Quest for perfect shelter system for 3 week solo JMT starting in late July

Still looking at ZPacks for my expensive/two-person options. But I think I might put that off for a while to see what come out this spring…

On cheaper/solo options targeted specifically for my trip: I'm leaning away from Wild Oasis for fear of having fine weather but horrible mosquitoes for an extended period (thanks for the head-up stephan q, but I'll pass for now…).

I was trying to do a fair comparison between Sea to Summit Nano plus ground sheet versus Serenity NetTent ($90 at the moment). I'm guessing very similar weight. The Nano has more sq feet technically speaking but is 3" shorter, so I suspect Serenity would "feel" bigger. Other advantages of Serenity over Nano+groundsheet are bathtub walls and better pairing with tarp (specifically, the newer 2014 Deschutes; I haven't found any reviews on this but it looks good). All this assumes that I'm willing to sleep *on* the Serenity net when conditions permit, but I've kinda convinced myself that that's a fine idea.

I'm 5' 10" tall and the S2S Nano Solo is long enough for me, but it has to be pitched just right. I use my trekking pole extended to 50" and simply put it under the peak of the net. Then I tie it off from the outside of the peak using 1 guyline and 1 stake. The real trick of it all is to tie 2' long spectra lines to 3 of the tie-outs. Then instead of using stakes, tie to rocks, works way better and allows for easy adjustment. You have to play around with the Nano to get it to work, but when you do you'll love it.

The SMD Deschutes Tarp and Serenity does look good if you don't mind something that weighs 26+ oz total (with stakes and guylines). And remember the Serenity is very small, whereas the S2S Nano properly pitched is way roomier.

If price is a concern, look into pairing the Nano up with a Brooks Range Ultralight Mini Guide tarp… weighs 10.3 oz seam-sealed and measures about 6.5' wide by 8.7' long with a whole bunch of tieouts. Can be found on sale for about $100 and is a little lighter than 30d nylon.

I think if your primary focus is cowboy-camping, a combination of floorless shelter (Tarp, mid or whatever) with a water-resistant und bugproof bivy is ideal for most conditions.
– In bugless nights, you can just leave the hood open and there's no mesh on your face (at least true for my TiGoat Ptarmigan bivy, but I suppose also for many other models).
– If there are some bugs, you can still cowboy-camp and enjoy the view, although impaired by the netting. If the netting on your face bothers you, most bivys have tie out points on the netting, so that you can get the mesh off your face with help of a tree, a pack or trekking poles. With a tent, you would be forced to sleep inside the tent in this situation – the bivy allows you to cowboycamp.
– Another advantage: If you wake up in a light drizzle, the bivy, although not waterproof, will protect your bag for the few minutes it takes you to set your shelter up.

The only disadvantage I can think of: If there are so many bugs that you don't only need bug-protection for sleeping but also for eating or hanging around before bedtime, a bivy is pretty small and not very comfortable.

Personally, I don't really like the other options: With something like the hexamid tent, I would hate the bugnetting catching all the dirt. That being said, I never tried one out.
With tarptents, it always bugs me that I carry more weight than necessary most of the time. I seldomly need a full bathtub floor and sometimes not even bug protection. Yet, a tarptent forces you to carry everything with you at all times. The upside is: Everything is in one package and setup is as simple as it gets.
A floorless shelter on the other hand lets you combine items as necessary for each individual trip. No bugs expected? Just bring the shelter and some polycro as groundsheet. Some bugs? Bring a bug-bivy. A hell lot of bugs? Bring an innernet such as MLD Serenity.

Another (personal) aspect that might also apply to you is that tarptents have a pretty 'tenty' feeling. I feel very cocooned and cut off from the outside world. I much prefer seeing what is happening around me. Bivying and tarping does that for me. I feel much more connected with nature. Or to say it in the words of Alastair Humphreys: "In a tent you are basically in a rubbish version of indoors. In a bivvy bag you really are outside. You feel the breeze on your face, look up at the stars before you sleep and sit up to a brilliant view in the morning."
As I said, this is my personal opinion, your experience might differ.

I think if your primary focus is cowboy-camping is not bringing a tent or tarp.

Get a large size ground sheet from GG.

"If" it rains, just fold the other half over you.
You can support a stick a few feet up and have the ground sheet tied to it so it stays off your face.

The most shelter I've brought on the JMT with me is a small GG ground cloth (with 3.5 ounce bivy) and just put the ground cloth over me when it rained. Works great.

