Need some tent advice

Hi all!

So, I apologize if this post goes long. I'm in the early stages of planning a thru hike of the AT next year and am agonizing over the tent to take. I've got two 1 person tents and 1 bivy tent, but have been thinking about getting a UL 2 person tent for the extra space. I'm 6'1 and right now about 240, and about 28" across the shoulders. The tenst I have right now are the Eureka Spitfire 1 and the Alps Zephyr 1. These weigh in respectively at 2#12 and 3#5. There's enough room in the Spitfire for me, my sleep gear and my boots. The Zephyr gives me space for a 35L pack, sleep gear and boots. The bivy is a Marmot Mesh Bivy which only weighs 24oz. To use it effectively I'd have to carry a tarp for wind/rain/privacy which would be close to a lb.

I'll be toting my 73L pack (one of these which weighs 6#s by itself, so I'm considering a lighter pack as well, but that's a different thread), so in the event of really bad weather, it won't fit well into either tent and the tarp would have to be big enough to cover the bivy+offer a vestibule large enough to hold boots and pack.

I'm going back and forth over getting the BA Copper Spur UL2 or the Fly Creek UL2, as well as the Easton Mountain Kilo and the Sierra Designs Mojo. I've also considered the Tarptent Double Rainbow. My concerns are the cost overall, and with the Tarptent, I've got concerns about cold weather effectiveness.

SO, any advice ya'll can give will be greatly appreciated. I'll even appreciate criticisms.

TIA!

I'm not knowledgeable, but people I have come across who successfully thru hike seem to be very minimalist. Those pounds really wear you down on a long trail.

Lostagain,

I've thru-hiked twice, and never carried a tent.

The first time, I used an Integral Designs bivy (South Col -- about 26-28 oz) and a commercial nylon poncho that prolly weighed about a pound. I was using an old Kelty external frame pack (around five pounds).

Second time I had a Mountain Laurel Designs (MLD) bivy (about six oz.) and an MLD sylnylon poncho (slightly oversize to use as occasional shelter -- about 12 oz.). I was using a Lowe Alpine pack (Contour Mountain 40 litres and around two pounds). One surprised hiker called it a daypack, but I never ran out of room.

Since one usually needs to camp near water, and that's where the shelters are, I spent many nights in them, glad for bivy bags, but no need for tent.

Something less than half the nights (both trips) I slept away from shelters, and I was fine. On the first trip, I got caught in an absolutely sluicing downpour of several hours, with my poncho otherwise occupied. I got a couple of tablespoons of water in the ID bivy, and slept through most of it.

Worst night of second trip, it went down well below freezing and blew sleet sideways when I was well away from a shelter. I pitched my poncho on my poles (pup tent style) and tight to the ground. Other than the hassel trying to get in and out, I was again fully comfortable (and asleep) the whole night.

I now carry a similar kit, but in a slightly smaller, custom made MLD pack which I think is about 30 - 35 litres and weighs about a pound (the pack can be smaller - and lighter - since I invested in a Neoair pad).

I guess my advice would be to buy (or just sew) a light sylnylon tarp (or poncho) to go with your bivy, forget the tent altogether and lose (LOSE SINE DIE) that 70 litre pack (and do not leave a forwarding address).

Incidentally, the ability to stay cool is more important than the ability to stay warm. You'll have only a few cold nights at the beginning, and then a few weeks of cold nights at the end (and you'll have the opportunity to reequip -- like we all do -- before you start the Whites)

Best for your trip. If I can help with anything else, let me know. jcp

Let me preface I've never thru-hiked anything nor have I ever used a bivy. the Poster above seems more knowledgeable on thru-hike needs. However, if you feel you absolutely want to carry a tent, check this out:

http://www.lightheartgear.com/index.php?...2b7a2b043aa8440

This tent is on my wish list. May be another year before I pick it up, but I like the weight, look, and size of this tent.

You'll see the lightheart on the AT next hear. hikingthetrail.com is planning to take one. You can talk to him if you want his take.

Paul

If you're considering the Fly Creek 2 anyhow, and money is no object, look at the "Platinum" version - same space, half a pound lighter, lots more expensive. Beyond that, I'm no help - I've never thru-hiked or even taken a trip more than a week in length. I'm not a big fan of the Fly Creek series (due to the end opening); I love my Copper Spur UL1, but recognize it's half a pound heavier than the Fly Creek UL1.

Thanks guys! Money is ALWAYS an object.

