Shelter Categories: It’s not just tarps v tents

I always sort of thought tents have floors, tarps not

But that generalization doesn't always work either

I have something I call a tarp – no floor, raised edges, dedicated pole, I can raise center and edges more or less depending on conditions

Andrew,
Make sure you join Hammockforums.net and poke around for the hammock section research. So much there it will make your head spin:)

M

I think your categories are good. Maybe start the chapter with a intro section, basically restating what you said above: there are more choices than ever for the UL hiker (which is good); one must carefully consider the features they need so the shelter is functional for a particular hiker in a particular situation; shelters can be difficult to categorize and there is a lot of overlap between categories BUT here are the general categories . . . .

assuming this isnt some uber technical book for a narrow audience

just keep it simple … yr categories are fine

it is perhaps better to explain the theory behind it before going into the specific types … specifically condensation, protection and utility

books that explain the reasons rather than focusing on categories or products tend to be the "classics" …

of course techniques to maximize the use of each type would add great value … ie how to minimize condensation in single wall tents, when to use a bivy with a tarp … etc …

@ Steven – That's exactly where I'm leaning.

Still not exactly sure how I'll define these categories, however. Some shelters fall into more than one. For example, the GoLite Shrangri-La tarps/canopies are available with a bug nest or a floor. So, with the nest, it's double-wall tent; with just the floor, it's a modular tarp.

Instead of a top-to-bottom review of the categories, the other way to write the chapter is to identify needs. For example, storm protection, bug protection, ventilation and breathability, durability, etc.

Then, after describing those needs, identify the types of shelters that I would use and would not use.

agreed with Matthew.. Andy, a hammock can be single wall shelter (netless hammock and tarp) or a double wall shelter (hammock and bug net, with tarp) or a triple wall shelter (hammock w netting, tarp and a "garlington taco") or just a hammock with none of the above.
seriously, the most versatile shelter available. and obvioulsy, as the thousands who sleep in them will attest, the most comfortable.
it's shocking that the "all knowing" bpl editors and gear testers are scared sh*tless to do a thorough, evidential hammock review. outside of carol's, which was good, but about 4 years behind current tech improvements.

I tend to see a pretty big distinction between "true" winter double wall tents (those with a fairly impermeable inter) as opposed to three season tents consisting of a fly over a bug net. To add confusion, that distinction might be blurred somewhat in tents such as the BA Copper Spur having a large portion of solid nylon with a mesh upper. Or is this just a solid inter with a large top vent? Perhaps it would be sufficient to separate winter tents as a class (regardless of bomber or not).

i think the first 2 paragraphs of that chapter should be your first post. there's nothing wrong with thinking aloud in a book.

that said, perhaps it would be easiest to have your categories, and then simply list 2 products that fit that category. you can talk about the interchangeability at some point…

I'm not sure exactly what you hope to communicate in this chapter of your book (i.e., history, overview, current lay of the land, recommendations, all of the above?), but I think your categories are good. Importantly, you've already hit on a very current point, which is that the lines that historically could be drawn between types of shelters have blurred greatly. Maybe the fact that shelters are not easily categorized is not a problem as you say, but rather just a statement of fact and something to be explored in your chapter on it.

I really like the idea of approaching the subject from the point of view of needs. But if possible, I think examining the subject from both perspectives would be the most practical. Every gear decision we make boils down to a three part process: 1) understand your needs; 2) understand the attributes of your various choices (which could also be called categories); 3) pick the piece of gear with the attributes that most closely meet your needs. That's why I think looking at loose categories, then looking at needs, and to the extent possible, matching those up, would be ideal.

Anyway those are just a couple of thoughts, but this is definitely a challenging subject! Good luck.

Tony

"So maybe the difference is that tents need dedicated poles, and tarps do not? But that's a pretty fine difference, since the bigger concern is about function." (Andrew Skurka)

Function or application is really where the differences become a concern for the end user. I think that approaching the differing designs by illustrating the strengths and weaknesses of each one might help to get readers to think about their own needs and the specific demands of the environments that they will likely use the shelters in.

I guess I'm suggesting that defining the categories may not be as important as defining how best to practically apply the different categories.

Hope I made sense.

Andrew,

I break down tents, tarptents and tarps in the following manner.

Tents – When you purchase a tent, your getting a complete and fully functional shelter. It'll contain everything needed for proper setup. Including tent body (sometimes single wall and sometimes double wall), poles and stakes.

