Need convincing!

imported
#1

I had chosen to take Henry Shire’s tarptent on my thru-hike from all the good reviews I’ve seen on this forum. However, after seeing tonight’s storm, I’m beginning to doubt my decision. Here is the weather forecast :


A BAND OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL PERSIST OVER PARTS OF CENTRAL KENTUCKY THROUGH AT LEAST 1100 PMEDT OR 1000 PM CDT. THIS BAND OF STORMS IS VERY SLOWLY MOVING TO THESOUTHEAST, THEREFORE HEAVY RAINFALL MAY BE POSSIBLE. RAINFALL RATES OF 1 TO 1.5 INCHES PER HOUR HAVE BEEN OBSERVED THUS FAR. IN ADDITION, FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING WILL CONTINUE, ALONG WITH WIND GUSTS TO 30 OR 40 MPH.
And I think that is a little conservative. I don’t know how a tarptent could keep me dry in what is out there right now! Should I expect similar weather on the AT, and how on earth is a tarptent going to keep me dry in conditions such as these? I need some more convincing!

Bigfoot

#2

Learn how to set it up in various situations, and a tarp beats a tent on the AT IMO. That kind of weather is a trivial situation. It’s rare, and you might get wet- or you could stay in a shelter, or someone else’s tent, or a hostel, or a hotel, or in a drain pipe, or under a rock outcrop, or “cowboy style” like Lion King. Have no fear, my friend. You might have a couple tough nights early on, but you’ll be glad. Make sure you have a bugnet for N. Jersey!

THA WOOKIE

#3

NO RAIN, NO PAIN, NO MAINE. Practice make perfect. The tarp will do just great. Take Wookie’s advice on the bug net! Some of those critters had 3 foot wingspans and argued on weither to eat you there and risk loosing you to the big ones or taking you home for their kids to fight over.

Papa Smurf

#4

On the AT dry only exists once in a great while, unless you are incredibly “lucky”, and then the springs dry up. If it’s not rain, it’s sweat. The best attitude is to just learn to like being wet. As long as you are warm, wet is not so bad.

Blue Jay

#5

I have tarped in heavy thunder storms when the ground was a puddle and stayed dry. Make sure you have seam sealed the tarp and set it up in a good location. Tarps require more thought than a tent to set up and stay dry but weigh a lot less.

Darth Pacman

#6

quote:


“NO RAIN, NO PAIN, NO MAINE. Practice makes perfect”
“On the AT dry only exists once in a great while”
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Humm… Then that raises another dougt! Is a Down bag the correct choice?
And don’t get me wrong. I’m not wimping out. I just want to buy the correct gear from the get go.

Bigfoot

#7

I hiked through a drought on the AT where it didn’t rain for 3 months so it wasn’t a problem. If you buy a down bag get one with a water resistant shell like dry loft or other material. It’s worth the money and the weight. I carried synthetic bags which are pretty useless when wet. I know what everyone says about down but basicly if your bag gets wet your screwed if the temp drops anywhere near your bags rating. I had a 10 degree bag that wouldn’t keep me warm when it was in the thirties due to moisture build up. I put my bag in the drier on low heat a the laundry mat for a few minutes in town. This really helped. Just check the drier and make sure it’s not get to hot or your bag will melt.
Practice setting up your tarp a few times before you leave. At worst you can go for a shelter if weather gets bad. I stayed most nights in a shelter on my first hike. In 2001 I used a sil shelter which kept us dry after I finished sealing all the seams. I only had a problem with side splashing. I solved this problem by folding my ground cloth up on the edges so the water ran under my ground cloth and not my gear.

Darth Pacman

#8

Bigfoot,

I hiked the AT in 2000, durring the last El Nino. I was on the trail for 175 days and it rained for over 100 of them. That’s right, over 100 days of rain. Ugh…

Anyway. Just wanted to let you know that I used a down bag for the entire trail and never ever had any problems that the synthetic industry has tried so hard to associate with wet down. In fact, on one occasion, I had an entire 70oz camelback bladder spill onto my bag just before going to sleep. SOme of the water rolled off, but the majority of it that soaked in was nearly dry by morning, and I stayed warm even though the nighttime temps matched my bag’s rating (30*F). Most of what you’ve heard is just advertising hype by the synthetic industry.

