Is a tent a false sense of security? Tents vs tarps vs hammocks

[sleepy]

i love love sleeping under the stars with nothing between them and me.  However, it took only one night of being completely chewed by biting insects to confirm my preference for 21st century lightweight free standing mesh enclosure optional fly tent technology.

[Terlingua50337]

I truck camp alot. Pretty much when I get tired of driving all I need is a level piece of ground. I can be in the sack in about 10 minutes. Depending on the time of year I'll sleep sans tent. The sides of the bed makes a good windbreak too. This particular time I was in BBRSP.

[dkerr24]

I know by the end of a day of hiking, I am usually cussing the extra 4.5lbs of tent I carry, but I do appreciate the extra weight when it comes to evening insects.  I would have been ate alive in GUMO back in May '08 had I not been inside a tent.  It was eerily calm there at night, and the mosquitos and gnats were out in armies.

[leigh]

Thanks everyone,
The more I research the more I'm considering a hammock for the 98% of the time I will go out and have trees, and a small ultralight screened shelter with opt. tarp for desert. I have been having lots of fun this week building a spreadsheet with the ultimate backpacking dream gear:)
I just discovered the hammock forum and it's kinda like when I discovered BBC,tooooo coool!
leigh

[jeffblaylock]

Thanks everyone,
The more I research the more I'm considering a hammock for the 98% of the time I will go out and have trees, and a small ultralight screened shelter with opt. tarp for desert. I have been having lots of fun this week building a spreadsheet with the ultimate backpacking dream gear:)
I just discovered the hammock forum and it's kinda like when I discovered BBC,tooooo coool!
leigh

If you haven't already discovered Sgt. Rock, he's worth a read. Avid hammock user.

[jim2]

what is the stink bug cousin that is endemic to west texas? active in summer , does something nasty in humans eye lids. that would make a tent worth having.

[ambersdad]

As someone that camps in a wildlife refuge, sleeping in a tent gives "some" comfort when bison move through the campsite in the middle of the night. 

 

[Traces of Texas]

Once I was in my tent at Grapevine Hills # 4 when I woke up in the middle of the night. I felt something crawling on my chest. I very gently reached out, grabbed my flashlight, and shined it on myself.

Scorpion!

I've been stung by them a few times before but, still, I felt a massive surge of adrenaline. It was all I could do to remain calm.

[iCe]

I've got a bug bivy that's great for sleeping out, a truck tent, and hammock. Each one is good in it's own right. I have a tent too but I haven't seen it in a while.

My preference is the hammock, then bug bivy (for ultralight hiking), then truck tent.

[desertflwr]

The western conenose beetle?  Nasty, nasty things.  One of the worst creatures we have in the Big Bend IMO.  But they only hang out where humans or other warm-blooded mammals usually sleep.  Before we lived here, and would come out to the Big Bend for vacation to our cabin 3-4 times a year, we didn't have them then.  Now that we live here its a constant battle trying to keep them out of the house in the warm months.  Some people out here put a mosquito net over their beds to keep from getting bit.  They can carry disease.  I hate them.   

what is the stink bug cousin that is endemic to west texas? active in summer , does something nasty in humans eye lids. that would make a tent worth having.

[Terlingua50337]

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://assassinbug.com/clinical.jpg&imgrefurl=http://assassinbug.com/&usg=__yc0dO8vwFL8mVhBiSpyl_X2FlVE=&h=81&w=107&sz=3&hl=en&start=4&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=k445uUG10Ss7qM:&tbnh=64&tbnw=85&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dwestern%2Bconenose%2Bbeetle%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:*%26tbs%3Disch:1

Pretty nasty.

[RichardM]

The western conenose beetle?  Nasty, nasty things.  One of the worst creatures we have in the Big Bend IMO.  But they only hang out where humans or other warm-blooded mammals usually sleep.  Before we lived here, and would come out to the Big Bend for vacation to our cabin 3-4 times a year, we didn't have them then.  Now that we live here its a constant battle trying to keep them out of the house in the warm months.  Some people out here put a mosquito net over their beds to keep from getting bit.  They can carry disease.  I hate them.   

what is the stink bug cousin that is endemic to west texas? active in summer , does something nasty in humans eye lids. that would make a tent worth having.

For more info, see The Conenose Bug topic.

[Undertaker]

You could always hang your tent in the Hyatt.

[sandersmr]

Just came back from a week+ camping in CO - the kids that were with us slept outside most nights.  All of us slept out the last night.  But the night that it poured rain, I was glad for my little Swiss Gear.  It only dripped in a couple of spots and I was basically dry.  Others weren't so lucky, including the kids.