Sharing space?

[Josh Thomas]

Sometimes by necessity, most of the time by choice, I'm mainly a solo hiker. I love the independence and the solitude. There are, of course, occasions where I take a trip with folks. Often, I get asked what kind of shelter I'm using, and when I tell them I have a solo tent (at various times a TT Stratospire 1, an MSR Hubba, and now currently at BSI Revolution 1P), the other person asks if I'd like to just shelter in their tent, which is usually a 2P tent. I always politely say no, and let them know I only stay in 2P tents with my wife (who's only gone with me on one occasion).

There are all kinds of practical reasons, not enough space being the main one. But overall, I just don't like sheltering with other folks. Is that weird? I'm not asking because I'm gonna change my mind, or because I feel bad for doing so. I just want to know what the prevailing thoughts on it are. Just gauging the mindset of my trusted community here :)

[Desert Dweller]

No…. It's a matter of whom you wish to share your bed with. You are entitled to your space. You don't go into the woods to be crowded into others spaces, we can get that in our daily lives on buses, subways and cars and cities.

[James holden]

where weight really matters, people do it all the time …. climbers specifically … or explorers

i personally find it quite ironic that people try to save weight with plenty of fancy gear … but look down on sharing gear, which is the most basic way of saving weight

now im sure there are times where its not practical … but then again one could ask if everyone needs to bring their own stove in a group trip

;)

[Ken Thompson]

Not weird at all. I don't want anyone particularly close by. Especially with people you don't really know. Snorers and farters to beware of as well.

Edit: Trips with the son-in-law are different. We shared most gear, slept in one tent. He was my only hiking partner until i started going with fellow BPLrs. Everything changed then.

[Kevin Schneringer]

Josh,

I am totally with you! I shelter alone- exception wife or kids. I like being able to move around in my Go to sleep Ritual. I don't want to distract or be distracted.
So its not snobbish I hope. but like you said, probably won't change my mind.

If my wife was not so nervous about sleeping outside by herself she would make me sleep somewhere else. :)

edit-poor spelling

[Todd T]

I figure I can either carry a little extra weight or spend the night cooped up with someone who hasn't bathed in several days and has been eating unfamiliar trail food all that time. Easy choice.

[Matthew Black]

I agree with the idea of maintaining personal space when out, but I have to agree with Eric that we are all a little weird about shared gear. It's really funny in a big group since we usually have about 5 of the same thing or minor variations on the same gear.

Kat raised the idea about gear sharing quite some time ago:
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=45011

[M G]

I don't go out with folks I'm not willing to share the following with:

Stove, pot, any other cooking gear, some meals
Shelter
Cat trowel,
Beacon if required, sometimes bear speay if we only have one canister for a pair. Bear canister if volume allows.

I was a climber for many years and like previously mentioned that's a given, I've never given it any thought.

I've always laughed at clusters of single person tents and everyone with their stove and assumed some homophobia was part of it.

If I go alone I'm alone. If I go with others we share. Makes no sense otherwise.

[Steven McAllister]

I never share space with other. Won't stay in a trail hut/shelter either.
I won't share a motel room or stay in any group sleep situation.

I would be in fear of my life if I did.
I make too much noise when I sleep.

So solo is my only option.

[Kattt]

I like the idea of sharing gear when it seems appropriate.
Sharing shelter? Maybe if it's so cold that we need to huddle up because someone wasn't prepared for the temps. Otherwise, unless it's family or someone really close, no.
I do hike with people that I enjoy and would not mind sharing some gear with, but shelter is different.
Also, hard to fit two in a hammock.

[Bob Gross]

One woman hiker I know has a basic philosophy about camping with others when it is cold. She finds the tent with two men with the highest metabolic rate, and she sleeps between them. That isn't stupid.

–B.G.–

[Matthew Black]

Two can easily fit but I doubt I'd ever hear from Ken again if I asked him, "Why don't you bring a doublewide hammock and a nice two-person quilt. We'll be fine."

