Considering how light shelter
can be these days, the rewards of risking a night of
rain or the constant pestering of biting bugs is little.
Plus, finding natural shelter isn’t always easy
and it shouldn't be expected of those with shelters
to pass up otherwise nice camps looking.
This is also a good time to mention
the risks involved when sleeping in caves, overhangs
or old cabins. These places
are prime habitats for rodents which can carry Hantavirus,
a disease transmitted to humans through the inhalation
of airborne particles released after the disturbance
of dirt or dead vegetation the infected rodents have
defecated, urinated or chewed on. Though rare, Hantavirus
is a serious respiratory disease with a U.S. fatality
rate of 35 percent. And contrary to popular belief,
Hantavirus is not primarily confined to the Four
Corners area. Every western state has reported
cases and more than half of all cases have come from
outside the Four Corners region. For more information,
visit the Center for Disease
Control (CDC) website.
Tents
A good tent will keep you comfortable in nearly any
condition. While inside, one can sit up and move around,
find reprieve from bugs and stay dry during the worst
of storms. As nice as they can be though, many do not
give tents serious consideration due to the perceived
weight and bulk. There are however large one-person
tents that weigh as little as 1.5 pounds and two-person
tents in the 2 to 2.25 pound range (Six
Moons Designs even has a 1 pound two-person tent).
How can a tent be that
light? 1.1 ounce siliconized nylon AKA sil-nylon
(or Cuben Fiber in Six Moons case).
Sil-nylon is a rip stop nylon, which has been impregnated
with silicone during the manufacturing process. The
result is a waterproof and extremely light material,
which unlike standard tent fabrics, is not prone to
delaminating over time or soaking up moisture.
 |
| Smaller
isn’t always lighter. On the left
is a Henry Shires Cloudburst 2 tent w/ floor at
2 lbs 3 oz. On the right is a top selling “backpacking”
2 person tent at 3 lbs 8 oz. To further illustrate
this, to the far right in the shadows, is a bivy
bag w/ no pole or bug netting weighing in at 2 lbs.
Look beyond the corporate conglomerates for the
lightest & most innovative shelters. |
Advantageous as it is, 1.1 ounce
sil-nylon requires a little more attention than the
industry standard materials. While amazingly strong
for its weight, it’s not bomb-proof. It is also
annoyingly slick making it difficult to keep the sleeping
bag from sliding around. And, the silicone attracts
sand like a magnet does metal. For the masses sil-nylon
is not but, if one understands its limitations and is
willing to work with its idiosyncrasies (see
'dealing with sil-nylon' below), a well designed
tent made of this material is to a serious lightweight
traveler what a finely tuned piano is to Mozart's ears.
"Bomb-proof
is a solution for carelessness while lightweight is
a reward for carefulness" Charles Lindsey
In summary, if shopping for a tent
and weight is on your mind, look carefully and always
compare what space you’re getting for that weight.
There are many cramped one-person tents, and bivies,
from the big name manufacturers that weigh more than
some luxuriously sized two-person tents.
Well
designed ultra-light tents:
www.tarptent.com
www.sixmoondesigns.com
www.gossamergear.com
Many tents
do not come with sealed seams. The makers of sil-nylon
tents will do this for you or, you can save your pennies
and do it yourself. Click here
to find out how.
 |
An
early 2.25 pound Wanderlust prototype I modified
to be set-up with the rope from a throw bag. Large
enough for two plus some gear with a vestibule one
could cook under during the rain. Unfortunately,
the company is now defunct. |
Dealing with
sil-nylon:
If a sil-nylon tent
sounds like your thing, there are a few points to keep
in mind and a cure to one of the materials quirks. With
a little extra attention and some common sense, a well
cared for sil-nylon tent will out last a carelessly
handled tent made from traditional materials.
Caring for sil-nylon tents:
- Before setting up, clear area
of sharp objects including sticks, pine cones &
rocks. This is particularly important where your body
weight will be. Sand is good but makes for a mess
being that silicone attracts it.
- Provide additional floor protection.
In lieu of a separate “ground cloth”,
save weight and bulk by using something you’re
already carrying (wetsuit, poncho,
closed-cell sleeping mat) or, use what nature
has provided (grass, moss, leaves,
etc). All this adds insulation
and cushioning too. Double duty! And don't worry about
complete floor coverage. Focus on the area most susceptible:
where your body weight will be concentrated.
- Make sure branches are clear
and can't rub against the material during a breeze.
- When taking down, gently shake
off excess moisture then hang dry for a few minutes
on each side before packing.
To cure sil-nylons slipperiness:
- To give your sleeping bag or
 pad
something to grip to, you'll have to apply 100% silicone
to the floor when the tent is set up (silicone
is the only thing that'll adhere to sil-nylon).
This can be done by applying the silicone from a caulking
gun or squeeze tube in lines approx 6" apart
and perpendicular to the length of your sleeping bag
or in zigzags as shown in the photo to the right.
