The Great Outdoors

[ousdahl]

But yeah, whether hammock and/or tarp or otherwise, trying to figure out the best ultralight shelter and sleep setup for backpacking.

[Deleted User 89]

Nice. I could see it being a benefit when flat ground is otherwise scarce. A thermarest would make it cozier too.

I suppose weather is a big factor too. The one night I did hammock camp, it got chilly, and being off the ground seemed to make my ass that much colder.

Maybe I need to give it another chance.

or you need a better sleeping bag

[ousdahl]

Maybe.

I have a lighter synthetic one for summer camping, then a heavier down one for the rest of the year, but the temp windows of comfort for both is actually pretty narrow. (And nowhere near their advertised temp range)

But, man. Thinking back on the Tahoe rim trail, slept like shit the first night. But the next two weeks, once you’re used to sleeping under the stars and to putting in 8-20+ miles a day, out like a lamp as soon as I laid down.

The desolation wilderness on the south side of the lake is top 5 coolest landscapes in Merica

[Deleted User 89]

the wife did a solo trip into the high Uintas while i was in africa, and only took a hammock. she didn’t even take a tarp, but was fortunate that the weather cooperated. she loved it, but admitted feeling a bit vulnerable, especially after waking up to moose and mountain goats nearby

[TDub]

Tarp camping is awesome. A lot of times ill use the tarp under me, nothing over. Ive carried a tent fly too same idea. Super lightweight. Tarp under, fly over.

[pdub]

I've tarp camped.
But last time I did I picked the wrong log to use as a partial shelter and woke up to a shit load of giant ass wolf spiders staring down at me.

I'm "man" enough to tarp camp but not enough to camp under wolf spiders.

( also, now, as mentioned before, I only go cglamping )

[pdub]

But learning/knowing the best knots is fun/key.

If there's even a 30 percent chance of rain, I bring a big tarp cglamping and tie it over our picnic bench and edge of the fire pit.

[jhawks99]

My buddy and I used to camp out about every other weekend or more. Even if it was only at Clinton.
Now, I'm happier in my nice soft bed or a hotel room.
Yeah, call me a pooose all you want.

[Deleted User 89]

poosie

[Deleted User 89]

seriously though, i feel your pain, 99

did some tent camping for the first time in several years, and was achey for days after. the body just doesn’t handle it the way it used to...even with a nice thermarest

[ousdahl]

Oh!

Tarp camping worked pretty well.

It somewhat paradoxically took longer to set up a tarp between two trees than to set up a tent with poles and everything.

An evening shower rolled through and the tarp kept my shit bone dry underneath, even when it got pretty heavy and graupelly for a bit.

I even slept ok underneath it. I say ok cuz come on, it’s still camping.

With a bright moon, the landscape was still visible at night. Less privacy under a tarp than in a tent, and while I thought it would be weird to wake up and see the natural world just like right there in front of you with who knows what critters wandering about, the image of a mountain meadow bathed in moonlight was actually rather serene.

One thing that did get to me: bugs. With no screen or net, a couple skeeters and a fly buzzed my head at night, which wasn’t ideal. I think this would be my biggest hesitation about otherwise camping like this more often. A bug net wouldn’t be hard to set up with it either, but what point are you better off just bringing a tent.

(I didn’t use any bug spray though. The bugs at this elevation aren’t bad, just the occasional fly by rather than relentless swarms, and deet kinda freaks me out)

But still cool to know such a shelter can be comfortable and effective against the elements. Good for camping in a pinch, or if one is trying to dial in an ultralight backpacking setup.

[Deleted User 89]

haven’t we discussed beavers and salmon before?

https://blog.nwf.org/2021/06/beavers-an ... -alliance/

[pdub]

“One thing that did get to me: bugs.“

Have a buddy who uses a hammock tent hybrid—zips himself in the hammock like a pod.

[ousdahl]

I don’t see any hybrid features.

And if that is who I think it is on the ground, I doubt this guy’s a buddy any more…

[Deleted User 89]

10 Photos of Sea Slugs That Will Blow Your Ocean-Lovin’ Mind

https://oceanconservancy.org/blog/2019/ ... ovin-mind/

[zsn]

Oh wow!! I swear that they photoshopped some of them! Nature is so much more spectacular than anyone’s imagination. Especially that neon one. No way that’s real

[TDub]

Goddamn. Due to fire danger theyve closed the woods until at least October 31st. Thats fucked. No deer season, no elk season, no firewood season. Freezers gonna be light and house is gonna be cold.

Gonna have to push hard for a second season spike tag and hunt hard. Also gonna have to dedicate some seriius time to wood getting late in the season.....since I start burning wood in mid November thats gonna be a rough couple weeks trying to set up my winter that im usually done preparing for by late Oct. Wonderful.


Also, assuming they dont make hunters eat their tags and make them good for next year that means yet another year with no first season elk tag....fuckitall

[TDub]

Also if 2nd season is even open its gonna be absolutely full of people that couldnt hunt 1st season. Shitshow.

[ousdahl]

That’s crazy that they just completely close the woods.

But when everyone otherwise acts like the fire ban don’t apply to yall, I guess they gotta step it up

[TDub]

Yea its completely shut down. Theyre even extending forest allotments to keep ranchers from goin up to gather cattle....which otherwise must be off the land by Oct 31st.