• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

How many use tarps instead of tents?

Stykbow1

Well-Known Member
Vendor Rep
Joined
Apr 2, 2014
Messages
454
Location
New Jersey
Hey,

I was just wondering how many guys use tarps instead of tents for back country hunts? I have been thinking about picking one up for emergency use and impromptu camp outs. Also is anybody using the Kifaru Sawtooth for camping and hunting? My buddy has one and he absolutely raves about it but I have only seen pictures of it and a couple of YouTube videos. Looking forward to hearing from everyone.

Thanks,

Roger
 
I'm in the process of building out my Backcountry kit but the short answer....No cause I want a floor. Bugs aren't bad out west but the mice will keep you up all night....If I went floorless they would've been in bed with me....No good. I like screens too, particularly being from the east coast. Thought about hammocks but you have to be able to suspend it, in the cold you need an underquilt, if it rains you're either in the hammock or under a tarp....With a wet floor. I would love to make a tarp work or more specifically a Seek Outside shelter, but once you add the nest, it becomes a tent. Only big plus I see is if you want to run a stove.
 
I use a flat tarp for both hammock and ground camping.

I don't think I would ever use tents again.
 
I tarp it. in the I have a silnylon tarp (10'x12'? i think) ill use as for general purpose or for a kitchen area with 3+ people. For 2 or less people I just bring my black diamond mega light tarp tent. you can comfortable sleep 3 in the mega light when using the pole, if you can use a branch to tie the up the center its pretty roomy. I have also used the mega light during a week long moose hunt in Alaska there was 4 of us but we all had bivies so we stuck our bottom halves out the sides and had LOTs of room in the middle you could sleep 5-6 this way. We used someone else's tarp for a kitchen/spotting ledge. Rained all week and we were as dry and warm as you could hope to be. No bull showed out on this hunt but the following year we got a huge bull that measured 2 inches under Boone and Crockett.

Mega Light (specs)
800507_mega_lght_opn_rtft_web.jpg

If they had a earth tone colored one I'd buy a second one but the blue isnt all that bad. I'd also like one with a stove pipe hole but thats just extra weight and I live back in NC now so I don't need it.
 
Last edited:
I just climb in my truck pull the tarp over the back and sleep in the bed to me this is way less trouble than putting the tent up...If it rains I just get in the cab.
 
On a real backcountry hunt, you aren't sleeping in your truck. My buddies just got back from CO. They went a total of 47 miles on foot.
 
Last edited:
Hey,

I was just wondering how many guys use tarps instead of tents for back country hunts? I have been thinking about picking one up for emergency use and impromptu camp outs. Also is anybody using the Kifaru Sawtooth for camping and hunting? My buddy has one and he absolutely raves about it but I have only seen pictures of it and a couple of YouTube videos. Looking forward to hearing from everyone.

Thanks,

Roger
I realize this is an old post, but the sawtooth is real useful. I like it for cold weather camping with the stove.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk
 
both- tarp and tent- put tent up in early october and dont take down until feb- camp fri- sunday almost every week and 1 whole week around the 20th of jan(when their chasing here). hang tarp in trees to cover tent- big tarp- it gives dry areas around tent to park 4 wheeler - treestands boots whatever- carpet on the inside:sweatsmile:, cots stove heater if needed in the early morning cause its rough getting out of a warm sleeping bag in a below freezing tent:cool:. at the end of the 3rd year i throw the tent away which forces me to buy new one next season. been doing it this way for close to 20 yrs. no insurance needed on a tent and campers are cheeply made.
 
They both have their place. Where and when do you plan to use it? If you do more early season hunts where mosquitoes are not an issue then I would lean towards a tarp. If your dealing with cold late season or extended rain/snow weather then a solid tent or tipi with stove might be better option. I don't think there is a perfect option to cover all possibilities. I think Kifaru Cast or Gritty Bowmen (now Gritty) did a podcast talking about tarps vs tents. Good luck
 
I've used a hammock and tarp system in the mountains of Idaho as well as a Seek outside Tipi. The tipi is floorless, super light and I use a trekking pole aw the centerpole. The hammock is great in areas where flat ground is hard to find.
 
Hammock has been my go to for several years all the way from 15 degrees to summer heat, its just too easy not to carry. Move it low for cold weather and use a rain fly/sleeping pad to preserve some heat and cut down the wind. Move it up in the summer and use one with a mosquito net to get some air flow. Plus you only need trees (if available) so no worries of being flooded out by rain or having a clean sleeping spot on the ground. Lots of guys making there own these days and its pretty straight forward, just takes time. Good luck!
 
Let me tell you about sleeping alone in the backcountry under only a tarp with guylines held up by a trekking pole. Yeah.. a mouse ran across my face at 2am and I screamed like a girl, like that wouldve mattered. I havent done it since, i have a solo tent, ill take the penalty if not off the ground. I just dont get to spend enough time in the wilderness to acclimate to that nonsense.
 
I run a floorless shelter from SeekOutside and LOVE it! I wasn't sure of the floorless thing at first but I have camped in lots of different places now and spent over a week in it in the wyoming backcountry and I love it. Being able to get inside with your boots on and cook without fear of melting a hole in the floor is really nice. It's super light weight too which is awesome. A tarp setup is basically the same thing, just a little smaller.
 
Back
Top