Bushwalk Australia

I received my Alpinlite Terraform shelter and 1.25 person bug shelter a couple of weeks ago now. Some of the reasons I went with this include:

- Wanted something lighter than my other current options of an MSR Hubba or MSR zoid 2.
- Wasn't sure whether I wanted a 1 or 2 person shelter because I often hike with my brother but didn't want too much excess weight on my own. This provided a fairly modular system. Am planning on getting a 2 person bug shelter sometime.
- Wussed out of going for a tarp and bivvy combo. May still get there someday.

I am very pleased with it so far. Usage only includes a test setup in my back yard and on the weekend car camping near Stanthorpe (very windy). Setup is a bit fiddly but I'm sure I'll get quicker with more practise. I successfully set up the bug shelter from inside the tarp on the weekend because it was raining. Took about 4 weeks from time of order till it arrived here. Anyway, here are some pics.









Measured weights including stuff sacks and guylines are:
Terraform: 520g
Bug Shelter: 350g

I also got the tyvek ground sheet which is cut to fit the bug shelter and has clips and shock cord sewn into the corners to attach to the shelter.

Hey ! Looks great ! Do you use 2 trekking poles for it ? It looks like a 2 pole setup - or did you get the shorter one supplied for the tail of the shelter? Nice bit of gear ! Regards, CV

Hi. In all those pics I'm using two trekking poles. However, I also got two Easton poles to set it up without any or just one trekking pole if need be.

Sweet looking rig!

That is one massive catenary curve on the ridgeline do you loose any head room from that?

Cams - don't be put off by tarps ! I got a big 3m x 3m silnylon tarp and used it last hike. If you pitch them low they are so wide it's just about impossible to get your bag wet unless the rain is horizontal ! Saying that, a lot of tarp guys use synthetic bags as well. If you carry a bivvy, unless it's really light, it negates the weight loss; you might as well bring a tent. Try a tarp in nice weather and you'll build confidence quickly. Don't forget the Deet though ! Regards, CV

..... unless its a bivy like nut's MLD bivy.

HitchHiking wrote:Sweet looking rig!

That is one massive catenary curve on the ridgeline do you loose any head room from that?

The whole thing tapers to the rear which isn't tall enough to sit in. The curve probably does eat some head room from the middle. There is plenty of height to sit up in the tarp but the 1.25 bug shelter is only just tall enough to sit up in right at the entrance. The 2 person bug shelter has more height. I had success unclipping the bug shelter at the front and just sitting on it collapsed if I want more room before bed.

Charlievee wrote:Cams - don't be put off by tarps ! I got a big 3m x 3m silnylon tarp and used it last hike. If you pitch them low they are so wide it's just about impossible to get your bag wet unless the rain is horizontal ! Saying that, a lot of tarp guys use synthetic bags as well. If you carry a bivvy, unless it's really light, it negates the weight loss; you might as well bring a tent. Try a tarp in nice weather and you'll build confidence quickly. Don't forget the Deet though ! Regards, CV

Yeah, I'm sure I'll get there. I just can't get over the bug issue. Been camping my whole life but can't handle sleeping with bugs. Alot of the walks I've done recently the (big) ants seem to come out after dark.

These guys were everywhere.



And on the same walk my mate (who was just under a tarp) woke up with one of these next to his head.



What do other people do? Or do you just not care if a few ants get in your sleeping bag.

[quote="cams]

What do other people do? Or do you just not care if a few ants get in your sleeping bag.[/quote]


Im in a hammock most of the time when there are (safe) trees around.
But when using a tarp I may just sting up a simple bug net and ground sheet.