Hiking & Backpacking

Matterhorn said:
Interesting, are you guys referring to Henry Shires Tarptents or just tarps as tents in general? I've been using Shires Tarptents since 2004 and probably have tested 6 or 7 out over the years. Even used some on thru hikes and never had any issues. Granted, the one I have currently is probably 6 or 7 years old so don't have experience with recent models.

Twenty years ago they were a great way to save weight but I'm sure the more mainstream companies have caught up with technology these days.

Edit: Yeah, Hornet looks pretty nice at sub 2 lbs.
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I’m talking about the Shires Tarp Tent. He loves the weight and generally as performed very well. However, most of the time we are in really nice California weather. The one time we were caught in a hail storm and tons of rain in Utah The bottom did not stand up against running water. Water ended up streaming into his tent and making a mess.

I have an REÍ quarter dome 2 that is about 8 years old. I really like it for the size. It’s not ultralight, but it fits my height and is double walled. I looked at the Durston, Tarptent, Zpacks, Gossamer….just really couldn’t pull the trigger. My reí tent is in good shape, just had to replace the shock cord in a couple sections.

Edit, I really wish there was a place where I could check out these tents in person. Get a feel for them, lay down in them. I hate that I have to actually make a purchase to test it out.
 
mborden said:
I have the Copper Spur UL3 and setup is a breeze, and it's incredibly roomy. I love it for backpacking and mountaineering. High winds on Baker bent a tent pole and Big Agnes was super cool about fixing it for very cheap. I think it will come down to what you're looking for. If you're looking for the lightest possible and aren't afraid of being claustrophobic and don't care for bells and whistles like internal pockets, the Hornet is the way to go. If you're ok with a little more weight and want a little more room to breathe, I'd go with the UL1. I think both are pretty solid options.
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For backpacking I try and go as lightweight as possible. Internal pockets are nice, but not a must have for me. The difference between the 2 tents is roughly 3oz in weight, so both are on the table still. How is the UL1 in the rain? I’ve heard good things about the hornet in the rain.
 
R1pps said:
For backpacking I try and go as lightweight as possible. Internal pockets are nice, but not a must have for me. The difference between the 2 tents is roughly 3oz in weight, so both are on the table still. How is the UL1 in the rain? I’ve heard good things about the hornet in the rain.
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I only have experience with the UL3 but I would assume they are similar. I have no complaints. Went snow camping on Mount St. Helens a couple years back and the snow turned into rain and then back into a bunch of heavy wet snow overnight. It performed admirably. Probably not helping your selection at all 🤣 I think both sound like super solid options and price and availability are probably stronger factors. I have a manufacturer discount on Big Agnes gear and the Copper Spur tents are often out of stock. I just checked and of course the UL1 at 35% off is the only model not currently in stock.
 
BigFrank said:
Food for thought. Tomorrow I'm going to try for Sahale Glacier.

trailgrade.app

We Mapped Permit Requirements on 845 US Backpacking Trails | TrailGrade

28.6% of US backpacking trails require a permit. We broke down which states are most restricted, which use lottery systems, and what the data shows about planning around permits.
trailgrade.app trailgrade.app
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Yeah, we have annual Google Calendar reminders for a bunch of the permit areas we typically apply to each year. It's a ton of work and Booze Allen Hamilton (er... I mean recreation.gov) eats up $6 every attempt, but what can you do. Aside from lean heavily into Plan Bs.

It fucking sucks that this administration has gutted the ranger staff that even if you get a permit to the exclusive places like the Enchantments, they don't have the staff to properly manage things like packing human shit out and cleaning up garbage anymore. And influencers with no idea about LNT leave the place in shambles. It's heartbreaking.
 
TIL we have a hiking thread. We had about 90 min to kill this morning and while I have transversed Ohio hundreds of times in my life I don’t believe we have ever stopped at Cuyahoga Valley National Park outside Akron. What a lovely park. We selected a 2.2 mi loop listed as moderate and with the best views.
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Dogwood in bloom
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OceanOfMead said:
TIL we have a hiking thread. We had about 90 min to kill this morning and while I have transversed Ohio hundreds of times in my life I don’t believe we have ever stopped at Cuyahoga Valley National Park outside Akron. What a lovely park. We selected a 2.2 mi loop listed as moderate and with the best views.
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Dogwood in bloom
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I took my son there! Beautiful place!
 
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