Sleeping Arrangements While Sasquatching

[wiiawiwb]

Ordered a new tent which came in today.  I'm trying to lighten the load and decided I wanted something this is freestanding, or nearly so.  In this case, it is the Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL2 Solution Dye.  The trail weight is 2lbs 2oz and with titanium stakes, which I already have, the real carry weight won't be much more. It's not fully freestanding as two sides of one end need to be staked down. That's a small compromise over the Copper Spur, which is fully freestanding, as the Tiger Wall saves 8oz.

 

One feature that was very important to me is the inner tent is nearly all mesh.You can lie down in the tent and have a 360 degree of everything around you not to mention see the stars above. The tent material is very thin so I will have to be mindful not to abuse it.  Looking forward to getting out and putting it to the test.

 

 

 

Edited May 21, 2021 by wiiawiwb

[Madison5716]

Just bought an ultralight 2-person tent at the REI sale. I've done lots of camping, truck camping and even lived in my van once for 6 months but I've never gone backpacking and stayed out overnight. Now that my kid is almost 18, nothing can stop me lol! It's a bucket list goal, actually.

 

Its the Dagger, from Nemo Equipment. It's 3 lbs 5 oz all told.

 

https://www.nemoequipment.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 24, 2021 by Madison5716

[Wolfjewel]

May you enjoy many camping nights with this tent — and go wherever your heart desires. Or your feet can carry you!😊😛

 

[wiiawiwb]

6 hours ago, Madison5716 said:

Just bought an ultralight 2-person tent at the REI sale. I've done lots of camping, truck camping and even lived in my van once for 6 months but I've never gone backpacking and stayed out overnight. Now that my kid is almost 18, nothing can stop me lol! It's a bucket list goal, actually.

 

Its the Dagger, from Nemo Equipment. It's 3 lbs 5 oz all told.

 

https://www.nemoequipment.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Congrats on the new tent. That's a great tent and perfect for backpacking. Ultralight, 42" height, 90" long, two doors, vast netting area, huge vestibules, and more. That's everything you could want and I  hope you spend many nights in it.  Speaking of which, you'll be able to see the stars at night with the fly off or pulled back.

 

It is also completely freestanding which I prefer. You can set it up, pick it up, and carry it to a spot that is perfect for it.  I've set up a tent only to find there was a tree root I didn't see and had to take the tent down and start over. Freestanding eliminates all of that.

 

It is very satisfying to be able to load a backpack knowing that everything you need is within it.  Now, you can go whereever your want if your legs can bring you there. No longer do you have to get back to the vehicle before the sun sets. You can keep going deeper into the interior and plunk down your tent and make camp where and when you choose.

 

It also begins the quest to become a gram weenie and lighten the load. Sawing your toothbrush in half is always the first step in the process! Welcome to the club!

 

People on backpackinglight.com, whiteblaze.com, and other backpacking sites will make a list of everything they bring in their backpack, weigh each item, then look to see if they can eliminate or reduce the weight of items on the list.  Some people are very creative.

 

I hope you get out soon and keep us posted on your experience with it.

 

 

 

 

Edited May 24, 2021 by wiiawiwb

[wiiawiwb]

Much to my chagrin, the BA Tiger Wall arrived with issues. I called REI to see if they would negotiate a settlement but our numbers were light-years apart.  Two friends part company. It's now en route from whence it came. Too bad...win-win also beats lose-lose. 

 

In today's environment, tents sell quickly and higher-end ones seem to sell out very quickly. I did order a Copper Spur UL2 so I'm not without a lightweight option. I'll report on my impressions of both the Tiger Wall and Copper Spur.

[BlackRockBigfoot]

2 hours ago, wiiawiwb said:

Much to my chagrin, the BA Tiger Wall arrived with issues. I called REI to see if they would negotiate a settlement but our numbers were light-years apart.  Two friends part company. It's now en route from whence it came. Too bad...win-win also beats lose-lose. 

 

In today's environment, tents sell quickly and higher-end ones seem to sell out very quickly. I did order a Copper Spur UL2 so I'm not without a lightweight option. I'll report on my impressions of both the Tiger Wall and Copper Spur.

What was wrong with it?

