[at-l] Tents that are really for two?

[kahley7@ptd.net (kahley7)]

At 07:36 PM 4/14/01 -0600, Paul Magnanti wrote:

>-----Original Message-----
>From: at-l-admin@mailman.backcountry.net
>[mailto:at-l-admin@mailman.backcountry.net]On Behalf Of Matthew W.
>
> >>I am starting to plan my thru-hike for next spring and am interested in
>the
> >>idea of tarping as an alternative to carrying a tent.  What are the
> >>advantages, disadvantages?  Anyone have a tips or recommendations that
>would
>
>
>Traditionally, the disadvnatage of tarps are that they are not as
>weatherproof, let bugs in, not as warm, harder to set up.
>
>
>Those were my excuses before I started tarping.

Love that!  
Another reason people say they don't like tarping is that they feel insecure
without walls.  But after tarping a nite or two I realized I much prefer being 
able to see what's around me rather than be huddled behind the "security' of 
a couple ounces of nylon.  If the weather is just iffy, or i suspect a heavy dew,
a high pitch gives you a 360 view and really includes you in the woods.  I
still love my tent.  It's like a sleeping pill to me <g>.  But more and
more, I am getting that same feeling of being totally at home under a tarp
or with nothing at all.   You do need to practice though, as Mags said.
Learning to read the ground......to see where the water runs and puddles
and the direction of likely weather takes a little practice.  My first night
out was a disaster when a T storm rolled up.  Of course I was glad I was
under a tarp and not in a metal poled tent when lightning struck a tree about ten 
yds away!
I hate the smell of ozone in the night.  Smells like....trouble <g>