Safety and Comfort in the backcountry require attention to the Essentials.  The Essential Systems offer travelers a sort of checklist that will enable them to travel safely and with a level of preparedness that will allow them to respond positively to any accidents or emergencies….
Shelter, Insulation, Fire, Hydration, Nutrition, First-Aid, Sun and Skin Protection, Navigation, Illumination, Tools and Repairs and Communication make up eleven essential systems we recommend all backcountry travels prepare themselves with for any and all outdoor adventures (for more information on the essentials go to: http://www.getoutmore2010.com/2010/07/03/whats-in-the-backpack/).

 If we are going to spend our nights in the outdoors we must satisfy our essential need to be sheltered.

The weather conditions that present themselves during a night in the wilderness can be extremely varied.  Our bodies are sensitive to temperature changes and wet weather combined with cold temperatures can quickly lead to hypothermia. 

 A Shelter will provide us with a refuge from the natural elements that come standard with a wilderness experience. 

 A wider range of temperatures, winds and precipitations should certainly be accounted for when deciding on a shelter for your overnight adventures.

There are numerous options that offer shelter in the backcountry. Bivouacs, Tarps, Hammocks and Tents can all be reliable shelters in the appropriate environment.

Bivouacs offer lightweight travelers a shelter that can be pitched just about anywhere you can lay your body.  Bivouacs take up very little space in your pack and are extremely light.  Our Big Agnes Three Wire Bivy weights only 1lb 12 oz.  Bivouacs are limited in space (little headroom).  Traditionally designed as a minimalist shelter, bivouacs provide a weatherproof barrier that slips over your sleeping bag.  The lightweight and convenient shelter offers a comfortable (warm and dry) place to sleep, but is designed to only lie down in.

 Tarps take minimalist shelters to the next level.  An extremely lightweight shelter option (Sea to Summit Poncho-Tarp just 12 oz.), a tarp offers refuge from the sun and rain so you will be technically sheltered, but due to the open sides and bottom you will not benefit from any additional insulation and will be impacted heavily by the wind.  We often utilize our Sea to Summit Poncho-Tarp as an addition to our Bivy.  The Poncho-Tarp is an excellent example of a multi-use item that can serve as our raingear, pack cover, ground cloth, and traditional tarp.

Hammocks are gaining popularity in the backcountry.  Hammocks offer the opportunity to hang a shelter off the ground and therefore do not require a flat or level ground to achieve comfort.  Some travelers enjoy the wrapped feel of hammock sleeping while others have difficulty getting comfortable without a firm level surface below them. 

Tents are without a doubt the most common backcountry shelter.  Tents offer a complete enclosure that can be a refuge from the weather, the sun, the wind and the bugs.  Tents can offer a greater level of insulation and are capable of sleeping multiple people.

When evaluating a tent for your adventure we recommend considering the tent Size, Season and Design.

Size will be typically listed as Packed Size (how much space it will take up in your pack), Floor Area, Vestibule Area, and Head Height.  Manufacturers categorize tents size by the number of people the tent is designed to sleep (capacity).  The Floor Area and Head Height will have a big impact on comfort while not lying down and additional vestibule space is a nice place to store your gear.

Season will define the conditions the tent is designed to protect you from.  A three-season tent will often offer greater ventilation and star-gazing due to the use of nylon mesh as a tent body material, while four-season or mountaineering tents will offer greater insulation and superior weatherproofing due to the threat of snow and ice during winter excursions.   

Tent Design will determine whether or not a tent is free standing or will require staking, whether the tent is a Single Wall (one layer of material acts as the walls of the tent) or a Double Wall (a tent body and a tent rain fly work together to provide weatherproof protection). 

A Ground Cloth will offer additional weatherproofing and abrasion resistance for the bottom of your tent.  Some tents are designed with a fast fly set-up that utilizes a footprint (custom ground cloth) as a lighter variation pitching option.  The Big Agnes String Ridge 2 that we have enjoyed using on the 2010 Tour utilizes a Cordura® Brand Fabric in the footprint and rain fly providing lightweight and durable weatherproof protection from the ground, wind and precipitation.

 Other major features of your tent will be the Poles that offer structural support and Stakes that fasten the tent to the ground.

 While evaluating tent specifications be aware that manufacturers will often list several weights.   Packed Weight will typically be heavier and include the tent body, rain fly, poles, stakes, guy lines, tent instructions, ground cloth and stuff sacks.  Trail Weight is generally lighter and will be limited to tent body, poles and rain fly.

The modern Materials that are utilized in tents will heavily impact a tents ability to be weatherproof, lightweight and durable.  Advances in high tech nylon fabrics from Cordura® Brand have enabled manufacturers to minimize weight without sacrificing durability.  Materials that have been silicone treated or polyurethane coated will provide waterproofing but we would still recommend seam sealing your tent before use.  The stitching process during tent manufacturing will put very small holes in the tent so seam sealing will ensure a water proof seam.

For additional information related to tent selection check out the article at:  http://www.backpacker.com/gear_checklists_tent_shopping_guide/gear/12194

We hope this information will be useful to you the next time you need to consider the shelter options that are available for your next outdoor adventure. 

As always we welcome your comments to any article and hope you will help us provide important information to the Get Out More Nation.

See You Outside,

Sheri and Randy Propster

Tags: Bivouac, Essentials, Get Out More Tour, Hammock, Randy Propster, Shelters, Sheri Propster, Tarp, tent

This entry was posted on Sunday, July 25th, 2010 at 11:44 pm and is filed under Advice From the Experts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.