perimeter nets

[Jennifer Mitol]

Does no one like these in mosquito-filled places?? seems like such an easy solution in buggy environments where you don't necessarily want to be trapped in a bivy, but could use the entire space of your 'mid or whatever.

So why aren't they more popular??

[Cameron M]

I am just now sewing a net perimeter into my Deschutes tarp with the intention of descending into June Northern Yosemite mosquito hell. I'll report back if I make it out of there alive. It seems like a great 3 oz solution.

[Rick Reno]

Good question!

Maybe just because they're too finicky, or limit your options too much.

I have an 8X10 flat tarp, and made no-see-em mesh triangles so I can pitch it a-frame and cover the ends when it's buggy (in New England where I live, that's basically whenever there's no snow).

I just got a 5' square and cut it on the diagonal to make two pieces. Fits great, and thought the connection is not 100% tight, seems to work.

it would be cool to have more for the perimeter so I wouldn't have to stake the edges right to the ground, but now we're getting into that too-finicky area, at least for me!

[Philip Tschersich]

I had MLD put a perimeter net on my SuperMid when they made it. They sewed 18" of noseeum along the whole outer selvage. I may trim it down since 18" is an insanely wide strip of netting. I would have preferred the net be attached a few inches inside the edge of the 'mid to keep it inside the shelter and a little dry and under control. That's what I'm doing with my Duomid: sewing a continuous 10" strip of noseeum to 1" wide cuben tape and will stick it a few inches up inside the shelter's edge.

[James Marco]

I did try them 15 years ago or so. They made pitching very painful (I was constantly pushing mesh out of the way to stake something,) it didn't work all that well(every gap is begging for a mosquito, not so much blackflies) and the netting was constantly picking up forest duff, water, mud, getting caught on trees & branches and scrub, etc.

Try it, you might find it works better out west. It let in three or four mosquitoes per night. Compared to not having anything, that's good. But, I usually slather my face up with DEET just before bed. I had to do this regardless of the perimeter netting. So, I gave up on the idea. Sounds good, but it only takes one or two mosquitoes to ruin a nights sleep. Spray it with permethrin before you leave, that *might* work.

[Monte Masterson]

I think most people who use mids want to keep the double wall option. It sure is nice to go without a canopy on clear nights. Of course for only 3 oz more you can have the best of both worlds. Just bring along the mid with perimeter and the innernet.
Another problem with the perimeter net is that the canopy has to be closed in order for the shelter to be insect proof, much like the new Dechutes Plus. Or unless you have the whole entryway netted with a sewn in zipper.
And a closed canopy would potentially make things very hot and a magnet for condensation. Nor does it give you a view to the outside. But that could all be remedied with a 2 oz 3.5' X 5' rectangular piece of .50 no-seeum attached to the entrance with Velcro, binder clips, etc.
Personally, if I wanted a mid like you're describing I'd buy an Altaplex. Not a true pyramid but close enough.

[Franco Darioli]

There are shelters that have perimeter net between the fly and the floor (yes I have seen them…)
Now, if not set up as they should , or ,sometime, on uneven ground, part of the net will touch the ground.
People complain about that.

Here we want to deliberately have the net touching the ground and all around the tent at that.
Then we have (or had) shelters that have a net as the tent floor.

Who knows what's right.

[Mark Ries]

I love my wild oasis with perimeter net… I just can't find it anymore, its around here someplace. I really don't find it finicky or in the way SMD does a good job with this. If needed my poncho becomes my ground sheet.

[Cameron M]

Good points Monte and I might add in some netting to keep at least one flap open for air. I decided to go the perimeter route as it encloses a much larger area than a personal net tent, allows refuge for a second person, and also some vestibule area for cooking. I don't use DEET anymore and if bugs are bad I just want to totally escape.

"I love my wild oasis with perimeter net… I just can't find it anymore, its around here someplace."
It appears to have been replaced by the Deschutes Plus.

[George F]

I used a SMD Wild Oasis on my PCT thru. It is a good concept and worked but I found myself wishing for more ventilation on hot buggy nights, and a bit more room (fixed with the Deschutes Plus). It seems this could be a problem with any shelter relying on perimeter netting for ventilation. I ended up figuring out a hybrid design that works well for me. While it doesn't have the same sort of flexibility as a flat tarp in use it has a lot of variability and answers the compromise between ventilation and shelter fairly well.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=97293

[Cameron M]

I attach photos of a modified 2014 model Deschutes. I added 12" of net around the sides, and at the front made a full triangle of net that is attached along the inside seams of the front of the tarp; it is big enough to angle outwards and not just be a flat plane. This is different approach than the Wild Oasis and Deschutes Plus in that it allows the doors to be attached fully open, while still creating a very comfortable triangle vestibule for cooking. The front net can also be rolled up out of the way. I just walked sections I and part of J of the PCT with it, with the bug count increasing every day; it does work very well with mosquitos, you just have to make sure that the perimeter is touching the ground, which is more challenging with grasses or unevenness. For ants or rodents, you might still want a fully enclosed tent floor. The netting added 4.5 oz. The grid of the attached drawing indicates inches, and is sized for the 63" netting that Zpacks sells. BTW the net is NOT attached to the doors; I don't have a picture of the door flaps closed, only open.

[monkey]

After long deliberation we decided to go for a perimeter net on our new mid. Here in UK the weather usually doesn't freeze so hopefully we'll avoid tearing the net if we are careful (and if the dogs don't discover a convenient way out)

We considered a net insert for just the sleeping area behind the pole (i.e. a 2-person insert in a 4-person mid). But that will not solve the bug problem if we want to hang out in the tent before going to bed, while cooking etc. On the other hand, a full net insert would limit the available space in the mid too much – again not good if we want to hang out and enjoy that "palace" feeling! Plus full inserts are awfully heavy.

So we decided on a perimeter, and we'll be making a separate net triangle of the size to match the mid's front panel (where the doors are). If this idea works out right, on hot nights we'll be able to open one or both doors and stretch the netting triangle across using bungee cords at three attachment points: the peak loop, and the corners of the right and left panels.

Weight wise the perimeter netting + door triangle should be similar to a sleeping-area-only insert. As a bonus the door triangle could then also be multi-used as a bug protection when sleeping in bothys, by suspending it over our heads.

[Inaki Diaz de Etura]

I added a 9" perimeter net to a Hex3 being aware of all the pros and cons as already commented throughout the thread and the balance has been positive. 9" is pretty narrow so getting a good seal needs a low-ish pitch and maybe some gear to hold everything closed, specially if vegetation lifts the net. It holds most bugs out. Making it narrow was fully intentional so it was light (4.5 oz) and wouldn't pick stuff up or get caught on it.

An odd thing with mosquitos and pyramids is that they tend to gather at the apex. I've spent nights with some mosquitos inside the mid without being bothered at all. Don't know if this is an argument pro or con regarding the net though.

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