There are three various kinds of ultralight bug shelters appropriate for cowboy tenting, sleeping in a lean-to, or beneath a flat tarp: bivy sacks, bug bivies, and web tents. All of them have their professionals and cons, however that’s true of all ultralight backpacking gear. Whereas bivy sacks are confining, they supply wonderful insect safety. Bug bivies normally supply extra residing area, however are typically tougher to get out and in of and should be used with a tarp or trekking poles. Web tents supply essentially the most residing area, but additionally are typically the heaviest possibility. For a deeper dialogue of those issues and tradeoff, see our Ultralight Bug Shelter Choice Information beneath.
With these elements in thoughts, listed below are our high 10 advisable bug shelters for ultralight backpacking:
1. Katabatic Gear Pinon Bivy
2. Borah Gear Ultralight Bivy
3. Mountain Laurel Designs Superlight Bivy Sack
4. Paria Outside Breeze Mesh Bivy
5. Hyperlite Mountain Gear Ultamid Half 2 Insert
6. Mountain Laurel Designs Bug Bivy
7. Six Moon Designs Serenity Web Tent
Test for the most recent worth at:
Six Moon Designs
8. Outside Analysis Bug Bivy
9. SlingFin SplitWing Mesh Physique
10. Yama Mountain Gear 1P Bug Shelter
Ultralight Bug Shelter Choice Information
Bug Shelter Sorts: Professionals, and Cons
Ultralight bug shelters may be bivy sacks (meant for heat climate use), bug bivies, or web tents. It’s also possible to repurpose the internal tent of a double-wall tent though will probably be a lot heavier and awkward to make use of in additional constrained areas.
Bivy Sacks
Ultralight bivy sacks wouldn’t have waterproof tops as a result of they meant for use in dry circumstances underneath a separate waterproof shelter in non-winter circumstances. Most have mesh hoods for insect safety and luxury with a strong, extremely breathable cloth, masking the torso and legs. A water-proof flooring is commonly 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 completely with mesh tops may be problematic as a result of bugs can chunk via the mesh if you’re sleeping on high of your quilt or sleeping bag in sizzling climate as a substitute of inside or underneath them.
- 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 dew safety when cowboy tenting underneath the celebrities.
- Simple to make use of in a lean-to as a result of they are often suspended from rafters and take no further 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 sizzling climate.
- Disadvantages
- Extra claustrophobic than alternate options
- Low to the bottom so much less waterproof towards pooling water
Bug Bivies
Bug bivies (to not be confused by all mesh bivy sacks that some producers name bug bivies) are much like bivy sacks however have sidewalls and should be suspended overhead utilizing trekking poles or an overhead shelter. They’re normally supplied with a water-proof flooring. Many include high zippers on the ridgeline which is usually a little tough to get out and in of relying in your stand and talent to steadiness whereas stepping out of them.
- Benefits
- Extra residing area
- Should be suspended on the ends utilizing trekking poles or masking tarp
- Larger sidewalls present higher insect and water safety.
- Disadvantages
- Prime door entry may be awkward.
- Heavier than a bivy sack.
- Harder to make use of in a crowded lean-to.
Web Tents
Web tents are the equal of an internal tent from a double-wall tent however are normally designed to be arrange utilizing trekking poles and staked out on the corners. as a substitute. Web tents have waterproof flooring and a zippered entrance. If you’re planning to mix a web tent with a tarp, it’s essential to ensure that the door areas align correctly for ease of entry.
- Benefits
- A number of headroom so you may 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 facet door.
Zipper Location
On bivy shelters with zippers, it’s usually extra handy to have a facet zipper or one on the head finish than a zipper that runs lengthwise down the middle. Should you’re sleeping underneath a tarp, there’s going to be restricted headroom beneath it, significantly in inclement climate when it’s pitched low to the bottom for extra wind and rain safety. Bivy sacks with facet zippers and large bivies with finish doorways are simpler to get out of in comparison with bivy sacks with middle zippers or bug bivies with high zippers within the ridgeline.
Bathtub Flooring and Sidewall Depth
If it’s important to sleep on high of your sleep insulation on sizzling nights, bugs can nonetheless chunk you thru the mesh in case you are available in contact with it. Should you sleep on a 2″, 3″, or 4″ excessive inflatable pad, you would possibly think about selecting a shelter with larger sidewalls made with strong insect-proof cloth as a substitute 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 rather more susceptible to inner condensation.
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