Tarptent

[mark a.]

Does anyone here own or use a Tarptent? My wife and I are thinking about options for a lightweight, bug-repellent shelter for use when we don't have the car for our Tentipi.

One option is to get a mosquito net to go with our Tatonka tarp and bivvi bags but these Tarptents look rather nifty and would probably be lighter (we have the large "canvas" tarp).

If anyone has any comments I'd be most grateful. It would be nice to have an option to use in Scotland without being eaten alive...

 

[SimonM]

Sorry, IMHO but it seems an awful lot of money for what in effect is a hike tent flysheet.

Why not simply buy a lightweight tent? or buy the lighter Tatonka tarp? With the money you save you could have a few extra nights out!

Sorry if that is not what you wanted to hear!

Simon

 

[Tony]

They do look good, they seem like a more advanced version of the BashaTent, although that was really just a well thought out tarp and could be used for all sorts of things.

I concur that you're better off getting a tent or a straight tarp, there's so many out there that you'll find something that suits you. Go for something bigger than you think you'll need and then you'll have plenty of space.

You can string it from trees, use a pole or a few poles which can be walking sticks or branches, you can carry pegs of make some wooden ones.

Umm, i've just read the post through again and you've got a tarp! Just get a Mozzy net and if you want a lighter weight tarp.

They do look cool though

 

[forrestdweller]

Why not simply buy a lightweight tent?

i have owned and used different (and some of them quite expensive) so-called lightweight tents- BUT most of them were NOT waterproof from underneath and i needed a extra groundsheet to stay dry- so the "leightweight"-tent became in fact heavier than a normal one... better check carefully before buying/ using one!

"disappointed by the monkeys, god created man. then he renounced to further experiments." mark twain

 

[SimonM]

Sorry about the negative post above! I would like to try and make amends by suggesting one of these ...

It is a Vaude Hogan and you can pick them up for around £140 - £150. (They do make a lighter version, but I have no experience of that model!)

I have had one for about 10 years or so now. It has been used all year round, in all weathers and prior to rediscovering tarps and later hammocks, has always been my tent of choice.

It still gets a regular airing, when I lead D of E expeditions. Easy to pitch & pack away alone. Goes up "in one" with inner and flysheet attached, although they can be separated if you want to. Porch is big enough to cook in if you have to & I have never had a problem with condensation.

HTH

Simon

 

[Andy2112]

Have a look at the Lightwave range, got one myself and it's pretty good. 4 season,siliconed fly (both sides), DAC alloy poles and 2.4kg (T1 Trek).:theyareon

 

[wentworth]

The tarptents have a bit of a cult following in the U.S. If you use them the way they're intended (don't fully close them unless it's a heavy storm) then you'll do well with one.

The problem with many so called light weight tents is twofold.
1.) Lightweight tents aren't light. Above 1kg for a tent is not light, or so says the ultralighter in me. There are so many ultralight tents out there, that I'm suprised when I see some company promoting their 2kg "Ultralight model".

2.) Tents which require you to put up the inner tent first will get wet if you have to set up camp in a storm. Some tents allow you to put up the fly first, which is a much better idea.
Also, I've noticed that many tents are designed to let rain in when the door is open, due to the slope of the structure. If your tent lets rain in when you have to exit, it's not doing a very good job.

Also check out http://sixmoondesigns.com/

 

[Lasse]

The problem with many so called light weight tents is twofold.
1.) Lightweight tents aren't light. Above 1kg for a tent is not light, or so says the ultralighter in me. There are so many ultralight tents out there, that I'm suprised when I see some company promoting their 2kg "Ultralight model".

2.) Tents which require you to put up the inner tent first will get wet if you have to set up camp in a storm. Some tents allow you to put up the fly first, which is a much better idea.
Also, I've noticed that many tents are designed to let rain in when the door is open, due to the slope of the structure. If your tent lets rain in when you have to exit, it's not doing a very good job.

Also check out http://sixmoondesigns.com/

I disagree with you on the lightweight part, being "ultralight" or not depends on what the tent is supposed to do. If a tent that has to protect you against the elements on top of a mountain or in northern winter conditions might well be called "ultralight" at even 3kg but if you take the same tent to south Spain to go backpacking in calm areas, protected from storms etc it suddenly isn't ultralight at all imho... All depends... Choose the right gear for the right activity...

Your second point: couldn't agree more! Pay attention to how you'll have to set it up and how the entrance works.

 

[lightfoot]

There's a tutorial on here about making a ground shelter from a tarp: How to Make a Tarp Shelter - A Tutorial

A lightweight, square tarp looks the ideal shape plus it has the extra versatiliy for use suspended between trees. All you would need then is your bivy gags to lie on or a light ground sheet and a separate mos net which you could also use when hammocking.

