1 person Tropical Tent

[Happy Pirate]

HI People
I've just moved to Townsville from Tassie and Vic so it's time to add a new light weight 1 person tent to the collection.
I have a Mountain Hardware Sprite 1 but I want to go lighter (under 1kg) and snow loading, wind and hyper-thermal conditions will no longer be a problem. Heavy rain, muddy camps, insects, breathability and small footprint will be issues.
I've had my eye on a Tarptent Notch for a while but was wondering if anyone had any other recommendations for a warmer wetter climate tent?
cheers
Steve

[nq111]

Have you considered a hammock?

[Happy Pirate]

Good point nq111
I do have a tropical off-track hiking kit which is a string hammock, a light tarp and a mozzie net and some rope. I use this for rock-hops up trackless creeks.
It's about as uncomfortable as a tent pitched on a scree slope. I guess I'm not much practiced in Hammockology.
What I'm after is something for defined trails with campsites: Misty Mountains, Great Walk tracks and Hinchinbrook (RIP) and the like.
Good suggestion though.
cheers
Steve

[nq111]

- you can do much better for a camping hammock than what you have now. Check out https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/?

They take a bit of learning but are the only thing i can sleep in around summer up here (much cooler than a tent). Maybe a stretcher in a breezy tent might be ok to (not as good, but ok). I think MSR or someone have just brought out a 'hiking' stretcher - still pretty heavy though.

Other good thing about a hammock is that you can camp almost anywhere - many more options than a tent.

Unless you are one of the few that can never adapt to sleeping in a hammock (it took me a few nights to get properly comfortable) i wouldn't consider anything else up here.

[Happy Pirate]

I will give the hammock set up more of a go in future walks, now that I'm up here again.
I'm still after a tent though.
I like tents. I have several.

[Rob A]

I cant find anything under a kilo. I want to be able to sit inside with my kit and seal it up .
I reckon a freestanding single wall that you could throw a tarp over if it was going to be really messy would be the go and I am heading towards a BD HiLight, which doesnt fit your grams bill.
You would able to get your one eyed mate with his crooked legs inside with you and keep all the associated kit out of the dirt.
Interested to see where you wind up with this.

[Strider]

I cant find anything under a kilo. I want to be able to sit inside with my kit and seal it up .

TT Notch fits that bill. Unless you want your kit inside the inner?

[nq111]

I will give the hammock set up more of a go in future walks, now that I'm up here again.
I'm still after a tent though.
I like tents. I have several.

Ok.

I can only suggest strongly that nothing is as inherently well suited for the conditions as a hammock and that there is a huge selection now of camping specific hammocks with better lays etc. Really suggest you take the time to research the options before settling on a tent.

For a tent I would be thinking something with a small footprint and heaps of mesh. Possibly a bug bivy under a standalone tarp? I think that would give better airflow than any combined setup I imagine.

[Happy Pirate]

Am probably going to get a Notch.
It has to be under 1 kg, otherwise I would stick with my Sprite.
Would be good to be able to bring the gear into the inner but not essential as long as there's plenty of vestibule space.
cheers
Steve

[Strider]

Am probably going to get a Notch.
It has to be under 1 kg, otherwise I would stick with my Sprite.
Would be good to be able to bring the gear into the inner but not essential as long as there's plenty of vestibule space.
cheers
Steve

Weight isn't everything - you might be better off with the SS1 as the Notch is fairly cramped.

[Franco]

[narikki]

ive been using my tt notch for a while now, its a great tent. im like 176cm ish and i have plenty of room about 30cm leftover of space (above me/end of feet when using pad). I use the exped synmat ul7 medium and there is a tiny bit of room the the left and right of me inside the bathtub floor which is great to fit small items like phone/lights etc. If i sit up i have plenty of headroom which is great.

the breathability on this tent is awesome. havnt really used it on a real hot night yet but in weather around 20s at night its been great. the fact you can open the two doors (or all 4 if you use the new hiking pole guyline) and the ends make for great breathability.

havnt used this tent in the rain other than when i did a tent setup in the rain so cant really comment on that but i would assume it would just be as awesome!

