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 execs and cons, however that’s true of all ultralight backpacking gear. Whereas bivy sacks are confining, they supply glorious insect safety. Bug bivies normally supply extra dwelling area, however are usually more durable to get out and in of and have to be used with a tarp or trekking poles. Web tents supply probably the most dwelling area, but in addition are typically the heaviest choice. For a deeper dialogue of those concerns and tradeoff, see our Ultralight Bug Shelter Choice Information beneath.
With these components in thoughts, listed here are our high 10 really useful bug shelters for ultralight backpacking:
1. Katabatic Gear Pinon Bivy
2. Borah Gear Ultralight Bivy
3. Mountain Laurel Designs Superlight Bivy Sack
4. Paria Out of doors 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 newest value at:
Six Moon Designs
8. Out of doors Analysis Bug Bivy
9. SlingFin SplitWing Mesh Physique
10. Yama Mountain Gear 1P Bug Shelter
Ultralight Bug Shelter Choice Information
Bug Shelter Varieties: Execs, and Cons
Ultralight bug shelters could be bivy sacks (supposed for heat climate use), bug bivies, or web tents. You too can repurpose the inside 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 supposed for use in dry circumstances beneath a separate waterproof shelter in non-winter circumstances. Most have mesh hoods for insect safety and luxury with a stable, extremely breathable material, overlaying the torso and legs. A water-proof ground 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 fully with mesh tops could be problematic as a result of bugs can chunk by the mesh if you’re sleeping on high of your quilt or sleeping bag in sizzling climate as an alternative of inside or beneath them.
- Benefits
- Present wind and splashback safety beneath 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 beneath the celebs.
- Straightforward to make use of in a lean-to as a result of they are often suspended from rafters and take no extra 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 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 just like bivy sacks however have sidewalls and have to be suspended overhead utilizing trekking poles or an overhead shelter. They’re normally supplied with a water-proof ground. Many include high zippers on the ridgeline which could be a little tough to get out and in of relying in your stand and skill to stability whereas stepping out of them.
- Benefits
- Extra dwelling area
- Have to be suspended on the ends utilizing trekking poles or overlaying tarp
- Larger sidewalls present higher insect and water safety.
- Disadvantages
- Prime door entry could be awkward.
- Heavier than a bivy sack.
- Tougher to make use of in a crowded lean-to.
Web Tents
Web tents are the equal of an inside tent from a double-wall tent however are normally designed to be arrange utilizing trekking poles and staked out on the corners. as an alternative. 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 make it possible for the door places align correctly for ease of entry.
- Benefits
- Plenty of headroom so you possibly can sit up inside and alter clothes.
- Disadvantages
- Heavier than bivy sacks or bug bivies.
- Tougher 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 typically 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 beneath a tarp, there’s going to be restricted headroom beneath it, notably 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 Ground and Sidewall Depth
If it’s a must to sleep on high of your sleep insulation on sizzling nights, bugs can nonetheless chunk you thru the mesh should 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 stable insect-proof material as an alternative of mesh,
Breathable materials
When selecting a bivy sack, attempt to get one with a extremely breathable high material to assist scale back the prospect of inside condensation contained in the bivy again. Keep away from shopping for a bivy sack with a water-proof/breathable high material for heat climate use as a result of they’re far more liable to inside condensation.
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