Member III
What do you do in the desert or other areas without trees ?
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What is your preferred shelter? (Rooftop Tent vs Ground Tent vs Etc...)
- Thread starter MotoHop
- Start date
Trail_pilot
Rank III
Enthusiast III
only ever seen the desert once. I live in the great white north so there are always plenty of trees and I can't always peg down a tent because there is a lot of granite everywhere. I the winter I just do a tarp and sleep next to the fire, my hammock had a net on it to keep the mosquitoes and black flies off of me.
Member III
That's neat, I live in high desert and it would be pretty hard to use that setup when you only have yucca plants and juniper trees.
Enthusiast III
I would do a hammock, but I can't stay on my back the whole night. I sleep on my side, and a hammock's sag just kills me.
I haven't purchased a tent yet. I'm still in the review/evaluate stage, but am leaning toward a tent cot.
I haven't purchased a tent yet. I'm still in the review/evaluate stage, but am leaning toward a tent cot.
Member III
I understand the back issue very well. RTT's definitely out for me @ my age and agility. A tent that I can stand up in is a must thing. A T4 Gazelle fits that purpose nicely. A folding cot that is 32-36" wide is a must as well as a memory foam type layer over a mattress serves well as something to sit on. The tent has to be large enough for other furniture in case weather keeps me inside. I want a room not a cave. An extra throw over tent cover in cold weather so I can use my buddy heater to keep it warm inside. I have a big roof rack so the 5.5' length of the tent dosent bother me for transporting. I also want a 10x10 canopy with screen panels for outdoor mosquito and fly protection. I can carry that on my roof rack as well. I'm not concerned with how much time it takes to set up or tear down, that's all a part of camping. If it's overnight camping I'll be in my rig, not in a tent.
Member III
Are you a cocoon ? Good for a nap but a killer to sleep in and get out of, especially if your 250# and 85 years old !
Wallygator
Rank III
Contributor II
I have a double wide Eno hammock and can sleep on my side with it. Every time I get in the thing it takes about 5 minutes and I can't keep my eyes open. Great way to take a nap.
Enthusiast III
Lol. I'm 36, 175 lbs. I've been sleeping in hammocks in the woods for 7 or 8 years now. I sleep fantastic in them.
Member III
If you had to pee 4-5 times a night, I think you would change your mind. Also bears are curious creatures and love to tear things apart that catch their eye. If I was a bear it would catch my eye. LOL
Trail_pilot
Rank III
Enthusiast III
Never had a an issue with bears. I have grown up around them my entire life a d never had one come up to a tent or ha.mock I have been in. We did have to shoot one out of our basement about 18 years ago because it was starving and looking for food so it was breaking into houses, but I have had more run ins with wolf and coyotes than anything else. Even they just give you a sniff and move on most of the time.
Trail_pilot
Rank III
Enthusiast III
I shouldn't say I've only seen the desert once. My wife and I have made a few trips to Zion , Bryce Canyon, death Valley, Joshua tree ....we flew into Vegas and rented a car a d drove, rented cabins in the desert along the way. Did the same thing in Iceland.
Member III
Desert camping is different and should be experienced at some point. I've never been to
Places like death valley, grand canyon or Moab. That's why I'm building a rig that can take me places I've never seen or been, before I meet my maker. I'd love to travel Utah, Montana, Colorado, Northern Az, Nevada, Washington state and Oregon. I'd like to take a year or two on the roads and trails where ever they take me with no specific place to go, just randomly as I go and trying not to miss anything along the way.
Contributor I
I like the standup option as well. Setup and breakdown time was only important to me since my overland trips are 4-5 days and we break down and setup every day.
Member III
If I was doing it every day I would go with a two man quick setup tent and air mattress sleeping bag and truck awning or else since I am solo I'd probably sleep in my rig.
Advocate I
Check out Tensa Outdoor :
Darn things are almost magical. Super lightweight and you can DIY one if weights not an issue.
View attachment 134474
Member III
Tent all the way. It takes up about one square foot of space in the truck, ten minutes to pitch. I also like that it’s low to the ground in the wind. Not much of a fan of the rtt. In my opinion to much weight up top, and takes away cargo space on the rack.
Enthusiast III
That is awesome! I have to move my tool box and all my tools across town this weekend but if i find a few spare minutes I am going to put one of those together. Hang your hammock anywhere and use your vehicle as a wind block.
Member III
Pretty slick alternative.
