[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
[pct-l] Bivies, Tarps and their uses
Small Bivy tents are great when the weather is great. If you hike Washington
in early Sept., you may luck out and get 2 weeks of Indian summer. People who
hike the Cascades with their bivy tents swear by them. On the other hand, you
may get 2 weeks of solid rain in which people with bivy tents swear at them!!
A plain tarp is better than a bivy in Sept. Washington as they allow more
ventilation than a clammy bivy. If you do choice a bivy, do bring a small
tarp to make a shelter and cooking space for when you wake up to 8 inches of
fresh snow! Nothing like laying in your bag drinking hot cocoa on a frozen
morning. ( It's much easier to pack up your frozen belongings after a warm
breakfast) Small tents with a vestibule are good as well. I used a cheap
Slumberjack summer bivy tent in the desert last year and worked quite well.
Of course, it only kept out ants from my sleeping quarters and no bad weather
was incountered. Several thru-hikers used tarps most of their trip last and
all gave good reports. ( A properly set up tarp is most bombproof if bugs are
not in the picture) Most bugs are toast in late Sept. in the rain state.
BIVIES BEWARE!!!!