BTW, what I failed to mention is that I intend on going north to south starting in March. Thus my concern about the cold. As a Texan I'm fairly well versed in how to stay cool.

JP I appreciate the advice, but I've already got a lightweight tent and don't see spending another $170+ on a super light bivy + another 25 or 30 for a sil tarp large enough to shelter me and the bivy in the event of bad weather (think the most recent weather experienced throughout the Mid-Atlantic states). I really am not a fan of bivy sacks anyway. I totally agree about the pack though. the more I've thought about it, the less likely I am to use it on a thru-hike on the AT. The CDT maybe when there are fewer resupply points or water availability. I've got an Osprey ATmos 50 on the way, and will probably use that or a Exos 46 I've been eyeing. Both are much lighter than the ILBE.

I'm really just in a quandry about taking a 1 or 2 man tent.

IF you're really considering the Copper Spur UL2, take your gear to a store and play with the UL1 version. I'm thinking (based on what I do when I spend a couple of days along the AT in Virginia) that you'll be hanging your food, so you'll only have everything else to stow.

The UL1 has a lot more room than you'd expect from a one-person tent - it's trapezoidal instead of rectangular, and the extra room in the shoulder area will hold a lot of stuff. I travel near the minimalist end of the spectrum, and I've got plenty of room, even when I'm carrying cold-weather clothing.

I store my pack (Deuter ACT Lite or Osprey Kestrel) under my lower legs, my shoes under my head (with a water bladder, fleece top, or rain gear for a pillow), and the water bottles, etc. around the edge of the floor. My Jetboil stove usually stays in the foyer, though there's room inside for it, too.

Don't know if this setup will work with the Atmos pack - I had one, and the curved frame made it uncomfortable to put under my legs. At that point, a one man tent would get crowded unless you were willing to store the pack outside, too. It also forced me to carry a full length pad - adding weight over the 3/4 length I now use. Having used the Atmos, I found I preferred the Kestrel 58's load carrying ability; it seemed to carry heavier loads better than the Atmos 50. If the Atmos doesn't work for you, you may want to look at the Kestrel. (Actually, if I were carrying 30 pounds or more, I'd probably choose one of the Deuter ACT Lite or Zero models; they have about the best suspension I've seen, and only weigh a few ounces more than the Atmos.)

In any event, before you choose the Copper Spur UL2, give the UL1 a try - you'll save some weight and some money.

I have the Eureka Spitfire 1 and have just enough room on the side for my 65L pack if its somewhat empty. I'm 6'1" and 195. There is enough room under the flap just outside. I think the key for me is keeping it light and getting by with less. Lots of good advice here and maybe trying a shorter thruhike will give you a better idea of what to expect. Surprising of how much stuff we don't need out there... Enjoy your adventure...

Since you're open for criticism, let me criticize this. I got a Granite Gear Blaze that is 60 liter and weights less than the Atmos. Of course if you add the optional lid to the pack it might be pushing the same weight as the Atmos, but you're getting more space for the same or less weight!!! I don't have the lid and I wish it had came with the pack with the ability to add or leave it base on trips. (Need somewhere stash my maps and powerbars without opening the pack.)

With that said, I really like Osprey's pack. I've been eying the Stratos 24 for my dayhike adventures.

Oh yeah, I don't know if you know this but the Smoky Mountain National Park starting in 2013 will start charging a fee to backpackers. I don't know about AT thru-hikers, but I'm going to assume they have to pay up too.

At one point you mention that you plan to go NOBO and start in March. Early or late March? It might make a difference in the tent you select insofar as shelter space is pretty freely available for an early March start, and perhaps less so for a late March start. I started in late Feb in 2010, and very rarely used my tent, sleeping most nights in shelters. In that context, a more minimal, "it will do" lightweight tent is a better choice.

At 6'1", and overall larger than me, I can't help you too much there. Indeed, the lightheart designs solong variant might be a good choice if you're willing to spend some money. Something like the SMD Wild Oasis is a great choice for someone doing mostly shelters, but not so much I think for someone your size.

The lightheart tents are great; I hiked the CDT last year with a cuben lightheart solo, and it held up very well. I would not suggest spending the money for a cuben tent, however, unless you're pretty confident that you actually will spend a lot of nights in one.

Perhaps a hybrid approach: just carry a tarp for the first month or two, then switch to something that is bug proof after that. In bad weather, stay in a shelter if possible, but have the tarp as backup.

