Insect Protection Under A Tarp

Dmax · Jul 6th 2015, 8:13pm

I'm looking for ul full coverage protection. The lighter, the better.

I have a bivy, but it's more for winter its a MLD litesoul. But it's what I take for now since it's the only one I own. I've only had to use it a few times during the other seasons when it was raining. Gotta keep the bag dry! But it was never used for bugs. For bugs I'll just throw a shirt over my head.

Jimmyjam sent me a head net that would work, but it doesn't protect my arms. So I'm leaning towards something like Zpacks or MLD sells with a solid floor attached to a netting that attaches at the top of the tarp or held up with a trekking pole.
This option seems heavy ( to me ). The Zpacks hexanet is 9ozs. That may not seem like a lot but my tarp is only 3.5oz. There has to be a lighter one out there for sale, right?

My other idea is to just get some bug netting from S2S. I could still take the Bivy at 4oz and sleep on top of it and drape the netting all around it and maybe attach it to the loops no the bottom of the Bivy. I'd get full coverage without having to jump into my sleepingbag.

Another option I've considered is a Bivy made by Borahgear.id get full netting on top but with extra splash guards on the feet and head area with enough solid material coming up the sides.

My last thought was hiving perimeter netting attached with loops around the tarp. I'd like to have it removable. Some loops for Zpacks would probably work ok for that. I know that wouldn't be 100% bug proof, but I could live with that.

One of the biggest factors is weight.

If you were me, which one would you go with?
Is there any other ideas Im missing?

OzJacko · Jul 7th 2015, 12:00am

I have no answers.
With our bugs and stuff nothing less than full protection will suffice. Tarptent is as minimalist as I get.

jimmyjam · Jul 7th 2015, 8:41am

the net tent I use under my tarp has a cuben bathtub with 6" walls and weighs something like 11 or 12 oz. Perimeter netting with a polycro ground cloth will be as light as you can get. There are different weights of noseeum netting available.

Traffic Jam · Jul 7th 2015, 11:07am

I can't answer your question but I've also been looking at transitioning to a bug shelter and tarp. I've looked at the Zpacks hexanet but when I compare a bug shelter/tarp/hardware to my LightHeart tent, the weight savings isn't worth the cost. I've also looked at making my own net tent but my sewing skills aren't good. The DIY Ray Jardine net tent, 1 person with a flap closure (no zipper) is 9 oz.

jimmyjam · Jul 7th 2015, 1:53pm

If anyone is interested I am selling my cuben tarp and net tent. Tarp is 9.4 oz with the two optional end tie out lines and stuff sack and net tent is 9.2 oz in the stuff sack. Trail proven on about 800 AT miles. No leaks, no rips, still in very good shape. I am selling because I am making another. Stakes not included.

Drybones · Jul 7th 2015, 3:25pm

I made a Fronkey style bug net for my hammock which including sack weighs 5 oz and works well but I see the attacked as where I'm headed...1/2 net, all you need with a hammock.

dutchwaregear.com/half-wit-hammock.html

Socks · Jul 7th 2015, 3:47pm

Drybones wrote:

I made a Fronkey style bug net for my hammock which including sack weighs 5 oz and works well but I see the attacked as where I'm headed...1/2 net, all you need with a hammock.

dutchwaregear.com/half-wit-hammock.html

Dats pretty cool, sweet!

Dmax · Jul 8th 2015, 12:44am

I think I found what I might be looking for:

Foresight · Jul 8th 2015, 1:32am

Drybones wrote:

I made a Fronkey style bug net for my hammock which including sack weighs 5 oz and works well but I see the attacked as where I'm headed...1/2 net, all you need with a hammock.

dutchwaregear.com/half-wit-hammock.html

I made the same bug net for mine and it is not nearly as compressible as my hammock and tarp and therefore I don't like it. I still use it, but I don't like it. I'm still looking for an alternative. I don't want a zippered-on bug net and that half-wit thing you posted won't work for me. If I have to worry about a bug net then it's hot out. If it's hot out I often don't even cover up. I'm not sleeping with long anything on my legs and dang sure ain't wearing socks. Even when I do use a cover in bug weather I still slide a leg out from under to regulate my temp and that simply won't work with the half-wit.

The 0.9oz no-see-um mesh from RSBTR is $3/yd.....I saw a lighter, albeit certainly not as sturdy, mesh fabric at one of those crazy ass craft stores my wife drug me into (Hobby Lobby maybe???) that was less than $2/yd and no shipping, I may try some of that since I wouldn't mind the fronkey net IF the material was more compressible.

Of course I could always make a stuff sack the same dimension as the bottom of my pack and it would hold all the hammock in one neat package while only being a few inches high.......hmmmmm, decisions, decisions.....

Drybones · Jul 8th 2015, 7:55am

Foresight wrote:

Drybones wrote:

I made a Fronkey style bug net for my hammock which including sack weighs 5 oz and works well but I see the attacked as where I'm headed...1/2 net, all you need with a hammock.

dutchwaregear.com/half-wit-hammock.html

I made the same bug net for mine and it is not nearly as compressible as my hammock and tarp and therefore I don't like it. I still use it, but I don't like it. I'm still looking for an alternative. I don't want a zippered-on bug net and that half-wit thing you posted won't work for me. If I have to worry about a bug net then it's hot out. If it's hot out I often don't even cover up. I'm not sleeping with long anything on my legs and dang sure ain't wearing socks. Even when I do use a cover in bug weather I still slide a leg out from under to regulate my temp and that simply won't work with the half-wit.
The 0.9oz no-see-um mesh from RSBTR is $3/yd.....I saw a lighter, albeit certainly not as sturdy, mesh fabric at one of those crazy ass craft stores my wife drug me into (Hobby Lobby maybe???) that was less than $2/yd and no shipping, I may try some of that since I wouldn't mind the fronkey net IF the material was more compressible.

Of course I could always make a stuff sack the same dimension as the bottom of my pack and it would hold all the hammock in one neat package while only being a few inches high.......hmmmmm, decisions, decisions.....

You can get .5 oz/yd no-see-um now, of course it's half the weight and twice the cost of the .9 oz stuff, I used some some mesh material I got at Walmart, don't know the exact weight/oz but it's a lot lighter tham the regular noseeum, I figured I wouldn't use it that much since I'm not a hot weather hiker so went as cheap as I could, serves the purpose.

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