Great Walks swaps tents for tarps and is the wiser for it.
"I can vividly remember the first night I spent in a tent that I’d carried. Back in those days, 2kg for a one person bushwalking tent was considered normal, so when I found one that declared itself to be a 1.5 person tent for around that weight, I thought I was onto a good thing.
Out into the bush I headed. As the day closed in and our leader called camp, I looked around at the others and set about building my fortress from the world. I surprised myself by catching a few hours sleep, but there were no surprises in the speed in which I managed to dive into the tent when it was time for bed. It was as though the physical barrier of nylon and zippers were actually creating not only a physical but a mental one between me and whatever else I believed was out there.
When you think about it, it’s kind of strange that I’d gone out into the bush to spend time in nature and to experience it, but then the first thing I wanted to do was zip it out by climbing into my tent.
Jump forward a couple of years and some of my friends started leaving their tents at home and just heading out with a fly or tarp for shelter. A simple rectangle of lightweight, waterproof fabric with eyelets, that could either be strung up between two trees, or staked out using big sticks or walking poles with guy ropes.
At first, I thought they were crazy. “What about the bugs and mozzies?” I commented. “And surely, things are going to crawl all over your face in the night!”
But my friends assured me that they not only slept well, without critters dancing Gangnam Style across their face, but were much relieved with a much lighter pack weight.
Quietly, I kept thinking these friends of mine were completely bonkers, whilst I continued to study their setups and to ask lots of questions. You see, I thought it was a phase they were going through, trying to push the limits from lightweight bushwalking to ultra-lightweight and eventually they’d admit defeat and settle back into their cosy tents.
Ten years on, I’m still waiting for the sound of zippers from their campsite. Needless to say, their testimonies and my ludicrous curiosity set me up for giving it a go myself. Here’s what I found:
1. OMG, nothing crawled on my face.
2. Sleeping in the fresh air is amazing and not as stuffy as some tents can be.
3. Falling asleep and watching the stars is amazing.
4. There’s much less condensation in the morning.
5. Tarp weights vary from 400gm+ - a great way of losing packweight.
6. Having a small campfire (with associated smoke) helps keeps insects down.
7. They’re great for sharing in a group, sleeping shoulder to shoulder. (We use them in the field for Bushwalkers Wilderness Rescue Squad).
8. Unless it’s blowing an absolute gale with rain, you don’t get wet.
9. Waking up watching the sunrise is amazing.
10. It’s a much safer and easier way of stove cooking… from your sleeping bag.
11. Packing up in the morning is quicker.
12. It’s helped me think about and deal with my fears.
Having said all that, you may think that I’ve jumped in hook, line and well, tarp. However, I still think that the good old tent (the lighter the better) has a solid place in my hiking kit and I’m not about to give it away.
There are certain occasions when I wouldn’t use a tarp and this style of camping probably isn’t going to suit everyone. It wouldn’t be my first choice for areas with leeches, if I’m looking for privacy or in colder weather or when the forecast is looking particularly dodgy.
If you’re keen to give this type of camping a go, I recommend taking a baby step by using a multi-pitch tent first. This way, you can simply leave the inner (mesh and floor) of your tent at home and head out into the wilderness with just the outer, poles, pegs and a ground sheet. You still get fairly good airflow from under the fly, whilst not being fully sealed inside. The benefit of this style though is that you keep your privacy."
Words_Caro Ryan