"Get a large size ground sheet from GG.
"If" it rains, just fold the other half over you.
You can support a stick a few feet up and have the ground sheet tied to it so it stays off your face."

+1

For years I only carried an 8 x 12 plastic groundsheet, and a square yard of mosquito netting for my head. In the Sierra at the time you are traveling, it rarely rains, and if you get a little wet, no big deal, you will dry out instantly the next day.

That said, now that I am older and can afford better stuff, I kit up a bit more. I don't know, maybe mosquitos are worse than they used to be, and water is wetter. Or it could just be me.

As I posted in OP, I've done it already. Except it was a not-so-UL and somewhat leaky car tarp. Now, if I was still 20 and poor, I might want to discuss this option further. Frankly, I think rolling up burrito-style in a groundsheet makes more sense than a bivy. Better ventilation at feet and head, better rain protection, cheaper, simpler, easier to get in and out of. (Seriously, I don't know what I'm talking about. The bivy folk surely think I'm a troll now…)

But I'm a Fair-Weather Cowboy nowadays. I'll happily carry 1 lb. more for a comfortable escape when conditions are less than perfect.

OK, I was going to do some careful weight / price comparisons targeted specifically for other FWCs like myself (if there are any). But if folks think JMT has been done to death I'll leave it alone…

There is no perfect shelter

Almost anything will work

Sierras in summer is the most forgiving backpacking environment around usually.

Its all personal preference.

The bottom line, is how much weight you want to carry.

To comment on your question about the Deschutes tarp, I used it this summer and liked it a lot. It is on sale at SMD now for $125. I am 6'1" and I don't think I would like smaller (wild oasis). Super easy and fast to erect, adjustable for a variety of site conditions, and with it raised high I was able to fit two people underneath, feels spacious, feels open to outside with flaps up. I sleep under the stars, down bag, and on questionable nights, I erected it, then pulled out the pole and slept on top of it, with it ready to be re-erected in seconds.

" it rarely rains, and if you get a little wet, no big deal, you will dry out instantly the next day. "

Well.. that could give someone the wrong impression.
Certainly rain is much less likely on average in the summer in the Sierra that may other places… but to say it 'rarely' rains… hmmm…. sure there are certain summers where it rarely rains… but there are other summers where it rains a lot… you just can't know that ahead of time. On a week backpack I would take more of a change with less rain protection than I would on a 3 week trip.

Further, drying out the next day, is NOT 'instantly'. You can be pretty cold and miserable being wet over night.

Billy

Thanks Camaron! There's no reviews on it and it's been hard to find pictures. Website indicates that either this or Serenity Net (or both) were modified to work together. Presently $215 for both with combined discounts ($40 off and $30 off at the moment). I guess probably combined weight is 26 oz with 6 stakes and line — no groundsheet needed if I use Serenity as the groundsheet.

There are lighter & roomier options, but for a heck of a lot more money. And I guess it might have been hard to pitch a Hexamid in the space pictured above (?).

EDIT: Not to complain or anything but my use of "perfect" in the thread title was meant to be ironic. I thought that was clear in post. And to the extent that there might be such a thing, the perfection is meant to be for me, not for you all…

+1 on Billy Ray's comments. the last two summers I've experienced torrential rains in the Sierra. And it lasted for days. Monsoonal moisture coming in from the east side of the Sierra in particular can result in just epic lightning storms that can last all night.

Another consideration is that the soil in the Sierra is mostly very shallow, oftem with underlying granite. this is especially true at higher elevations. this makes for high runoff conditions. It's easy to end up with a small creek running under your sleeping bag. In these conditions I like having a tent with a floor.

I'm not sure about burrito style camping in these conditions either; I've never tried it. But it seems a bit dicey.

Charlie,

The Serenity Net has been modified. It now has an 8″ bathtub floor and weighs 11 oz. The old version of the Serenity Net (which I own) has a ~2″ bathtub floor and weighs only 8 oz.

In case you are looking further into the Deschutes/Nettent combo, you might be interested in this offer on BPL

I like my Deschutes for certain solo trips, when I’m very conscious of weight and volume of my pack. For trips where I bring more stuff (for example my packraft), I bring the Haven even when solo as it offers more space. 90% of the time I don’t bring the net tent but a polycryo groundsheet. Most of the time I cowboy camp on that groundsheet and only when it rains do I set up the tarptent.

