What do you sleep in when out in the backcountry?

[KBC]

I'm trying to decide what kind of set up I should put together for hike in hunts. I know this question has been asked a lot but I'm looking for answers specific to BC and the weather here. Each option has it's pros an cons but I'm not rich so I'm not buying each one.

I am leaning a little bit towards a floor-less shelter because the ability to use a stove when it's cold is pretty appealing and I could probably make one and make a stove for it so the cost would be a bit less as well.

The hammock is another appealing option since you could hang it over a creek and not get flooded out.

Cheap and lighter there is the tarp option but then do you add a bivy or just a ground sheet?

Regular backpacking tent? Definitely less bugs to worry about.

The Kifaru Sawtooth sure looks cool...

I don't mind spending some money but $1k is pretty expensive.

Thoughts?

[Squamch]

I've used an old eureka tent. It was a nice tent when I bought it. Now, it's a heavy, old, tent. I'm in the same boat as you, I'd like the lightness of a tarp/bivy set up, but the thought of a stove to dry inevitably soaked gear out is pretty nice!

[Weatherby Fan]

I find it depends entirely where and at what time of the year your hunting in BC, For years all we ever used for early season Sept Alpine hunts in area 8 south of Princeton to the US border(5000-6500') was a 6lb synthetic mummy bag and would curl up under the nearest spruce tree.......if it was frost or going to snow we would put a space blanket over ourselves.....try this up Sheep hunting in Northern BC and your going to die lol ! no trees and lots of rain/fog etc......if your going anywhere its not nice and dry you certainly need a waterproof structure of some sort,

I have two tents, a 3 man and a 1 man, if I'm hunting alone and theres a possibility of being out overnight I throw my 1 man tent in the pack with my sleeping bag and thermorest and away I go,

After our 12 day fly in Stone sheep hunt I was sold on the low profile tents, as we had 40MPH winds and thunder showers fog and we never got wet in our 3 man tent once......soon as I got home I bought the same tent in a one man as I like spending the odd night out Mule Deer hunting on my own.

[guest]

Tarp, and a ground sheet, won't catch me in a dam cocoon.....in g bear country lol. Saved our bacon once allowing us to be quicker on the unwanted intruder .

Ask Brambles I think it was...... about a tent. Wicked story they have. Glad to see they are still here.

Butttt, a tent does provide better protection in a bad storm blowing sideways in the alpine.

Just my 2 cents

[.264winmag]

Plenty of affordable ultralight 3 season shelters on the market. I run a big Agnes fly creek UL1, sturdy and kept me dry so far with minimal condensation inside. Not a warm tent though. Been using a Taiga bivy shelter 2 lately and I really like it. More room inside and a warmer shelter. Condensation can show up if vents aren't open. Could be stretched into a 4 season shelter I think. Both these options are around $300 and are super light.

[mmckimmi]

I would recommend a 3 season tent like .264winmag said. There's tons of great options on the market so do some research to figure out what's best for you.

I've been running a MSR Elixr 2 for the last couple years. The tent isn't the lightest nor the most packable but it's well made and very weather proof which is important to me. Who likes being wet?
What's really cool about the Elixr is that you can run it with just the fly and included ground mat for a super light set up when the weather is warm in the summer months. MSR has a really neat video on youtube detailing this modular system.
The fly vestibule is large enough to cook in or store your pack if you're sharing the tent with a second person. I've used it in the snow in late November with no issues. This included cooking in the vestibule with a dragon fly stove. Just be vewy vewy careful...

To cut down on space I've ditched the tent bag the Exlir comes in and opted to stuff it into two separate compression / stuff sacks. This really cuts down the over all volume the tent takes up.

[Flingin' Sticks]

For the most part I'm running a good 3 season tent (Mountain Hardware hammerhead 2). If you're going to go the tent route make sure you have two vestibules...at the end of a long trip you're going to want to slap you're hunting partner without them crawling over you every time they have to piss.

