Share or Solo?

For decades always shared a tent to save on weight, since tents were really heavy then (often 6 lbs or more).  Still share, but for years always have been with family members, using UL tarp.  Not sure what I’d do if I was going with other than close friend, might make a UL 1-p tarp for the occasion, but more likely would just share a tarp.  For winter probably would make a UL pyramid and share.

In other words, I suspect I’d always share to save weight, no matter who I’m with.

I snore, therefore sleep solo, and away from others if possible. I really enjoy my own space. Though have shared on occasion.

Share. If I can’t get along with a person in confined spaces for a week, I sure as heck won’t go backpacking with them.

I’ve done both, with up to eight people in a tent and it works out well,  but prefer to be solo as I sleep better and if I’m wide awake in the middle night I can work on mapping, writing out the past days hike, or organizing without having to worry about the other individual.

When sharing a tent, some people may feel uncomfortable doing this but really it’s no big deal if you communicate well and let the other person know of any concerns or just saying “Hey, this is a little uncomfortable, let me know if you feel the same, what are your thoughts on this?” or something to the same effect just to break the ice.  I see no difference in sleeping next to someone in a tent versus sleeping next to someone on an airplane, and I’m sure very few, if any, would have any concerns sleeping next to someone on an airplane. And if you do feel uncomfortable, but have to share a tent, just sleep in a head to foot arrangement so you don;t have to worry about waking up face to face to someone.  It also helps to bring along earplugs in the event someone snores.

Share! I have shared with same sex, opposite sex, multiple families in a huge tent, all kinds of configurations. The few times I have solo’d i have enjoyed it, but haven’t slept as well, and found that I wake up frequently, also get cold easily. It’s just not as restful. I guess I just like being part of the tribe, and that’s part of my outdoor experience since childhood.

Great responses.

Just got back from a trip with a work friend in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness (Mt Daniel).   We each pack our own tent (1 persons)  but the first two days were raining and 20+ mph winds.  We got to camp around 5 pm, we agreed that it would be nice to have at least a 2 person if not 3 to hang out in.  Even possibly cooking in the vestibule too.

I have been sharing a tent, stove, and water treatment system with my backpacking partner for many years.  I snore and he doesn’t and after every trip I ask if it is time for separate tents and he is still good to go.  If my wife backpacked with me she would definitely want a separate tent and earplugs.

i just returned from nine days in the Winds this morning and we where asked this very thing several times as they eyed our small packs and how many days we were out for.   Most didn’t think we were carrying a tent and wondered how we weathered the wind rain, snow, and hail, up high.  Some said it never occurred to them to share a tent even though a couple of them had been hiking together for decades.

Ain’t no wrong answers…just different decisions.

I did a fair amount of mountaineering in the past and used to tent with a buddy who snored like a freight train.

Nowadays I vastly prefer tenting with just my pooch. Good air mat and ear plugs and I’m in for a great night’s sleep. My boy Cyrus wakes me if there’s anything stirring outside.

As Bob M. mentioned ear plugs are a big asset when sharing a tent if you sleep lightly as I do. Unless I’m really tired, snoring partners and crinkling air mattresses wake me up all the time when sharing a tent. These and other noises can even wake me from a separate tent 20 or 30 feet away.

To get a better night’s sleep I prefer solo shelters for general backpacking. But sharing a tent for mountaineering often works best due to limited space at tent sites and to keep the weight low due to extra climbing gear. Have shared tents with males and females with no privacy issues, especially when it’s cold (everyone is completely bundled up in many layers of clothes).

Normally solo.  I have shared a tent with my kids (wife doesn’t backpack) and with other male companions when we could only pitch one shelter due to thick brush.  I don’t think I’d be served with divorce papers if I shared a tent with another woman, but I do know my wife wouldn’t like it, so out of respect to her, I don’t.

When I was younger and carried much heavier gear, splitting up cook kits and shelters made sense.  As Jennifer mentioned, this is BPL and many of us have sub 20 oz shelters.  I have a tarp that’s less than 12 with stakes.  Barring an emergency, I really see no reason to share with someone other than my kids.

I like the idea of being fully independent and not relying on other adult / non family members for a successful trip (although the resident poet bailed me out on fuel a couple weeks ago).  If we choose to split up for a day or night, I like knowing that I have everything I need on my back.

As Jennifer mentioned, this is BPL and many of us have sub 20 oz shelters…

So for me this really comes down to the simple fact that my pack is light enough that I don’t NEED to share a shelter…it really doesn’t get me that much.

…If we choose to split up for a day or night, I like knowing that I have everything I need on my back

For the kind of trips I do, here is where I land when I boil it down to it’s essence: It is within reasonable probability that a party may, at any time, HAVE to split up.  Weather, injury, illness, loss of supplies, family emergencies, etc. etc. I consider being totally self sufficient to be not just a matter of comfort and convenience, but a matter of safety both personal and group.  The flexibility to devise a new (and unexpected) plan can be key to survival in the backcountry.

Agreed. I’m not going to casually bail on my companions because they snore loudly but it’s not hard to imagine having to split up to go get help.

In the event someone has a catastrophic shelter failure then we can double up in my shelter for a cozy night.

1P shelters can add a nice safety margin on many trips.

For me it’s not so much about logistical concerns as which friends I’m going with… some friends I really enjoy lying in the tent and talking with before we fall asleep, whereas others I need a break from at the end of the day.

Definitely I carry my own tent, when with others, as a married woman. The whole self-sufficiency thing. When my husband goes, we share of course.

Kelly

Most of the time I only bring my tarptent notch. If I’m backpacking with a good friend (I don’t have any female friends) or my wife then I like to split weight and I’ll bring my SMD lunar duo.

It depends who I am with, if with my wife or buddies I share a tent, if on a Bpl meet its solo.

I’ve always shared, but my trips are usually only a long weekend type trips not long section hike trips. I’m married and would feel awkward sharing a tent with some one of the opposite sex. I’m pretty irresistible. :P

Well most of my experience has been backpacking with Scouts so always had my own shelter.  Now that my son has quit scouts we just went out on our own and carried our own shelters – he loves having his own space and has a nice MSR Hubba tent – and I alternate between a hammock and tent so it just doesn’t work for us to share.  I did ask him on this trip (our first “duo” trip) if he wanted to share the 2P and he said no thanks dad you snore!  He snores as well so again it was the right call.

If she’s hot then I want both of us in the smallest one person tent available.

I tried to go camping with a hot girl one time… my wife was PISSED!

“If she’s hot then I want both of us in the smallest one person tent available.”

No idea why you’d want to be in such close quarters to anyone who is that mad, but whatever floats your boat, as they say…

I normally solo under a tarp, but shared with my Dad on a recent trip to Yellowstone in a decent-sized 3P tent and  every night wound up getting shoved so far to the side that I was probably pushing the mesh out by a good 8-12″. Never again.

He was super comfortable, though.

I’m a very light sleeper. Solo always. Tent or tarp or cowboy (ing). I need my sleep. Preferably away from others who snore if I’m forced to camp around people, which I will avoid as much as possible.

Years back I did a trip with one of my buddies and we shared a 2 man tent. I was miserable! He snored so loud and he was on the high side so he kept pushing me into the wall of the tent. I swore that day to never share a tent again and got a hammock, best thing I ever did. I would share a tent with my daughter (8 years old) or my wife but even then after hiking and getting all nasty Id rather sleep alone.