[Happy Pirate]

I will give the hammock set up more of a go in future walks, now that I'm up here again.
I'm still after a tent though.
I like tents. I have several.

Ok.

I can only suggest strongly that nothing is as inherently well suited for the conditions as a hammock and that there is a huge selection now of camping specific hammocks with better lays etc. Really suggest you take the time to research the options before settling on a tent.

For a tent I would be thinking something with a small footprint and heaps of mesh. Possibly a bug bivy under a standalone tarp? I think that would give better airflow than any combined setup I imagine.

I had a look at Hennesey Hammocks and Ticket to the Moon Hammocks on the web.
Are you familiar with either of these?
Ticket... actually looks pretty comfy.
And I like the look of Hennesseys' Built in Mozzie net.

[Bluegum Mic]

Definitely a dedicated hiking hammock. I cannot lie more than five minutes in a string hammock as I find them awfully uncomfortable vs my hiking hammock is the best nights sleep I ever have. Being in the tropics personally one with an integrated bug net would be a must (well for me it would be). I use a dangerbird (made by a member from the hammock forum previously linked). Craftmanship is superb and I love its flexibility ie I can zip the bug net on, a solid momentum fabric top for winter use or no top if nice weather and Im not somewhere buggy. The two tops live in peak bags at either end of the hammock and track on the same set of zips.
Warbonnets, henessy etc are also very popular. My first hammock was a tenth wonder hornet (he sells through ebay). These are very similar to the DD hammocks but a nice cheap option if your wanting to try a hammock with bug net but not commit to an expensive one.

[nq111]

I had a look at Hennesey Hammocks and Ticket to the Moon Hammocks on the web.

I have a Hennessey Deep Jungle for myself, and an explorer and two scouts for family camping .

Happy if you want to borrow one to try out - please PM me.

[Happy Pirate]

Definitely a dedicated hiking hammock. I cannot lie more than five minutes in a string hammock as I find them awfully uncomfortable vs my hiking hammock is the best nights sleep I ever have. Being in the tropics personally one with an integrated bug net would be a must (well for me it would be). I use a dangerbird (made by a member from the hammock forum previously linked). Craftmanship is superb and I love its flexibility ie I can zip the bug net on, a solid momentum fabric top for winter use or no top if nice weather and Im not somewhere buggy. The two tops live in peak bags at either end of the hammock and track on the same set of zips.
Warbonnets, henessy etc are also very popular. My first hammock was a tenth wonder hornet (he sells through ebay). These are very similar to the DD hammocks but a nice cheap option if your wanting to try a hammock with bug net but not commit to an expensive one.

Hi Bluegum
do you have any idea of weight for your hammock, net and tarp (i.e. tropical config, no extras).
I've been surprised at how much lighter than tents they're not !
Do you need to use a pad/mat with them for comfort or is that just for thermal insulation?

Since I want one primarily for rock-hopping / canyoning trips here in tropical FNQ weight and space are important, so is bug proof and water proof. Thermal issues generally not.

I'd ask these questions at the hammock forum but they're taking their time to let me in

cheers
Steve

[Bluegum Mic]

Gday Steve,

My hammock fully rigged in its stuff sack with whoopie slings, tree huggers and I use elephant trunk buckles (these are its suspension) comes in around 800g (I cannot remove the solid top from the hammock ie it lives in a peak bag when not deployed as does the noseeum mesh top). My silnylon tarp is what they call a 4 season ie gives full coverage and you can make it A frame over you with doors at end to keep out the weather is just over 500g. For under insulation I use an underquilt. I have a synthetic one I can use to 0* and a down one I can use just below 0. Both of these weight around 450-500g each. I currently live in Brissy, though normally Sydney (up here for 2 years) so I do need the underquilt. I use a top quilt instead of sleeping bag (easier). I did also have a cuben tarp (same size) that weighed less but I sold it. I will replace with something similar when I get back on the trail more (currently pregnant so not doing too much other than day walks
To compare to my tents...I have two solo tents. An aarn pacer for 4 season stuff (tassie and I do go to the snowies a bit) and a new cuben fiber 'toy'. The aarn is a bit over a kilo (1.3??) and I use hiking poles with it. The cuben mid is about 600g and again I use a hiking pole. My mat is an exped synmat UL and it weighs just under 500g. I use the same top quilts for ground sleeping (I have one good to -2 and one for -10).
So as you can see weight wise its all pretty similar however there is one big difference. The hammock stuff is much more compact (well except for if using the cuben shelter then weight and space are better but cuben is an expensive beastie).