I also have a Hennessy hammock that I love for early season trips, but I'd never gave it as my only option. Too many places I go have no trees big enough to support it, and I've never had much luck with running it as a bicycle bag. If you know you'll be in thick timber and you can sleep in one comfortably (I sleep better in the hammock than in a tent) then they can be awesome.

[rocksteady]

I sleep on the nude...


You want pics?

[KBC]

I sleep on the nude...


You want pics?

Sure, you want some of my pics?

Thanks for the replies so far. The backpacking tent is running away with it but I did find this https://www.hyperlitemountaingear.com/ultamid-2.html#product_tabs_specs
If you added the insert with floor might make it the best of a few worlds. The price is way more than I'd like to spend but maybe I could make something similar for a lot less. When you want to avoid bugs you could run it with the insert and later on you could run it floor-less and add a stove.

[KBC]

If you're going to go the tent route make sure you have two vestibules...at the end of a long trip you're going to want to slap you're hunting partner without them crawling over you every time they have to piss.


I snore way too much to share a tent with someone, but maybe it would keep the bears away?

[huntfish]

Sure, you want some of my pics?

Thanks for the replies so far. The backpacking tent is running away with it but I did find this https://www.hyperlitemountaingear.com/ultamid-2.html#product_tabs_specs
If you added the insert with floor might make it the best of a few worlds. The price is way more than I'd like to spend but maybe I could make something similar for a lot less. When you want to avoid bugs you could run it with the insert and later on you could run it floor-less and add a stove.


a bit heavier than the hyperlite tent but at 2.5 ounces,for the lite model way more room, and cheaper

http://shop.bivysack.com/Pyramid-Tarp-11x11-1Pyramid11x11.htm

[Stresd]

zpacks quilt -7C 20F 16 oz
Neoair Xtherm pad 5.7 R value 15 oz
Stratospire Tarptent 2-3 man 46 oz

Packs very small and under 5 lbs for a very roomy, comfortable, dry sleep, even in the worst weather.

[KBC]

A couple good options. Last night I came across the tarp tent stuff on YouTube and that might be the one.

[Pinewood]

Stratospire 2 is an awesome tent, I would have had one if they were in stock back when...

[JKerr]

Walrus Rapeede XV, best tent I've ever owned, it sucks MSR killed them off. I've owned 3 other tents after getting mine, and keep going back to it.

Use my hennessy hammock a lot in summer if I'm doing weekend trips, worth taking a heavier tent for multiple days though.

[REMINGTON JIM]

26 Foot Nash travel trailer :shock: Queen sized Bed ! :-D RJ

[KBC]

26 Foot Nash travel trailer :shock: Queen sized Bed ! :-D RJ
Sounds expensive hehehe...

[Danny_29]

Sili tarp, bivy, sleeping pad. Good system and if it gets colder just have to up the bag.

[KBC]

Stratospire 2 is an awesome tent, I would have had one if they were in stock back when...
Using the trekking poles is pretty appealing. I'm carrying them anyways

[Steelpulse]

The back pack tent is most versatile as far as seasons and protection from weather and even quite light weight these days. Unless you specifically go on one to two night run and gun deer hunts then a hammock or bivy is all you need in sept. Which is a great option I take advantage of. I've even done the hammock in a blizzard first week of November thermorest and a hennesy hammock bivy tarp. Swayed all night. Dry all night. Slept like a baby

[mod7rem]

There's a lot of things to consider to recommend just one system. Over many years of mountain hunts I've used 3 season (including tarptent), 4 season (sierra and hilleberg), and used floorless with woodstove. When in the mountains you dont just need a place to sleep, you need a shelter. If you're tentbound for multiple days with bad weather, you need a shelter and not just a place that you have to be curled up in a sleeping. I've been in enough crappy situations that I personally wouldn't choose a tarp & bivy setup unless I knew I was going to be in sheltered timber the whole time and a reasonable distance to hike out to safety if things went bad. It'd be hard to ride out a storm in tarp and bivy. On 2016's sheep hunt we were in the worst storm I've ever been in, and even using a 4 season hilleberg we came very close to being in a life and death situation. Tent tore loose in the middle of the storm, this is with big rocks on top of all stakes, one pole bent very bad but luckily didnt break and tear the tent open. There was so much moisture in the air from the driving snow and rain, that it was literally raining in the tent. Everything soaked, we were borderline hypothermic and barely maintaining body temp and use of our fingers. If we'd have lost the tent completely it would have definitely been life threatening. Good thing the storm only lasted 12 hours and the weather changed to just light rain for a few days, giving us a chance to hike down low on the mountain and recover. A tarp and bivy would have become just a bivy very early on in the storm, and a 3 season would not have stood up to the storm.