My experience of the mossies in Scotland is that they only seem to turn up in the evening for an hour or two then disappear.

I also have a Vaude Hogan and it's great. You can detach the inner altogether and leave it at home which would reduce the weight to something more like one of these tarptents but you'd have the advantage of a sturdy mountain tent if you ever needed one.

In other words I wouldn't recommend buying a tarp tent unless you've got loads of money and even then you could still follow some of the suggestions everyone has given here and donate the difference to a worthy cause like Shelter (or BCUK )

 

[High on Hex]

Hi Mark, i took delivery of a Tarptent Contrail yesterday. It weighs less than my bivi and tarp, you can sit up in it and it's mozzie proof. I set it up in the garden and i can't see any reason why it won't be with me on every outing from now on. Single wall tents have to be much better vented so in the depths of winter i might use a bivi as well for warmth. As a hiker with pack weight being so important i'm delighted with it. And customs didn't tax me on it either

 

[StJon]

Hi mate,
I've had a Virga for a couple of seasons now and would recommend it. I got mine with a sawn in ground sheet and the poles, I don't use walking poles, and have used it at the hight of the midgie season and down to -6 with no problems. Just make sure you pitch the bell into the wind to aid removal of condensation

 

[mark a.]

I'm trying to avoid a lightweight tent for reasons already said here: not that light, not that waterproof and too much condensation. For any serious camping or over winter we'll probably stay away from exposed areas and just stick with campsites with our Tentipi, so this really would be a convenient lightweight (< 1kg ideally) option.

We also have walking poles so we want to make use of them as tent poles, so a tarp or these Tarptents seem nifty. There's a Hilleberg one as well that we'll have a look at once we find the catalogue again.

I'll have a look at lighweight tarps and compare the overall weight of tarp + floor + midge net vs something like the Tarptent.

StJon, it would be really great if you have any stories of how you've got on with the Virgra, especially compared with a tarp setup. High on Hex, enjoy your new purchase!

I've always been a little bit suspicious of super-dooper products from the States as something that works well in the relatively predictable weather over there may not work so well in 4-seasons-in-one-day Scotland or the Lakes. StJon and High on Hex, it would be great if you have any thoughts on that.

Thanks again!

Mark

 

[fishy1]

I disagree with you on the lightweight part, being "ultralight" or not depends on what the tent is supposed to do. If a tent that has to protect you against the elements on top of a mountain or in northern winter conditions might well be called "ultralight" at even 3kg but if you take the same tent to south Spain to go backpacking in calm areas, protected from storms etc it suddenly isn't ultralight at all imho... All depends... Choose the right gear for the right activity...

Your second point: couldn't agree more! Pay attention to how you'll have to set it up and how the entrance works.

Your first point is good, I agree.

 

[Tengu]

this looks like that little canvas thing I put in swap.

And they have plans to make one if you wish.

 

[litefoot]

I`ve got one.Its great,and very light and easy to use.Mine has the sewn in ground sheet and I would recomend that for our climate.I could go on about the one I have for ages but the best advice I could give you if you are thinking about getting one is to contact Henry Shires,his company and idea etc,through the tarptent website and put the questions to him.He still gets out and uses his products and when I spoke to him said he had used one to do the coast to coast in this country.No connections to this product other than being a happy owner.
Hope that helps Andy.

 

[stephendedwards]

Have you checked out go-lite. I have their baby teepee. Stored all my kit and more back in feb. Light as anything and quick up and down. Floor and nest are seperate and I had to send to the states for these but so far so good. If like me you use a bivvy in a tent then it could be a goer

Steve

 

[mark a.]

According to Surplus and Adventure a British Army bivvy bag weighs just under 1kg. We need 2 of them, so that's 2kg before even adding the tarp and midge net.

So unless S&A are wrong (mine are in the loft at the moment so I haven't weighed them myself) we're already over twice as heavy as a Tarptent. It'll probably pack down smaller too.

I'll contact Henry Shires and see what he thinks about UK. Thanks Andy for the tip.

I've looked at Golite and although I like their tipis you can't get 2 people side-by-side as the pole gets in the way.

Thanks all.

 

[StJon]

Hi Mark
compared to tarp and hammock much lighter in weight, easier and quicker to set up, don't have to find two trees (important if you are in mountain regions of Scotland), easier to break camp, no problems with midges or creepy crawlies.
Most extreme night out was between Carrour and Speen Bridge, camped next to a bothy incase it got too bad, -6 as I went to bed, (there was a thermometer on the bothy door)

Only down side is not fully enclosed so if you are on a campsite not a lot of privacy ; )
I use it for solo light weight hike and camp and also for bike camping.
jon

 

[mark a.]

Not a bad spot, there! Thanks for the info - that's just the kind of information I need.

Mark