Tarp vs tent for mid sept JMT thru?

[saltysack]

I'm contemplating buying a tarp vs using my 2lb LHG Solong6 tent...I love my solong on AT where I always have my son, dog or both with me. On JMT I'll be alone. Would going with say a 3.5 x 9 tarp be worth the wt savings as I hear bugs and rain are scarce that time of year. I have no tarp experience so I'd buy soon and test out beforehand. Will be using a 15 deg marmot helium down bag so can't afford to get wet. Thoughts????


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[fastfoxengineering]

I plan on tarping for the first time on my JMT hike. Gonna do some shakedowns this summer before I head out. I haven't made my tarp yet but my tarp, guylines, linelocs, stakes, and ground sheet are coming in at 10.7oz on paper. That's a 7x9 cuben tarp, 1.25mm Z-Line for guy outs, Micro Line Locs, Cuben trekking pole cups, stuff sack, 6 regular titanium shepherd stakes, and two titanium V stakes for loose soil/dirt.

And thats with all my guy outs being 10 feet long. I can prob shave a little bit off of that.

I like the idea of the weight. But I don't have bug protection or a bathtub floor.

I'm going with the advice for others that I should be OKAY that time of year. If I have to deal with bugs, I'm gonna just deal with em. If I have to hunker down, I'll pitch that tarp low.

I deffinetely need to practice with the tarp a lot before though. Seems pitching them efficiently can take some skill.

The biggest thing I'm concerned about its drafts while using my quilt.

[Malto]

Even if there are bugs they generally go away at sunset and will wake you up in the morning. I have spent 90% + of my nights in the Sierra cowboy camping even when I had a tent. That could be another option.

[Miner]

Would going with say a 3.5 x 9 tarp..

I hope you typoed the width of that tarp. Thats too narrow to be usefull. The length is fine. I've been using a tarp in the Sierra Nevada on all trips since 2008 after switching to tarps in 2007. Though I normally use a bivy also so I don't worry about bugs.

However, as Malto said, I also normally cowboy camp unless its going to rain. Also, most of the time, the mosquitos do leave after it gets dark as the low humidity doesn't hold heat so it cools off quickly. They came back shortly after dawn. For me, the first one buzzing in my ear in the morning was my alarm clock. It's great incentive to get up and pack up as you know that it's friends will be joining it soon. The later in summer it is, the less bugs there are though some areas stay damp all summer and have plenty of them until the cold of September kills them off.

[Lyle]

3.5 feet is much too narrow. For ease of setting up, I would seriously consider the Six Moon Designs Deschutes Tarp. It seems to be the replacement for the Wild Oasis which I have used for years and been very pleased with. If you would like some bug protection, consider the "Plus" version.

I currently use a Hexamid Solo Plus and LOVE it.

[saltysack]

Would going with say a 3.5 x 9 tarp..

I hope you typoed the width of that tarp. Thats too narrow to be usefull. The length is fine. I've been using a tarp in the Sierra Nevada on all trips since 2008 after switching to tarps in 2007. Though I normally use a bivy also so I don't worry about bugs.

However, as Malto said, I also normally cowboy camp unless its going to rain. Also, most of the time, the mosquitos do leave after it gets dark as the low humidity doesn't hold heat so it cools off quickly. They came back shortly after dawn. For me, the first one buzzing in my ear in the morning was my alarm clock. It's great incentive to get up and pack up as you know that it's friends will be joining it soon. The later in summer it is, the less bugs there are though some areas stay damp all summer and have plenty of them until the cold of September kills them off.

Oops....typo....what is optimal size? If I start buying tarp+bivy+ground sheet.....not much wt savings....and too much $$$$$.....maybe I should stick with the tent.....do you need a bivy in mid sept?


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[Miner]

Borah Gear Cuben Fiber bivy: 4.5oz
2008 MLD Grace Solo Cuben Fiber Tarp: 7.8oz with stakes/lines.
total: 12.3oz
Yeah, tent isn't much heavier. Unless you are talking a Zpacks hexamid like one which isn't really a tent. Now you are right that cuben fiber is expensive and I don't recommend going that route unless someone knows that they like tarps. I usually recommend a cheap tarp that someone can experiment with to see if they like it first before spending more.

A bivy isn't necessary for Sept, if you don't need it for extra weather protection (ie. small tarp) and you sleeping bag is plenty warm enough. Or you don't push your luck with the weather like I tend to do inorder to cowboy camp.

I use an old MLD tarp which is essentially a 6x8 tarp (the foot end is 4.5' wide and the head end is 6.5' wide). 9' gives you better weather protection. Wider gives you more room to spread out at the expense of more weight.

[fastfoxengineering]

I started a thread in the UL hikers forum that says "convince me to go tarp and bivvy" ... and alot of it has to do with the JMT.

