%100 Tent Camping ?

[2009ThruHiker]

Has anyone slept every trail night in a tent on a thru-hike? I would like to do this, for a number of different reasons, but I am wondering if it is even possible. I've never attempted to pitch a tent in a driving rain, so I'm not sure of the possibility of that. Now I do plan on staying in a hostel/motel from time to time and I would love to stay in one of the Huts in the Whites, but otherwise I don't want to be tied down to the shelter system.
So, has anyone done this, how does one pitch a tent in a hard rain, and do you think it's possible to tent camp 100% of the time???

[JojoSmiley]

I think it would be possible and for me these days quite desireable.
How to pitch a tent in a driving rain is something I have given quite a lot of thought to. I have done it in lulls between and in a gentle rain. Regardless of how fast or careful you are it seems some water gets inside either during the pitching or with your gear so have a pack towel handy after it is pitched. Some tents have a rain fly so having that attached if possible while pitching it would help. I use single wall tents so that is not an issue for me.

[PKH]

If you are going to be doing a long stretch of 100% camping, sooner or later you will be making or breaking camp in a driving rain. It sucks - no two ways about it. The key is planning and organization, so that you're not dancing around in a soaking panic at the last minute. Have all your moves planned out in advance. It may sound ridiculous, but the best time to perfect your driving rain set up and take down is on a perfect sunny day. That way you can get a good, slow time look at what should work for you, and develop a workable system.

Cheers,

PKH

[Freighttrain]

i came close to this on my 6 month cross country canoe trip.. i slept in a bed 5 times in 3 locations... every other night i was in my tent and sleeping on oldschool ridgerest foam, and love'n it. we always waited for rain to stop or a lul before pitching.. or waited for the storm or rain to pass before packin....

[khaynie]

Plan to go shelter to shelter when rain is in the forecast. Then if the bottom falls out you can set your tent up in the shelter and make a beeline with it, already assembled, to a tentsite around the shelter. This technique worked for my wife and me. We just completed a SOBO thru hike of the AT and we tented the vast majority of it. If your curious, you can check our adventure out at: www.trailjournals.com/lisaandkeith

Gills

[The Solemates]

Plan to go shelter to shelter when rain is in the forecast. Then if the bottom falls out you can set your tent up in the shelter and make a beeline with it, already assembled, to a tentsite around the shelter. This technique worked for my wife and me. We just completed a SOBO thru hike of the AT and we tented the vast majority of it. If your curious, you can check our adventure out at: www.trailjournals.com/lisaandkeith

Gills

great pictures on your journal. i enjoyed looking thru them.

[Footslogger]

So, has anyone done this, how does one pitch a tent in a hard rain, and do you think it's possible to tent camp 100% of the time???

====================================
Of course it's possible, but depending on the amount of rain during your thru it can get mighty old. My plan in 2003 was to spend as many nights on the ground as possible. But after 21 straight days of rain (morning, noon and night) in April and then again in May I threw in the towel and started staying in shelters. After a while you just get tired of everything you own being damp and cold. Even the hard cold reality of a shelter floor was apealing to me.

As for setting up a tent in the rain ...it's all about speed and organization. After a couple times you get the knack of it. Just make sure you have a couple bandanas or a camptowel to dry out the inside and floor of your tent before you set up housekeeping.

'Slogger

[tlbj6142]

I think, too, you are under estimating the power of laziness. Thur-hikers become very, very lazy. And the shelters become answer.

I get the impression that other than a week or so at the beginning (assuming NOBO) and an occasional weekend the shelters are mostly empty. So many of the "issues" with using a shelter (namely other people suck!) tend not to be as much of a concern as they are "on paper".

[Scribe]

When I did a section hike earlier this year (Amicalola to Hot Springs) it was my intent to sleep in my tent every night. I almost succeeded, but on three occasions, I made the decision to spend time in a shelter until the rain let up. On those occasions, it rained (or snowed) all night, so I slept in shelters. I have put up my tent in the rain on several nights- where no other accommodation was available - but do NOT recommend it.

[Seeker]

what if you carry a small tarp to use as a windbreak? you can unpack it first, use it as a sheltered area to put things together in, keep your gear covered, etc... afterwards, it turns into a sort of vestibule/kitchen. if it's raining when you leave, you can reverse the process and pack it up last.

[kncats]

If you use a tent with a rainfly it may be possible to set it up backwards, that is, put up the poles, then the fly over them. Then set up the rest of your tent from inside the rainfly. I HIGHLY recommend practicing this a few times when it's not raining if your tent will support this method.