It doesn't take much so keep the beads of silicone
small and thin to save weight. I have found an area
2' x 4' per person to be sufficient. Another method
is to mix approximatly two parts silicone to three
parts low-odor mineral spirits or Coleman fuel and
paint it on solid or in lines.
Bivy bags
Though not the most enjoyable shelter to wait out a
rain storm in, a bivy bag can be the consummate shelter
for the minimalist. A bare bones version that can keep
you dry and protect you from biting bugs can weigh as
little as 10 ounces and take up no more space than half
a Subway sandwich. Bivy bags can also add several degrees
warmth to your sleeping bag.
All this is great, unless you are
claustrophobic. Most bivies are little more than oversized
mummy sleeping bags and when battened down for a storm,
offer little wiggle or breathing room. And unless you
are a contortionist, dressing inside one is out of the
question.
 |
 |
Here's
my homemade sil-nylon/Gore-Tex bivy/tent. Bug
proof; breathable; ample head room/ventilation;
adjustable for protection in any weather condition;
seam sealed; big enough vestibule to cook under
if raining; set up using trees, sticks, bushes,
breakdown paddle or packframe;
18 oz total wt; $70 in materials. With some of
the newer materials available today, the weight
of this design could easily be under 1 pound.
If patient, building something like this is not
terribly difficult. Prototype by making 3"=1'
versions from old sheets. When happy w/ the design,
draw scaled plans & build it!!
For
tips on sewing, materials, etc, click here. |
If shopping
for a bivy, be aware that not all are meant
to be used as stand-alone shelters. Many bivy users
(backpackers for instance) purchase
the type with a breathable water resistant fabric on
top and use them in conjunction with a tarp or, inside
snow caves or other shelters where only a little moisture
is likely. However, if used in the open and it rains,
a breathable water resistant fabric is not going to
keep the occupant dry. To be suitable for a stand-alone
shelter, the bivy top needs to be a breathable waterproof
fabric. Water resistant won't cut it. The head
section also needs to be designed in such a manner that
it sheds water away from that area while still being
open enough for the occupant to breath without fabric
lying on their face. As for the latter, some bivies
have a loop sewn to the outside just over the head area
in which a string can be fastened and tied to an overhead
branch. This is a lightweight and simple approach. Others
have a wire sewn in which can be bent in a multitude
of angles to suit your needs. And then there are those
with overhead poles. If you primary concern is keeping
the lightest load possible, be careful here. Many
assume these to be a good comprimise between tent and
bivy. While these type of bivies have their place in
certain environments (exposed ridges
in extreme weather for example...almost never a concern
for self-support kayakers), they often weigh
as much or more than the sil-nylon two person tents
mentioned above.
Tarps
Though tarps offer no bug protection and limited refuge
from wind, they are popular with some. Finding one that’s
lightweight can take some careful shopping though. By
the time you include stakes, rope for tie downs and
a ground cloth for your sleeping bag, this setup can
easily outweigh a rommy sil-nylon tent that offers superior
protection. On the other hand, if you do your homework,
a well thought out sil-nylon tarp can make an inexpensive,
light and compact rain shelter. And without a doubt,
in rainy weather, a tarp really shines as the group
can congregate and cook in comfort.
| In
a pinch, use 3-4 mil plastic sheeting for
a tarp. No need for grommets. Just use sheetbend
knots to tie the corners out and your throw rope
for a ridgeline. Not durable but cheap & light. |
What ever the application, with practice and some improvision
with trees and paddles, tarps can be set up in a variety
of ways to fit varying conditions.
WARNING:
Do not cook under a tarp unless you’re using
a small stove and the tarp is set up sufficiently
high.
General
shelter tips
 $4,
4 oz drop cloth shelter: "a"
= your height + 18". "b" = your height
+ 30". Lie on narrow "a" (3') end
& use as a groundsheet on clear nights. If it
begins to rain, just fold the "b" (4')
end over your body (leave an airspace to
breath!!). The overlap keeps rain from
pooling on the lower piece. The upper piece can
be weighted down with your paddle or rocks. The
head end can be elevated with the end of your boat
or get fancy & tie it up like a tarp by using
your throw rope and sheetbend knots in the plastic. |
- save a minute amount of weight
by using sticks you find at camp instead of packing
stakes
- for a heinously light & ridiculously
easy to make shelter that costs less than a 6 pack,
try a 1 mil plastic drop cloth shelter (see
diagram at right). It doesn't breath nor is
it durable or offer bug protection. However, in a
pinch, it'll keep you dryer than having no shelter
at all.
- a 3' square piece of 1 mil plastic
sheeting makes a nice groundcloth outside your shelter
door. Weighs less than 1 oz & can be used to keep
your barefeet & other misc items out of the dirt.
Your poncho can be used for the same thing if it's
not needed for something else.
11.1.09 |
