Advice on tarps and bivies

[Diewithyourbootson]

Having a hard time deciding, need some expert input. I'm thinking of upgrading some gear mainly spring bear in Montana possibly early season elk
I've pretty much made my mind up on trying a quilt but then can't decide if I should go with a bivy and a tarp or I have been looking at the sky air ult. Would you still run a bivy with this or just get the mesh insert for bugs. The bivy I'm thinking of trying is the SJK contour just because of price in case it doesn't work for me. Either option would be less carried weight which is my main goal.

 

[MTLabrador]

I bring a tarp and bivy for going lightweight when the weather is nice, but I wouldn’t want it to be my only option. If you can only get one shelter, get a solid, lightweight 3 season tent.

 

[Diewithyourbootson]

I have a 3 season, I wouldn't call it real lightweight that's kind of why I was looking at an upgrade, are you thinking spring maybe isn't the time to be experimenting with tarps?

 

[p_ham]

The weather during spring hunts can be unpredictable. Plus the ticks are out full force.
If it were me, I'd be looking for a lighter 3 season. What do you have now?

I'll add, I have a quilt and absolutely love it.

 

[Diewithyourbootson]

I have a kelty grand mesa just checked the listed weight and it's 4-10 it has been a good tent. I've been lucky weather wise last few years just some light rain not much for storms yet. Hoping the quilt will help get a little better sleep, still going to use my 0degree bag later in the year and ND deer season

 

[Diewithyourbootson]

Thank you for replies, gives me some more to consider.

 

[WYWINCHESTER]

I found a "foot print" the size I wanted for a make shift tent- tarp. Light multi use's. A few stakes and para cord. A good 0 or -20 bag.
Those numbers they tell you on the bags are what you will survive. Not be half comfortable.

 

[Diewithyourbootson]

I found a "foot print" the size I wanted for a make shift tent- tarp. Light multi use's. A few stakes and para cord. A good 0 or -20 bag.
Those numbers they tell you on the bags are what you will survive. Not be half comfortable.

A footprint might save me a bit of weight the 2 tarps I have wouldn't be considered lightweight, I haven't pulled the trigger on a high end bag yet still trying to talk myself into it , I have a marmot 0 degree that's an awesome bag but a tank to carry

 

[Wrong Burgundy]

Having a hard time deciding, need some expert input. I'm thinking of upgrading some gear mainly spring bear in Montana possibly early season elk
I've pretty much made my mind up on trying a quilt but then can't decide if I should go with a bivy and a tarp or I have been looking at the sky air ult. Would you still run a bivy with this or just get the mesh insert for bugs. The bivy I'm thinking of trying is the SJK contour just because of price in case it doesn't work for me. Either option would be less carried weight which is my main goal.

Something like this might give you the benefits of a tent and tarp...https://www.sixmoondesigns.com/collections/ultralight-shelters/products/owyhee and weighs in at 25 oz.

I have a TarpTent StratoSpire 2, which is more of an enclosed tent with netting vs. a tarp-tent, and since you use trekking poles, a stick or separate pole to pitch these, the weight and packed size is really compact vs. a 'standard' tent with several poles, heavier inner tent, etc. It weighs about 2.6 lbs. all in.

Tarps are nice, but I treat them more as a temporary shelter for a midday storm or I set one up away from the main camping area as a 'cooking hut' when you are sitting in a rainstorm trying to heat up a meal, etc.
I have used them as a primary shelter (coincidentally on a spring bear hunt in MT) and of course it rained late in the day and on into the night...I had the tarp pitched with the lowest end into the wind and rain, but it shifted somewhat later in the night and the lower third of my sleeping bag was wet in the morning. This was partly the fault of the tarp design (too large of an opening and not a great way to close it down) and my own by not keeping everything snugged up in the protected area of the tarp. Overall, some kind of fully enclosed shelter beats a 'standard' rectangular tarp, regardless of how it is pitched.

Example - a GoLite Lair 2. Decent tarp, has one end that goes all the way to the ground, but way too large of a "door". Can't really enclose it. Worked fine as a "kitchen" where we would wait out a storm and eat dinner/breakfast.



Much better option -- Seek Outside tipi. You can see the line between where it rained (most of the night) and the dry dirt inside. Some wind-whipped rain made it under the edges, but nothing too bad. I used a polycro groundsheet under my sleeping bag which kept me 98% dry. It doesn't keep out the random mouse running around, though...


Here is my buddy's TarpTent MoTrail from a few years back on a mid-September elk hunt. This shelter is really not designed for snow loads (it has a mesh inner and pitches with trekking poles), and thankfully it didn't pile up too much, but we hunkered down and had to bump snow off from the inside because the ceiling was sagging quite a bit. It worked, we stayed dry, but that ain't no Hilleberg....


So, lots of options, but if I need one shelter, I lean towards enclosed and find the lightest one I can.

 

[Diewithyourbootson]

Thanks bozone lots of good info, I do like the tipi I have a 5 man, hadn't thought of a smaller one but will be looking now