So my preference is either a light weight 4 season (we have Hilleberg since 2008 ) or floorless with stove, depending on what type of mountain hunt.

[mod7rem]

One of the benefits I find about a lightweight floorless with stove for backpacking is not just the heat, but also the extra tasks. When the days get shorter, there is a lot of hours of darkness to deal with and having the stove keeps you warm and occupied.
The thing I dont like about 3 season tents for sheep and goat hunts is how ventilated and drafty they are. Even in august it gets cold on the mountain and a drafty 3 season can have you tucked into your bag the whole time just to stay warm. A 4 season can allow you to lounge a little more, maybe sitting on top of your bags playing cards while you wait out bad weather.
Some comfort allows you to stay mentally in the hunt and not give up too early when weather gets crappy.

[KBC]

A lot of replies, thanks. I was thinking about the shelters that use trekking poles and realized that a down side is that if you want to leave your shelter set up somewhere to come back to, you can't bring your trekking poles with you.

How often are you leaving your shelter set up for more than one night? Or are most of you keeping your camp on your back for flexibility?

[Stresd]

A lot of replies, thanks. I was thinking about the shelters that use trekking poles and realized that a down side is that if you want to leave your shelter set up somewhere to come back to, you can't bring your trekking poles with you.

How often are you leaving your shelter set up for more than one night? Or are most of you keeping your camp on your back for flexibility?

On 10 day flyin's usually maybe only a couple days in one spot. My Stratospire 2 has very light weight extendable poles that replace my trek poles on my tarptent if I need to use them. No where as sturdy holding the tent up as using the trek poles but havn't had a problem with them. If going to be dry a day while gone i usually just pull my trek poles out and leave the tent collapsed on itself for the day. Takes less than a min to re-erect tent using trek poles when I get back.

[digger dogger]

There's a lot of things to consider to recommend just one system. Over many years of mountain hunts I've used 3 season (including tarptent), 4 season (sierra and hilleberg), and used floorless with woodstove. When in the mountains you dont just need a place to sleep, you need a shelter. If you're tentbound for multiple days with bad weather, you need a shelter and not just a place that you have to be curled up in a sleeping. I've been in enough crappy situations that I personally wouldn't choose a tarp & bivy setup unless I knew I was going to be in sheltered timber the whole time and a reasonable distance to hike out to safety if things went bad. It'd be hard to ride out a storm in tarp and bivy. On 2016's sheep hunt we were in the worst storm I've ever been in, and even using a 4 season hilleberg we came very close to being in a life and death situation. Tent tore loose in the middle of the storm, this is with big rocks on top of all stakes, one pole bent very bad but luckily didnt break and tear the tent open. There was so much moisture in the air from the driving snow and rain, that it was literally raining in the tent. Everything soaked, we were borderline hypothermic and barely maintaining body temp and use of our fingers. If we'd have lost the tent completely it would have definitely been life threatening. Good thing the storm only lasted 12 hours and the weather changed to just light rain for a few days, giving us a chance to hike down low on the mountain and recover. A tarp and bivy would have become just a bivy very early on in the storm, and a 3 season would not have stood up to the storm.

So my preference is either a light weight 4 season (we have Hilleberg since 2008 ) or floorless with stove, depending on what type of mountain hunt.

Damned solid advice about storms and tents, I've had a quality tent get torn up in a crazy mountain storm up north.
I would never rely on anything but a tent for backpack hunts.

[JPG]

Seek Outside 6 man and the Cimarron when it’s only 2 of us.
Lite Outdoors 18” titanium stove with the baffle
Carbon pole in both