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Chatted with a thru-hiker at a diner in Moab who said she ditched her tent after week 2 and just used a tarp
She told me she saved almost 2 pounds off her base weight and never once missed having four walls, which made me rethink my whole setup for a weeklong loop I'm planning in the Wind River Range next month has anyone else made that switch and regretted it or found it worked better than expected?
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jana_hart183d ago
Oh man, I totally get that feeling! I switched to a tarp setup two years ago after talking to a guy on the CDT and honestly it changed everything for me. At first I was terrified I'd hate it especially during bug season or if the weather turned nasty, but after a few trips I never looked back. On my last weeklong hike in the Uintas I got caught in a surprise thunderstorm and just found a good spot under some trees and stayed bone dry, it was way less fuss than trying to set up a tent in the rain. The weight savings let me carry extra coffee and a few snacks I wouldn't have bothered with before, which felt like a luxury. Just practice pitching it a few times in your backyard before you head to the Winds, it's a different skill but not hard once you get the hang of it.
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carr.lee3d ago
Wait, is switching to a tarp really that big of a deal though? lol @jana_hart18 I've been using the same tent for like six years and never felt the need to swap. Sure it's a few extra ounces but I can set it up in the dark after a long day without thinking. Bugs drive me crazy so I'd probably end up buying a bug net anyway which kinda defeats the weight savings. Glad it worked for you in the Uintas though, that's a great area.
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jamesf413d ago
Wait, she ditched a tent after just two weeks on a thru-hike and went straight to a tarp? That's a bold move, @jana_hart18. I've been kicking this idea around for years but always worried about bugs and wind up high in the Winds. You mentioned a surprise thunderstorm, how did the tarp hold up with sideways rain? I'm thinking of trying it for a weeklong loop there but I'd be lying if I said the thought of setting up a tarp in a hailstorm doesn't give me pause.
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