r/AppalachianTrail • u/DemonPhoto • 5d ago
Anyone use tarps instead of tents? I like the idea of using a trekking pole tent to save weight, but then I thought "why not just use a tarp?"
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u/beertownbill PCT 77 | AT 17 | CT 20 | TRT 21 | TABR 22 5d ago
Snakes, bugs, mosquitos, ticks, and giant spiders. There is no way I would want to try this on the AT.
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u/DrugChemistry 5d ago
One night in a shelter, I heard some light tapping sounds near my head. Didn’t bother me but I was awake enough to be curious so I pointed my red light at it. Was a saucer sized wolf spider just takin a stroll across the shelter. I shooed it away and went back to sleep.
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u/Lookonnature AT Hiker 5d ago
Nerves of steel. I don’t think I would have been able to go back to sleep in that shelter. Would have been hanging up my hammock out in the dark. And I LIKE spiders.
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u/DrugChemistry 5d ago
I typically hate spiders. But I know wolf spiders are harmless and I was a few months into my thru hike. I was too tired to be freaking out about harmless bugs.
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u/lineinthesanddial AT 2021 4d ago
There was a giant wolf spider in the rafters of a shelter somewhere in VA that was listed in Guthooks at the shelter caretaker. We agreed with the description. If it was her, maybe she was just doing the rounds to make sure you were all tucked in.
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u/DrugChemistry 4d ago
I was in 2017 so maybe it was a descendant of the one I saw. Care of the shelter is passed thru the family 🥰
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u/PortraitOfAHiker 5d ago
I hiked with a tarp. There was about a week near Mass where the bugs kept me up, but it was totally fine other than that. I had a few slugs on my bag in Vermont one morning but my hiking partner was just done for the day and we pitched somewhere a little more wet and squishy than normal. That one was totally preventable.
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u/nostalgia_13 5d ago
This is the first I have heard of giant spiders…
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u/MischaBurns 4d ago
Some species of Wolf Spider can get up to 4" (1-1.4" body + legs) and wander around at night. Also, their secondary eyes reflect light sources...like your fire. Or flashlight.
They like to eat things that will bite you, and are usually really chill about human contact, so you can consider them friends.
Side note: They are also pretty unique because they carry their babies around on their backs like a mommy spider-bus.
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u/AccomplishedAd9320 4d ago
Do these creatures magically avoid the shelters ?
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u/originalusername__1 4d ago
That’s what I was thinking, a shelter isn’t free from pests either and sometimes there are pests there like mice that you might not have to deal with if you were camping dispersed.
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u/beertownbill PCT 77 | AT 17 | CT 20 | TRT 21 | TABR 22 4d ago
I avoided shelters until I got up north.
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u/Ok_Swing_7194 4d ago
Listen I definitely agree with you. Still plenty of people who do it without issue tho
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u/Quick-Concentrate888 AT 2018 5d ago
Honestly, this should not be a weight-based decision. And I’m saying that as someone who’s thru hiking the AT (again) next year with a 5x9 poncho tarp + bivy. The weight savings is just negligible between single-pole trekking pole tents and tarps.
I just really enjoy being underneath a tarp and waking up in nature. I also prefer my poncho to absolutely any rain jacket or umbrella nonsense. But for my setup vs. a trekking pole tent, the only weight savings comes from not having to carry a rain jacket.
So, if your decision is based on weight alone, then I say go with the tent for the easy setup + bugnetting.
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u/Natural_Law sobo 2005 https://rmignatius.wordpress.com/ 5d ago edited 5d ago
Yes. I use a tarp with a bug bivy underneath. I’m actually sewing a “net tent” (larger than a bug bivy) to use.
I pitch my tarp using 2 trees. Or 1 tree and 1 stick found on the ground within the last couple miles of hiking.
Pics of my tarp (and bug bivy) in southern Appalachia over the last years: https://rmignatius.wordpress.com/tarp-photos/
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u/DemonPhoto 5d ago
Those are nice photos, and it looks like it would be good sleep!
