully enclosed, several models (such as my Notch) have full-mesh inners, so I can enjoy maximum ventilation with minimum bugs.
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swmtnbackpacker
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Post by swmtnbackpacker on Aug 5, 2021 17:41:31 GMT -8
In lightweight and UL circles, the water-resistant bivy and tarp combo was the bees knees, until someone started thinking about a dedicated net tent for a few oz more mostly to have some room away from bug pressure. That started a number of pyramid or A-frame type tarps usually with a fitted separate bug inner or a peripheral bug net attached to a floor, respectively.
The latest is Yama Gears wind bivy that can have one or both ends set up with (almost like a fitted inner net (especially with Yama’s Cirriform) or without a tarp, … or just laid flat like a non waterproof bivy for “protected” cowboy camping. Think the peak height on the inner bivy is only 24” taut though, so with my Xlite taking up 3.5 in height already, may be a tight squeeze (or not).
Think the lightest tents from Big Agnes and Big Sky are approaching tarp/net combo weights though.
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Post by High Sierra Fan on Aug 5, 2021 21:40:01 GMT -8
Out of heavy mosquito season I simply avoid riparian zones and grassy areas and seek out, as always anyway, higher, exposed to wind locations and comfortably use my Solomid from Mountain Laurel Designs.
In heavy mosquito times I don’t fight it and switch to a Copper Sour UL1, thiugh to simplify some longer travel packing I’ll just toss in the Solomid innernet and add it to my pack as needed.
Once heavy bug season is over I’m okay just under the mid, or even more frequently, just cowboy camping. But I never if at all possible, and it seems to be, camp near water or frequented campsites. Such a) eliminates most bugs and b) eliminates most camp pests. A clean camp does the rest.
It’s been my experience that bugs and rodents are more a result of site selection than shelter once the snowmelt season of mosquito ubiquity ends. Lake and stream side? Bug bitten. Meadow edge? Bug bitten. Bear locker adjacent? Mice and marmot central. I see a fire ring? I move on, the rodents are going to be used to people.
I tried the bug bivy under the floorless shelter for mosquito protection and found it way too claustrophobic. And it didn’t provide a “safe” place to eat.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 6, 2021 13:22:03 GMT -8
Many enthusiasts here are users of tarp tents. Although some models have bug netting features, most are not sealed like a tent with zippered netting. How do you users deal with creepy crawling bugs like mosquitoes and spiders or critters like mice? Often not much an issue late season after vegetation dries and bugs leave. Some threads have mentioned the issue briefly. I have two Henry Shires Tarptents. I use them year round, east coast conditions. Both have the solid liners with mesh venting.
I prefer the solid liners to avoid issues with condensation in really humid conditions (common here). Condensation forms on the inside of the fly, but I've never had a problem with condensation inside the liner, even in winter.
To answer your questions: creepy crawling bugs etc - never an issue. I keep the liner zipped closed. Might get one bug while setting up with the door open, but that's it. rodents - I've had only one run-in with a rodent because I brought my 'empty' pack inside my tent one very rainy night. Forgot to take my bag of nuts& dates out of a pack pocket, and some critter chewed through the side of the inner tent AND my brand-new-this-was-the-first-trip backpack. Sometimes I am as dumb as I look. Setup - this is what sold me on this brand - I leave the inner liner attached to the fly, and can set up the tent in the rain without getting a drop inside. The Scarp 1 has the pole outside the fly, many of the TT have the same feature, You don't set up the inner first, then the fly; both go up at the same time.
I would highly recommend them. Well designed, outstanding customer service. My Scarp 1 is 10 years old and still going strong, But just bought a
Stratospire 1 that uses hiking poles for setup. Due to some health issues resulting an a recent surgery, I won't be able to break it in until fall. But that's OK! I prefer a tent with well thought out vestibules for gear storage, both have this feature. I usually leave the pack in the vestibule, and bring the camera gear inside the tent. Give Henry a call and talk to him about your needs, Nice guy to chat with.
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swmtnbackpacker
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Post by swmtnbackpacker on Aug 6, 2021 19:40:48 GMT -8
One thing with the bivy though is being able to cowboy camp wherever there’s a bit of flat room without worry where the guy lines and fabric potentially abrade .. especially with DCF (“cuben”) fiber.
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franco
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Post by franco on Aug 7, 2021 15:40:49 GMT -8
Looks like most assumed the OP was talking about tents made by Tarptent but maybe he just meant a shaped tarp or something like that. Anyway, for the record, ALL of the Tarptents ,apart from a few models right at the start 20 years ago , are fully enclosed bugproof shelters as long as you zip them up. Of cours on some models you can use the fly only without the inner but that is deliberaste choice .
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gabby
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Post by gabby on Aug 7, 2021 16:58:06 GMT -8
... but that is deliberaste choice. Multilingualism. Impressive!
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gabby
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Post by gabby on Aug 7, 2021 17:11:35 GMT -8
... most assumed the OP was talking about tents made by Tarptent but maybe he just meant a shaped tarp or something like that. That was my take on this thread as well, so I agree. Post #2 made that point early on in the thread. However, a lot of the comments are pertinent to both types of shelters. I especially like the responses some made about the similarities of of the types of problems one has with fully enclosed shelters as well as "open" ones like tarps. Just because your shelter is completely enclosed doesn't mean you can ignore the potential for intrusion by hungry critters. Even fully enclosed shelters have gaps on occasion (ask me how I know - the answer has something to do with ants and the different sizes of them), and it's best to be as careful in a fully enclosed tent as you would be in an "open" shelter like a tarp. The illusion of a fabric and mesh shelter providing "security" from anything more than most small flying and crawly insects is fragile at best. "Open" shelters tend to accentuate issues like site choice, but the issue doesn't really go away entirely. You can't ignore conditions that lead to problems. I find it mildly amusing that "Yama Gear's" actual name is "Yama Mountain Gear" - and "Yama" is, in fact, Japanese for "mountain". But I am tickled far too easily. :^) ETA: But they are apparently aware of this.
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franco
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Post by franco on Aug 7, 2021 18:13:15 GMT -8
... but that is deliberaste choice. Multilingualism. Impressive! The English term for that is typo.
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