New shelter/ sleep system

[Lawnboi]

So the paratarp does have the pullouts. I never seeum on the kifaru site. Im 5-11 & Im used to sittin out storms in a tarptent moment, wich is a fine little tent but there are lighter & more versitile options. Im leanin towards the paratarp. Anybody have any experience with the mountain laurel designs lightweight bivy?

Yes the paratarp does have the pullouts. They really help. Being so short i am able to sit up straight in the para no problem, even when its buttoned down. That allows me to sit by the stove or what not. Being a little taller i would really consider the super tarp, only because the added height will be nice for you. Its only a few more ounces and that will allow you to sit upright comfortably, just something to think about. But if you want to go as small and light as possible the para will definetly fit you in it even in its standard pitch. But if your used to 1 man mountaineering tents the super tarp will seem like a castle. I had a paratipi, which is similar sized to the supertarp and that thing was huge.

If your looking for versatility, i honestly dont think you will find anything more versatile in the 1 or 2 man tarp than the paratarp or supertarp.

 

[badkneesbro]

Yes the paratarp does have the pullouts. They really help. Being so short i am able to sit up straight in the para no problem, even when its buttoned down. That allows me to sit by the stove or what not. Being a little taller i would really consider the super tarp, only because the added height will be nice for you. Its only a few more ounces and that will allow you to sit upright comfortably, just something to think about. But if you want to go as small and light as possible the para will definetly fit you in it even in its standard pitch. But if your used to 1 man mountaineering tents the super tarp will seem like a castle. I had a paratipi, which is similar sized to the supertarp and that thing was huge.

If your looking for versatility, i honestly dont think you will find anything more versatile in the 1 or 2 man tarp than the paratarp or supertarp.

Seems like everyone with experience in these matters say the same thing & advise me to go with the supertarp. So, now its either the supertarp or the mld solomid. Lawnboi, I know what u mean. I live in california, hopefully not much longer.

 

[justin davis]

Yea the super tarp is legit! Double the size of the paratarp for just a few ounces more.

 

[Nick Muche]

What if you are setting them up in the rain? I want to talk myself into the floorless shelter, but I can't figure out how you guys are pitching your set-ups to keep out of an area that will have water coming in under the tarp when it rains! Also, what if you are in snow, do you just plop it down on the snow??

 

[Backpack Hunter]

As long as you don't set up in a hole the most you will have water creep in is 2 inches under the tarp, and 99% of the time it is less than that. As far as setting up in the rain its no big deal if you put a piece of tyvek under your sleeping bag/system, or just throw down a bivy. Snow conditions are the same.

 

[justin davis]

What if you are setting them up in the rain? I want to talk myself into the floorless shelter, but I can't figure out how you guys are pitching your set-ups to keep out of an area that will have water coming in under the tarp when it rains! Also, what if you are in snow, do you just plop it down on the snow??

I have been camped in a super tarp in some intense rain storms. Storms where flooding were occurring. Didn't get any water under the tarp despite the crazy conditions. But like backpack hunter said its all about location of pitch. If you pitch in a depression. You will get water underneath.

If pitching on snow u can kick the snow away or just throw Tyvek down. Floorless is the way to go!

 

[Lawnboi]

Not getting wet is all about location. If you pitch in a depression or where water will run through your going to get wet. But your probalby going to get wet with a bathtub floor as well.

I take a lightweight bivy to put my bag in as well, to protect my bag and keep water off in the event water does get in.

 

[Rizzy]

I have been testing the boundary's with marginal setups and even with a setup like this in a low spot, I still didn't get water seepage when it rained that night. With the light to medium rain that night the ground pretty much soaked up the water as fast as it fell. I'm set up on an Elk bed in that photo.

 

[Lawnboi]

grass or pine needles also help soak up alot of the water. Avoid camping on dirt

 

[HellsCanyon]

Bringing this thread back up!

Thinking of new setups for this next year and I'd like to try a Bivy/Bag/Floorless shelter. Or use a quilt for that matter! Have though about using a quilt or one of the Golite down sleeping bags. Haven't looked at very many quilts but have seen some of the 850 down fill ones that weigh in right around a lb and are 20* rated...

Has anybody used the Golite bags?

Mike

 

[Backpack Hunter]

Has anybody used the Golite bags?
Mike

Yes, they seem to be (to me) true to temp, but they are really narrow...and this coming from a skinny guy.

 

[Shrek]

Mike,I think luke and becca used golite quilts this past year. I think luke said he was going to enlightened quilts this year. I am looking at them as well . My thinking is a 20 degree down quilt with a tigoat raven omni bivy. If it is cold I can cinch it tight around me in the bivy or slide it out of the bivy and open it up some on milder nights. I think you can cover a very wide range comfortably that way. Would like for some members with field time with something like this to weigh in.

 

[fillthefreezer]

really like the look and specs on the nunatak stuff. not sure if ill go with the quilt as i do like a hood at times but will most likely get a bag from them

 

[luke moffat]

I have used a GoLite quilt for 3 seasons now. I really like them. Easy to have in the pack just incase you gotta spend the night out away from camp makes things a little less stress full when you run out of daylight on the wrong side of the mountain. I am going to be giving the Enlighend Equipment Quilts a whirl this year so the GoLite quilts will likely be going up for sale so someone can put them to good use since they'll just be living in my crawlspace.

 

[HellsCanyon]

What are the specs on the golite quilt Luke? What temp is it good for?

Mike