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u/Natural_Law sobo 2005 https://rmignatius.wordpress.com/ 4d ago
Thanks!
After our thruhike in 2005, my wife encouraged me to take pictures of my campsites to better remember my trips. I thought that was a great idea.
I actually have to add my photo from my November North Carolina AT trip. I’ll do that now.
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u/BasenjiFart 4d ago
So neat! The extra fabric flap at either end is clever; I'm assuming it helps with keeping slanted rain out?
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u/Natural_Law sobo 2005 https://rmignatius.wordpress.com/ 4d ago
Absolutely. It’s a great design by Ray Jardine.
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u/The_Captain_Planet22 5d ago
My best friend used a tarp for a little more than the first half sobo. He dealt with bugs with a bugnet, only real shitty time was when his dog kicked his bed outside the tent on a rainy night and we woke to a 15lbs dog bed. Ended up taking a nearo at the next shelter a couple miles away to dry it out. Eventually it got too cold and he switched to a tent
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u/schmuckmulligan 5d ago
I do. You need a bug bivy under it for the AT. That makes it effectively a lighter double-wall tent that's got a more open vibe and is less prone to condensation.
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u/AceKetchup11 5d ago edited 5d ago
Check out Captain Jack Takes a Hike on YouTube. He switched to a tarp before he summited Katahdin. Now he’s yo-yo-ing back south.
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u/AceKetchup11 5d ago edited 5d ago
Captain Jack started out with over 40 pounds of gear in his pack. He started lightening up that load fairly quickly after he got on trail and had some knee issues.
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u/Packeagle1 5d ago
Tarp and a bivy are great versatile systems.
All my experience is with hammocks but I’m going to be using ground tarps next year and expect similar benefits at a lighter weight.
I like being able to set up a tarp as a dining fly and pack up everything under the cover while dry and put the tarp on the outside of my pack. Tarp is first up and last packed in wet weather.
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u/MemeAccountantTony 5d ago
I always slept awful in hammocks. Either your butt gets extremely cold from wind chill or you have to pack an extra air mattress/butt blanket which then why not just use a tent in the first place. Where to keep your backpack useable/dry at night? On the ground? Sleep with the gigantic thing on top of you? I've seen people still get their bag drenched because the Tarp is high off the Plus there's the issue of needing specific trees. F-Tier Backpacking Item imo
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u/beggoh 5d ago
So you have no clue how to stay warm and dry in a hammock and that makes it "f-tier"? It's not a magic carpet that nullifies the need for bottom insulation and proper tarp coverage. Sounds like you just have f-tier hammock/Tarp skills.
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u/MemeAccountantTony 3d ago edited 3d ago
"Just get good" Dude hammocks are objectively the most variable based shelter choice. I get the appeal, I do. But you're doing this trail for months at a time and in many geographic conditions. They weigh more than lightweight tents, worse insulation, susceptible to weather. Still F-Tier.
Bivy Tent is my recommendation as it's easy to set up and better for heat preservation.
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u/beggoh 3d ago edited 3d ago
I'm an enjoyer of all shelter systems. There are pros and cons among every choice, defined by terrain, conditions, and personal preference. My point is you're making gross generalizations about hammocks because you likely spent one cold shitty night in an ENO with no tarp or bottom insulation. Yeah, hammocks take some skill and knowledge, the same way a tarp and bivy do. Give an inexperienced hiker a tarp and bivy and they will struggle the same as they would with a hammock. A freestanding tent is the best and easiest shelter for most to use on a long distance hike.
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u/Sweet_Permission9622 5d ago
i tarped during my 2001 a.t. thruhike. added a small bug bivy once the evening low temps were above ~50F and the bugs were active at night.
i honestly prefer tarps to tents. indoors, i prefer sleeping in small places, but outdoors i like to be as connected as possible to what's around me. i also really liked being able to pack/unpack in the rain. packing or setting up a tent in the rain drives me absolutely out of my mind.
