Why do women prefer a tent?

>I'm remembering some of my earlier 'cowboy' camping trips as a teenager with my mates in Yosemite
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>As for being a woman, it is well documented that the 'average' woman is less risk-taking and more harm-avoidant than the 'average' male. Nuff said.

I think you're right, but I'm not sure it's strictly connected with a tent is it ?

A snake would have happily crept in through a tent left open on a fine evening, or it would have been stymied by a zipped up sleeping bag or bivy under a tarp.

Similarly being a harm seeking male ;) I could camp out somewhere exposed at 2000m in my Double Rainbow, but my Patrol would take higher wind when tight to the ground. And a floorless pyramid shelter like the MLD Duomid would be better than both.

So (just like people) differences between individuals are more important than whether it's a tarp/floorless/tent/boy/girl.

Snug in my little tent looking out at what the winds brought all night. It was early October.

All I know is that when I'm in unknown territory, I sleep far better in a tent than not. Like the Kakadus, Roger?

My lessoned learned happened back in '86, when I hired a guide to hike me deep into Malaysia's Taman Negara N.P., the most wild of jungle experiences I've had. One morning, after it had, and still was, raining hard (1.5" per hour), we were lying prone and looking out the screened A-frame tent door. We kept hoping the downpour would go away sometime soon so we could start our day. Then we saw it. A 10' python slid toward us out of nowwhere, and it stuck it's nose into the void where we didn't quite have the T-zip door closed. Jalil popped it in the nose and it sort of backed off, enough so we could zip the door closed. That dragon-without-legs could easily have come in while we were sleeping, and I have never been comfortable thinking about that possibility since.

But there's nothing better than sleeping just atop a ground sheet at 11,000' on CO's Continental Divide during a cloud-free Perseid shooter show in August, where/when there are no bugs or critters to mess things up.

Tents or no tents? It depends, doesn't it? Tarps are good, and tents are as well. So is sleeping under the stars, when you can afford it.

Disclaimer: I own 15 tents, and each has it's own purpose. I enjoy them as I do unique hotel rooms, playing with the different amenities–like attics, loops to hang a Photon, door arrangements, views, and interior space for waiting out a storm, etc. Some light, some moderate, a couple that could be called "Hemmingway" tents, which would work for a year based in Africa while one writes his book (Base Camp 6).

I say, whatever is light and serves the purpose is where it's at. Unless you're horse camping or have a couple porters to carry your stuff.

Just watch out for the frightened and territorial baboons that toss coconuts down at you, and of course, the pythons. And I guess also the 14-year olds with hunting rifles.

"I think you're right, but I'm not sure it's strictly connected with a tent is it ?

"A snake would have happily crept in through a tent left open on a fine evening"

Which I never do. I now always at least have some mesh between me and the creepy crawlies (and more importantly live where there are no snakes).

"or it would have been stymied by a zipped up sleeping bag"

My friend's bag was zipped up, just not cinched tight around the neck as the night was not that cold.

"or bivy under a tarp."

Again, this would require complete mummification to keep critters at bay, which is not nice when the weather is fine.

It certainly does come down to personal preference, but it also happens that women more often personally prefer a complete enclosure than men. It's not a sexist comment, just a recognition of one of the many dichotomies bewteen the sexes (in the general sense, not the individual sense where some women really prefer open camping and tarps). To deny general inherent gender differences in personal preferences is going overboard in the direction of political correctness IMHO. Obviously, all women prefer chocolate ice cream to any other flavour ;)

For me, a tent gives me all the options I want in a shelter. I can zip it up tight to keep out weather and crawlies without restricting myself to a fully cinched up sleeping bag or bivy bag, I can keep the dog happy, I can open it up if I'm not worried about insects or other vermin, or in the case of the Double Rainbow I can sleep under one of the rain porches if I want a true 'tarp' feel. I can share it with a loved one in a double quilt without bivy bags or headnets getting in the way.

It's all about Nidification!

Tarp or tent?

Or just a happy camper.

Right now I perfer a tent for several reasons,

1) bugs, bugs, bugs, ants, ants, ants, snakes, snakes, snakes, etc

2) sense of protection, even if its a false sense of security. This is mainly for my boy who's 7.

3) I don't understand how a floorless tarp keeps you out of the water running on the ground

But one thing that hasn't been mentioned here is dew. Around my neck of hte woods, you wake up in the morning and everything is soaked. And if you aren't in an enclosed tent, you are soaked to. With the tent, you are just moisted.

When I did basic at Fort Sill, OK, this wasn't the case. You could be out at night and in the morning everything was dry. Same as when I was in Texas.

