Floorless Tents

[Jkrew81]

What are people’s thoughts on floorless teepee tents? I am looking at a new one that has come out from REI and I cannot believe how cheap and light it is. They also seem to make so much sense in that you just ude your trekking poles instead of having to carry poles. I just can’t help but think that you would either get eaten alive by bugs or small critters could come and find a warm place to sleep. Anyone have en experience with this type of tent?

 

[Puck]

back when I was young I was in a scout troop. all we had were old army issue (c.WWI) canvas pup tents that had no floors and ties for the flaps. It would be a hard sell for me to go back.

 

[Chip]

back when I was young I was in a scout troop. all we had were old army issue (c.WWI) canvas pup tents that had no floors and ties for the flaps. It would be a hard sell for me to go back.

Lordy Lou, Puck. I'm surprised no one died. We'd do the "Year 'Round Camper" with floorless canvas tents, cotton clothes, cheap bags. Once a kid wore a snow-mobile suit. Parents thought they were smart, he'd be warm. After hiking, setting up camp, etc the suit was soaked and he and it froze solid that night. One of the leaders had to get him back to one of the cars to warm him up and change him. Did your troop do those foil bags of ground beef and canned vegatables that would be "cooked" on the open fire ? YUM !

To the posted question, I like floors and bug screens.

 

[jbrown]

I use a tarp for my 3-season shelter now. By inference, there is no floor and there are no screens. I love the free flow of air, and the space that I have under it. I do a modified A frame pitch with one long side off the ground, and one long side staked down. I have had it out in medium to heavy rain with no problems. It's all about where you pitch it. The critters already have places that they sleep comfortably, I don't think they'd be likely to snuggle up to a big smelly human.

 

[Warren]

Search the board for teepee tent, mega mid and tarp tent or browse the gear forum. This was a recurring topic this past winter.

No problem with critters to my experience nor bugs- though during the height of bug season I either stay home or use a bug bivy.

 

[DougPaul]

The critters already have places that they sleep comfortably, I don't think they'd be likely to snuggle up to a big smelly human.

I have seen the underside of a tent fly covered in bugs hiding from the rain. Guess the humans weren't smelly enough.

Doug

 

[dolladoj]

i used a 4' x 7' tarp exclusively in the Whites on ~10 trips in Jul/Aug of 2000 at backcountry sites (ie. not tent platforms). I never had a problem with critters of the 4-legged type. And I don't remember an issue with bugs either, i always have a bug mask/head net in the pocket of my sleeping bag anyway.

The main difference you'll find is when you're dealing with water, either an already wet ground, or an overnight rain. If you can learn how to be comfortable in those 2 situations then a floorless tent is a great option.

Which one were you looking at? This one?

 

[jbrown]

I have seen the underside of a tent fly covered in bugs hiding from the rain.

Well, yeah, bugs. I was referring to more mammalian type critters, I should have specified...

 

[woodstrider]

Tarp Tents

When I first started backpacking I did not own a tent and I did not want to invest alot of money in something that might be just a "phase". I used a tarp for shelter for 3 out of the 4 seasons that first year. I mostly just slept out under the stars and set up the tarp if it rained. But when the bugs were eating me alive I had to dive down into my sleeping bag- not very comfortable for warm summer nights.
Now I have (2) light wt. solo tents and a bivy. Colin Fletcher used to use a piece of clear plastic so he could look up at the stars. Light weight and very cheap! Some of these new tarp shelters are more expensive then a small tent- and you get a lot less protection from bugs then in a tent (modern- not talking about the good old days of pup tents).

One of my greatest pleasures occured one Memorial Day Weekend Paddle to the Adirondacks. The mosquitoes were really thick, but I laid in my tent- protected from blood loss while the mosquitoes tried to get to me by drilling their probiscus' thru the netting of my tent. There were millions of them and their droning kept me awake half the night- but still, I was one smug camper.

One thing that is great about floorless tents is that you can cook inside of them with out worrying about damaging you tents floor. I know this will open a whole can of worms about cooking in your tent. I have not done this myself. The stove always goes outside (especially if I am using that bivy- ha ha) even if it is raining.

