[pct-l] The best lightweight shelter

[wandering_bob at comcast.net (Bob Bankhead)]

First, any shelter will fail in a flood if you don't know how to pick a 
campsite that won't turn into a lake in a heavy rain. Tarps of all kinds are 
especially prone to this - with or without floors. They also sail nicely if 
you don't watch the wind direction. The presence or absence of walls is 
meaningless - other than as a means to secure the floor to the shelter.

I have used one of Brawny's original Tacoma Tarps for five years now and I 
love it!. Floor vs. no floor? Mine originally was floorless. The advantage 
to that is I can set it up in under 2 minutes with my pack under it from the 
getgo. I can also set it up more places than a floorless model because I'm 
not concerned about that big rock or stump poking a hole in my floor. I'll 
be inside out of the rain pruning the floor area while you are still setting 
up your tent or floored tarp. We're talking sudden storms here - like in the 
Sierras and Trinity Alps. Most of the time, we'll have loads of time to 
choose a site and set up our shelter. It's those exceptions that make the 
difference, and the primary reason for having a shelter along in the first 
place.

I ultimately had a floor added, but cut it out the same year. The floor 
greatly improved insect and critter protection and was worth the added 
weight in that respect. The disadvantages were it was too slippery 
(correctable with silicon dots or strips which I can feel through my bag) 
and since it was not a bathtub design, during hurried setup the floor could 
offset such that water pouring off the canopy passed through the netting 
walls and pooled on the floor. It also required greater care in site 
selection so as to avoid sharp objects - even pine cones - on the ground, 
thereby delaying getting under cover in bad weather. In retrospect, I would 
have been better off and defintely drier by just wrapping it around me 
during the 15 minute heavy downpour than trying to set the thing up. But 
that's hindsight and who can say how long a storm will last?

Personally, I'll stay floorless.

Wandering Bob

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Brian Weber" <pies_con_queso@yahoo.com>
To: <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2005 10:31 AM
Subject: [pct-l] The best lightweight shelter


> My friend and I seem to be at odds with what may be the best shelter for 
> going out in potential rain. I'm under the impression that the purpose of 
> a tarp is for both shade and rain-shielding, whereas my friend seems to 
> think that the lack of a floor and complete walls will allow flooding. I 
> suggested a fastpack footprint, but the comment about floods caused 
> concern about the lack of a seal along the floor corners.
>
> What is your experience with a tarp tent as a shield against the elements? 
> Will a tarp provide adequate shelter? Is it worth the weight to pack a 
> tent?