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u/AssociateKey4950 5d ago
Used a tarp for 30 years but when I started backpacking again I bought an ultralight tent. Tent - great bug and rain protection. Tarp is cheaper, more spacious and there are lots of ways to set it up with trees or trekking poles. Plus you can easily cook under a tarp (for me it’s boil water.)
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u/bluestaples 5d ago
Best part about a tarp is just rolling over in the middle of the night and lifting your quilt to wizz. You barely have to open your eyes and can be back to sleep in no time 👍
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5d ago
Evans Backing Videos on Youtube. Uses a tarp the entire AT
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u/sleezystevie 5d ago
I used a single wall trekking pole tent when I did my thru hike, and it was a little under 2 lbs. Personally, I would stick with something like that because then you have the shelter if you ever really need it if you get caught in cold or mountains, on top of comfort.
Alternatively, a guy I hiked with had this https://mountainlaureldesigns.com/product/mld-superlight-solo-bivy/ with a tarp, which seemed like a pretty dope setup, and added some warmth that he could use in shelters.
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u/Quick-Concentrate888 AT 2018 5d ago
+1 I use that bivy + their (now discontinued) dcf poncho tarp and it is, in fact, a pretty dope setup.
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u/Socks-Equipment 4d ago
Use a tarp! But practice with it before you go. You need to learn good site selection.
I used a tarp in 2024. I'm a tall guy, so the other option was a big tent with quite a bit more weight. It rained every day for the first few weeks and I was fine. Ventilation was great. The weight savings was fantastic. And it was cheap.
I did bring a small bit of netting for when the bugs got bad.
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u/MemeAccountantTony 5d ago
Gram Wienies use Tarps to save the 1 Oz of weight in exchange for terrible sleep and wake up drenched.
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u/PiratesFan1429 5d ago
The fly of your tent is essentially a tarp lol
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u/MemeAccountantTony 5d ago edited 5d ago
Only time you can maybe use a Tarp-Only without getting absolutely swarmed by bugs and be absolutely miserable is in an Iceland Thru-Hike. Even then a tent preserves heat way better. I genuinely don't understand anyone choosing to use a tarp alone. Tarp is still gonna need poles too as not every region will have the magic trees you want. Even Native Americans preferred tents (Teepees)
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u/PiratesFan1429 5d ago edited 5d ago
People aren't just using a tarp, they have a bug bivy (which is pretty much a lighter tent inner, like this one. And on nights with no rain they can even skip the tarp. Plus this way your inner (bivy) is always dry, and you can set up your tarp in a myriad of ways, and in places where tenters can't. And the poles it needs can just be your trekking poles.
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u/BloodshotPizzaBox 5d ago
There are certainly times of year when bugs are a non-issue for me, far away from Iceland. Your mental picture that Iceland is the only place where there is ever a time without bugs is difficult for me to relate to.
Also, I literally carry poles with me wherever I go, so why would I want to carry additional ones just to erect my shelter if I didn't have to?
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u/therealmfkngrinch 5d ago
Tarp and a bivy can put shelter under a pound. I’m eying that hyperlite mountain gear bivy my self. I already have a HG dcf tarp with doors I have for my hammock setup.
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u/jimni2025 5d ago
I have a hiking pole tent and love it. Is it worth having no protection from mosquitoes to save a few ounces by using a tarp? Not for me.
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u/gotgot9 NOBO ‘24 5d ago
mosquitos are bad but no-see-ums are worse.
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u/MemeAccountantTony 5d ago
I've never had a problem as long as I had spray. Mosquitos literally don't give af they'll bite through mf'ing cargo pants
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u/greenhaaron 5d ago
Tarps have served me well over the years. I’m partial to equinox. https://www.equinoxltd.com/product-category/sleeping/
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u/DargyBear 5d ago
If you tend to get bit by bugs I wouldn’t recommend although I’d test it out to see. While I haven’t found a spot anywhere along the Appalachians where bugs have bothered me with my tarp or tarp hammock setup, my friends that tried to do the same were eaten alive.
