Hi, I’m new to these forums, and I’m looking for advice on a floorless shelter that would provide some bug protection. I’ve hammock-camped in the past, and I’ve car-camped with a tent-cot (definitely not portable!). I’ve tried traditional tents from 2-man to 4-man, and they’re just not for me. I’m looking for a solution that is more portable than my heavy tent-cot, yet more flexible than my hammock (which requires trees). I did a lot of camping out west, and now that I’m living back east I’d like something I can take on a plane with me for trips out west, that still has the flexibility to set up wherever (so not a hammock). I’d also like something big enough to hang out in during bad weather, though that’s not as big of a deal.
What I’m looking for:
- Lightweight, since I will be hauling along a lightweight cot as well (from Helinox, once I can scrape together the dough). I’m not a backpacker, so not going for ultra-light (the cot would negate that anyway), though I would like be able to haul it in so I’m not limited to car-camping.
- Floorless. I think part of what I really don’t like about tents is the floor – a hassle to keep clean on the inside while camping, you can’t wear boots inside, and a hassle to clean when you pack it up after camping in muddy conditions. I would also *love* to be able to cook inside in bad weather, or even just windy weather so it doesn’t take 3X as long just to boil some water. The idea of a hot tent is also appealing, as currently I’ve only camped down to about freezing. I’d like more flexibility for camping in the winter months. I am a very cold sleeper, sadly.
- Tall enough to stand in (I’m 5’5″). I hate crawling in and out of small tents. It doesn’t need to be tall enough for me to stand fully erect, but I’d like to be able to get in and out easily without having to squat or get on hands and knees. Also tall enough that I can comfortably lie on a 15″ tall cot without running into the walls. I tend to camp solo, but I’d like the cot to fit comfortably with room for a stove, and the potential for another person if I can ever convince someone to go with me (my friends tend to be indoor-people).
- Some bug protection. Specifically, I think perimeter netting and a net door would work well. I don’t want an inner net tent because I don’t want the floor. If I ended up going for an inner net option, I would likely cut the floor out, but it seems like less hassle to have the netting around the edges. I’ll be on a cot, so I won’t be lying right on the ground, and I’m really only concerned about mosquitoes, which is a big issue where I live now. I figure ticks would have a hard time crawling up the cot, and I’m not concerned about spiders or ants so long as I’m not stupid enough to camp on top of a fire ant mound.
- Ideally, I would like a stove jack. I can’t afford a stove right now, but I can see it in my future, so I’d prefer a stove jack.
After doing some research, it seems like there are few options where you can get perimeter netting and a net door, and even fewer that come with a built-in stove jack. I have zero sewing skills, so I’m not comfortable doing any custom mods myself. I love Kifaru gear, but budget-wise, they are really out of my range for a shelter. I looked at Mountain Laurel Designs, but they didn’t appear to have a net door or a stove jack option. Titanium Goat- maybe? I’m not sure what a “tent liner” is- so not sure whether they offer perimeter netting, though they do offer a net door and a stove jack. I like the looks of the Vertex 6.5. The other option I saw was Bear Paw, specifically the Luna 4, with the works. I’m a little concerned about Bear Paw though, since after doing some research it seems like they have some mixed reviews- some reports of poor stitching and others of poor customer service. MLD/TiGoat/Bear Paw is more the price range I’m looking at.
Hope I haven’t left anything out. As you can see, comfort is a much bigger issue than weight. Cost is a somewhat limiting factor. Thanks in advance for any help!
