Insect Safety with Ultralight Tarps and Shelters

There are 4 various kinds of ultralight bug shelters appropriate for cowboy tenting, sleeping in a lean-to, or beneath a flat tarp:

1. Bivy Sacks
2. Bug Bivies
3. Internet Tents
4. Floorless Tarps w/ no-see-um Skirts

Whereas they’re all related in sure respects, they’ve distinct variations, execs, and cons. Whereas bivy sacks are confining, they supply wonderful insect safety. Bug bivies normally provide extra residing area, however are typically tougher to get out and in of and should be suspended from a tarp or trekking poles. Internet tents provide probably the most residing area, however should even be used with trekking poles and are usually the heaviest choice. Floorless Tarps w/ no-see-um skirts sewn round their backside perimeter are virtually equal to a full tent however are normally used with some type of footprint for dust and moisture safety which may mitigate their weight financial savings.

Bivy Sacks

Ultralight bivy sacks should not have waterproof tops as a result of they’re meant for use in dry circumstances underneath a separate waterproof shelter in non-winter circumstances. They shouldn’t be confused with a lot heavier waterproof bivy sacks used as tent replacements, such because the Out of doors Analysis Helium Bivy Sack.

Most ultralight bivy sacks have mesh hoods for insect safety and luxury with a strong, extremely breathable cloth, masking the torso and legs. A water-proof ground is usually included as comfort together with a zipper or drawstring closure. Grosgrain loops are normally included to droop the mesh overhead with wire and to stake out the bivy sack corners.  Bivy sacks made fully with mesh tops could be problematic as a result of bugs can chunk by way of the mesh if you’re sleeping on high of your quilt or sleeping bag in scorching climate as an alternative of underneath or inside them. (see Katabatic Gear, Borah Gear, Mountain Laurel Designs).

• 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 lightweight dew safety when cowboy tenting underneath the celebrities.
  • Straightforward 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 options
  • Low to the bottom so much less waterproof towards pooling water
  • Often not seam sealed or taped

Bug Bivies

Bug bivies are just like bivy sacks however have sidewalls and should be suspended overhead utilizing trekking poles or an overhead shelter. They’re normally provided with a water-proof ground. Many include high zippers on the ridgeline which could be a little troublesome to get out and in of relying in your potential to stability whereas stepping out of them. (see Mountain Laurel Designs, Paria Out of doors, SlingFin, Yama Mountain Gear).

• • Benefits
    • Extra residing area
    • Increased sidewalls present higher insect and water safety.
  • Disadvantages
    • High door entry could be awkward.
    • Have to be suspended on the ends utilizing trekking poles or masking tarp
    • Heavier than a bivy sack.
    • Harder to make use of in a crowded lean-to
  • Main Mfgs of Bug Bivies:

Internet Tents

Internet tents are the equal of an interior tent from a double-wall tent however are normally designed to be arrange utilizing trekking poles and staked out on the corners as an alternative. Internet tents have waterproof flooring and a zippered entrance. In case you are planning to mix a internet tent with a tarp, it’s vital to make it possible for the door areas align correctly for ease of entry. (see Six Moon Designs, Hyperlite Mtn Gear, Mountain Laurel Designs).

• • • Benefits
      • A number of headroom so you’ll be able to 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

Floorless Tarps w/ no-see-um Skirts

Floorless tarps w/ no-see-um Skirts have netting that hangs beneath the underside hem of the tarp, normally a mid-style formed tarp, and closes the hole between the tarp and the bottom. Whereas they don’t present the identical diploma of safety {that a} single-wall tent with a ground does, they do a reasonably good job at protecting flying and crawling bugs and scorpions out of your shelter at night time. (see Six Moon Designs).

• Benefits
  • No extra setup up required since they’re a part of your tarp
  • A couple of ounces lighter weight than carrying a single wall shelter with a ground
  • Present some splashback safety in rain
  • Remarkably efficient at blocking
• Disadvantages
  • No dust or moisture safety beneath you; most individuals carry a footprint too

The Better of the Greatest

With the benefits and downsides of every bug shelter kind in thoughts, listed here are the ultralight bug shelters that we might advocate taking a deeper take a look at in case your objective is to assemble an ultralight shelter system. When selecting between these totally different bug shelter sorts it’s vital to know the place you propose to make use of them, what the climate circumstances shall be like, in addition to the tarp, if any, you plan to pair them with.

Further Issues

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 bug bivies with finish doorways or aspect 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 Ground and Sidewall Depth

You probably have an all-mesh bivy sack or a bug bivy with mesh sidewalls and have to sleep on high of your sleep insulation on scorching nights, bugs can nonetheless chunk you thru the mesh. In the event you sleep on a 2″, 3″, or 4″ excessive inflatable pad, you would possibly take into account selecting a shelter with increased sidewalls made with strong insect-proof cloth as an alternative of mesh.

Breathable materials

When selecting a bivy sack, attempt to get one with a extremely breathable high cloth to assist scale back the prospect of inner condensation contained in the bivy again. Keep away from shopping for a bivy sack with a water-proof/breathable high cloth for heat climate use as a result of they’re way more susceptible to inner condensation.

See Additionally:

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