Shelters run the gamut from full blown tents to a plastic tarp. Whatever your choice, make sure it offers the protection you want and from what and is manageable on the trail.
Let's take a look at your options:
- No shelter- sleeping under the stars. Not bad, lightweight and no obstruction to star gazing. The downside comes after midnight when moisture tends to settle on the grass, leaves, star gazing hiker and all of his equipment. This can be a problem.
- Tarps- they come in a variety of materials. Silnylon, plastic, Tyvek and canvas. The lightest are going to be the silnylon in an 8' x 10' size. Tyvek and plastic run second on the weight list. Canvas is heavy... forget about it! Tarps pack well and take up minimal pack space. They can be pitched in a number of different ways.
- Hammocks- they are usually made of silnylon and offer easy setup and protection from the elements. Just find two trees and you're in business. Level is easy to attain. A rain fly is an easy addition for the hammock. Comfort is in the eye of the beholder but hammocks do offer a great deal of support and comfort.
- Tents- the tent has been a mainstay on the trail since the beginning. The evolution of the tent has manufacturers making very lightweight models. Some offer more interior room than others so you'll have to scope out the different models and align them with your needs. Stay away from dragging the old canvas 'Coleman' on your hiking trip. You'll only do it once!
- AT Shelters- these three sides wooden shelters accommodate 8-10 friendly hikers. They are spaced about 10 miles apart on the AT. You can hike the entire trail without any packed shelter and probably survive the ordeal with lots of interesting stories. You do take a chance that the shelter is 'FULL' so be prepared for alternative accommodations.
1 comment:
Toothless - Keep up the good work with your blog and spreading the good word about the great outdoors and the AT.
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