[pct-l] UL Tents

[Reinhold Metzger]

Jackass,
Well said.....I evolved similarly over the last 40+ years starting with 
my first Whitney hike in 1968 or 1969.
I remember hauling a 75 lb pack starting at Yosemite and a 85 lb pack 
after the resupply at VVR on my first
JMT hike with the Scouts.
Now, many years and 11 JMT thru-hikes later my base weight (everything 
except food and water) for a JMT unsupported fast-pack is  71/4  to  
71/2 pounds, depending on my choice of rain gear.
With food and water it is around 22 pounds.
However, when I hike with the Scouts or my wife I am still a  "Heavy  
Trucker".
When I thru-hiked the JMT with my wife in 2009 I hauled a 55 lb. 
external frame Kelty pack so my wife could carry a 15-20 lb. internal.
I guess, what I am trying to say is, the choice of  "UL"  or "Heavy 
Trucker"  is not solely dependent on ones experience, but a combination 
of experience, physical fitness, comfort level, type of hike and what 
kind of experience the hiker is looking for.
I am both  "UL"  and  "Heavy Trucker"......depending on the hike.
Many of my  "Hard-Core"  hiker buddies  are "Heavy Truckers"....by 
choice....not because they do not know any better or fear the wilderness 
as some folks (I am not referring to you) on this list frequently have a 
tendency to infer.
Anyway, great article Jackass....enjoyed reading it.

JMT Reinhold
The  "UL  "Heavy Trucker"
--------------------------------------

Jackass wrote:
Over the past six years I have learned many lessons about sleeping in 
the outdoors.
Most of my knowledge was gleaned from other hikers and a few of the 
lessons I learned the old fashion way, the hard way.
  My shelters have progressed from: a second hand Walrus arch- Mountain 
Hardware single wall-Granite Gear tarp-MSR Hubba Hubba-SMD Lunar Duo-and 
now a GG Spinntwin with a Granite Gear A-frame bug net(24.5oz total for 
two hikers); all of these are excellent shelters, but by far the most 
versatile is the tarp/bug net combo(also the lowest weight).
  It took a short time to learn how to utilize this combo for maximum 
protection from inclement weather.
  I stay warmer, dryer and better ventilated under my tarp than I ever 
was in my Hubba or Lunar.
  Plus, the amount of space provided far surpasses that of any 
lightweight tent.
Gone are the sleepless nights in Washington downpours with all of our 
gear inside with us as we bump and elbow each other in a search of comfort.
  No longer do we experience the miniature snow showers of frozen 
condensation as we rouse ourselves in the cold mornings in the Sierra.
I no longer carry a pack towel to mop up condensation in the morning.
  Swarms of "hell spawn" skeeters, the bug net is up in three minutes.
The superior ventilation and generous space provided by a tarp nullified 
almost every problem that I faced sleeping in the outdoors.
  In general, what I've learned is that when it comes to shelter(as with 
most gear choices), it's a very idiosyncratic choice.
There is no single right answer for everyone.
  Many hikers will never feel "safe" and comfortable unless they are 
ensconced in a nice double-wall tent.
  Six years ago I was one of these hikers.
  I thought it foolhardy to traipse into the wild with nothing more than 
a half pound piece of spinnaker.
Over time my comfort levels shifted as I gained more experience, living 
and hiking in 7 different states in the west.
  Like many hikers, I now prefer to cowboy camp every chance I get.
  The thought of spending the summer "trapped" inside a tent makes me 
uneasy(especially being trapped with the smells associated with long 
distance hiking).
The freedom I experience cowboy camping is one of the magnets that keeps 
drawing me back to the mountains year after year.
If mother nature's nocturnal creatures disturb my sleep I am able to 
identify the level of threat to myself or my food quickly and take 
appropriate action.
In years past I might spend sleepless hours buttoned down in my tent 
questioning, "is that a bear? Sounds like a bear...maybe a deer...,"and 
so forth.
Now, a quick flick of my headlamp reveals that it's a deer.
  I roll over and am back to sleep in moments- in the fresh air under a 
blanket of stars.
  During the past two summers on the PCT my partner and I have had the 
privilege of befriending a hiker whose experience is unsurpassed, 
Billlygoat.
  Hiking with someone who practically lives on the long trails has been 
invaluable.
The ease and modesty with which Billygoat dispenses his knowledge is one 
of his most endearing qualities.
  In an early discussion with the "goat man" I pressed him for the 
secrets of his success on the trail: how do you get your pack weight so 
low, what do you eat, gear recommendations and such.
  One of the most memorable things that he told me was this: " The more 
that you hike, the less that you need." The saying that you pack for 
your fears rings loudly in this statement.
  I immediately realized that many of my gear choices over the years had 
naturally followed this logic.
  On my first section hike in '06 my base weight was in excess of 
30lbs(70+ total).
  Four years and 8,000 miles later, it hovers around 8lbs.
  My point is this: pack within your comfort/knowledge zone.
  If you have never spent long periods of time on a trail with 
ultra-lite gear, walking off the border with a shiny new ultra-lite rig, 
the newest "gram weeny" friendly cuban fiber shelter and esbit stove may 
sound like a good idea. But without the knowledge of how to uttilize 
your gear you are asking for grief.
  It would be better to start you hike with slightly heavier 
gear(shelter) and some money in your pocket.
As the miles tick by you'll be exposed to every conceivable shelter 
option out there.
  When the time is right, fork out the cash for the shelter that suites 
your hiking style.

Jackass (who has diarrhea of the keyboard today)