Even a cheaper sil nylon tarp is going to be a big weight savings over your tent. But you wouldn't have a bathtub floor or bug protection. I'm convinced I don't need it on the JMT that time of year though. I know... there could be mosquitos and theyre could be a storm.. but I WILL be safe under my tarp.

All though pricey, I'm taking full advantage of this opportunity and going with a DIY cuben tarp. However, with my 7x9' tarp and all though the doodads. My shelter will weigh 11oz. I'll take it.

But once again, I'm worried about drafts with my quilt.. argghhh

[saltysack]

U bringing bivy?


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[fastfoxengineering]

No bivy for me.

Just a tarp and polycro ground sheet are my shelter. Because I'll be using a 7x9 rectangle tarp. I need to learn different pitches to mitigate wind and/or rain. I'll prob take a 1 oz bug headnet along just in case.

[saltysack]

Who makes a good lt wt tarp for 1 person? And what is a good size and shape?


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[fastfoxengineering]

I'm going on the advice of others that 7x9 is a good place to start. 8x10 is more than you "need". But you could always do an 8x10 at a small weight penalty.

[QiWiz]

Tarp would be fine, but 3.5' by 9' not nearly big enough. 9' by 9' is more like it for a square tarp pitched like an A frame.

[QiWiz]

Who makes a good lt wt tarp for 1 person? And what is a good size and shape

Gossamer Gear has their "Twin" tarps in silnylon and cuben; there are many others.

[Lyle]

The SMD tarp I mentioned above is 13 oz. Add a couple of oz for a polycryo ground cloth and you will be all set. No need for a bivy with a shaped tarp.

[show me the monkey]

I'll be doing the JMT in mid-September also. Good advice already given above... the only thing I would add, is if you have any doubts, go on an overnighter and bring both your tent and your chosen tarp. That way you can ease into tarp camping (or even cowboy camping) and you can always switch to the tent if it doesn't work out for you for whatever reason.

[Deacon]

Consider a ZPacks Duplex tent, without the screening. So what you end up with is an enclosed 'tarp', and bathtub floor. The tot weight of my setup is 15 oz, and that includes stakes and lines.

[saltysack]

Consider a ZPacks Duplex tent, without the screening. So what you end up with is an enclosed 'tarp', and bathtub floor. The tot weight of my setup is 15 oz, and that includes stakes and lines.

Can't see myself spending that much $$$... I love my solong 6..yea it's almost 2lbs but I'm lil concerned with cuben as I usually hike with my dog and or 8 yr old son...I have a cuben food bag from zpacks...while I like it....seems to wear faster than sil.....if I hiked without mutt I'd prob go with cuben..thx for the input all....much appreciated...think I'll suck it up and haul the 2lb tent... It would be easier for me to drop a few pounds off my arse than part with several hundred for new set up..


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[Venchka]

...think I'll suck it up and haul the 2lb tent... It would be easier for me to drop a few pounds off my arse than part with several hundred for new set up..


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Amen Brother! Since I dropped 35 or 40 pounds (not sure of the exact amount since I didn't go near a scale when I was a stately 180-185+), anything I carry is free weight.
In my book, paid for and tested trumps a few ounces and lots of dollars.

Wayne

[Dogwood]

IMHO too, ease into tarping. 1) Do not make the mistake of going to such an itsy bitsy a wee bit of an ounce or two lighter tarp sacrificing potentially crucial area coverage as a Newbie tarper. Get the larger area tarp or do as Miner and others, such as myself sometimes do, throw a bivy into the mix(with a smaller area coverage tarp or in rough weather) for the extra protection. Consider: a larger area coverage tarp and ground sheet(polycro, Tyvek, silny, cuben fiber, etc) is likely quite a bit lighter already than your 2 lb tent(which isn't all that of a wt hit IMHO anyhow). DO NOT skimp on coverage as a Newbie tarper to save what likely amounts to a very minimalist wt savings or if not wanting to get into the tarp/bivy combo. 2) After some 20+ hikes in the Sierras including three JMT thru-hikes, one in late Sept(SOBO), IMO don't start experimenting with a tarp, especially a minimalist sized one, in the Sierras in mid Sept or going into late Sept. The deeper you go into Sept the greater the risk of some snow and colder weather compared to early Sept. 3) I'll say this as an ULer myself. Don't get overwhelmed with the shelter wt savings, extra costs of a new shelter system (right now), etc. UL blasphemy! Keep it in focus Saltysack! Take your tent! Enjoy the hike. Don't make the JMT or your kit more complicated than need be. Consider: lose kit/consumable wt elsewhere right now. How? - do one or two more resupplies(cut down food wt carried!), lose the bear canister where legal, don't take so much clothing but KNOW the weather patterns for a mid Sept JMT thru-hike preparing adequately, don't carry so much H2O(no need to on the JMT), etc