sc wrote: > Doug, > I am with you on tents. <snip> Once staked, they are bomb-proof. <snip> So, what you are saying is you "stake" your life on this, eh? :-) > Maybe I am missing the point, but let's not forget one thing; when you are > out there, the only thing protecting you from the elements is your tent. > That is one of several items where I do not scimp....(boots and backpack as > well).<snip> Scott, I stake my 3-season tent out very well too, then secure the fly to large immovable objects where necessary. This is still faster with a FS tent - in my case, anyway. My previous tent, NFS, was a 4-seasons unit -- but did stand up well (privacy issues aside) in terms of durability. On one of my off-season trips down the inside passage where it snowed at night with squalls and reached minus 5 Celsius, I observed one member of the team suffer terribly with a cheap tent. It gave me great respect for the aboriginal peoples who plied those waters for centuries. (PS Guess the original Australians were aboriginals too, not "convicts" -- from a previous shark post :-) ). I guess one could call an expensive tent expenditure part of the techno-weenie syndrome, and I do know a few folks who survive nicely with just a tarp; but really, my tent is my shelter -- subject to UV damage, gritty wear and tear, zipper problems, wet packing for days at times, heavy squall implosions on exposed coasts, bears poking around at night, and mice and bugs trying to get inside. It is a place to read in dry comfort during prolonged storms when staying under a tarp just doesn't cut it. And it is most definitely the thin veneer that keeps my sanity on challenging solo sea treks, lending peace and comfort through the long nights of self-doubt. A good tent is well worth the outlay. Agreed -- FS, NFS, NSF, whatever. Maybe avoid those gaudy nylon colors, however. Dougie *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************Received on Mon Feb 11 2002 - 04:30:53 PST
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