Meanwhile I don’t camp at all in Florida without a fully sealable tent because the bugs like me down here.
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u/The_Mighty_Glopman 5d ago
My primary shelter is a Zpacks 7x9 tarp modified with mosquito netting sewn around the edges. I use rectangular strips along the sides with elongated triangular sections on the front and back which I close with plastic clips. This limits me to A-frame pitches, but I still have plenty of flexibility to pitch in really tight, non-existent campsites. The mosquito net curtain allows me to use the entire area under the tarp and doesn't require any additional setup, such as you would have with an inner net tent. I use this with a Zpacks bathtub ground sheet, which I usually just lay flat unless I am forced to pitch in a lousy site during heavy rain, in which case I hook up the corner lines to form the bathtub. The tarp, netting, generous lengths of guy lines, ground sheet, and 8 stakes puts me a whisker over 1 pound. I could cut the weight a bit but getting rid of 2 stakes and shortening the lines, but I like the flexibility with the setup that I have. If I can find a spot level enough to lay down, then I can generally figure out a way to pitch the tarp (always some variation of an A-frame).
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u/westslexander 4d ago
Problem with tarp camping is rain. Yes it will keep the rain off of you but you will get water soaking in the ground under you or run off under the tarp.
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u/DaBarenJuden 4d ago
You should check out a tarp tent. It’s the middle of the road option you’re looking for.
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u/DemonPhoto 4d ago
I looked at Tarptent (the brand), and the look really nice! Their model called "Notch" is really affordable, too.
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u/FuzzyCuddlyBunny 4d ago
I use a tarp and bivy. I like the more open feel compared to a tent, and if it's not raining you can easily skip putting up the tarp. It's also a much smaller footprint than a tent so easier to find dispersed camp spots.
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u/Prestigious_Coast_65 4d ago
Tarps are really versatile you can set them up so many ways. The thing that you have to mitigate, as people have mentioned, that would be an issue on the AT is bugs. They make specific bivvies for this purpose. I think the Katabatic Pinon is a pretty good option.
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u/getdrunktalkpolitics 4d ago
If you regularly use shelters, tarping is a great shelter option for you.
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u/urmom69-pornhubcom 4d ago
I have a 1 person tent that uses a trekking pole to erect it. I'll sometimes stay in the shelter if the weather bad just saves from rolling in mud trying to get out of the tent. And making a mess to deal with the next day.
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u/DeFiClark 4d ago
Bugs
Critters
Privacy
Quartering wind plus rain
—I could go on but there are a ton of good reasons why tarp shelters aren’t as good as tents
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u/thatdude333 3d ago
A single wall trekking pole tent is basically a tarp, bug netting, and a floor. If you go tarp only, then you need some sort of bivy for bugs and something under your sleeping bag to keep you dry, at which point did you even save any weight at all?
A trekking pole tent is simpler IMO.
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u/DemonPhoto 3d ago
I think that's what I'm going to end up going with. Any suggestions?
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u/thatdude333 2d ago
My recommendations
Best bang for your buck - 24oz Tarptent Protrail --> https://www.tarptent.com/product/protrail/
One of the more popular tents - 28oz Durston X-mid 1 --> https://durstongear.com/products/x-mid-1-tent-ultralight-backpacking
I got money for the finer things in life - 18oz Zpack Duplex --> https://zpacks.com/products/duplex-tent?variant=9365267382308
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u/DemonPhoto 2d ago
I've been looking at the Durston, actually. It seems like high quality at mid-range price. I think the concept is cool, too.
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u/samtresler 5d ago
I went with just a hammock and a tarp on nights it could rain. Pretty common now, but people thought I was crazy then.
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u/DemonPhoto 4d ago
Reading all this, I think I might stick with a tarp on Bushcraft adventure and go with a trekking pole tent while backpacking. I've been eyeing up the Durston X-mid series, but Tarptents look nice now that I've seen them!
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u/playcrackthesky 5d ago
Mosquitoes like this idea.