Tent Decision Help Please

It really depends on how comfortable you want to be. Your gonna be pretty cramped sleeping in a bivy with a dog, although it is probably possible.

Also, if you have never slept if a bivy before, expect condensation, and the dog will only make it worse. I know the nemo fabric is supposed to be breathable, but in your situation, life in the bivy will probably be tough at best.

I would recommend looking into a tent.

+1

Getting into a bivy in the pouring rain with a soaking wet dog. No thanks. I'd take a small floorless fully enclosing tarptent and a towel to dry the dog with while I'm sat under cover. Something like a golite Hut 1 will make it easier to keep your bag dry and keep the dog comfortable in the vestibule.

I agree, get a floorless tent. Ive got the Appytrails MArk III for the exact same reason, me and a big dog (150 lb) to share. Its huge, 50 sq ft. Its hard to beat for 100 bucks and way under 2 pounds. Check it out. appytrails.com

He doesn't like laying on the heated floors in my kitchen let alone laying on the dirt.

With all the moisture here and the potential tick issues thats just not going to work out.

Good poiny about wet dog and Bivy though, making me feel like I need to go the other route. I'm going to give Nemo a call.

How about the Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2? The heavily sloped side walls make it non-livable for two, but it would be great for one person and a dog and it weighs in around 2.3lbs.

That's not a bad idea. Too bad REI doesn't have any in stock…

I'm trying to take advantage of this 20% off they have before 18th and use my dividend.

>He doesn't like laying on the heated floors in my kitchen let alone laying on the dirt.

So if the dog doesnt like getting down and dirty, why does he go hiking with you? The good thing about floorless tents is that you can drag out the ground cloth and shake it out when the dog drags in the dirt.

I'd suggest a cheap CCF pad trimmed down for your dog. Even my very hairy Lab/Golden cross needs some insulation underneath! I carry my dog's pad (to pad the back of my SMD Comet pack), but he carries the equivalent in weight of my stuff to make up for it. He also carries a lightweight fleece jacket. Even with all his hair, he's an indoor dog at home, and starts shivering when the temp gets to the low 30's F. A thin-haired dog like a Pit definitely requires some insulation!

With 70 lbs. of dog (almost as big as mine), you need at least a 1 1/2 person tent, if not a 2-person. A one-person shelter is designed for one set of lungs and will not have enough ventilation for you plus the dog, never mind the room!

You don't need a floorless tent with a dog if you keep his nails clipped regularly (I trim my dog's twice a month) and have him carry a packtowel in his pack to wipe him off before he comes inside. A small comb helps, too, to remove any ticks and, in the case of my dog, lots of shedding hair. I used a Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo–with the extra lightweight floor–for my dog and me for two summers and had no problems at all with dog claws vs. floor. We did, however, have lots of condensation, which turned into a monsoon when my dog started the dreaded Labrador tail-wag in the morning. That's why I sold it and got a bigger tent!

I inevitably find that discount coupons (regardless of store) don't work for me because the store never has the item I need in stock! Better to get the shelter that fits your needs and let the coupon go. There is a 20% off coupon sale also going on at backcountry.com; you might want to check there (see the Gear Deals section of this forum).

Scott he has this weird issue with laying down on cold/glossy surfaces. He loves camping. I'd say that's his one true thrill in life.

He sleeps on a get this *inflatable* REI Doggy Dream Bed. in a size small.

Thanks for the heads up on the deals there.

I've thought about getting a Hilight 2 today. But hate the idea of seam sealing and it's trail weight is almost 4lbs at that point.

If I used trecking poles I'd go for something like a Meta 1P.

I can't believe there's no single wall little bomber tent out there for a guy and his dog at 2.5lbs packed weight.

I'm really leaning towards this non breathable 20D waterproof Nemo Nano Elite.

2.5lbs trail weight.

OR Nighthaven?

Rog,

Thanks for that, definitely like the concept. I just need to maybe make the mental switch to using trecking poles.

Carbon fibre golf club shafts cut into useful lengths as pole sections/pack frame. 4oz for two poles for the nighthaven will be plenty stong. Go for medium flex driver shafts. You can often pick them up with damaged ends from golf club repair centres for peanuts.

GoLite shangri-la 1 or 2, even w/nest & floor. MSR Carbon Reflex. BA Seedhouse Sl. If you can't find something at REI, a Big Sky Evolution 1P. All in the 2-3 pound range.

I don't say this to be rude in any way, but have you slept with your dog in a tent? Even in a double-wall my fly is usually SOAKED in the morning (I do have 2 german shepherds). Lotsa extra moisture from even a dry dog, all that panting and such. I can't fathom a non-breathable single wall tent with a big dog. People do it, I know, but…

Hey Brad,

Thanks for the info. Yeah my dog and I camp all the time. We usually all fit in to our Nemo Nano (my GF, me, dog). No condensation issues ever. We actually also just picked up a Nemo Morpho AR I'll be using that this summer on my Ducati trip around the US.

But I'm thinking I can easily ditch 2.5/3lbs by getting a tent that will just work for myself and dog for those weekends I go up with the boys/alone and leave the GF at home.

"Ducati trip around the US."

Tell us more!

Alex-"I can't believe there's no single wall little bomber tent out there for a guy and his dog at 2.5lbs packed weight."

Of course there are, plenty of them, but I thought you were trying to use up a 20% off coupon at REI! IMHO, the good tents, especially single-wall, nearly all come from the cottage manufacturers, not the big nation-wide traditional gear dealers.

For a couple of years I used a Tarptent Squall 2 (34 oz. including stakes but not pole if you don't use trekking poles) which is palatial for one human plus dog, plenty roomy enough for two humans plus dog, and so well ventilated that internal condensation (even during an Olympic coast drizzle) is a real rarity. In fact, the only time I've had inside condensation was when I pitched it in the middle of a meadow on a below-freezing night, and that was just a bit of frost up by the ridgeline. I still use it for taking out grandkids (one at a time)! Tarptent sells poles for it if you're not a trekking pole user, probably another 1 1/2 oz. for two of them as they recommend.

Then, in my quest for less weight on my aging knees and feet, I tried something lighter just for dog plus me, namely the aforementioned Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo, about 26 oz. with stakes but not pole, unfortunately too small and definitely not well-enough ventilated. My current tent is the lovely but pricey Tarptent/Gossamer Gear Squall Classic (designed by Tarptent, sewn and sold by GG, same weight as the Lunar Solo), perfect size for me plus 80-lb. dog, enough room so we don't feel squashed when confined to tent by a cloudburst. Although theoretically a 2-person tent, IMHO it's more like a 1 1/2 person tent. I wouldn't recommend it for two adults unless they want to be really cozy together. Only one can sit up at a time (not a problem with my dog and me). You could also try the Tarptent Contrail –lots of those going on sale used right now as everyone who had one seems to be getting the Moment. (I did some calculating and the Moment, while more streamlined, is just too small to include the dog unless it's a very small one!) I know several people who share their Contrails with their 70-90 lb. dogs. Or the Tarptent Rainbow which is a 1 1/2 person tent, a little heavier than the Squall 2 but doesn't require a trekking pole, has more interior space and can be rigged to be free-standing, if you want that.

By the way, the dog wasn't with me on the Olympic coast (Shi-Shi Beach), obviously, but my then 8-year-old grandson was!