Think about this: Who owns the down industry? A non-collective group of european and asian farmers with little care beyond selling down. And The Synthetic industry? Huge conglomorants like DuPont and 3M, with more than a little interest in their products appeal to the market. So is what they say true? Yup. They don’t outright lie. If your down bag collects enough moisture, you will notice that your bag will lose loft and be colder. However, they try to make you believe that it only takes a couple of raindrops to make you die during a cold rainy night. In reality, take your new down bag down to the lake and toss it in. What do you notice? That’s right: it floats! Down is well oiled by it’s provider, the goose, and it sheds water incredibly well. In hundereds of rainy nights, and sometimes when I’ve not been able to keep my bag dry, I’ve never had a problem with down. It’s lighter, more compressible, and longer lasting.

On the subject of tarps, I’ve been using once religeously since Pearisburg on my thruhike in 2000. I’ve only gotten wet once, and that was the first time I used it for two people and didn’t allow for the extra occupied space. There are no better tarps out there than Henry’s so be confident that it will shelter you in nearly any condition you can encounter on the AT. Just take the few extra minutes to find the best suitable spot and you’ll have a great night.

-Howie

Hungry Howie

#9

In the rain everything SUCKS!!

Virginian

#10

When it rains, the smart go into shelters. Yah there are mice and all but there is also large areas to cook, rest dry off wet gear, etc. The AT is unique in the shelter aspect. You do not need a bombproof tent/tarp becasue of the assessability of shelters. With that said… learn how to use your tarptent, which looks like a totally kick butt design.
One night in Maine, on Chiarback Mt summit (stealthing) I got caught in a rain shower. I ended up using my tarp as a blanket. One small problem. The food box of my down bag was outside the tarp and got drenched. I never felt my feet get wet and it was dry by the next night. You do not need a water resistant shell for your down bag. Its a fear that is not founded in fact. Line your stuff sack with a garbage bag however.
Sorry Vriginian, but the rain does not suck. The temps get cooler and water falls seem to form over every rock face. The rain is incredibly beutiful. No… its not fun to be wet for three days strait but is all a mental outlook. You are trying to live with nature, not in it. Rain is part of nature and living with rain is part of hiking the AT.
TB

TurkeyBacon

#11

I like the rain. It makes all the colors become so rich. The springs run freely. The weekenders go home. The birds sing with joy as the worms ascend. I can sit, under my tarp, and listen to the thunder and the rain thudding overhead. I can reach out my hand and feel it.

THA WOOKIE

#12

There were days in PA,NY and NJ I was praying for rain!!

Virginian, remember the rain storm they blew down Marlboro’s tent in Pearisburg?

Just like everybody said; down and tarps will work. Garbage bags and high spots and you have no problem. Good luck on your hike.

People on this site ask alot of questions about food, gear, etc. What about the hiker shuffle? You can spot a thru-hiker a mile off in town. Nobody asked about sore feet!! Mine are not back to normal yet!

Papa Smurf

#13

Thanks for all the feedback. You have convinced me to give Henry’s Tarptent a try. As for the sleeping bag, I’ve decided to go with the WM Apache. All i have left now is finding the right pack, and find a way to make the year go by fast.

Bigfoot

#14

What about the hiker shuffle? (Did I say that right? (I hate being the straight man)) Seriously, blisters, I know and expect. Black toenails I’d like to avoid but know that they can happen, especially on bad down hill sections. But the hiker’s shuffle implies that all those high-tech, computer-designed, Gortex and mink lined footware still leave the ol’ dogs barkin’ Maybe time for a new thread; No Sore Feet. Is this another suck it up aspect of thru hiking?

Jim2

#15

I love my tarptent. I stayed dry (maybe a bit damp) through 3 nights of rain with it even though I didn’t have a chance to dry it out. Even had a very heavy thunderboomer with high winds at Mooney Gap (reported to be the wettest place in the Southeast) and didn’t have any problems. I was beginning to believe I was in a rainforest for a while since I hadn’t seen the sun for 3 days! The only thing I may have done different is get the two person(Squall?) because the Virga, although plenty long enough, is a bit cramped in the headroom department for someone 6’ or taller. I can sit up, but my head is pushing against the top of the tarp and it makes it a bit difficult to remove boots or change into dry clothes. Other than that, the Virga is perfect.

Nooga

#16

To me the Hiker Shuffle had nothing to do with injuries. On the trail you are constantly picking your feet up and/or around rocks, roots, holes and logs. In town it is a luxury not to have to do that, so you walk with your feet close to the ground. It just feels good and conserves the energy you are resupplying.

Blue Jay