In general a tent requires the least knowedge on the part of the user to get a fully functional shelter.

Tarptents – With a tarptent, you're looking at a shelter that attempts to combine the best aspects of both tarps and tents. Like a tarp, they tend to be more open with lots of ventilation. Since they are single wall, this is a necessary trait to minimize condensation. Unlike tarps they will have some form of netting to keep flying insects at bay. And these days most tarptents have some form of floor.

Structure wise, tarptents maybe setup in multiple ways. These include, using your hiking poles, optional poles or even hung from a tree. In any case which structure you decide to use is left to the user.

Also, tarptents tend to be more picky in terms of site location. This requires additional knowledge on the part of the user to maximize the benifit this shelter has to offer.

Tarps – Traditional tarps were flat and rectangular. Today they show up in all shapes and sizes. As with tarptents, tarp setup is left to the user to decide. Since tarps lack floors, site location is critical. Without netting, using tarps in bug season can be problematic.

Historically what we call a shaped tarp today was called a tent. For hundreds of years tents didn't have floors or even netting. Our idea of a tent, a double wall shelter with floor and structure, is only about 60 years old.

shaped Tarp / NetTent Combo – Here's where we try to push the tarp back into the tent world, but not all the way. Again many people like the protection of double walls. They can be warmer and the inner wall helps keep you away from the condensation soaked canopy.

However, unlike tents, they don't have a defined structure. Again it's up to the user to decide how to best setup the shelter to meet their needs. In addition the outer and inner shelters are designed to be used independently.

While it true that some tents can be used in so called "Fast Pack" mode, many if not most can't. And even if your tent components can be setup independently, you're still stuck using the defined pole setup. I know of no "Fast Pack" mode tents that allow you to also leave your poles behind and use your hiking poles.

Additional thoughts:

In today's world of shelters there's obviously significantly more choices. However, making the right choice frequently requires more involvement and understanding on the part of the purchaser. For new campers, making the best choice from the myriad of options can be a daunting challenge.

"So maybe the difference is that tents need dedicated poles, and tarps do not? But that's a pretty fine difference, since the bigger concern is about function." Andrew.

The difference between a fine line and major gulf is frequently a matter of knowledge. What appears to be inconsequential to an experience hiker maybe overwhelming to someone new to the game.

Bivy (waterproof)-
1. simple (ex., ID south col)
2. pole (ex., ID unishelter)

Tarp (floorless)-
1. flat
2. shaped (ex., MLD solomid)

Hammock-

Tent (sewn floor)-
1. hybrid (ex., early tarptents)
2. single wall (ex., BD eldorado, HS rainbow)- free standing, non-free standing
3. double wall- free standing, non-free standing

tent (noun)
1. a portable shelter of skins, canvas, plastic, or the like, supported by one or more poles or a frame and often secured by ropes fastened to pegs in the ground.

tar·pau·lin   
[tahr-paw-lin, tahr-puh-lin] (noun)
1. a protective covering of canvas or other material waterproofed with tar, paint, or wax.

I like these definitions for "tent" and "tarp" from Dictionary.com. Based on these definitions and my own thoughts on the subject, I'd say that a tarp is one possible (but not even required) piece of a tent. A double-walled tent is still a tent even if you don't use the shaped tarp (AKA rain fly) on a particular evening. A tarp could be used for a great many purposes, but when it is used as part of a portable shelter system, it becomes part of a tent structure.

Categories don't really work very well, because there are limitless configurations of pegs, poles, rope, and coverings (mesh, cloth, plastic, etc) that could be pitched into a tent.

As you mention Andy, shelters really need to be looked at from the prospective of needs. Shelter from a flood isn't a bunker, it's high ground. Shelter from heat isn't a 4-season tent or a railroad car, it's a well vented area with shade… or AC. In certain places, it's more important to just be up off the ground than it is to be covered. As we all well know, sometimes on a clear, windy night a rocky wind break and something to keep your body off the ground is all the shelter you need. On another night, a tent of simple bug netting might be all you really need.

I think it would be great to see a book on backpacking that starts off with needs and then examines the potential ways to meet those needs.

Good luck with your book!

-Tommy

Some more thoughts on "shelter."

I've always thought of shelter in three ways: mobile, semi-mobile, and immobile. We shelter ourselves while on the move with clothing, hats, etc. When we are semi-mobile, we use tents that we can sent-up and then take-down. There are also immobile shelters, both natural and man-made. These immobile shelters can include huts, man-made walls, trees, caves, etc.

