My next piece of equipment is going to be a tent. I'm looking at the REI Camp Hut, Half Dome, or they have a Kelty Creekside 2 on sale. There's a 4 person Camp Trails for cheap that is huge (96" X 96" X 57" height) and not too heavy (9lbs). I can't decide whether to go for a larger tent (3 or 4 person for one person 95% of the time) or save some money and keep the cargo weight down with a smaller two person. I'm assuming the better tents have aluminum poles--or is that a weight thing? Because I'd be using it mostly out of a boat, weight is not a big consideration. The idea of having some space to sit in out of the weather appeals. It might be nice to have a cot in a tent with space to change clothes and then use the truck or kayak for stowing food and gear. I've been known to camp without a boat. . . Any chance this is as hot a topic as ballast? *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net ***************************************************************************
George, Don't forget to ask if you want a four season, three season or just a summer tent. If you plan to do any winter camping a four season is desirable, otherwise a three season is fine. I have a Clip Silver Eldorado that weighs nine pounds but chucked the fiberglass poles after 150-Kilometers of backpacking convinced me aluminum poles are the way to go. Saved three pounds when I did. The three person tent is more than adequate for my needs, gear storage and all. Yes you can get a cot inside (and why not a little luxery is a nice thing) but can't be used if two people plan to use it. Therefore a four person is probably the way to go, especially if a person gets landlocked having to wait out bad weather conditions before being able to paddle again. You can always buy the aluminum poles later for such a time that you want to save weight. Best Regards, Philip Geo. Bergeron wrote: > My next piece of equipment is going to be a tent. I'm looking at the > REI Camp Hut, Half Dome, or they have a Kelty Creekside 2 on sale. There's > a 4 person Camp Trails for cheap that is huge (96" X 96" X 57" height) and > not too heavy (9lbs). I can't decide whether to go for a larger tent (3 or 4 > person for one person 95% of the time) or save some money and keep the cargo > weight down with a smaller two person. I'm assuming the better tents have > aluminum poles--or is that a weight thing? Because I'd be using it mostly > out of a boat, weight is not a big consideration. The idea of having some > space to sit in out of the weather appeals. It might be nice to have a cot > in a tent with space to change clothes and then use the truck or kayak for > stowing food and gear. I've been known to camp without a boat. . . > > Any chance this is as hot a topic as ballast? > > > > *************************************************************************** > PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List > Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net > Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net > *************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net ***************************************************************************
MSN/RiDem wrote: > > Campmor has given me the sale price on an item as late as 14 days after the > original purchase. They have also replaced a defective piece of equipment > bought in May, for a July-August Arctic Expedition, and mailed back to them > in September. They even paid the return postage. They are pretty decent > retailers. Because of this, and past experiences with them, I always > recommend them to folks who are a bit nervous about shopping by mail/WWW/ > etc. One of the assets of living in the NYC area is that Campmor is located about a 30 minute drive from mid-town Manhattan. So we not only can get the catalog and web bargains but also odds and ends that don't make it on to either. And New Jersey has no tax on a lot of the stuff. And if you are a member of the NY/NJ Trail Conf and a few other organizations you can get another 10 per cent off. ralph diaz -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024 Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
SK, who has trouble comprehending using a high end tent ($500 17 years ago) and a low end ($50) needs to consider that when you take the family it is too dangerous to cook in a tent with a floor, you need more space than for solo self - support, touring allows greater loads than running Class IV - V with your gear, and most wives and kids want floors and windows. As to worrying about getting an expensive tent dirty, if it is a good tent, and Moss is probably the best, it cleans easily, and Moss repairs damage for free. In short, you pick the gear for the situation and the persons. Not a novel idea. The Guy you Can Not Understand *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
I'm a southern paddler and the biggest problem with a tent is not getting hyperthermia. One neat trick taught to me by an Arkansas paddler/camper is to take a tarp for shade. It needs to be first folded lengthwise in half and cross wise in thirds. Where the first third and the half lines meet, put in a gromet. Then carry one expandable pole. When you get to the sandbar, beach or gravel bar, fist take out your tarp and set it up, putting the pointed end of the pole in the gromet. (Didn't get around to the gromet? Then cut a little X in a tennis ball and put it over the stake and pull the tarp over that. It goes up a little harder and is not as smooth.) Stake down the corners using long ropes so the bottom of the tarp ends above the ground for good air flow. Then sit down under it and set up your tent, leaving the fly off. Set up the tent so the pole is near your front door. You will have extra storage space in back of tent. This makes all the difference in coolness. I use a fully mesh Walrus 2-man tent when I am cramped for space and a large Kelty Sundowner with large windows on 3 sides and a door on the 4th side for car camping or sharing with friends on a trip. I use sand stakes for both if I'm camping in sand or gravel. The Sundowner is free standing and the Kelty needs at least 8 stakes. I have never used it below 30 degrees but would want a 4 season tent at much below 20 degrees. The secret of keeping dry is to cut a piece of 6 mm plastic in the shape of your tent but 8 inches larger in all dimensions. Then lay in INSIDE the tent, letting the extra go up the sides of the tent to make a little tub structure. You may end up with water on the floor of your tent but never on your side of the plastic. Another option I use when I know I'll have trees but no mosquitoes is a Youcatan hammock. I also just got the Hennessy hamock but haven't camped out of it yet. I will not use it in the souther summers but it may be useful for northern summers and southern falls and springs. I camped out of my hammock for a month while traveling in the west one summer. And I used a tarp for years before I got a tent. It was from the Frostline kit and had ties every square foot. I would string a rope between 2 trees just high enough to tie it over the rope at the one-third line. Then I would fold it at the next third line and end up with a little A-frame with a floor. I could tie the edges together and stayed warm and dry enough in Arkansas and Louisiana and East Texas camping. Marilyn Kircus *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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