[James holden]

One woman hiker I know has a basic philosophy about camping with others when it is cold. She finds the tent with two men with the highest metabolic rate, and she sleeps between them. That isn't stupid.

shell never lack for "partners" =P

think back to when you were a kid or in college …. did you sleep alone when in the wild?

ill bet many of you didnt … you just wanted to go out and have fun ..

your scout master (or whoever) brought along one or two stoves for the group … you all slept in a giant Kmart tent … etc …

college kids do it all the time … often with "nocturnal activities"

at what point did you become an grumpy old BPLer who pointificates about saving weight, but arent willing to walk the talk by some sacrifice …

now i DO understand if people might go separate ways mid trip …or they have medical conditions like irrepressible nightime gaseous anomalies …

i also do understand if you dont want to do it for weeks on end … or you think that your partner might be a raving psychopath

but a night or weekend ? … at least share a stove

be YOUNG again …

i personally suspect many people want to use their own fancy gear …

;)

[Ken Thompson]

"i personally suspect many people want to use their own fancy gear …"

Good enough reason for me.

Now I don't worry about breaking someone else's stuff. I use my own.

The stuff we carry now is so light that you can outfit yourself without it being a burden.

[Nick Gatel]

I don't share anything.

[Ken Thompson]

Not even a pencil sharpener Nick?

[Nick Gatel]

"Not even a pencil sharpener Nick?"

No. I don't trust others with my gear or that they would remember to bring a critical piece of equipment. Now I rarely hike with others, and if I didn't like the group I would just part ways… can't do that if you are sharing gear.

[mik matra]

If I got asked by a complete stranger to hop in their tent I'd find it a bit awkward. I mean if it is for survival then yeah for sure but not for just the heck of it. Even my 2 other best mates I go through hiking with have all sepperated into our own tents (we started out sharing 1 tent). It's my personal space and I like it that way.

[Justin Baker]

You mean you don't want to sleep next to another smelly, snoring hiker?

My main hiking buddy and I often share a large flat tarp but I wouldn't want to share a tent.

[Max Dilthey]

I'll share anything. Food, space, stories, tents, toothbrushes….

I have a poor sense of smell and I sleep like a rock. I also don't snore and my BO never hits critical mass, and all my stuff is wool. I often share tents with friends, friends of friends, my brothers, and I wouldn't be opposed to bunking with a stranger.

I just have more important things to worry about than an invisible personal space bubble. Trail time is about getting rid of worries. But to each their own!

[EndoftheTrail]

My modus operandus is to carry all my stuff myself — no sharing. But I did have to share my tent with another hiker once — and it really wasn't bad. Neither of us smelled. If anything, I was the snorer (but he was in no position to complain). :)

[Kattt]

"I'll share anything. Food, space, stories, tents, toothbrushes….

I have a poor sense of smell and I sleep like a rock. I also don't snore and my BO never hits critical mass, and all my stuff is wool. I often share tents with friends, friends of friends, my brothers, and I wouldn't be opposed to bunking with a stranger.

I just have more important things to worry about than an invisible personal space bubble. Trail time is about getting rid of worries. But to each their own!
"

I have a great sense of smell and sleep like a rock in my hammock when I don't hear someone snore or smell them getting close to critical mass.
I don't have anything more important to worry about than my personal space bubble.
Trail time is about the outdoors and the sounds and smells that come with it.

[Anonymous]

"Also, hard to fit two in a hammock."

Ask around in the Hispanic community about a Yucatecan "matrimonial" hamaca. They're designed for wo people and are wonderfully comfortable

[Andre Buhot]

For me I'll happily share equipment but I use my own shelter.

[Dena Kelley]

I, too, prefer to not share my shelter except with my DH. He's not into backpacking, so all my trips for the past few years have been with an all-ladies Meetup group. We share some gear, but so far everyone has used their own individual shelters and no one complains.

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