Depending on the conditions, we make use of each of these types of shelter.

Figure 1. Continuum of Shelter

Mobile — Semi-mobile — Immobile

I think I have the info I need to write this chapter. Thanks for your thoughts, all.

it's shocking that the "all knowing" bpl editors and gear testers are scared sh*tless to do a thorough, evidential hammock review.

Just curious What makes you say that?

It may be too late, but here are my thoughts:

It depends on how you want to structure your chapter. If you want to list several categories of shelter, and then list several examples underneath it, I think you'll run into trouble. Even with cars, you see publishers running into trouble. Several cars are now called "crossovers" because no one knows what to call something that isn't as rugged as an SUV, but more rugged than a typical car.

If you want to list every type of shelter and then assign it a category, you run into the same problem. You also run into the fact that it will be extremely hard to keep up. At that point, it is like trying to list every band out there. Not only will you struggle with categorization (are they country or rock?) but who makes the cut and who doesn't? Like music (and unlike cars) there are a huge number of shelters, and we get more and more each day. Some of the best seem to come from small makers, which makes it especially difficult.

If you want to talk about shelter principles, then I think you are on the right track. You can talk about different categories without worrying too much about whether a shelter is found in more than one category. For example, you can mention free standing tents. Mention the advantages of that. What about "four season shelters"? Maybe shelters that are especially good for wind (tunnel) as well as snow (dome). I would make sure to emphasize what drove you to this question in the first place: there is a lot of overlap. There are several shelters that aren't quite single wall, but aren't quite double wall either. As you mentioned, a tarp plus bug net combo functions as a double walled tent. Some were designed to work that way, while others can be cobbled together by purchasing from different makers. So, in general, I wouldn't use the word category, but instead something like "feature". "Double wall", "free standing", "good snow loading" are all features, rather than categories. Mentioning some examples and why they exhibit those features would then make it easy to understand the concepts, and be of great value to the reader.

Jason, I'm simply pointing out that the majority, a vast one at that, of shelter reviews rarely, if ever – lends its time to the hammock shelter. Why, then, are editors/reviewers of BPL avoiding a serious shelter that by all stretch of the imagination can hold its own (when rigged, understood, and taken to task properly) against any ground setup? How large must the hanging community be before they take notice?

BPL is quick to review shelters, as you can see that there are many shelter reviews.. but when new hammocking gear is unveiled or improved upon, it is overlooked.

very strange.. as observed by this hanger that there is an exponential amount of converts to hammocks, they are overall ignored on this forum.

I do respect a good tent design. I do respect new directions in tent improvements. I dont, however, feel hammock systems should be left out.

Andy is keen enough to get my point, so he will take what action he wants to either by accepting my input or not. That is his choice.

As Ron wrote:

> The difference between a fine line and major gulf is frequently a matter of
> knowledge. What appears to be inconsequential to an experience hiker maybe
> overwhelming to someone new to the game.

Indeed. Tarps and tents – no clear dividing line.

Cheers

te-wa. Agreed. I just didn't understand the scared comment.

I would love to see an in-depth, unbiased hammock article. Hangers can be a bit evangelical about the whole thing:)). Not sure why BPL hasn't done one yet, but I doubt that there is any conspiracy behind it.

I have often thought about going down the hammock road, as it could work really well in the bush here.

hey Kiwi, I have visited your fantastically beautiful country for 3 weeks. (not enough time!) and I think despite the small availablity of hammock gear down under, there are still many interested parties as I can attest by my customers.
There would be nothing more desirable in my life as to hang my hammock rig along the tracks found in New Zealand.

the 'scared' comment was to invoke a response. its true, people fear what they dont understand. ive heard the comments about how hanging didnt work for me, or it isnt all it's cracked up to be, and usually it was done by someone who was either ill prepared or had a junk rig. a proper rig, as I argue, is as good as any ground setup. mike.

Te-wa, while I don't always agree with what's written by the BPL staff, they do attempt to do so from a point of in-depth experience. One thing I've learned over the years is that experience is not easily gained. If BPL isn't writing about hammocks, it isn't fear. It's probably the lack indepth experience.

To fully understand hammocks, you need to use them over a wide range of environments and conditions over a number of years. If you've got an expert in mind, you might suggest them to the BPL staff.

Ron