[pct-l] choosing bug shelter

[Eric Payne]

I may be able to help here.  I used a GG Bug Canopy last year with a MLD
grace solo like you are thinking of doing.  I absolutely hated this setup.
I lost 2 FULL nights of sleep on the AT on my thru last year, making for one
miserable day where I really shouldn't have been out hiking in 90 deg heat.
The problem wasn't the tarp of course, but the bug canopy.  First, let's
establish that when I pitch a tarp, i like it to be a bit off the ground.
High enough for me to sit upright in at the head end, which also enables me
to see 360 deg around me.  When pitched this way, the bug netting barely
touches the ground.  Although it touches the ground and will drape over your
sleeping bag/quilt, every time you turn over at night, it will raise from
the ground and mosquitos will sneak in.  This isn't the only problem.  There
really isn't much space between your face and net since you can't pull the
netting away from your face with the funky tieouts placed all over the
inside of a tarp like the GG tarps have, which this net is really designed
to be used with.  So, you will constantly be fighting to keep the netting
off of your skin, because mosquitos will bit you thru if not.  The noseeum
netting is REALLY hot on warm nights.  I was using a pretty thin quilt,
minimal clothing underneath, and still got entirely too sweaty.  Now the
nights on the PCT supposedly aren't as hot, so maybe it won't be a problem.
I say avoid the Bug Canopy though, but if you think these issues can be
worked around, it's a great deal because it is so much cheaper than other
options.

On picking bug shelter for the PCT, I also considered the Simblissity Inner
Peace.  It looks very promising.  Don't overlook the newly rereleased MLD
Serenity shelter.  It's a bit more expensive, but would make COMPLETE rain
protection from the head and foot openings, as well as full bug netting.
This is probably what I would get if I were using the Grace Solo again.

On the PCT this year, I'm going to try using a Titanium Goat bivy sack for
shelter and bug protection.   I got bug netting sewn around the head that I
will suspend from trekking poles to keep the net away from my face.  The
bivy will add about 10 deg of warmth, cut drafts from my quilt, and keep me
completely sealed off from bugs.  I'll also have a poncho tarp for more
shelter from the rain.  I still haven't perfected this system yet, so we'll
see if I stick with it in the long run.  Last year the mosquitos forced me
to ditch my tarp/GG bug canopy for a TarpTent Rainbow which I absolutely
adored after those sleepless nights.

Oh, I should also say that it's possible to rig up the GG bug shelter
without the tarp.  You can lean two trekking poles against each other, then
use UL bungee cord to suspend the net from the poles.  This works ok, but
it's kind of easy to knock the poles over if you pull on the netting.  I
didn't have shock cord last year, and have switched to it with my bivy to
hopefully ease some of the stress on the poles when tossing and turning
causing them to fall over.
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