What is your bug solution?

[Kyle Tayler]

I am a little bewildered by the options out there for keeping bugs away in a tarp. I was initially looking for something that I could transition between a ground tarp and hammock tarp set up but I haven't found a perfect fit there. I would like being able to go without bug protection in the shoulder season when the flying bloodsuckers aren't an issue.

I may pick up a lighter tarp but right now I have an integral designs Siltarp 3 10×12 that I got cheap and will work for my hammock too.

So denizens of the tarp. What do you wish you knew before you started spending money on this stuff? What is your go to bug solution for tarp shelters? Do you prefer an attached floor bug tent, just a net, bug bivy or some alternative I haven't considered. I really appreciate any advice, reviews or suggestions. I'm off for a shakedown trek with a new pack.

[R Banks]

Wear a hat, head net, and a windshirt with a hood over it. Wear some ear plugs to bed if they're annoying

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/ultralight_headnet.html#.Uzhd_Xm9LCQ

[Christian Denniston]

I prefer a bug shelter such as the MLD Innernet with my duomid however I also use my Borah Gear Bug Bivy if I am using a flat tarp, want to go lighter, or will be sleeping in shelters. I figure if bug protection is needed it only makes sense to go with something fully enclosed, although the Sea to Summit Nano Pyramid Net has my interest at only 2.9oz.

[todd]

A Serenity Net Tent (SMD) or Bug Bivy (MLD).

SMD offers more space, MLD is lighter. Both are easy to get into and easy to set up. Full protection from ground, not just flying, critters.

[Ozzy McKinney]

Ticks are as big of an issue here as mosquitoes, so I'm a "fully enclosed" fan. I friend of mine is making a bug "tube" out of netting, basically a netting tube with drawstring closures at each end, to use over a hammock or as a bug bivy on the ground, if that fits your criteria.

[Randy Martin]

MLD Bug Bivy if weight is of prime importance. Currently I own the YAMA Mountain Gear Bug shelter 1.0 and prefer the extra room it offers. I have owned/used both under my SpinnTwinn and highly recommend them. I have also tried but do not like traditional bivy sacks where netting is right up in your face and are too small for those of us that move around at night.

[Owen McMurrey]

I'd go with a bug bivy if I used a tarp here in the South. If it wasn't so warm, I'd consider just a cap with a bill under a headnet with a bag, but there's not much of a "spring"(30s and saw some snow this past week, 58F forecast for the low when I'm out this week).
Since I use a TT Notch, the innernet will go back in this week, and stay there through early fall unless we get some more cool weather.

Hope you enjoy your new pack!

[Brian Johns]

i use the Serenity (old non bath-tub version) for both my duo-mid and my hexamid. It fits perfect for both. But outside of summers, i prefer to bring only a bathtub floor and a headnet if necessary. On occasion I use a Borah Bivy, but for me, if it's bug weather, it's usually a little too warm for the bivy. So SMD or I wing it.

[josh wagner]

this is what i use with my hammock. i don't see why it wouldn't work on the ground as well (lord knows why you want to go to ground!)

http://www.dream-hammock.com/BugSock.html

[Derrick White]

I purchased the S2S nano bug net because at 2.9oz for a fullsize inner bug net, albeit without a floor, which still works fine with a groundsheet or bathtub floor,I couldn't pass it up.

My companion and I took one each on a wilderness trip that took a toll on lots of gear and both nets came through with no issues.

Light and functional.

[DGoggins]

Ok, I have until tomorrow before the 20% rei coupon ends.

I definitely want to get and try out the new Nano bug pyramids….I've not had a problem yet with noseeums, just mosquitos here in Idaho/Utah.

My main intention is to use the bug netting under a supermid size pyramid tarp. The supermid will have probably 3 users. Then, I plan on cowboy camping with the net….I think the net is too tall to use a trekking pole to prop it up and out, right? Probably have to sleep under a tree branch?

Anyway, the main issue of concern is the stated width. The single shows that it is 87X48, double is 94×66.

48" wide for a solo inner? The "useable" size of something like a supermid is 90×90….so that single is going to take more than half of that space?

Basically, at 48" wide, that should handle 2 adults….that is even wider than the pyranet that I just sold -> http://bearpawwd.com/shelters_floors/shelter_floors_images/pyranet1/dpyranet1_8.jpg

@Derrick, you used yours in an Ultamid 2, right? Did Sea to Summit just do some weird width measurements on it, or ? I'm hoping that a single net will be around 25" and then the extra material tucked under the mat.

I'm really wanting the double size to work….take out the pole and its .5 oz heavier…but its width is 66"!

The original plan is to use a double on one side of the supermid…tie one side of the double with some shock cord to my trekking pole, and the other side to a high up gear loop on the wall.

[DGoggins]

Or….from this post ->

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=81214

Came this pic ->

A duomid is 60" wide….from that picture, I can't tell how much the pole is slanted towards the camera holder….so can't tell how much that single is really taking…

And…I read another post of a nano net user who seemed to use the net without staking it out/attaching it to exterior guylines….to get in and out he just slipped off one corner and pull it over him, which sounds awesome, but doesn't sound like you get can a taut nano net that way.

If you do stake it out, to enter/exit the net, what do you do? Is there enough play to slip out of the middle?

[Nick Gatel]

"Wear a hat, head net, and a windshirt with a hood over it. Wear some ear plugs to bed if they're annoying"

+1

Might need more for Minnesota or Alaska only.

[J Mag]

I just got a borah gear bug bivy off of gear swap and like it a lot more than I thought I would. The silnylon head and bottom will keep splashing rain off and probably gives a good 10 degree temperature boost at a minimum vs. a regular bug net.

Total weight for rain gear and shelter? 20 oz :)

[DGoggins]

Ok, I received my nano nets from REI today …bought both with my 20% off coupon. I started playing around with them in an ultamid 2.

These are just initial pictures….I didn't focus on getting everything nice and taut.

The first thing that I wanted to mention….is that both nets were over the specified weight. The Single, without stuff sack, weighs 3.1 oz instead of 2.9 oz. The double…weighs 4.4 oz netting only…5.6 oz with the pole, which is quite a bit over the stated 4.85 oz. I can live with the single being slightly over, but 3/4s of a oz over on the double? Yikes.

And…to answer my previous questions…yes, the stated widths are correct. So a single really is 48" though useable width is actually a bit less. You can still get two adult pads in there ->

I know what you are thinking…."that looks like garbage". Well, again, I didn't take the time to make it taut. Plus the ridgerests don't have any weight on them and they are on top of grass, still kind of rolled up, etc.

The nano material is actually quite elastic. Once I fully decide what to do when my new shelter comes in (I ordered a cuben supermid), I will sew small grosgrain loops onto the sides of the nano and with shockcord I can increased head room by pulling out the sides a bit. This would be very beneficial for the duo ->

I think its a much better fit here in the inverted V setup of the ultamid 2. I would increase the height a bit (just need a better attachment system for the top…still quite easy), and I would add grosgrain half way up the foot sides for tieouts to the door's buckles for holding back the door. It would really increase the foot space…lots of slack there…it would probably get the entire mesh off your body/quilt.

Of course…if I wasn't sleeping with family, I would probably setup the ultamid with a center pole and have two solo nets. I originally thought the duo net was going to be like 3.6 oz, so only half oz difference between the solo, but at 4.4 I would probably take two singles.

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