Summer shelter recommendations?

[Chad Miller]

I’m looking for any recommendations you may have on a good UL single person shelter that can handle higher temps, humidity and evil bugs.

I live and backpacking in northern MN where I can expect summer temps in the 80 to 90F with plenty of mosquitoes and humidity in the 60 to 70% range.

I’m a tall, wide guy; 6’-2”, 24” wide at the shoulders.

I don’t care if the shelter is free standing.

Currently for summer I use a Squall 2 with floor and love it. (34 oz) It allows good air flow for those humid nights while keeping the bugs at bay.

For spring and fall I use an MDL bivy with a tarp. (21 oz) When it gets a bit cooler I love this setup but it’s just too warm for summer use.

Right now the Tarptent Contrail looks promising but I’m wondering if there is something lighter.

Thanks for all your help.

[BlackHatGuy]

On my next trip next weekend I'll be using a BPL nano tarp and an Alpinlite bug bivy. The 1.25 bug bivy should give you enough room, you can pitch with trekking poles if it's nice and you don't need the tarp, and it will allow maximum airflow to try and stay cool, or at least less warm.

With stakes the two together come out to just over a pound. Not the lightest, of course, but nice and comfortable!

[Chad Miller]

Yeah I've used an Alpinlite 1.0 bug bizy and didn't like it at all. Way too small for me and difficult to get in and out of. I suppose the 1.25 could work but at $119 combined with a $300 cuben tarp that's just way too exspensive.

I like to use a larger tarp, say 8' x 10' that normally come in around 12oz. Combine that with the bug bivy at 10.4oz. and I'm nearly at the weight of a TT Contrail.

[Rakesh Malik]

You could get a lightweight tarp and add a bug shelter (e.g. MLD Serenity, Alpinlite bug tent, BearPaw PyraNet, etc). Depending on how much you're willing to spend, you could go whole-hog and get an HMG Echo (pricey, but quite nice, and also versatile). And just to add more choices, there's MLD's Cricket, or Trailstar + bug net, and ZPacks has a pretty slick-looking setup. Of course, he's almost always back-ordered, as is MLD… which is the trade-off for custom work in a lot of cases. I don't know how John at Bear Paw does it.

Which reminds me, BearPaw does make shelter systems that might fit your requirements… and they do a lot of custom work. I ordered a Pyra Net from him right before Memorial Day weekend, and he sent me a shipment notice the following Tuesday. For custom work, that's impressive turnaround, even it hadn't been on a holiday weekend.

[David Ure]

Try the Lightheart Gear:

http://www.lightheartgear.com/LightHeart_Gear/Home.html

Very large solo shelters in sil for around a pound and a half. Good ventilation for summer. If you can swing Cuben, you can get to 14oz.

[Evan McCarthy]

Chad,

I've had success in high heat/humidity with my MLD Superlight (full net hood — this could be the difference) under a tarp. When really hot, I push my quilt or whatever to the side and use the enclosed bivy's top material as my sheet/blanket (silky smooth). In the wee hours I sometimes need to pull the quilt on, but I typically fall asleep pretty comfortable and completely protected from bugs. And as you know with a tarp/bivy you also get to take advantage of breezes better than an enclosed shelter.

Are you sure you need to change your set up too much? Maybe just grab a full net Superlight or Bristlecone?

[Chad Miller]

I have a MDL superlight with a the small net face opening so I'd rather not buy another similar bivy. I mean I'd love to buy another one but my wife would probably burry me in it. :P

I think I'll look into a ligher weight tarp with a bug bivy combo.

[Stephan Doyle]

Hexamid twin tent?

Large enough tarp for a big guy, rain-proof and nice air flow.

There's nothing lighter on the market. It's lighter than your spring/fall setup, so you can converge down to one three season getup.

[BlackHatGuy]

"I like to use a larger tarp, say 8' x 10' that normally come in around 12oz. Combine that with the bug bivy at 10.4oz. and I'm nearly at the weight of a TT Contrail."

Well, yes, but you can't just pitch the mesh of the Contrail without the sil. With the combo, you can just pitch the bug shelter and get fabulous breezes from all sides to help stay cool.

[Edward Z]

Would a hexamid solo with full mesh work for you? Sounds like it'd fit the bill.

[Eric Blumensaadt]

TarpTent makes some of the best ventilated, highest quality tents on the market, and they are made in the U.S.

I had a Contrail but sold it when the Moment came out. To me the Moment is one of the top five of really good solo tents in terms of design. The Moment's 360 deg. venting and high and low venting is about as good as it gets for a tent.

[David Noll]

Chad,
Friday I'm going into the BWCA for 5 days and will be using a GG SpinnTwinn with an Apenlite 2. I'll write up a report as soon as I get back. If I recall from earlier posts Jay Wilkerson uses an Alpenlite 1.25 and he is a very big guy.

[terrance guidetti]

lightheart solong
SMD skyscape

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