what is the best all around shelter system in your opinion, bag, pad, tent, bivy, tarp, hammock what ever you use together as a complete shelter system. I ask this for fun because the variety of methods people use are cool to me.
Edited by ToddProsky (07/14/0809:27 PM)
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The more you know the less you need
What a can of worms YOU just opened, my friend! Good luck with the responses....and don't take any criticism too personally... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
BF
P.S.--I myself use a variety of gear...my favorite at the moment is a Tarptent Cloudburst, Exped Wallcreeper down bag and an Insul-Mat 3/4 synthetic insulated inflateable matress. If the weather is very cold/rainy, i like to mix it up with different bags, tents, pads, etc, etc, etc.....i could go on forever <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
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Hammockers aren't stuck up, they're just above it all.
Registered: 02/03/06
Posts: 6800
Loc: Gateway to Columbia Gorge
Definitely a can of worms here--each of us has our own preferences and prejudices.
Mine: Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo tarptent Western Mountaineering Ultralite Super sleeping bag POE Insulmat Max Thermo (now the Ether Thermo) insulated air mattress, 2/3 length
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May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view--E. Abbey
I combine a Hubba tent, Thermarest 3/4 Prolite 4 (which doubles as a "frame" for my frameless pad), a Thermarest Lite Seat (which does double duty as a trail seat and as an extender for the Prolite), a WM Megalite bag (or sometimes a Mitylite in the summer), and a 2-quart Dromlite water bladder (which I can inflate with air and use as a pillow.)
Not really a can of worms I think. There is no single best. I use different stuff depending on the season and where I'm going.
Now admittedly, I usually hammock if it's practical where and when I'm going. but that doesn't mean I hammock in the dead of winter or above the treeline.
1. TarpTent Contrail 2. W. M. Megalite bag 3. Thermarest UL full length (10 years old)
WINTER:
1.Eureka! 3 man dome W/ new aluminum poles (tent is 12 years old) 2.Mountain HardWear 4th Dimension Polarguard Delta -20 bag 3.Thermarest regular 3/4 length pad (+ attatched closed cell sit pad) over RidgeRest closed cell pad
** I "need" a new winter tent like the Hilleberg Jannu
Eric
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"There are no comfortable backpacks. Some are just less uncomfortable than others."
Registered: 04/23/08
Posts: 260
Loc: jersey city NJ
Old Hex 3 (now Shangri-La 3) in all seasons, with water-resistant bivvy alone in hot weather. In cooler weather, I add a sleeping bag.
If I'm alone and want to cut weight, a SilShelter instead of Hex.
My bag collection consists of a very raggedy (very compact but only marginally light) duck down and feathers job that is good to 50 degrees, a super high-priced 40-degree job, a very old, well-cared for REI bag with (originally 2.5 pounds of down fill) and a NF synthetic once rated at twenty below, but now of dubious value and not used.
Summer: Tent: MSR Carbon Reflex 1 or 2 (depending on how much weight I'm willing to carry and how many people are going) Pad: Thermarest NeoAir Regular Sleeping Bag: Marmot Hydrogen Reg PIllow: Thermarest Ultralite Stuff Pillow and Western Mtneering Flight Jacket
Winter: Tent: MSR Hubba HP or Hubba Hubba HP (see above) Pad: Prolite Plus Reg Sleeping Bag: Moonstone 800 10degree Pillow: Thermarest Stuff Pillow and WM Flight Jacket
I do have several other options including a Henessey Ultralite Hammock, Bibler Tripod Bivy, Moss Hooped Outland (if I'm going to experience horrible winter weather), Hilleberg Akto, etc. The above selections are what I use currently.
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Believe, then you will Understand...
Homemade Speer type hammock with MEC silicone scout tarp (top) and a 27inch wide wal-mart CCF pad in the hammock.
I add a Integral Designs Silponcho *underneath* the hammock as a windblock/insulation shell. I then in colder weather add, progressively, A) folded crinkled space blankets as insulation B) a 1 inch thick layer of poly batting in the shape of a hammock bottom. The effect of adding both is to effectively make an undequilt for the hammock. But I sleep in the hammock fine with just the ccf pad, poncho and no insulation down to just below freezing. (did it on friday night!)
WINTER
crappy green dometent, with BA insulated Aircore + ccf pad + 25" wide ensolite pad. dome tent freestands on snow decently, and deals with snow load well.
Of course that's if I'm carrying it. If I don't have to carry it, in winter it's a 12"x12" wall tent with a GSI metals airtight stove in it <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
If I was made of money I'd buy a Kifaru or TiGoat rig for winter though!
