[pct-l] Tent vs Tarp Tent

[Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes]

For a long time I didn't have a tent and used a blue tarp from K- 
mart. There aren't big ants in the Los Padres forest, so as long as  
it was not fly season, the tarp was great. In fly season I used a bed- 
top mosquito net. I've been a dirtbagger cheapskate most of my hiking  
career.

I actually really like tarp camping a lot and I am not bothered by  
the curious long-legged spiders we get in winter. They only come by  
wanting to see what all my stuff is about. I do not like the curious  
giant ants. They want to come see what my body is all about. I can  
tolerate them almost enough to take a nap, but they seem to want to  
explore my ears or they get inside my pants and that always wakes me up.

On Jan 21, 2013, at 1:08 PM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:

> From: CHUCK CHELIN <steeleye at wildblue.net>
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] Tent vs Tarp Tent
>
> Good afternoon, Kelsey,
>
> You don?t even have to borrow a tarp.  Find a piece of cheap ? but  
> thick ?
> black plastic sheeting like what is used for landscaping; cut it to  
> the
> size you want to try; install some duct tape folded over the  
> corners  and
> sides for line anchor points; and pitch it with your trekking  
> poles.  It
> won?t last a hiking season, and it will probably be heavier than a  
> real
> tarp, but using it will probably tell you what you all want to  
> know ? all
> that is except whether you are afflicted with bug-a-phobia like  
> Diane.  You?ll
> have to wait for spring to figure that out.
>
> Enjoy your planning,
>
> Steel-Eye
>
> -Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT ? 1965
>
> http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye
> http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09/
>
> On Mon, Jan 21, 2013 at 12:34 PM, Kelsey Bowen
> <kelsey.anne.bowen at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> Thank you all so much for the info and opinions! I have a lot to  
>> consider
>> and will be looking for someone who wants to lend me a tarp that I  
>> can try
>> out while it is still winter to see what I think.
>>
>> Im looking forward to some tarp origami in my future :)
>>
>> Kelsey