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Living in a tent?

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chicken
Posts: 6843 - Karma: 2,116
Has anyone lived in a tent for an extended period of time? If so where were you and what was your set up?

Also does anyone have a 4 season tent? If you do, how often do you use it compared to your 3 season (or is it your only tent). Do you think it is a good Idea to purchase a 4 season tent if you were going to spend a summer hovering around the Arctic circle?
Mar 28 2011 9:42PM
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chicken
Posts: 6843 - Karma: 2,116
sorry if this should be gear talk
Mar 28 2011 9:42PM
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dbchili
Posts: 2555 - Karma: 1,657
my friend lived in one tree planting for 4 months in alberta and bc, he said it sucked. The biggest problem is that you can't actually stand up in the place you live. But hey, at least the rent is cheap
Mar 28 2011 9:45PM
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.frenchy
Posts: 18187 - Karma: 12,058

I've done a week in a tent in the middle of nowhere (I know it's not that much..). But really its not that hard, just bring the right stuff, stove, utensils, and other outdoor esencials (sp?). And I dont think there is really any difference from 3 to 4 season tent.

You can just get a 4 season tent and then open the windows/ vents in it. Wont be that bad

Mar 28 2011 9:46PM
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Jahrassicpark
Posts: 2075 - Karma: 36
I think it would be cool for only a short period of time, after a while I would get fed up from having to poop in a hole and hot having much room
Mar 28 2011 9:46PM
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.frenchy
Posts: 18187 - Karma: 12,058

And this..

Dude the arctic circle will drive you insaaane haha.

Mar 28 2011 9:48PM
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skier_boy26
Posts: 11295 - Karma: 502
From my experience, if you're going to be in it a looong time and not really looking to climb shit, get something with space. Being in a cramped, small 4 season tent for more than something like a 5 day stint is... uncomfortable. You don't need a massive cabin tent, but something you can sit-up in comfortably at the very least.

Also, most 3 season tents are suitable for a wide range of conditions. I see a lot of people, for instance, using muthafuckin bomber 4 season tents on Rainier in July when a bloody bug screen would even be overkill (a bit hyperbolic, but 4 season tents aren't needed as often as most people think).

Oh and get something in a nice, cheery bright color. On gray days it keeps that morale up a bit, whereas a gray, or dark colored tent, feels dismal in all conditions.
Mar 28 2011 9:48PM
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Proletariat.
Posts: 1797 - Karma: 45
Talk to Ghadafi
Mar 28 2011 9:49PM
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maximiliaan
Posts: 7710 - Karma: 2,838
havnt slept in a tent for 6 years.... :(
Mar 28 2011 9:49PM
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geteducated
Posts: 6410 - Karma: 86
just get a tent with solid waterproofing and a good fly (and/or supplement with a tarp) and a good sleeping bag. i don't know why you need a 4 season tent. its not like a 4 season tent will let you sleep in your underwear with a shitty blanket from walmart.

and why do you need standing room in a tent, when you have all the head room you need outside. a tent is just for sleeping in for 8 hours, after that you're gone and outside.

its been so long since i've been in a tent. i miss the rain on the fly and the pine needles dropping on it.
Mar 28 2011 9:54PM
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D_War
Posts: 266 - Karma: 34
you probably will have trouble getting any.... when you take her back to your tent
Mar 28 2011 9:55PM
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PeteySkeety
Posts: 996 - Karma: 209
Just be sure to bring one of these - http://www.rei.com/product/710089
Mar 28 2011 9:59PM
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geteducated
Posts: 6410 - Karma: 86
ya if your idea of camping is driving to your campsite.

rookie.
Mar 28 2011 10:04PM
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connory998
Posts: 1197 - Karma: 34
I have a 4 season tent and have made multiple 2 week trips in northern canada (at some points within the arctic circle) and its fine as long as you are ok with living in your own dirt for a while. it would be far better if you are leaving the tent set up for an extended period of time, because you can add infrastructure such as tarps for better living. depending on where you are going, a good quality 3 season tent could do you just fine, but make sure to test it first because even the best quality tents can have water proofing defects, which sucks (personal experience) any other questions just ask.
Mar 28 2011 10:08PM
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seemeski
Posts: 4210 - Karma: 124
I lived in a tent for a summer with my mom and brother. We were on a slight hill and I remember waking up one night when it was pouring rain and having to dig a trench around the up hill side. Live in a house if you can.
Mar 28 2011 10:08PM
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connory998
Posts: 1197 - Karma: 34
far superior in every way.
Click for larger image
Mar 28 2011 10:08PM
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PagesHouse
Posts: 6024 - Karma: 104
Exactly what I was thinking. If you're living in your tent for an extended period of time, I don't think the idea is to look at the tent as "home" and so you don't really need much space. You will have all the space your body can handle outside of your tent.
Mar 28 2011 10:09PM
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SPskier543
Posts: 2413 - Karma: 324
Live in a tent while you build a badass tree house or cabin, live in cabin for some time and try to sell for a profit.
Mar 28 2011 10:16PM
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theabortionator
Posts: 50614 - Karma: 150,712
Never done it for more than a week at a time. I don't mind it. I connect it right to the easy up, sometimes both easy ups. Have a table with plenty of camping chairs. Considering might tent isn't that big it's nice to get out and be able to stand up but still be out of the sun/rain. Might invest in one of those house type tents this year. Def need to keep making my fleet stronger.


