As you probably know I eschew (conventional) tents. I like to be able to see out, to catch the breeze, to enjoy a warm fire out the front in cold weather, etc. I favour a tarp which keeps the weather out on three sides yet offers a sheltering verandah on the fourth such as my […]
Lots of folks eschew tarps for tents because they fear they will be invaded by vast swarms of biting and stinging beasties of various ilks, but mostly I find the weight and (usually) the inconvenience/unreliability of zippers is not worth the relatively rare times that need arises. I admit there are some spots where the
What a good idea that would be, especially if you need to use both hands for trekking poles on rough or steep terrain. When the weather is really humid, you really need a roof to keep you dry (and warm). A raincoat in such circumstances will just see you soaked and frozen. See: The Importance
If you are sensible and don’t use a tent, but instead sleep under a nice airy tarp, you may nonetheless want to protect your bottom and other expensive equipment with a ground sheet. As I have mentioned before a mylar space blanket (at about 50 grams) is good enough for this and does double duty
I loved the classic novel of the same name about the ‘Mountain Men’ of the American West by A.B.Guthrie, and I love the tent! You can download the ebook here: https://archive.org/details/TheBigSky_epub but you will have to buy the ultralight tent. Their ‘Wisp’ model recently fell into my hands so I could have a closer look
Or welded fabric construction. You too may not have encountered this newish method. My new shoes, the Topo Terraventure are made this way, and let me say they are excellent. There is not a seam in them to come undone or fray. I have by now walked several hundred kilometres in them (as has Della
My new 375 gram tent, the Siligloo: Oh, come with old Khayyám, and leave the Wise To talk; one thing is certain, that Life flies; One thing is certain, and the Rest is Lies; The Flower that once has blown for ever dies… Khayyam too was a tentmaker from Naishapur Iran in the C12th. I
David Gardner over at Backpackinglight has these excellent instructions for building a see through tent from polycryo window insulation film which is freely and cheaply available for winterising your home. It is such a great idea. I hope he does not mind my sharing it here. The complete instructions are available here: https://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/how-to-make-a-polycryo-a-frame-tarp/ It may
How to make your raincoat into a shelter. I hope you realise how this is important as every year people die because they keep on wearing their raincoat instead of sheltering under it. I know when you are out in the cold pouring rain probably the last thing you are going to think is, ‘Must
I have completed my poncho tent in 1.3 oz/yd2 silnylon. It weighs a mere 185 grams – as you can see, and fits in my pocket – as the name suggests and the pictures show! In Ripstopbytheroll’s .77 ozyd2 Mountain silnylon it will weigh 109 grams. This may be the smallest tent in the world
