What do poncho and/or tarp users do for bugs?

[Joshua B]

A bit heavier than some of the other options mentioned here at 16oz, but the OR Bug Bivy is free standing (optimally with stakes and short pole at the foot) and you can ditch your ground sheet.  Fits under my poncho tarp easily and perfect for when my main objective is to keep cool enough rather than warm enough at night.  It adds that extra peace of mind when tarping with scorpions/fire ants/poisonous spiders, etc.

[Brett Peugh]

Thank you.  It looks good but I think it is only for regular sized people.

[Dean F.]

A light silnylon bivy, like the MLD Superlight or the Katabatic Bristlecone.  Since they are silnyon rather than mesh they protect from spindrift, rainsplash, and rubbing on dew-condensed tent walls, and in good weather you can also cowboy camp in them.

[dirtbag]

Here is a shot of my Borah Gear Snowyside Event bivy.. unfortunately they no longer sell them. However,  like I originally said, i would NOT use this for anything except winter.

Dont forget to look at  Katabatic Gear Pinòn bivy too!! I just picked this up a couple weeks ago and have not used it yet, but I can assure you..  I am keeping it and it will get its fair share of use from my bivy collection.

[Joshua B]

Thank you. It looks good but I think it is only for regular sized people.

Got it, I missed that you are 6′ 4″.  When I want more room or versatility, I have a 10′ x 10′ tarp that I attached noseeum via velcro that works as a tent wall on three sides with a high pitched holden style for those warm summer nights.  It works similar to Oware’s NetTarp and SMD’s Deschutes tarp.

[David Gardner]

@danieloxnard: I couldn’t find the weights for the 4Monster bug nets. Can you list them?

[Daniel Oxnard]

@gearmaker

4Monster Micro Mosquito Pyramid Net

single is listed at 6.2 0z ($15.99)

double is listed at 8.9 oz ($18.99)

Not sure if the bag is included in weight, which I will be switching to an oven bag regardless.

When it gets here, I will update weight.

I might also sew/glue in a Tyvek floor for Amazon campaigns. Scorpions and Fer-de-lances are a bit more of a concern than mosquitos.

@bpeugh

length = 7.8 feet = enough head and toe room to keep suckers from contacting skin through net.

 

 

 

[Brett Peugh]

Thank you Daniel but that is only about a foot longer than I am.  The mesh will still drape over parts of me even if I find something to hang it from.  l Like most things that drape I will have to treat it but it is an item at a very good price point.

[Daniel Oxnard]

@bpeugh

I use mini ping-pong balls tied into netting with a butyl rubber band to tuck netting over ridge line supporting the tarp, then my pack at my feet to tuck netting under, and raise it from draping.  Tarp is 12 feet long, so I have a lot of wiggle room. I ordered single and double, and will put up a picture if they seem to work well when they get in. I avoid permethrin if I can.

[Miner]

Doesn’t work back east in the summer, but out west, due to the lower humidity, the temperature usually drops a lot at night, so bugs will eventually go away after it gets dark.  So being confined in a small bug net or even just wearing a head net isn’t a big deal, as you can eventually take it off/open it up for most of the night.  Mosquitios make a great alarm clock in the predawn morning.  At home I normally sleep in, but on the trail, as someone who tarps or cowboy camps, hearing the first mosquito of the morning buzzing in my ear predawn, gives me great incentive to get up and get moving.  Because if I don’t, it will soon be joined by several of his friends and I took my protection off during the night.

Besides the brands mentioned by others above, Mountain Laurel Designs, also has bug bivies and bug netting.

As others noted, not all campsites are equal.  One site will have you swarmed by bugs while another one 1/4 mile away with be almost free of them. After awhile, you start to get a feel for where to camp, breeze vs water, etc.

[Brett Peugh]

Please do.

[Daniel Oxnard]

@gearmaker

1 person bug net = 5.2oz

2 person bug net = 7.9 oz,

@bpeugh

2 person bug net  in oven bag, with 3 guy lines attached via 3 mini-ping-pong balls = 8.7 ozs.

2 foot support pex/bellows = 1.3 oz

12 foot long tent w/ 550 paracord, 8 gutter spikes, figure 9 tightener = 2 pounds

Total tarp system= 2 pounds and 10 ozs.

 

Summary= 1 person net is small and difficult to work with, but will function. 2 person net is 1/2 again as heavy but is so much easier to work with, and ensures good bug protection, so I will gladly pack the extra 2.7 ozs.

1 person net barely big enough for me. Length 6′ 8″ note foot end has a mini-ping pong ball, and rubber-band with a string running to ridgeline.

Note gap, not enough extra fabric to tuck under my 2′ wide reflectix pad

This is Lucyfer after she busted through the head end, tearing up net, and running to the foot end.

I tried both nets in a 4 foot high tarp

This is the center support of the 2 person net in tarp, at 4 feet. Note the mini ping-pong ball is pushed up and over the ridgeline. Anything will work here. Rock, stuff sack balled up, old sock etc.

This is the 2 person net in tarp at 4 feet, with The Reflectix is opened to four feet to accommodate two people. The net tucks under the Reflectix all the way around, even at 4 feet width, and the length is 7 feet, with some room to spare a few more inches if need be.

This is head view of two person net at 6 feet. Note the three ping-pong balls  tied up to the ridge line. The top of the head end of net expands laterally to a width of two feet, but I have it bunched in the picture. Next trip I take,  I will bring a 2 foot piece of 3/8 inch pex pipe  (1.3 ozs, that doubles as a fire bellows, for cooking with coals), and run it through the top to space it open, this will also allow better corner tucking at the head end. Alternatively, a 2 foot stick could be broken and set into the tie loops at head end. If I had thought of this at the time it would be in the picture.

 

 

 

 

 

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