Registered: 06/30/08
Posts: 11
Loc: Southeastern USA
For a couple - a 10' x 12' silnylon tarp with a floorless inner tent in cool weather and a floorless bugnet tent in hot weather. Our ground sheet has straps that hold our pads in place and a piece of quilt (8" wide x 72" long) that lies between us. We use a common quilt over us in the summer and add light weight bags under the quilt in cooler weather.
A home built hammock with bug net that is attached with velcro and can be removed and a larger copy of the clark fly. I use a CCF thermarest inside the hammock. If I have nothing to hang it on I can set up the fly on the ground and place the hammock under the fly and hang it on a ridge line. I use a hikeing staff for the front pole and a two foot piece of something (stick) for the foot end. I can stake the fly tight to the ground and use 2 guy lines for each end. It works O.K. but I'm dreaming of owning a Clark with full camo option. When I was young. I never owned a tent. I just carried a piece of visqueen for shelter and used sticks and guy lines. (back in the day we could chop saplings and sleep on pine boughs).
Yeah , as a long term user of the MSR Neo Air and Carbon Reflex 1.... (the Neo Air might just work for me if the specs posted are correct) Jason, feel free to post a pic when you can . Just join up using the EXMSR moniker so that we know it is you.
Contrail PO Insulmat Thermo Max/ Exped Domnmat 7 JRB No Sniveler/ WM Ultralite
Um, Jason, I see a couple of model names on there that I'm not familiar with. Care to elaborate?
I could tell you, but then I would have to kill you, and since I don't know where you live...
Suffice it to say that Cascade Designs has some very exciting new products to introduce at this year's Outdoor Retail Show that will be available in 2009. I will share as I get more info and permission. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />
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Believe, then you will Understand...
Tent: GG classic squall (24oz); incredible waterproof with torrential rains. Pad: Prolite 4, ¾ (16oz – lower than listed) Bag: JRB Stealth Quilt w/ poncho hole (16oz)--- I started using this June 1st and have about 20 nights w/ it. This is a great quilt! I’ve only had it down to 50F and it was still warm. Hey Food, I see you love the JRB stuff also.
On longer treks I will swap out pad for GG torsolight (3.5oz) and an open cell pad (3oz 11x17x1.5”). And my list changes again in the winter…
Registered: 05/10/04
Posts: 493
Loc: Lynchburg, VA
In general it looks like this:
THREE SEASON WM Caribou or WM Ultralite POE Thermo Ether 6 (just got this...still messing around with pads) Tarptent Double Rainbow or Tarptent Squall (if I want to drop a few ounces)
WINTER WM Ultralite or WM Versalite Thermarest Prolite 4 (3/4 length) and Thermarest Z-lite Hilleberg Akto
I then tailor these general lists to the specific weather conditions I expect to be in.
Registered: 01/06/02
Posts: 129
Loc: Seattle, Washington
I just bought a Tarp Tent Double Rainbow and I love it, but I prefer using my 8x10 IT Siltarp for backpacking. Bugs have never been a huge problem for me (knock on wood) and I love the feeling of freedom it gives me. If there is little hint of rain I always sleep in the open under the stars.
Tent: AVS Ranger II with optional bug net. If it's not buggy I use my Strion+ ubertarp with segmented boron poles.
Bivy: Jumpstart Micropalace with dual perpendicular zippers. Much more versatile than the single zipper model.
Pad: Self-leveling Hydrocore, 3/4 length. I've never had to inflate the emergency chamber.
Bag: Harriot and Sons Panther Mark IV with hexagonal baffles. The unique inverted design of the foot box is 12% lighter than similar brands.
Yep, I made all that up.
Seriously, after experimenting with lots of flat tarps, shaped tarps, tents, hammocks, and bivys I find myself reaching for my BD One Shot quite a bit lately. Simple design, durable, roomy. The fabric is not truly waterproof but there is no misting through like silnylon. If the rain gets really heavy I just throw my poncho over it. After a long day on the trail I'm really not interested in spending more time in careful sight selection. Been there. I just want to lie down, rest and get away from the bugs. I can simply plop this freestanding tent anywhere that will accommodate its small footprint. If the selected site turns out to have flaws, I just pick it up and move it. Try that with a tarp. No, it doesn't weigh 4 ounces but I'll gladly pay the weight penalty. Since it's so warm I can get away with a lighter quilt or sleeping bag. For me it's the best compromise between weight, size, versatility, stormworthiness, bug protection and ventilation.
One more thing: Since the frame is internal I can throw in my pack, crawl inside, and set it up from inside during a storm, dry as a bone. I actually had to do that last week and it worked great.
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