I've had 2-3 grand daddy long legs crawl on my head, but nothing else besides that.
Same here other than dealing with insects. I cowboy and open tarp in tropical and semi tropical areas. Insects are a concern that needs IMHO to be considered pre hike in shelter options. For example, in Hawaii and Costa Rica I often hammock or UL tent enclosing myself. It makes sense also because I'm often in hilly or extremEly rocky areas. Never a snake issue. In Australia I would also hang or enclosed tent.Originally Posted by Miner
I had a bunny one night get stuck between my tarp and net tent. I was asleep and thought it was a bear grabbing my head. I got my headlamp out and untangled him and the little bugger spent the rest of the night bouncing off my tarp, keeping me awake.
When concerned about ground insects, snakes, and even mice I'll spray a wide band of bug juice around my cowboy or open tarp sleeping site. Many ground creatures will not cross this barrier including snakes which I've observed turn around upon reaching the band of bug juice. It also helps with cockroaches, ants, millipedes, slugs, etc. A burning incense also helps deter these creatures.
Or, you could do like hunters do to keep bears away from their kills if they need to make multiple trips to pack out the meat . . . just spray a wide band of pee around, in this case, your bed.
FWIW: In all my backpacking and camping I rarely use an enclosed shelter and I'll have to add my experiences to the list above . . . nothing but mosquitoes, flies, ants, spiders, rodents, slugs, deer, etc. Nothing ever dangerous.
I'm not lost. I'm exploring.
On the AT, mice are a much bigger problem than snakes. Not to mention ticks and mosquitoes. They'd craw all over you in a tarp. I don't sleep with my food, but I've often had to bounce a persistent mouse off the netting in the middle the night.
I've never seen a snake in camp on the AT, but years ago I was backpacking one Spring in northern New Mexico and woke up to something squirming under my tent in the middle of the night. I scrambled out, flipped it over, and shined a light. Apparently I'd pitched my tent over a clutch of rattlesnake eggs in a crevice or something, because there must have been twenty little baby rattlers squirming around right where I'd been sleeping.
Nowdays you can get a full tent with netting for under 2 pounds. I don't know why anyone would mess around with a tarp if they don't have to.
You've just created my worst nightmare. In Technicolor. With Surround Sound. Sheesh.
Damn I'm glad I just ordered a bivi!
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Many good reasons:
1) My summer tarp setup is still less than 1/2 the weight (yes, less than one pound) of your 2 lb tent that is probably really closer to 3 pounds.
2) For the same reason I pitched a tarp and slept in my back yard during a big storm. Under a tarp one is much more intimate with their surroundings than being encased in a tent and thus sleeping outdoors becomes aesthetically more pleasing and downright spiritual.
3) Pitching a tarp is easier than pitching pretty much any tent I've ever used. Sure, it takes some knowledge, imagination, and practice, but once you've done that, it's generally much simpler.
And, to comment to the OP: Snakes tend to be active during the day and hidden away somewhere safe during the night, generally the same place they were the night before, not a new unfamiliar sleeping bag. Unless you are setting up your sleep system during the day, the snakes are probably already in bed when you hit the sack and thus unlikely to ever be a problem at night. . . now, scorpions on the other hand . . .
I'm not lost. I'm exploring.
Or, you could do like hunters do to keep bears away from their kills if they need to make multiple trips to pack out the meat . . . just spray a wide band of pee around, in this case, your bed.
FWIW: In all my backpacking and camping I rarely use an enclosed shelter and I'll have to add my experiences to the list above . . . nothing but mosquitoes, flies, ants, spiders, rodents, slugs, deer, etc. Nothing ever dangerous.
I'll be tanking up shortly before sleeping to prepare my sleep site then.
This^^^. Why should I carry tent poles, bug netting, or zippers/Velcro etc when I'm already using UL trekking poles, there are no bugs, there is no real need for zipper/Velcro etc. It's also nice to be closer to Nature rather than always seeing Nature as something to separate oneself one. Fear is what often drives considerations. I'll not be driven by fear. Of course, situations should be considered though. This is why a tarp and/or bivy is but one shelter option in my shelter quiver. I like options. Options that include wisely lightening my kit.
I go along with Dogwood. That is one of reasons I went from tent camping to hammock camping. My tarp with everything needed to hang it is still less then 10 ounces.
Blackheart
Sorry I just could not resist. Spiders and Snakes
Blackheart
I'll be tanking up shortly before sleeping to prepare my sleep site then.exactly what I was thinking!
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Actually, according to my postal scale, my SMD Trekker was 24.4oz. My current Lightheart Solo is a little heavier: 28 oz. Of course that doesn't include trekking poles.Many good reasons:
1) My summer tarp setup is still less than 1/2 the weight (yes, less than one pound) of your 2 lb tent that is probably really closer to 3 pounds.
2) For the same reason I pitched a tarp and slept in my back yard during a big storm. Under a tarp one is much more intimate with their surroundings than being encased in a tent and thus sleeping outdoors becomes aesthetically more pleasing and downright spiritual.
3) Pitching a tarp is easier than pitching pretty much any tent I've ever used. Sure, it takes some knowledge, imagination, and practice, but once you've done that, it's generally much simpler.
And, to comment to the OP: Snakes tend to be active during the day and hidden away somewhere safe during the night, generally the same place they were the night before, not a new unfamiliar sleeping bag. Unless you are setting up your sleep system during the day, the snakes are probably already in bed when you hit the sack and thus unlikely to ever be a problem at night. . . now, scorpions on the other hand . . .
And those baby snakes weren't in my bag, they were cuddled up to the warmth under my bag. I didn't use a pad back in those days, but fortunately I did use a dome tent with a full floor, or they might have tried to get into bed with me. In fact, being early Spring, I suspect my warmth might have caused them to hatch.
Lots of rattlesnakes and scorpions on the CT. Beware of the deadly Coloradan Scorpion that accounts for many deaths in CO each yr.
That would truly be a Medusa experience feeling a bunch of squirming baby rattlers under where ya sleep.
Just don't look at her face and you will be fine.
Blackheart
One morning very early waiting for water to boil in comes a skunk with four young ins following. Just walked right through camp and and out the other side. I just froze and watched and lived to tell about it !
If snakes and tarps was a real thing few people would tarp.
Like my tarp a lot more than a tent. There's a learning curve but once you get relatively proficient pitching one you can't help but love the simplicity.
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