Tent or tarp?

[Desperado Deluxe]

I use a tarp but i found this thing the other day and its made of that nylon tent material and its just a square with bungie cords with hooks on each corner
and ive pitched it up in combination with my tarp and it works pretty good. i use my tarp to keep the ground dry underneath me and put the tent thingy over me. its waaay lighter than the tarp. i still need a skeeter net tho

 

[Mr. Expendable]

first off.... fuck bivys.... id lovet o have one but there to god damn expensive.... gortex army bivys are near a bill or more.... i found this project online making cheap nylon type material into silinylon or whatever using caulking and gasoline... anyone tried it?.... im probably gunna do it myself just want o see if anyones tested the project

 

[ayron]

if you can get a bivy, go for it, you can place your sleeping bag, fomy and if need be a blanket in it then roll the whole thing up for an instant bed.
if not, tarp tarp tarp!, one for the ground and one for the rain, and the top one doesint even have to be tied up it could be draped ontop if your lazy/unsure of the weather.
but it really does depend on where your going, if you know for a fact theres gonna be lots of bugs that wanna eat you and suck your blood, a tent may not be a bad option

 

[Thorne]

I prefer a tarp just because I usually get fucked up and lose the damn pools and steaks. And, I can use it pretty much anywhere.

 

[fredbrown7]

i mob w/ a tent and tarps .the towny chicks love the idea when they see it i usally get my freak the fuck on so ,yea

 

[MiztressWinter]

We have a two man tent and a tarp. Overall, it doesn't weigh much and they roll up nicely together. But what I REALLY want is a nice piece of mosquito netting! FTW! And fuck you you god damn mosquitos!

 

[boxofrocks]

tent all the way. there has been plenty of times where i couldnt set up a tarp and realllly needed to. and it keeps the buggies away

 

[sleeping animals]

i've travelled with a bivy and don't like condensation getting all up in it. tent has been nice in the past for keepin bugs at bay but more room and weight than I want. I have just been using small tarps lately, which I highly prefer, and dealing with the bugs. But, being able to get a piece of mosquito netting is an excellent idea. I think that with my tarp is golden.

 

[nickstoddard]

tarp. way cheaper. gets smaller. does what you need it to do.

 

[CuzIcan]

Tarp first, but tent too IF it's a special light weight one...Bugs don't bite dirty kids...not the real ones, lol

 

[fordlover58401]

I really like the small 2 people tents they are small and light but still protect you from the wind and rain!

 

[utensil]

Siltarp and a light weight hammock is the way to go! But if you can't tie a knot, tie alot. Or find someone to teach you to tie a truckers' hitch and a clove hitch.

 

[farmer john]

military ponchos all ive ever neededl

 

[spoon]

I have a 2 person tent. Its not one of those expensive light weight ones but its still not too heavy and I can roll it up pretty tight. There have been times when I didn't even set it up like a tent just used it like a tarp. Or just used the rainfly.

 

[recalibrating]

Tarp all day everyday. You can make shelters with em, plus you can wrap your sleeping bag up in em, secure with cordage, attach some seatbelt webbing, and BAM, you got you got a waterproof pack.

 

[Chewbacka]

I carry both, you never know if you will need the tent. Plus like fredybrown said, some chicks dig the tent thing haha. But for the most part, they are to much of a hassle to fuck with. Just throw a tarp down and bam!

 

[drunken marauder]

Hmm I would have to say tarp... I am not really into perma camps I guess if it was a kickdown tar[ it wouldnt be a big deal.. I just really hate people knowing where I sleep.. I would also have to say I am normally way to drunk to set up a tent before I pass out.. I think the last time I was caught in the rain it took me about 4 hours to figure out the water was coming from above me not below me.. I guess I still slept alright.

 

[Chewbacka]

Hmm I would have to say tarp... I am not really into perma camps I guess if it was a kickdown tar[ it wouldnt be a big deal.. I just really hate people knowing where I sleep.. I would also have to say I am normally way to drunk to set up a tent before I pass out.. I think the last time I was caught in the rain it took me about 4 hours to figure out the water was coming from above me not below me.. I guess I still slept alright.

Haha that is fucking awesome. Tents do cause more trouble then good most of the time. Tarp is a lot faster and you can get it rolled up and put away a lot faster also. Just like you said, perma camps aren't that good. I don't really like staying in one spot to long. Blows the spot up and it just goes downhill from there!

 

[Matt aka Sparks]

Tarp for sure. Way easier to pack around and you can just burrito yourself inside of it.

 

[Succat]

Greetings!

This "tent or tarp" question is a perennial favourite on traveller Forums and the related threads make an interesting read. My own preference is a tent (for many reasons) and yet, simply, in the final analysis, what's really of critical importance is that our shelter keeps us warm and dry.

The following links make a useful contribution to the discussion . . .


● TARPS:

An excellent introduction to the subject of tarp shelters with a wealth of valuable and useful information on their use and construction, including diagrams. This article covers everything from the most basic immediate action shelter to sophisticated structures and is available as a free download in *.PDF format.

Link ~ Tarp Shelters - An Introduction by David B. Macpherson - EQUIPPED TO SURVIVE (tm)


● TENTS:

Some of my thoughts and practical tips on their selection and use. This article also includes an introduction to using tents in extreme conditions and is available as a free download in *.PDF format.

http://succat.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/tents.pdf


and . . .


● "Alpine Tech Tips" — an introduction for tenting in extreme conditions:

http://succat.wordpress.com/files/2008/10/tents-extreme.pdf



Thank you



Succat