The nice thing with the hammock (especially in the wet of QLD...one trip I had 150+mm of rain in under 12 hours) is you can sit on your hammock like a chair and sit under your tarp...more comfy than being couped up in a tent. The tarp can be very versatile.

I guess the problem faced is once you get into hammocks there's all the different things you can buy ie suspension, underquilts etc. Its very addictive lol. Mind you I can help you out if you do get into a hammock. I can make you some whoopie slings with some left over amsteel I have and I may have some other tree huggers I can send your way

[Happy Pirate]

Thanks Bluegum,
Wow! heaps of info!

It sounds like it's worth getting into hammocks just so I can bandy about phrases like "whoopie slings", "tree huggers" and "elephant trunks". They sound like friends I know already!

So if I was 'hanging' in tropical climes would I need a pad, mat or any type thingie between me and my chosen hammock? It sounds like an extra weight which i would like to avoid.
I took-alook at tenth wonder on eBay, they look cool ('specially the spiel) but they don't have the integrated mesh or tarp. (although I like the idea of the twin skin used as cocoon).
Should I impulse buy or wait and get an integrated system like Hennessey or a dangerbird?

As for whoopie slings and treehuggers (I swear I just want to say I know too many of those in Byron Bay already!!) from watching some of those forum vids it looked like you could substitute many of those fancy metal buckles and pegs and cords with good climbing/tape knots and basic dynamic rope.

Tell me how wrong I am!
cheers
Steve

[Bluegum Mic]

You could easily substitute them but it just doesn't sound as fun as whoopie sling lol. I like to use them as they weigh bugger all, are easy and strong as but many just use tree huggers and knots.

As for under-insulation Im not sure. Summer time I doubt you'd need it but you'd be surprised how cool they can be the moment the breeze picks up. Im not sure what winter over night lows are where you live but one of the other guys who live up north will be able to comment on their setup.

As for my hammock I still use a separate tarp overhead. The solid top is for warmth (its made from a breathable fabric called momentum. Whilst it has water repellent finish, it is not waterproof so a tarp is always needed for wet weather. So if you get a hammock, you'll need a tarp. Henessy are good that you get the tarp with the hammock. Clark is another brand that make a good hammock for the tropics. PhanTom used to have one (though I think he recently sold it and bought the same one as mine).
Its a tough choice. The cheaper hammocks will be slightly heavier due to the fabrics vs the more expensive ones use the lightweight strong fabrics. Hard when your just wanting to try it out.

[Bluegum Mic]

Oh and the tenth wonder hornet hammock definitely has a mesh top. Its the hammock in my profile pic along with my cheery red tarp

[Happy Pirate]

Cheers Bluegum
I never knew there was so much Hammockology outside the tropics! I'm entering a whole new world!
I guess I'm just trying to find out if using a mat is just for thermal insulation or does it add comfort to the hammock?
Can I get away without one in the tropics with 18+ degree nights and still expect a comfy nights sleep?
All I need is to know I won't get bitten in the bum by mozzies and leeches!
cheers
Steve

[Bluegum Mic]

I personally find the mat uncomfy and a pain though many use an inflatable or ccf mat. A ccf mat would be more comfy (esp if thin) though will slide around a bit, and may be sweaty. You slide a mat in between the two layers of the hammock fabric for a double layer hammock.
For me less than 25* and id want something beneath me (though probably not much). Im a cold sleeping female though I've heard some say less than 20* though again its the breeze that can be the clencher. Hopefully NQ11 will chime in with what he uses as I think he's from the sunny north