Since you originally mentioned going with your wife, the Haven seems to be a better choice. If you buy it in cuben, the Haven/net tent combo weighs exactly the same as the Deschutes/net tent combo in silnylon.

In the end you can’t really go wrong with any shelter you choose. The main point is being out there and enjoying your trip.

Manfred

"And I guess it might have been hard to pitch a Hexamid in the space pictured above (?)."

A Cuben Hexamid would be no harder to pitch in the pictured situation and would have the advantage of not sagging like the one in the pic… assuming your anchors did not shift. Cuben does not stretch and nylon does… when the nylon stretches you have much less room and the head and foot areas… and have to go out into the weather to tighten up the pitch. The stretch of nylon can be helpful in certain situations, but mostly not helpful unless you have a shelter with a floor that limits being able to adjust the height above the ground.

Billy

Seriously folks, don't you understand this thread is supposed to be about me! I don't need to be convinced that I either need or don't need shelter.

And did I mis-use the term "cowboy camping"? Perhaps I did since I only learned it here recently. I think I'd like to introduce a new term "Fair Weather Cowboy". Definition: 1) someone who wants both the joy of sleeping under the stars AND wants the shear unadulterated pleasure of sitting in a tent (or similar protective structure) enjoying how freaking much more comfortable it is inside than out; 2) doesn't think an extra 16 oz. is a big deal, at least in regards to achieving above pleasure; 3) is probably approaching 50 or more and has finished all that sort of borderline activity and proving stuff a few years ago.

Is there a chance my FWC term might catch on?

/Rant

Carry on now…

Charlie,

Thanks for starting the thread. It has been fun, and informative reading all the very effective solutions that have been offered up for your consideration. I can say, without hesitation, that mine is best. After all, it is perfect for me.

Seriously, you now have tons of info to work with, summer in the Sierra it is hard to go wrong. The Deschutes tarp does look nice, when it rains I like having plenty of room to get out of the weather. What ever you pick, have a great trip.

Now, should I up the ante by starting a thread about the best shelter for post Labor Day in the Wind Rivers?

"Now, should I up the ante by starting a thread about the best shelter for post Labor Day in the Wind Rivers?"

Please do. :) For me, SL3 (fly only). It's the only shelter I use and that's the only time I go. Can't wait for next September!

And the best part of a floorless shelter? No mess from a wet dog.

The SMD website does not show accurate specs on the Deschutes in it's images. The website states,

"The Deschutes Tarp is 14” deeper, 5" longer and 3" taller than the Wild Oasis. The result is 44 ft2 of coverage and height of 49”."

But the images show all three (Deschutes, Wild Oasis, Gatewood Cape) being 105" length and Deschutes height of 48".

Thanks John – maybe you should email them. I'd guess the spec discrepancy is related to 2014 design changes to pair Deschutes with the Serenity net.

My tent considerations have shifted somewhat as I'm now looking at an additional early summer trip with my wife in bug country (Lake Superior region, possibly Pukaskwa). I'm now leaning toward ZPacks Duplex. The cross-ventilation appeals greatly to both of us after NOT having it in our current dome tent.

For JMT solo, I might just carry the Duplex plus 1.6 oz groundsheet, for total packed weight of 23 oz. That's maybe 6 oz more than the minimum I could get away with for my "fair weather cowboy" style, but that way I don't have to put out $$$$ for another tent. (And the comfort to weight ratio is pretty freaking good even for my solo hikes.)

Charlie – you have plenty of viable options there. My suggestion is to look at Tarptent products. I have a Squall II, and use is for solo hiking, where it is a palace. At 32 oz, its heavier than the ZPacks Duplex or the SMD Haven, but at $259 it appears to be half the price of those two. Advantages, it works for two just fine, has built in bug net and floor, and you can always lay it out flat and sleep under the stars.

For the lightest possible JMT solo tent, its not the lightest. For all around two or one person, bug protection, floor when needed, and half the price, its a contender.

For a solo shelter, I've been quite happy with my MLD Cricket. I picked up the tarp (cuben version) on gear swap and paired it with a silnylon innernet for a flexible system that is little over a pound.

It provides pretty great coverage if you do get caught in rain

Is modular (so you can set up just the inner or outer depending on need)

Fairly simple pitching with 2 trekking poles

I prefer it over the tarp/bivy system because it allows me enough room to sit-up inside (I'm 5'9).