As a backpacker who is interested in ultralight but has always carried double wall floored tents, can anyone tell me about the experience of having no floor?
For instance in the rain,why wouldn't the water just flow in under the sides and get you and your sleeping bag wet? And what about insects, especially at night. I want to love these UL floorless shelters. Help me wrap my mind around the tarp shelter concept. I know they can be so much lighter.
RoxieUsually people use them "as is" in dry / bugless conditions. For wet / bug ridden nights I think a bivy bag would do the trick. It does add weight to your pack but as a bonus you can sleep under the stars if the weather allows ! Other models can have bug nets sewn at the bottom (MLD Supermid I believe ?). oakback's solution might do the trick as far as water is concerned, but usually water does not run under the tent as far as I know, except if you camp on uneven ground or sleep right near the edge...
Trenching is absolutely not a sustainable practice, and goes against the idea of Leave No Trace camping and hiking. Don't do it. You are not the only one in the woods.
RoxieRegarding water - as long as you avoid pitching it where there will be running water in a deluge, you'll be fine. If you make a ground cloth / footprint (custom cut some polycro, tyvek, etc), just make sure it stops and inch or two INSIDE the tarp wall. Space blankets also make a very cheap/light method to keep your sleeping pad & bag off the ground inside your tarp.
One's tolerance of bugs is more of a personal issue. I use a similar tarp shelter and it hasn't been much of an issue, but where mosquitos / black flies are a major problem, I'd go for something with netting.
RoxieIf you set it up correctly in a good high spot you will be just fine. I use an old army poncho or space blanket for a ground sheet/ floor. For bugs when there are enough to bother me, I just crawl into my bivy bag.
For instance in the rain,why wouldn't the water just flow in under the sides and get you and your sleeping bag wet? And what about insects, especially at night. I want to love these UL floorless shelters. Help me wrap my mind around the tarp shelter concept. I know they can be so much lighter.