(btw if looking on ebay for a cheap something to try, search for jungle hammock. All the net hammocks including the tenth wonder (TW) hornet will pop up

[Happy Pirate]

I personally find the mat uncomfy and a pain though many use an inflatable or ccf mat. A ccf mat would be more comfy (esp if thin) though will slide around a bit, and may be sweaty. You slide a mat in between the two layers of the hammock fabric for a double layer hammock.
For me less than 25* and id want something beneath me (though probably not much). Im a cold sleeping female though I've heard some say less than 20* though again its the breeze that can be the clencher. Hopefully NQ11 will chime in with what he uses as I think he's from the sunny north

(btw if looking on ebay for a cheap something to try, search for jungle hammock. All the net hammocks including the tenth wonder (TW) hornet will pop up

Yeah, one of those cheap string hammocks is what I have; almost swore me off hammockology forever.
Looks like I'd do best to wait and buy a full lightwieght integrated system. I need light.
I'll go and have a fiddle with NQ111's before I buy.
It still sounds like a bit of clever rope-work could see you past some of the extra clamps and metal doodads and such.
But what do I know? (ans = <0)
cheers
Steve

[nq111]

Hey - just back and checking into this.

My 2c :

- You will want insulation in the tropics, even if just a very thin ccf pad. Hammocks are very cool (hence why they are so good up here) but unless it is very hot and still you will get cold on your back/side in the early hours of the morning. Even in peak summer, you may be camping on a ridge at a bit of altitude, and a misty breeze blows in the early hours of the morning. I won't use any insulation in the lowlands in summer (e.g. kayak camping) - in pretty much every other situation I will take something (starting from an 80g ccf pad about 2-3mm thick - just enought to cut the wind chill)
- I would definitely recommend a double layer so as to be able to slide in a thin pad (works much better than in the hammock itself). Also, a double bottom prevents any mosquitos biting through (some types will bite through one layer no problem). For a single layer, treating with permithrin works as well
- You won't really win on weight against an ultralight tent, but will be pretty close, and the other advantages (cool to sleep in, pitch anywhere, get off the ground/rocks/mud, comfort, etc) are the reasons to get a hammock IMO
- Don't think of anything without an integrated bug net

Good luck with the research - as mentioned happy for you to borrow one of my set-ups to play with to get some exposure to these things.

[Happy Pirate]

Thanks for the response.
I had been wondering whether pads were used for insulation or for comfort since most of the info is from cold climates in the US. ATM I can't imagine getting cold anyway in the tropics but no doubt you are right.
More and more as I re-explore this region by car I realise that any place accessible by car on a weekend will have nosy yobbos spoiling it.
So It's about time to start going back off track... and kayaking once the stingers vamoose!
I've PM'ed you - will be in touch in a couple of weeks for a hammockology tutorial.
cheers
Steve

PS I will probably stiil buy a TarpTent at some stage but might wait and get a 1-2 person like the Stratospire to replace my 1st Arrow and generic car-camping hoop tropical-tent.

[nq111]

Thanks for the response.

So It's about time to start going back off track... and kayaking once the stingers vamoose!

Indeed.

The sweet hum of a 10kVA generator, LInkin Park on the stereo, roaring fire, pig dogs chained on the back of the cruiser, 6yr olds on motorbikes till 2am, smashing beer bottles - that's livin' in NQ

Thankfully you don't have to get far off track to escape it.

BTW - cover up for the stingers and you're good all year for kayaking.

[Happy Pirate]

Used to get that in Vic and even Tassie too if I camped at a drive in campsite.
I have a special little jar of sugar I now keep in my camping kit after some ^%$%$$## grey nomads pulled into a campsite at 9 pm right next to me and then fired up the gennie so they could sit inside and watch TV!
Grrrr.

[Onestepmore]

Oi - what's wrong with Linkin Park?

[Happy Pirate]

Oi - what's wrong with Linkin Park?

No idea. I've never listened to them. Are they like Barnsey?

[Strider]

Oi - what's wrong with Linkin Park?

No idea. I've never listened to them. Are they like Barnsey?

http://www.youtube.com/user/linkinparktv