Do ya'll tentless guys tent in very humid, dew pronged areas?

>1) bugs, bugs, bugs

I cover up with clothing (which I do anyway in a tent to keep my sleeping bag clean) and use a bug headnet.

> 3) I don't understand how a floorless tarp keeps you out of the water running on the ground

Bivy with waterproof bottom acts like the bottom of a tent. My Soul bivy has bathtub-like sides when you peg it out or clip it to your tarp pegs.

> Do ya'll tentless guys tent in very humid, dew pronged areas?

Under the tarp I'm ok, and inside a bivy it's not an issue that I've found. I wouldn't sleep out in the open (even in a bivy bag) for this reason.

>>Bivy with waterproof bottom acts like the bottom of a tent. My Soul bivy has bathtub-like sides when you peg it out or clip it to your tarp pegs.

A bivy is "tent sleeping bag" correct? What do you do when its to hot to sleep in a bag?

A bivy bag is a protective bag for a sleeping bag, see http://www.mountainlaureldesigns.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=22&products_id=37&osCsid=9ed8db06621297981e9abae67b5cddda. It has no insulation, so if you got out of your sleeping bag inside it you'd be unlikely to overheat (think sleeping under a windshirt).

I only zip mine up in very windy cold/wet weather, so when it's hot I wouldn't really be in the bivy or the sleeping bag, at least not above my waist.

I usually hike in areas with little precipitation. Also, few bugs most of the time. When there are bugs, they don't bother me much, especially with a little DEET. Been sleeping in the deserts and mountains for decades and never had a snake bother me in my bed.

Tarps mostly for rain. Sometimes a single wall tent for rain, with no bathtub. Have camped in light snow with tarps and single wall tents. No problem. In real snow, then it is a double wall tent. But I generally avoid a lot of snow.

It works for me. If it doesn't work for someone else, then whatever they choose is fine with me, and none of my business. There is no right or wrong.

If no rain or snow, then I always sleep in just a bag or quilt. I don't like sleeping in a tent or tarp unless it is necessary. I like to lay on my back and watch the sky until I fall asleep. But then I own a couple telescopes, so maybe I am more interested in the night sky than most.

Bed with a view. Yes that is a heavy pack, but I needed to carry 2 gallons of water.

Overnight temps in the 20F's. Nothing better than watching the sun slide down the red rocks and the interesting shadow formations. When the sun finally cupped my bag and started to warm me up, I got up. I thoroughly enjoy watching the sunrise and slits of light inching towards me. I position my sites to take advantage of this. It is one of my favorite camping pastimes. I can't participate in this morning glory inside a tent.

This shelter allows me to capture and observe the awaking of the sun from the comfort of my bed. I also would have been hard pressed to find a spot where a tent footprint would have fit will all the cactus and rocks. Few areas with enough sand to set up a tent. You will notice the sides of the tarp overhang the plants. Desert plants are fragile, so we need to let them be.

Last resort :)

Holy smokes, i think i'm fragile compared to some of those desert plants…at least I know who'd win in a wrestling match. (Nice pics by the way.)

I use different shelters for different expected conditions. I'm yet to meet someone who will use anything less than a proven mountaineering tent when trekking to the poles or high altitude mountaineering. My wife likes tents, but also floorless shelters, depending on where we camp and in what conditions. She likes to be comfortable and I enjoy making sure that she is…for as little weight penalty as possible.

>> It has no insulation, so if you got out of your sleeping bag inside it you'd be unlikely to overheat (think sleeping under a windshirt).

>>I only zip mine up in very windy cold/wet weather, so when it's hot I wouldn't really be in the bivy or the sleeping bag, at least not above my waist.

I may have to look into this some more. I'm still not convienced I would have luck here without an enclosed tent, however, maybe I can do some backyard experimentation on some weekends.

I think Geoffery Chaucer said it most succinctly in the Wife's Tale of the Canterbury Tales: sovereignty.

Aw, come on guys. You all are talking about why a tarp/bivy or whatever is just fine as far as you're concerned. That has nothing to do with the question, and if you are planning on taking you wife/girlfriend/daughter or whatever along, you really need to bury that machismo stuff and cater for your lady's needs. Three is no way to have a romantic snuggle when the bugs are biting and you're both in bivy bags with a headnet on. Hard for your gal to enjoy eating her dinner through a headnet too. Get real, and get a real tent for those trips (beg/borrow/steal/buy). And face up to the likelyhood you will also be the one carrying the extra weight.

OTOH, if you're going out with one of your male friends for some tough bonding, then feel free to use whatever your little heart desires.

Lynn,

You nailed it!!

:)

Lynn for president.