There are three several types of ultralight bug shelters appropriate for cowboy tenting, sleeping in a lean-to, or beneath a flat tarp or a pyramid tarp: bivy sacks, bug bivies, and web tents. All of them have their professionals and cons, however that’s true of all ultralight backpacking gear. Whereas bivy sacks are confining, they supply glorious insect safety. Bug bivies often supply extra residing area, however are usually tougher to get out and in of and have to be used with a tarp or trekking poles. Web tents supply probably the most residing area, but in addition are usually the heaviest possibility. For a deeper dialogue of those issues and tradeoff, see our Ultralight Backpacking Bug Shelter Choice Information under.
With these elements in thoughts, listed below are our high bug shelters for ultralight backpacking that we advocate.
| Make / Mannequin | Kind | Weight | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Katabatic Gear Pinon Bivy | Bivy Sack | 7.3 oz / 207g | $139 |
| Borah Ultralight Bivy | Bivy Sack | 5.0 oz / 142 g | $105 |
| Mountain Laurel Designs Superlight Bivy | Bivy Sack | 5.5 oz / 156 g | $185 |
| Paria Out of doors Breeze Bivy | Bug Bivy | 13 oz / 369g | $70 |
| Hyperlite Mountain Gear Bug Bivy | Bug Bivy | 5.7 oz / 162g | $250 |
| Mountain Laurel Designs Bug Bivy | Bug Bivy | 6.5 oz / 184g | $140 |
| Six Moon Designs Serenity Web Tent | Web Tent | 11 oz / 312g | $150 |
| Out of doors Analysis Bug Bivy | Bug Bivy | 16 oz / 454g | $99 |
| SlingFin SplitWing Mesh Physique | Web Tent | 11.2 oz / 318g | $145 |
| Yama Mountain Gear 1P Bug Shelter | Web Tent | 9.3 oz / 272g | $159 |
1. Katabatic Gear Pinon Bivy
2. Borah Gear Ultralight Bivy
3. Mountain Laurel Designs Superlight Bivy Sack
4. Paria Out of doors Breeze Mesh Bivy
5. Hyperlite Mountain Gear Bug Bivy
6. Mountain Laurel Designs Bug Bivy
7. Six Moon Designs Serenity Web Tent
8. Out of doors Analysis Bug Bivy
9. SlingFin SplitWing Mesh Physique
10. Yama Mountain Gear 1P Bug Shelter
Ultralight Backpacking Bug Shelter Choice Information
Bug Shelter Sorts: Professionals, and Cons
Ultralight bug shelters will be bivy sacks (supposed for heat climate use), bug bivies, or web tents. You can even repurpose the interior tent of a double-wall tent though it is going to be a lot heavier and awkward to make use of in additional constrained areas.
Bivy Sacks
Ultralight bivy sacks should not have waterproof tops as a result of they supposed for use in dry situations underneath a separate waterproof shelter in non-winter situations. Most have mesh hoods for insect safety and luxury with a strong, extremely breathable material, masking the torso and legs. A water-resistant flooring is commonly included as comfort together with a zipper or drawstring closure. Grosgrain loops are often included to droop the mesh overhead with wire and to stake out the bivy sack corners. Bivy sacks made totally with mesh tops will be problematic as a result of bugs can chew by the mesh in case you are sleeping on high of your quilt or sleeping bag in scorching climate as a substitute of inside or underneath them.
- Benefits
- Present wind and splashback safety underneath tarps. (Splashback is when water bounces off the bottom close to a tarp and again at you.)
- Good for insect and dew safety when cowboy tenting underneath the celebs.
- Simple to make use of in a lean-to as a result of they are often suspended from rafters and take no extra room.
- Present inflatable sleeping bag safety when a pad is used inside bivy sack.
- They can be utilized like a sheet for insect safety in scorching climate.
- Disadvantages
- Extra claustrophobic than alternate options
- Low to the bottom so much less waterproof in opposition to pooling water
Bug Bivies
Bug bivies (to not be confused by all mesh bivy sacks that some producers name bug bivies) are much like bivy sacks however have sidewalls and have to be suspended overhead utilizing trekking poles or an overhead shelter. They’re often provided with a water-resistant flooring. Many include high zippers on the ridgeline which could be a little troublesome to get out and in of relying in your stand and talent to steadiness whereas stepping out of them.
- Benefits
- Extra residing area
- Have to be suspended on the ends utilizing trekking poles or masking tarp
- Greater sidewalls present higher insect and water safety.
- Disadvantages
- High door entry will be awkward.
- Heavier than a bivy sack.
- Harder to make use of in a crowded lean-to.
Web Tents
Web tents are the equal of an interior tent from a double-wall tent however are often designed to be arrange utilizing trekking poles and staked out on the corners. as a substitute. Web tents have waterproof flooring and a zippered entrance. In case you are planning to mix a web tent with a tarp, it’s necessary to guarantee that the door places align correctly for ease of entry.
- Benefits
- Numerous headroom so you possibly can sit up inside and alter clothes.
- Disadvantages
- Heavier than bivy sacks or bug bivies.
- Harder to make use of in a crowded lean-to, particularly if they’ve a aspect door.
Zipper Location
On bivy shelters with zippers, it’s typically extra handy to have a aspect zipper or one on the head finish than a zipper that runs lengthwise down the middle. In the event you’re sleeping underneath a tarp, there’s going to be restricted headroom beneath it, notably in inclement climate when it’s pitched low to the bottom for extra wind and rain safety. Bivy sacks with aspect zippers and large bivies with finish doorways are simpler to get out of in comparison with bivy sacks with heart zippers or bug bivies with high zippers within the ridgeline.
Bathtub Flooring and Sidewall Depth
If it’s important to sleep on high of your sleep insulation on scorching nights, bugs can nonetheless chew you thru the mesh in the event you are available contact with it. In the event you sleep on a 2″, 3″, or 4″ excessive inflatable pad, you would possibly contemplate selecting a shelter with greater sidewalls made with strong insect-proof material as a substitute of mesh,
Breathable materials
When selecting a bivy sack, attempt to get one with a extremely breathable high material to assist scale back the prospect of inside condensation contained in the bivy again. Keep away from shopping for a bivy sack with a water-resistant/breathable high material for heat climate use as a result of they’re far more liable to inside condensation.
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