Its neat being able to work under the protection of the tarp until the last moment. You still have a wet tarp however. On the other hand, an integral pitch tent allows you to pack everything away before you take it down and the inside stays dry too, so I rate them as different, but about even.Originally Posted by Miguel
Tents that pitch inner first are a dead loss in the rain though.
Michael
Interesting. I actually had to google it. I do have a question. If the tarp stays with the tent....it seems the you would have to stuff the entire soggy thing into a single stuff sack which seems kind of wet and icky to me...not to mention the ground cloth which will also be wet. It seems like there would be a far greater chance of water getting into the main tent area or at least making it damp.
With the hammock I always carry a seperate sack for my wet tarp which stays away from all other gear. (read....outside the pack) It seems to me the hammock scenario is way less hassle. Plus...everything is in my backpack before I even take the tarp down.
Am I missing something here?
Miguel
I was just comparing my tent and hammock set up, as of right now my hammock set up is heavier but that is because I have a one person 1.8lb tent.
For this to be a fair comparison I think you will need to compare weight per sqft. I have much more living space in my hammock, I cannot even sit up straight in my tent without my head hitting the top of the tent.
Weight per sqft, hammock + tarp wins.
And it gets even worse (better for the hammock) if you want to compare cubic feet.
(I did not read all the previous posts, sorry if someone already made this comment)
-Sam
either way you still need comparable top and bottom insulation.
if I'm on the ground i have a Exped 9 DLX mat and my sleeping bag (0degrees - synthetic)
in the hammock I have Pheonix UQ and the same sleeping bag.
Both sleep sets take up the same pack space (pheonix is lighter though)
My "small" tent is a 2 man - 4 season - weighing about 6-8lbs
My hammock and polytarp is much lighter.
Other benefits of the hammock - you have a VERY comfy chair to lounge around on.
But now my son wants a hammock - so my wallet will definitely be lighter
I have been a hammocker for a LONG time, the reason being is that I sleep better every single time in a hammock than on even a full sized air mattress. My JRB Bear Mountain Bridge Hammock weighs 37 ounces. I've had if for about a year and a half. I sleep better in it than I do my bed. I can go farther and carry more after a night in my hammock than after ANY sleeping on the ground. Here in GA, from mid-June to mid-September, I need no insulation at all. My 10 ounce poncho, 2 ounces of braided mason's line, 2 ounces of aluminum stakes and my one ounce ridgeline and I'm good all summer. That's 4 pounds, 4 ounces. Pretty light considering how rested I feel in the morning, even after 20 miles a day, I wake up refreshed. That never happens on the ground. I have a BIG tarp that weight 19 ounces if I expect wind AND rain. That makes it 4 pounds, 13 ounces. That may be heavy for some, but I sleep SO GOOD! If you add up to 4 pounds for winter insulation and varying weights in between, I go to almost 9 pounds for 0 degree COMFORT! Now that I talk through it, I really don't care if my hammock weighs less than a tent. I can put up more quickly in more places with LESS impact and FAR GREATER REST. Which means I can cover more ground the next day...
I'm one of those for whom money is an issue. I am not able to afford a really light tent and haven't found that deal of a lifetime yet. For me my Hennessy set-up comes out to be about a pound lighter than my tent set-up.
Yes, you stuff (well, usually roll and pack) the whole soggy mess into one bag after closing the doors. The inside is dry, the outside is wet, It stays mostly that way. If there is a break in the weather you can give it a shake and wipe down to minimise included water, just like you can for your tarp. I keep mine on the outside of the pack dry or wet, others put it under the top flap or whatever. If the groundsheet is wet, it can be folded separately or just rolled around the tent. The groundsheet these days is there to stop punctures more than provide water resistance.
Not really, just that you don't seem to have seen any experienced hikers take down and pack a decent tent in the wet.With the hammock I always carry a seperate sack for my wet tarp which stays away from all other gear. (read....outside the pack) It seems to me the hammock scenario is way less hassle. Plus...everything is in my backpack before I even take the tarp down.
Am I missing something here?That's ok, the way hammocking is going there won't be any tents soon.
Hammock is less hassle in the wet, yes. It also has the advantage of enclosing less water within the system with a wet takedown.
Michael
+1I guess what I'm trying to say is that I don't think there's much of a debate here. It's all subjective!
Apples to apples it's about the same, bulk - cost - weight wise.
Experience is the worst teacher - it presents the exam first and the lesson later. - Unknown
GTUL with Muletape straps: 14 oz ($20)
8x8 cuben tarp: 4.4 oz
Ridgeline: 1 oz
2 Ti stakes: .5 0z
bugnet: 5 oz
30 ft. braided mason's line: 1 oz
total: 26 oz
add insulation as you desire. Sleep well, stay dry. Hammocking can't be beat.
More gear? Less gear? Maybe yes, maybe no.
I mostly skip fiddle-faddling with poles and stakes n maybe ground cloths n stuff.
It's within a few ounces either way April to early November, and like most here don't care about an extra ounce or two ... just want restful sleep (often guerrilla hung near secret steelhead ....).
"There's no accounting for other people's taste in love, fiction and huntin' dogs." ---Mark Twain
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