# Tarps, tents, and bivy bags.



## AquaNekoMobile (Feb 26, 2010)

Ok, I know a couple of forum members are familar/experienced with portable stoves and such so just wondering if I can get some feedback from outdoors forum members on the following topic: tarps, tents, and bivy bags?

What do you use or have used?

I'm looking to go light and am thinking of a military USGI Goretex bivy bag with a tarp setup.

Apparently with the proper setup with a Goretex bivy bag one can go to -50C (sweeet!) (cue to 9min 30sec)

Looking to go lightweight for bicycle touring or bushcrafting or a combo of both or heck, emergency like if you're caught out in a rainstorm.

Thanks in advance for any help. Hoping for lots of feedback as I'd like to learn as much as I can and get some gear htis year.


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## AquaNekoMobile (Feb 26, 2010)

Bumpski for feedback. Hoping to get input as I would like to gather some stuff this month if possible.


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## df001 (Nov 13, 2007)

I dont tend to bring tarps for lightweight stuff, but any other time they can often mean the difference between misery and merely unpleasant (cooking in the pouring rain really sucks when you dont have ANY shelter.)

I have a 6x8' tarp that is red one side, foil reflective on the other, usually use it to protect the tent floor, let the cheap tarp take abuse of roots/rocks etc instead of the $$ tent. its a good size as it offers reasonable shelter for one person, and in a pinch can be rigged as a lean to big enough to sleep under.

As for tents, so many tents have come so far, if you're cycling your concern isnt necessarily mass(to an extent) vs volume. ditch the sack the tent came in, put the tent in a compression bag. pack the poles and pegs separately.

There's lots of 1 or 2man tents out there for great prices if you look around, name brands ie northface, eureka, mec etc generally = $$$ but light and well made. the cheapies from crappy tire or coast mountain/basspro etc are exampels of you get what you pay for. shelter that you can always count on, vs shelter that may fail, you decide if the risk is worth it.

As for bivi bags, I'm really not a fan for a few reasons, mainly space. for slightly more volume/weight you can get a decent tent to pack down reasonably. They can be very claustrophobic, they dont offer any ability to lounge, you're pretty much either up and out of the bag, or laying in it trying to sleep.

Further the few bivi bags i've tried only really worked well with a specific type of sleeping bag set-up limiting your use, whereas with a tent you can use whatever bag you want.

either really would work for what you want, personal preference really.


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