[ft-l] Tent Opinion

[lparker@cacaphony.net (L. Parker)]

Like many other people who have responded, I can offer little advice on the
Clip. As others have also done, I can make some suggestions about tents
appropriate for the FT and those that aren't.

The climate here presents some unique challenges for tent designers.
Humidity is probably the largest factor followed by bugs. Some would put the
order the other way around, but they probably share my extreme dislike of
the little beasts.

In order to meet the first challenge, it is important that the tent offer as
much ventilation as possible while still sheltering its occupants from rain,
rain that frequently is wind driven nearly horizontally. Although single
wall tents will keep out the rain they also hold all the humidity in and in
Florida they are particularly prone to condensation and mildew. Most two
layer tents also suffer from the same fault because they still can't
exchange enough air to keep condensation from accumulating rapidly.

A single wall tent will be much lighter, but you will trade some of the
weight savings to get one that has an adequate mesh area for ventilation.
There are not many single wall tents that have adequate ventilation for the
FT. Most single wall tents are NOT designed for tropical locales.

The best design for a good two wall tent is an inner wall that is basically
nothing but mesh with an outer wall that is basically a waterproof fly. On
hot muggy nights with no likelihood of rain, the tent can be erected without
the fly for maximum ventilation. There are lots of tents available that meet
these criteria.

I have used a TNF Slickrock for many years and have found it to be barely
adequate, despite huge areas of mesh. In fact, if there is anybody in the
tent besides myself, the doors must be left partially open, permitting
insects to enter.

MSR's Bug Hut 2 looks like a good candidate if you also purchase the
optional fly. GoLite has a cave and Nest combination that also looks
attractive. Both the MSR and the GoLite products are reasonably priced, but
the combinations each add up to over three pounds. The Arapahoe mentioned on
an earlier post looks like it might be a good choice too, but I have not had
the opportunity to try one.

Good Luck

Lee I Joe

Once I knew where I was going, but now I have  forgotten.  Sometimes my mind
wanders.  Sometimes it goes alone, and other times it takes me along...this
isn't one of those times...