Shelters

[random walk]

Didn't want to hijack the hammock thread.

In addition to fairly heavy 2-person backpacking tents, which I will probably never use bikepacking, I have:

- Integral Designs BugaBivy
- The Yama 1.25 Bug Shelter (used to be Alpinlite). Don't have the fitted tarp for it.

I use a sheet of Tyvek as ground cover. You can get pre-cut sheets here, or if you know someone in construction maybe you can get free scraps.

Whatcha got?

[random walk]

I'd love to make one of these for better protection:

Make an Ultralight Tent/Tarp 1/3

[TobyGadd]

Marmot Alpinist bivy when the bugs are scarce. Sierra Designs Diodora when they aren't,

[Outsider]

For the bug period a two-person Tarptent Double Rainbow works well. It is not heavy for the space and shelter it provides.


Outside the bug season a Alpkit Hunka bivy works well, but is still not the best choice when you expect rain or snowfall.


I even got a Alpkit Rig7 tarp recently, but it remains to be tested. It should provide a good light solution (with a small bug nest) outside the worst bug period.

[Bill in Houston]

Speer hammock, extra-long, since i'm tall. It's 2 layers of 1.1 oz ripstop. A tarp with catenary cut edges and ridgeline. Closed cell pad in the hammock when the weather is cool. My ropes are heavy, so the whole rig isn't exactly lightweight, but it's lighter than a livable tent.

[NateHawk]

In addition to the hammock setup I described in the hammock thread, I have a Shires Cloudburst 2. It could stand to be a little taller at the opening so I could sit up more comfortably, but I like the footprint size of this shelter.

[Montana Rider]

Six Moon Designs - Wild Oasis

used on this (now closed to MTB) overnight and a few other shakedown overnights.

Would like to try some multi-day trips.

Gallatin Crest Trail (Windy Pass -> Bozeman, MT)

[SlowerThenSnot]

love this little msr, added a coat of spray on waterproofer

[alanm]

One is a Tarp tent "Scarp II" in both 3 and 4 season configurations, one is a pure bug / flyproof tent with just enough room for one, no name cheapy that wieghs about 500 grams, my expidition tent is a Wilderness Equipment "First Arrow" That tent has withstood 100 Km/hr winds, it has snow / rock flaps but it weighs in at 4KG!! Mine is not the light weight version!! It suffers from condensate a bit in some conditions but when the wind is sreamin' and even snowmen freeze outside, who cares.....

Be aware, if you hit the road and use an ultralight tent every night in all conditions, you'll only get about 400 nights out of it prior to it starting to leak / tear at stress points. That's the payoff for UL gear.

Love them all and use them appropiately.

Al

[steelisreal4130]

http://www.topeak.com/mediafiles/products/4256/

just saw this little nugget the other day. seems like a cool idea. i wonder how it actually works.

[She&I]

Cool stuff, peeps. TFPU.

No shelter for short, bug-free trips
Ground sheet/small tarp for squall protection on shorter trips without bugs
Black Diamond Bipod bivy for solo with bug or weather potential
? for two people with bug or weather potential (leaning toward Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2)

Some trips are short enough to pick the lightest shelter (or none) using the forecast. Past a week it seems to get murky, and that's when I want absolute storm protection I/we could wait out a multi-day windy deluge in (and keep down bags dry).

Mike

[Rockin]

For bugs/wet I use my modded Wenzel Starlight (about 1.6 pounds).

[baker]

I have a Golite Shangri-La 2 that works pretty well. Spacious for 1 person, acceptable for 2.


Ring the Peak bikepacking trip by bbaker22, on Flickr

[12wheels]

I use a tarp and homemade Six Moon Designs Meteor bivy.

[funkydrum]

? for two people with bug or weather potential (leaning toward Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2)

Anyone using the Big Agnes Fly Creek tents? Very light with ability to use with just the fly and footprint too. With the wicked bugs in the Michigan summers, I can't survive with a tarp so the enclosed tent is a must have. It's time to relegate my Eureka Dome to car camping and lighten my load.

[jmmorath]

Anyone using the Big Agnes Fly Creek tents? Very light with ability to use with just the fly and footprint too. With the wicked bugs in the Michigan summers, I can't survive with a tarp so the enclosed tent is a must have. It's time to relegate my Eureka Dome to car camping and lighten my load.

Can't speak for the Fly Creek specifically, but I have the Seedhouse SL 1 person which is very similar. I really like it. It's bordering on tight for a typically sized adult male and 50 pound dog with gear. I've been through bad weather and it held just fine. Mine is not the lightest out there but still pretty light and small. But it's a bit over designed in my opinion. Specifically, it's designed with more stakes than it should be but I think that adds to the bombproofness of it. Big Agnes is an awesome company and make all sorts of good stuff.

[bmike]

IMAG4271 by mbeganyi, on Flickr

tarptent contrail for me.
also have a hennesy hammock... but the TT is ligther and packs smaller.

[SuPrBuGmAn]

I bought a $45 cheapo Bass Pro Shop brand(surely rebranded) 1 man tent. I've only used it in good weather so far, but it works

[hitek]

This will be my first year of trying out bikepacking. I bought a Black Diamond Bipod Bivy for the days of foul weather. If no threat of weather sleeping under the stars.

[Crimargia]

Hilleberg Akto or Wechsel Pathfinder ZG

m, from
2SoulsCycles

[Crimargia]

Hilleberg Rajd:

"A hybrid shelter that blends tarp and tent qualities into a simple, versatile superlight package"

m

[J-No]

IMAG4271 by mbeganyi, on Flickr

tarptent contrail for me.
also have a hennesy hammock... but the TT is ligther and packs smaller.

I like the TT. I am thinking about getting the squall 2 with the idea it may be more versatile for taking the oldest child with me.

[bikerider2]

I used an MSR Eos 1p for a six day trip through Chile recently. Great tent for multiple day, but at 3 lbs to heavy for shorter trips. I'll either use a bivy or tarp for shorter trips.

[bmike]

I like the TT. I am thinking about getting the squall 2 with the idea it may be more versatile for taking the oldest child with me.

my 4 year old and i can fit in the Contrail.
definitely get something larger if you plan to use it for family stuff.

we have an old EMS Simoon that can more comfortably fit us - but it is heavy.

[PretendGentleman]

I just use a tarp above my hammock as my shelter. Works awesome and you can find one at any hardware store or mart store. Even in horizontal rain I stay dry on my thermarest inside the hammock, while my bike stays sorta dry beneath me.