Bug options for cowboy camping?

If we assume your body is inside the bag or quilt, one physical barrier option is to wear a noseeum headnet with or without a brimmed hat to keep the net away from your face. The extra space makes it harder for the mosquitoes to bite you.

Other options which really work better with some physical means to hold the net area away from your face such as a hat brim or guy line attachment to hiking pole:

• the half length mosquito net, for example from Simplissity
• the full length mosquito net, from for example Mountain Laurel Designs
• Full length bivy sack with mosquito netting around face area. Several on the market from the likes of MLD and others include a hoop to keep the netting off your face. This might be the best option if you do not use hiking poles.

The

At 3 ounces the STS Nano Pyramid Mosquito Net does a great job for “normal” sized bugs (not no-see-ums). If you’re under a tree, it’s easy to suspend the apex of the STS from either a low limb or from a stick or pole wedged into the tree limbs so that it cantilevers over your sleeping area. Otherwise, a sectional lightweight pole around 45″ tall would work, with rocks around the base to hold it upright.

You might consider the Adventure 16 Bug Bivy at 6.5 oz

Here’s a video on it from Steve Green at hikelight.com https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unt9nSKSxqE

@Bruce, we are not going to be in a bag or under a quilt when it is above 70F.  And will have no trekking poles.  We are not going to be in a bivy sack either above 70F.

@Lester, tried the STS but there is no way to keep it off your legs so the bugs don’t bite through.  Like most nets like that a part of it will lay on you.

@ Monte, need full coverage above 70F because we will not be in a bag or bivy, too hot.

3 foot circle of no see um, maybe a little larger

ripstopbytheroll.com has 0.5 an 0.9 oz/yd2 versions, $7 or $3 per yd

Outdoor Research Bug Bivy. A little heavy at 16 oz though.

@ Monte, checked into that.  A bit short and there is nothing supporting the feet part so it lays down on what it is on.

I was thinking of the STS net too but can see what you mean about needing to be uncovered under the net and having the net against you feet and legs. Be a regular bug buffet!

Maybe get some small carbon fiber kite tubes and make bottom corner struts to suspend the bottom corners of STS net? DO you still have the one you tried? You could maybe use some dcf repair tape to make a top cap to hold the top of the struts or make a short sleeve and run cord through the strut and stake it out tight like the short struts in MLD innernet floors.

To further clarify I’m thinking about something like rolling say a 10″ strip of the repair tape with the sticky side out into a tube. with the strut inside it so the tape has some substance to form against, then take 2 more 10″ strips and glue the tube at the correct location to make a bottom corner sandwiched between the 2 strips of repair tape; one on either side of the net. That would form a corner seam and dcf tube for the strut and the strut could be removable. Or if you have a machine and can sew…. which I obviously don’t have and can’t do….Then run some like 1.7 or light cord through the carbon tube to make a stake tie like the one shown in the MLD innernet. The struts on either side would provide the side to side tension  and elevate the net. Maybe they don’t need to be 8″ or maybe they need to be longer, and you probably would need to make sure there was end to end tension as well. Maybe a second guy line from the top of the “pyramid” running away from the bottom corners. Then the net would be tensioned up, back and at the corners of the foot.

Goodwinds carbon tubes

MLD innernet corner

Take some fiddling but once you got it right it ought to work pretty well.

Sea to Summit mosquito nets come in untreated and Permethrin treated versions. Which did you try?

As William says, Permethrin treated mossi net works for me, even if it’s toughing the skin

@ Mark, so Insect Shield Is Permethin then?  How long will that treatment last on them?

@ William, possibly the untreated, it has been a few years.  Either way, still need something to hold it off my head.

@ obx, I am trying to figure out what you are saying but it is a bit complex as I am dyslexic.  I will try though.

you can treat the net or anything else you wear to keep bugs off with Sawyers permethrin dip. You can also buy much higher concentrated permethrin and water it down to the specs of Sawyers which I think is 3%. There’s probably something right on this site about treating your stuff/clothing with permethrin.

The other is a challenge but here’s another try:

I spent a bunch or words in the first post about an idea about how to do sleeves for the carbon kite corner struts using dcf repair tape.. The struts/kite poles are hollow so line can run through them like the mld struts and go out to stakes to tension the corners/ridgelines/struts. They probably wouldn’t have to be very long/tall to lift the fabric and the ridgeline enough to keep it off your legs. The rear guyline would tension the whole net and help keep the ridgelines taut.

The net in the photo is evidently hanging from a regulation BSA sky hook. They’re kind of hard to find these days.

Use a piece of thrift store aluminum venetian blind to form an arch for the foot end. It will bend nicely and spring back flat for storage.

http://borahgear.com/bugbivy.html

I have one of the Borah Gear bug bivies and would recommend it. Seems like it would be perfectly suited for the conditions you’re describing. They made mine 6 inches shorter than normal, since I’m small; so I think they could adjust the length for you if you need that.

I am not really seeing any support for the Borah big bivy to keep it off my face and feet.

That is a good idea about the OR big bivy.  Only problem was that i think it was too short for me.

Why not just use a basic 1p single pole tent netting inner such as the serenity net tent? A bit heavy but under a pound with pole, stakes, and net with bathtub floor.

https://www.sixmoondesigns.com/products/serenity-nettent
with
https://www.sixmoondesigns.com/collections/shelter-accessories/products/pole-49-carbon-fiber
and
https://www.sixmoondesigns.com/collections/shelter-accessories/products/stake-set-double

Or this for 2p size. 14 oz. Add 6 stakes and 2 poles for a 20 oz total.
https://www.moosejaw.com/product/msr-thru-hiker-mesh-house-2_10419390

So it seems permethrin only lasts for 6 weeks or 6 washes then?

Maybe an umbrella plus ~3.5 ounce DIY bug net “condom”:

https://francistapon.com/Travels/Advice/10-Reasons-to-Go-Hiking-and-Backpacking-with-an-Umbrella (see Reason #8)

Search for “umbrella bug net condom” to find other discussions.

— Rex

The umbrella idea is a good one.  I do have a long, wide piece of bug netting I bought about 10 years ago or so I will see if I can rig something up with an umbrella for the head and a random pole down by my feet. In the summer it would be nice just to sleep in shorts since it is still pretty warm at night and to have the bug netting off my skin so it actually works.

So it seems permethrin only lasts for 6 weeks or 6 washes then?

Really depends on how it’s applied. The sprays usually wash out in 6 washes (that’s what the instructions say). There are “soak” treatments that last quite a bit longer but are more a PITA to use. One that the federal government used (pretty sure a civilian version is out there), had us soak each garment in its own zip-lock type bag and let stand for x time. We also had to wear gloves but that may have been the govt being cautious. Sometimes caution is a good thing, though ..