[wiiawiwb]

It had two sets of holes in the mesh on one side of the tent.  I could have lived with fixing it but only if I got a deep-discount concession.

 

[Madison5716]

On 5/24/2021 at 2:51 AM, wiiawiwb said:

It is very satisfying to be able to load a backpack knowing that everything you need is within it.  Now, you can go whereever your want if your legs can bring you there. No longer do you have to get back to the vehicle before the sun sets. You can keep going deeper into the interior and plunk down your tent and make camp where and when you choose

 

Yes, indeed. Thank you! It's a beginning, @wiiawiwb!

 

On 5/25/2021 at 4:19 PM, wiiawiwb said:

Copper Spur UL2

 

That looks awesome, too!

Edited May 28, 2021 by Madison5716

[BlackRockBigfoot]

On 5/26/2021 at 3:36 AM, wiiawiwb said:

It had two sets of holes in the mesh on one side of the tent.  I could have lived with fixing it but only if I got a deep-discount concession.

 

Oof.

 

Yeah, I wouldn’t even have tried to get a discount on that.  I would have exchanged it.

[wiiawiwb]

They did not have another Tiger Wall UL2 so I bought the Copper Spur UL2.  We'll see how it works out.

[BlackRockBigfoot]

56 minutes ago, wiiawiwb said:

They did not have another Tiger Wall UL2 so I bought the Copper Spur UL2.  We'll see how it works out.

We just picked up a Marmot Tungsten from REI.  

[Catmandoo]

The drama-trauma season of tent fabrics is upon us.  In my area I have used Seattle Fabrics and Amazon for repair / sealing goops and tapes. Amazon ships faster. Seattle Fabrics is loaded with outdoor fabrics and metal and plastic hardware. The McNett--Gear Aid product line has many repair & maintenance products. Amazon has a better selection. Many Gear Aid products are less than $10. Repair patches / tapes for tent fabrics and bug mesh are worth a look. Modern fabrics can be difficult to deal with due to various coatings so you need to research compatibility.  I made a large rainfly and to seal the sewing holes, I wiped the seams with denatured alcohol and used Seam Grip WP. I find that goops that are labeled "vapor Harmful" & "flammable" work best. The caveat that the manufacturers have for their tapes and goops is that the material to be repaired has to be clean and dry. Good luck with that. Field repairs might end up with Gorilla tape.

 

New tents have a 'plastic smell'.  Bears are very curious about 'plastic' odors due to outgassing of formic acid ( naturally occurring in bee hives and ant hills ). Having a tent with 2 doors is a good idea. Forest animal in 1 door, human(s) out the other.  If you are lucky, some forest animals lift tent flaps, then drop them.

 

No see ums: the females are the biters because blood is needed to feed the eggs. Sandalwood incense might help but don't burn down your tent.

Edited May 28, 2021 by Catmandoo
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[Kiwakwe]

4 hours ago, BlackRockBigfoot said:

We just picked up a Marmot Tungsten from REI.  

The Tungsten looks to be the latter version of the Limelight 2 which I've used for  6-7 years, love it, great vestibule area, nice view without fly. Super quick free-standing set up.

I've been eyeing the 10x10 Springbar Traveler for when I decide to finally solve the question of existence and set up a basecamp til I do. When I was living in UT, I spent a good bit of time at Kirkhams Outfitter ogling the array, they are the maker of Springbars.

https://springbar.com/pages/traveler-lp

[wiiawiwb]

On 5/28/2021 at 3:04 PM, BlackRockBigfoot said:

We just picked up a Marmot Tungsten from REI.  

 

I'm curious to know how you like it and how it performs in the field.  Please keep us posted.

[wiiawiwb]

On 5/28/2021 at 8:04 PM, Kiwakwe said:

I've been eyeing the 10x10 Springbar Traveler for when I decide to finally solve the question of existence and set up a basecamp til I do. When I was living in UT, I spent a good bit of time at Kirkhams Outfitter ogling the array, they are the maker of Springbars.

https://springbar.com/pages/traveler-lp

 

A Springbar is a classic and time tested.  For long-term use, especially in colder climates, have you considered getting one with a stove jack?  Hot tenting changes the experience by allowing a more comfortable existence in cold weather.