To bugnet or not to bugnet...in Colorado

[Slowanderer]

Considering many variables encountered on the trail, (time of year, current temps., elevation, camp area location), I look at the bug net and feel it is better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. IMO

[ibgary]

I would say it depends on where you are. Don't go without it, but hope u don't need it.
A week @ Golden Gate state park, no bugs worth mentioning except when fishing.
On the road trip to Utah I set up a camp east of Steamboat Spring, and left an hour later because of deer flies. I didn't have a net.

[OutandBack]

My backpacking hammock is netless (WLsnipe) so I always have a headnet packed in the dittybag plus a small bottle of deet.
99% of the time I don't have a bug issue after dark.

[Brute1100]

I didn't think to mention it earlier... But you could always treat all your hammock gear, underquilt, topquilt, hammock, with permethrin... It would give you a good defense and doesn't weigh anything... If I lived somewhere where bugs where a maybe I would live with that and roll the dice... Or keep something like the head net mentioned above...

[SnrMoment]

I hike a lot farther north. Bugs are not usually an issue, but they're around. Biggest concerns are ticks & lyme disease and there have outbreaks of it around here. Mozzies are there too, but not like the ones I asassinated during my years in MN. Not many of them flying around on 40* nights in the mountains. Get into the river bottoms and it's another story. I like the net, I think mostly because I made it.

[SwitchbackCat]

You guys/gals are great! Lots of good info here. I agree that it's one of those things you don't want to be wishing you had after the fact so I'm thinking about a Hug bug net for myself since it is fairly cheap and very light. I foresee most nights with at least the lower half of my body in the sleeping bag, so I think that would be good enough for me here in CO.

As for my wife, I'm thinking about the Warbonnet traveler. I think the extra money and 2.5 oz would be well worth it for her. I know that bug net is made specifically for a shorter hammock, but I could see it working for anything we get for her since she isn't that tall.

Another aspect of this is having one if we wanted to nap during the day. In my experience, the bugs might not be bad in the evening or at night when it gets cool, but they can be pretty bad during the day when it's warmer...especially around grassy/wet areas.