A question for tarp campers

[Damien Tougas]

I am in the process of evaluating shelter options for backpacking with my family of 5. One possible option I have come up with that looks somewhat appealing to me is purchasing a Hilleberg Nallo 4 GT. The GT has a huge vestibule. What I am thinking is that I would put my wife and kids in the tent, and I would sleep in the vestibule in a bivy. We would get the best of both worlds, my wife and kids wouldn't have to deal with a floorless shelter and I would get to sleep under a tarp. The floorplan of the tent is here:

My question for you tarp campers is this: is 83" (the width of the vestibule) going to be long enough for me in a bivy? I am relatively short (5'7"), but I am concerned that I might be too close to the sides of the shelter. Any thoughts?

[Brad Groves]

I think the tent would be an awesome choice for you. Personally, I wouldn't be concerned about the width– 83" – 67" gives you 16 inches to play. If you assume that the walls slope in 4 inches from ground to your supine head and feet height, you'd still have 8 inches of space. And with this tent, I'm pretty sure you won't have that much slope…

[Diplomatic Mike]

The only 'problem' i can see is with condensation. With 5 people in there, it could be significant. But as you're using a bivvy bag, it should be a manageable one.

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