Tent for AT

For a simple, lightweight, bug proof system, I'd go with a side entry single wall tent that you can get in and out of during a rain storm and not get your gear wet, like a Zpacks Hexamidwhatever or a SMD Lunar Solo.

#ERROR!

I would agree that the Zpacks offerings would be nice on the AT. I also think you'd be fine with just a simple cuben tarp. Especially if you are planning to stay in shelters a lot, I would pare down my shelter to something pretty light. I usually carry a headnet only (no bug shelter)for AT trips and I have never really needed to use it.

I think that a light cuben tarp and bug bivy or netting inner would be good if you don't mind spending the extra money. Note that even tarp advocate Ray Jardine used a netting enclosure when he hiked the AT. Of course, he also preferred to stealth camp rather than in a shelter. Ticks are the most dangerous creature out there. If it were me, I'd use a silnylon tarp and netting inner, or just bring my BA Copper Spur (like the Fly Creek, but 8 oz heavier and side-entry). I also prefer not to stay in shelters.

I am headed to the AT next spring as well. Your tent will work fine if you are willing to carry it. Expect shelters to be heavily used early on. I have been trying to decide between a SMD Lunar Solo and a cuben Yama Mountain 1p Cirriform tarp and net tent. More room in the Lunar solo and easier side entry. Less room needed to pitch the Cirriform as well as slightly lighter. (~4 oz.) Bug net could be used separately if needed. I also like the openness of tarps. You can't go wrong with any of the suggested options, it's just a function of the attributes you prefer and what you want to spend. Weight matters, but so does using what you are comfortable with.

I hate AT shelters except when in human-habituated bear country. Then a shelter with a chain door is comforting. I'd recommend the Tarptent Moment DW with the mesh inner. I have the ripstop inner B/C I also use it for winter. This is a light, "roomy" (for a solo tent) and very secure tent in windstorms. It's so easy and fast to set up and take down. Plus it's reasonably priced and made in USA in Nevada City, California. Customer service is outstanding. You also could look at their single wall tents. I had a Contrail but like the Moment better so I sold the Contrail.

From what i've heard and to a lesser extent have seen, AT shelters can fill up pretty quick if you're doing a thru hike during the typical seasons that most do them. Also, they are notorious for mice. After having some scamper over me a couple times, i decided i didn't much like them. I did stay in one last winter during a polar vortex/extreme cold period because i was the only person out there at the time, and heard a pack of coyotes pretty close and decided top bunk might be a good idea.

"You also could look at their single wall tents. I had a Contrail but like the Moment better so I sold the Contrail." The updated Contrail, called ProTrail, is still cost ($209) and weigh competitive (26 oz*) if one has to buy a tarp and a bug inner/bivy, and now has no struts built in, so one can fold and roll or just stuff it in. Probably easier to set up too . This is how I do it : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lLF6l-5BPs *if you use trekking poles otherwise you need to add about 4 oz but you can also tie it out to trees 9no poles) if you have too. franco@tarptent

I'll be the person to ask: have you considered hammocks? E.g. War bonnet blackbird

Lots of thru's use the BA Fly Creek or Copper Spur. Double wall and pretty lightweight for a traditional tent. My shelter of choice on the AT is a cuben tarp and net inner, but the Zpacks offerings are also very good. Either of those would be my first choice. Everyone develops their own opinion of shelters. Personally, I like to camp near them for the social aspect, but not in them due to mice, snoring campers, and the "ick" factor. Nice when it downpours though. Ryan

Hammocks- I don't like them, so they're out. Whomever sent me info about the tarptent moment, it's not letting me reply, but no way I'd be interested- it's heavier than what I have! The point of a switch would be to save a good deal of weight. I don't have any other complaints about the FlyCreek, just that it could weigh less (it's still obviously light!) The thing I worry about the single walls is would they wet out. I'm guessing with the cuben shelters that's not so much an issue. Thanks for everyone's comments!