[The Old Fhart]

On my thru in 1998 I think I stayed in my tent all but about 10 nights. It can be a pain to set up or take a tent down in the rain but I always sleep better in my tent. Quite often I would tent near a shelter with my friends and cook there and use the outhouse. I used a freestanding TNF tent that I could set up anywhere without having to stake it down.

[MisterSweetie]

If you use a tent with a rainfly it may be possible to set it up backwards, that is, put up the poles, then the fly over them. Then set up the rest of your tent from inside the rainfly. I HIGHLY recommend practicing this a few times when it's not raining if your tent will support this method.

I tried this on my last hike, and my tent is, unfortunately, not made to be able to be set up without the tent part going up first. I was pretty disappointed. But then again, I'd probably get a new tent if I started a thru anyway...

[TwoForty]

I hate setting up a tent in the rain. Although tarps are not always the best shelter on the AT, they are great for setting up in the rain. Just set up the tarp, crawl in, unroll your groundsheet (dry!) and set up your bag an go to sleep.

[Ramble~On]

Seeker has the right idea.

I have switched to 100% hammock use but I was a diehard tent camper and on the AT I used shelters probably as much as I used the tent.

In a driving, pouring rain it doesn't really matter whether you use a tent or a hammock it is a pain in the butt to get set up without getting all of your gear wet....Unless you have a TARP !!!
Tarps...the miracle, whizzbang ultra cool piece of gear....don't leave home without one.
Silnylon tarps are light, they pack small and come in very handy when the skies open up.
Put the tarp up...and then set your tent up under the tarp...Viola !!!
dry tent to carry in the morning. Also....in downpours when it's raining like crazy and you get your tent up it is nice to not get "tentbound"
Cooking in the vestibule is great but I got really sick of being stuck in my tent when it rained hammers outside...so I got a tarp
I would set my tarp up, then my tent and I'd move the tent over so that it was just barely covered by the tarp...whcih gave me the rest of the covered area under the tarp to move around and cook.
I like to be lightweight but I don't take "ultra-light" to be a religion in fact I really don't mind a heavy pack cause in a lot of cases I feel it is "better to have and not need than to need and not have" so the added weight of a tarp doesn't bother me and my packweight usually ends up being "light enough for me"
As for tenting 100% of the time on the trail it could be done but there will be places where you will have to "stealth camp"

[Hammock Hanger]

Seeker has the right idea.

I have switched to 100% hammock use but I was a diehard tent camper and on the AT I used shelters probably as much as I used the tent.

In a driving, pouring rain it doesn't really matter whether you use a tent or a hammock it is a pain in the butt ..."

SW: If you have a hammock and it is pouring rain just use a seperate guideline between the trees from your hammock and fly. Once the fly is up it is just like a tarp... Then you can take your time and hang your hammock. I often put up the fly, sit have a snack maybe even dinner... when the time is right I hang the hammock. For taking it down I pack up all the contents with the exception of my breakfast needs. Eat, then when everything is packed I drop the fly, shake it and stuff it in a sil bag and keep on the outside of my pack in hopes of some sun or wind later to dry it out.

Now back to those tents....

[Youngblood]

They make different styles of tents. The 'traditional' ones with a seperate rainfly are problematic when setting up in the rain because part of the setup process requires putting the poles in the tent with the rainfly off (of course it is the sameway when you are taking it down)... this leaves the tent body vunerable to getting wet. You got to do something to limit your exposure with these tents.

But not all tents are that way. Single wall tents aren't like that, but they don't necessarily ventilate or handle condensation as well. I have a Stephenson tent that is double-walled in the main body of the tent and it can be setup in the rain as well. Tarptents don't have this problem either. I thought I noticed somewhere that one(?) of the 'traditional' style tents had been redesigned such that the rainfly went on first and then the tent body attached underneath in some way... sounded like it solved the rain setup issue but created other issues it trying to attach the tent body underneath it.

Sometimes it just comes down to tradeoffs where there is no perfect piece of gear for you and you pick the one that comes closest and make do with it... or design your own 'perfect piece of gear'.

Youngblood

[Hammock Hanger]

... or design your own 'perfect piece of gear'.
Youngblood

YB: We are not all as handy as you... Happy T-day. Sue

[Youngblood]

Thanks Sue, hope you have a Happy T-day too!

Dave

PS. You do realize that a 'perfect piece of gear' only exist in the mind of the one wishing it to be perfect... and that the designer often falls into that mode, not that there is anything wrong with that.

[Hammock Hanger]

Thanks Sue, hope you have a Happy T-day too!

Dave

PS. You do realize that a 'perfect piece of gear' only exist in the mind of the one wishing it to be perfect... and that the designer often falls into that mode, not that there is anything wrong with that.

I will be spending the holiday paddling thru the Okefenokee Swamp with my hunny... That makes it a perfect holiday trip to me!