I love the protection of being enclosed in no seeum netting.
I love sleeping under the stars.

Is there one answer. No. The idea is to just have fun and to be as comfortable as you want. After ten years of backpacking I now own an assortment of gear. But I mostly like my small Eureka Gossamer. It's been in some real down pours and has kept me dry- also it has kept me free of bug bits- which is a good thing- I'am allergic.

 

[DougPaul]

Well, yeah, bugs. I was referring to more mammalian type critters, I should have specified...

Depends on whether they have a taste for human flesh and what other defenses you employ.

Doug

 

[proszach]

When we take the campers out hiking in the summer, we always use tarps rather than tents, aka floorless and wall-less. Never had to worry about critters sharing a sleeping bag with me, although bugs obviously will be a problem if your one to be really bothered by them.

 

[skidoc22]

Has no one ever slept in a lean-to? I have heard of some that were rodent infested but I've never had any encounters with any animals as long as there was no food around. I imagine bugs are an issue during the spring and maybe the early summer but I have not had any problems from August on. I would think the open air of a lean-to would be as attractive as a tarp or floorless tent to any critters.

 

[jbrown]

I would think the open air of a lean-to would be as attractive as a tarp or floorless tent to any critters.

Absolutely, yes they are. In higher traffic areas they're not always available...

 

[SherpaKroto]

The more I use my Betamid, the more I love it. Such options: betamid alone if mild weather threatens, with betabug if more severe expected, betabug alone if clear, but buggy. All for ~4 lbs. You need to be careful to guy it out well if you use both the betabug and betamid together in foul weather, otherwise you get puddles on the floor as the rain drips through the betabug instead of down the sides. I recently found this to be the perfect combination for kayak camping as it packs nicely in the nooks in the storage compartments. My SD Meteoer Light will become my car camping tent.

 

[dougb]

The more I use my Betamid, the more I love it. Such options: betamid alone if mild weather threatens, with betabug if more severe expected, betabug alone if clear, but buggy. All for ~4 lbs.

Isn't that about the same weight as a backpacking tent? I mean, if you want a floor. Then there's no gap between floor & roof to let the bugs in.

 

[Gris]

Isn't that about the same weight as a backpacking tent?

Maybe, except it's a little bigger and WAY more versatile. Plus, there are no tent poles to mess with. BTW, you can easily expand and lighten the "fly" to an 8' x 10' tarp that's only 1 lb. or so, off the shelf or homemade. The "problem" is all the commercial bug tents (that have any wiggle room) weigh around 2 lbs (i know i have one). My next project is an oversized (made to fit my tarp) homemade bug tent w/ WP floor that will weigh in around 1 lb. They are EASY to make from existing el cheapo nettngs. The only difficulty is developing a scheme to "guy out" the netting to the inside of the tarp, as otherwise there is no elbow room. Entry/exit poses some decisions too...

 

[professor]

I backpacked for several seasons, admittedly in my youth, with nothing but what was known as a "tube tent" for shelter. Essentially, a glorified plastic tube, made for one, but crammed with two when you didn't mind getting cozy I was too broke for a real tent, and I stayed remarkably dry, even camping out in downpours or an occasional Rocky Mt summer snowstorm! Would I go back to it? Probably only if weight was an overriding concern, as I now am financially secure enough to have good equipment, just don't have enough time to use it.

 

[erd]

Not in bug seaon, but I do use a silnylon poncho (Equinox) in fall and early winter. A Bibler Winter Bivy (an Epic sack) is handy if there's a chance of poor weather. I use a variety of tents, too--depends on my mood and the weather.

Ted.

 

[SherpaKroto]

Isn't that about the same weight as a backpacking tent? I mean, if you want a floor. Then there's no gap between floor & roof to let the bugs in.

dougb: sure, but I get options: fly only, betabug only (it's not just a floor, but a mesh tent insert with a floor: no gaps), both. I can decide at the last minute what to take and have often just taken the tarp. I'm sold on this system, but YMMV.