I wouldn't think in terms of cold weather. Okay, a lightheart tent might be a little warmer than a pure single-walled tent, but don't factor that in much. You're much better off dealing with cold via sleeping bag and puffy clothing than with a (heavier) tent. Especially, again, if you think you might sleep much in shelters.

Packs: ULA packs are pretty popular for thru-hikers, and especially if you have it in your head that you might do more than one such trip --- pretty durable for the weight. One of my hiking partners retired his catalyst after 5000 miles of backpacking and it still wasn't in really bad shape. I did half of the AT and all of the CDT with a circuit and it's still in great shape. A good mix of features vs. weight IMO.

Lostagain,

I think you misunderstood my advice. This is not the first time somebody misunderstood. I think I need to pay more attention to my writing.

My suggestion was to use the bivy you already have, plus either a poncho or a tarp. A tarp you could sew yourself, or they are widely available at relatively low cost.

If the quandary is a one or a two person tent, I would certainly suggest the one person. The footprint will be a bit smaller, giving you more choice in sites (sometimes a problem) plus whatever weight saving is available.

Also understand from your answering post that you are planning to start from Baxter SOBO in March (obviously I'm reading your post differently than BrianLe is reading it). If he is correct, his observations are spot on.

But if I have it right, there are a couple of issues. Starting dates in Baxter are up to the rangers' estimates of the safety of the trail up, and they tend to be pretty conservative. What I have heard from SOBOs is that the starting dates tend to be fairly late (later than March).

There are two other very well known problems with going SOBO:
bugs and water. You come off Katahdin right into the bug bloom and the spring run off (trail that is soggy in fall tends to be dangerously under water), and I've met several hikers who started SOBO and were run out by bugs and "flip-flopped" to restart NOBO.

Incidentally, I think BrianLe once did it SOBO and I'd be interested in his reflections on that.

One thing you might consider is starting south just below the Whites and then going back and finishing.

Good luck, best, jcp

BrianLe and Jpete; Thanks guys! great advice and some considerations I hadn't taken into account. I grew up in the Mid-Atlantic, but haven't been back for a long while and forgot about the black flys in New England. Hiked up there for Senior trip in high school and was not a happy camper (pun intended).

AS far as tent vs bivy, I've actually got two bivy's. One is the old USGI which has no bug netting or frame to keep the fabric off my head in the event of really bad weather. It also weighs as much as some UL tents. The other is a Marmot Bug Bivy. It's only 20oz, and is more like a mini-tent in that it's got a pole at the head and can be staked out. The down side is that it's got no protection from the elements.

I'll probably make the final decision whether to take the Marmot with a sil-tarp and tyvek ground cloth since all told that will come in at around 29 oz., or the Spitfire and shave weight elsewhere. Right now my base weight calculation is right close to 22 lbs. So, I"ll be reconsidering a bunch of things.

Thanks again for the great advice!

Lostagain,

You probably know that the lumberjacks came out of the woods in blackfly season for fear they'd lose their minds.

On the other hand, the mosquitos in Maine are big enough to help you with your pack for aa small donation (like a quart or so).

Best, jcp

I am 6'1 and about 210, and I own a Tarptent Moment. I think it got its name because thats how long it takes to recommend one. 2 lbs gets you bugfree, rain protection with enough vestibule to lay a large pack inside. Excellent tent that I am very happy with.

The Tarptent Contrail (24 oz.) has been very popular on the various long-distance trails for quite a few years. It's a roomy solo tent; I have a friend who also keeps his pack and his 50-lb. dog inside. Tarptent (they are a sponsor here--click their label above) also has several other good solo tents such as the Moment (already mentioned), the 1.5-person Rainbow (32 oz.) and the new, double-wall Notch and Stratospire 1.

Sounds to me that you are after a roomy tent but just for yourself.
I look after Tarptent in Australia so I am pretty familiar with all of the models and have used most of the solo versions myself.
I don't really have a favourite , but for you I would suggest the Rainbow.
It is large enough to take 2x 20" mats , you do that by sacrificing a bit of the bathtub height.
So more than enough space for a solo hiker that likes to spread his gear around.
No it will not keep you warm , your clothing and sb should do that.
Warmth in a tent comes from trapped body heat and your breath, that can become condensation.
It can be "invisible" inside a double wall tent but it will still get your sb damp.
If you use trekking poles you could look at the Notch with a "solid" (fabric) inner that will help a bit more with wind.
(can take a 25x77 mat (just...)but also has two good size vestibules.
Franco

Probably coming in late, but did you know that Big Agnes has the 2011 Copper Spur UL2 on sale for 300.00?