The BA Fly Creek was a very popular choice when I thru-hiked in 2011. A big thing to consider when thru-hiker is ease of setup. I took a tarp and net tent and it was a bit of a pain to pitch, especially when there wasn't a big spot. If your shelter is a pain to pitch, you'll end up sleeping in the shelters anyway. That's one advantage of your current tent. I would really hesitate to use a shelter that relies on two trekking poles on a thru-hike. I used four poles on my trip, and they all broke at some point. I finished my hike with two duck taped poles which I wouldn't have trusted to hole up my shelter every night. It sounds like one thing you're worried about is the availability of shelters. Having hiked in the high season, I can say that from my experience, the shelters were busy at the very beginning, but they cleared out pretty darn quickly. I met a guy who thru-hiked without ever pitching his poncho trap. I'd be more concerned with wanting to get away from people every now and then. Hope that helps.

"The thing I worry about the single walls is would they wet out. I'm guessing with the cuben shelters that's not so much an issue." That's a whole other topic altogether but there's no free lunch when it comes to moisture management in a shelter. My daughter and I slept through a rain storm in a Hexamid Twin on the Wonderland. The condensation was so bad that when a rain drop hit the shelter, the energy transfer through the fabric made it feel like we were under a mister. Needless to say, my bandana worked overtime that night and I suspect I could've filled a few water bottles with what I wrung out over the night. Some people who have silnylon shelters complain of it misting through but I suspect in many of these cases, what they were experiencing was mist from water that formed inside the shelter and was knocked onto them. Just a suspicion. But that was one night. I've spent many nights in my Hexamid before and after this, including in rainstorms, where I didn't have this problem. That particular night was one where there was a perfect storm between temperature, precipitation, and humidity which created an mildly unpleasant experience. I wouldn't hesitate to take my Zpacks Twin on the AT. But the upside is that I could actually wipe down the inside, whereas if I were in a double wall, I would've been SOL. BUT, the people in the campsite next to us who were sleeping in a Fly Creek 1 and the other in a Fly Creek 2, had no real issues with condensation.

Being a Tarptent fanboy I gotta agree with Franco on the TT ProTrail. If I were to thru-hike the AT that's what's want (if I couldn't afford a SMD Cuben Skyscape X tent.) The ProTrail a single wall with netting ONLY at the foot end and near the floor. That means the whole thing will weigh less than a silnylon tarp and net inner tent W/floor. From all this you can easily see that I'm a tenter, not a taper or hammocker.

At just a few ounces lighter than a fly creek UL1, the protrail does not compare, in my opinion. It won't be as storm worthy (not as tight, not as aerodynamic, etc) and you best bring the extra pole in case you are hard on trekking poles.

I typically use a tarp and ground cloth in order to keep from overheating, and to make it easy to work out of when it's muddy and raining. Ie: I like to pitch my tarp high so I don't have to crawl in. And I like a huge plastic ground cloth since then I have someplace to set things when the ground is all muddy. But there has been many times I've wished for bug netting. Never once did I need to worry about storm worthiness and wind resistance. The AT is not called th long green tunnel for nothing :) I see lots of SMD lunar solos too. But I think it's popular because it lacks up so small. I see a fair number of hammocks. I don't see hardly any tarps without hammocks though…

Thanks all.  I think I’m just going to go with my modded Fly Creek (basically, lose stuff bags and half the stakes, replace rest with titanium) unless I can score a sweet cuben deal (not likely but who knows) or I get lots of $$ from nowhere (also not likely).  Doesn’t seem worth the hassle to switch something that’s working unless it’s a huge weight savings.

well………

if there’s any way to afford it, check out the Zpacks solplex.  not sure there’s a lighter, more compact fully bug-proof shelter out there.  I used one on the JMT last year and it couldn’t have been easier.  for all of 16 oz, including stuff sacks, guy lines and stakes.

Dawn,  Take a look at the Nemo Hornet 1P.  I saw this tent for my first time on the PCT last year and bought one recently.  Its basically a side entry Fly Creek.

Isn’t the weight of the nemo basically the same?  It says 2lb on the site trail weight, my fly Creek was 2 lbs 1oz I believe.

If you are hiking South to North you may want to come to the Appalachian Trail Kickoff that will be held at Amicalola Falls State Park March 4-6

I won’t be returning to the US until about a week before my thru unfortunately.  Prolly end March start.