Oh yeah, and those fucking earplug foam mats are fucking clutch. Put one or two of those under your easy up and you're golden.


And it all kind of depends on you. Some people could enjoy living in a tent no problem, some people would absolutely hate it.
Mar 28 2011 10:24PM
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michelle
Posts: 6290 - Karma: 428
I lived in a yurt all summer and it was AMAZING! Granted, it was part of a summer camp so I had working bathrooms/a place to eat/etc. But it really made me want to actually live in a yurt community once I get out of school.

Any type of living outdoors I highly recommend.
Mar 28 2011 10:25PM
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soulskier
Posts: 17805 - Karma: 3,819
i have spent a few weeks camping in the middle of state forest, and my biggest suggestion is bring a cot. it is cool, but at the same time you're taking years of human development/invention and throwing them out the window. take advantage of what creature comforts you can
Mar 28 2011 10:32PM
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yellav
Posts: 10056 - Karma: 1,219
i lived in a tent for three weeks this summer. as cheesy as it sounds i found waking up in the middle of nature over an extended period of time as opposed to under a roof extremely therapeutic. emerging out of a tent to sunrise and birds chirping is probably the best feeling in the world.
Mar 28 2011 10:36PM
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Flying~Squirrel
Posts: 6494 - Karma: 189
i survived for 10 day with only a knife. and my clothes. i did it to see if i could over the summer, and i thin i could have gone on like that for as long as i wanted.
Mar 28 2011 10:38PM
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introvert
Posts: 4718 - Karma: 1,477
Indubitably.
Mar 28 2011 10:42PM
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PeteySkeety
Posts: 996 - Karma: 209
ahahahahah I have gone on multiple 3 week canoe trips into remote Canadian wilderness. Have you ever portaged a wood canvas canoe with a 50 pound pack? Everyone on the trip had a crazy creak. It sucks not sitting in a chair for 23 days! The chair is obviously not great for backpacking. As for the post below about the ground-pad chair combo, I prefer the crazy creak because I don't care about it getting dirty and don't want to fuss with my ground pad when I want to sit. Although I am sure that would work great for backpacking.
Mar 28 2011 10:53PM
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MothaHucker
Posts: 4678 - Karma: 2,589
Mar 28 2011 10:55PM
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caliskigirl
Posts: 393 - Karma: 67
Yep, done some hiking, and for a couple of summers my ex and I pretty much mostly lived out in the woods in Tahoe...it was fun most of the time.
Mar 28 2011 11:14PM
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geteducated
Posts: 6410 - Karma: 86
i'd rather pack more essential items than a luxury item that takes up space.

yes i have portaged a canoe and pack. a 2.5km portage. next question please.
Mar 28 2011 11:27PM
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BootySpunk.
Posts: 8148 - Karma: 83
Stop it. You make me miss camping and backpacking so much :(. I haven't slept in a tent in far too long.
Mar 28 2011 11:33PM
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iFlip
Posts: 4510 - Karma: 18,489

For one reason or another - ok, for many reasons, I have lived 400-500 nights in a tent (well many tents I suppose). If you are planning on living in a tent in one place, GO BIG (or go home, lol). Seriously, a crappy $120 tent from Target is a great idea. Get a four person tent, or hell, even a family sized tent. You want to be able to walk around, stand up, not have the feeling of it being small, cramped, and the world falling down on you. Rig a tarp over the tent so it is even more waterproof. Then get a cot - being off the ground will make all the difference in long-term living. Here's a hint: things in a tent mildew and mold. A lot.

You do not need or want a four season tent. Besides being stupid expensive, they are meant for mountaineering and winter camping. I don't think you're planning a trip to Denali, so this won't be necessary. Tents left standing in one place for extended periods of time break down. The UV rays disintigrate the fabric, branches fall on them, animals chew through them. You do not want this happening to your $750 four season tent.

Once when I moved my tent after several months in one spot, I was surprised to see that there were mouse tunnels under it, as well as a freshly shed snakeskin. Yes, apparently I was sharing my home with others. The idea of tent living is glorious. The reality of it differs.

Mar 28 2011 11:52PM
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iFlip
Posts: 4510 - Karma: 18,489
I should add to this that if you are not going to be living in one place, you should not follow this advice. Huge tents are a huge PITA to take down and set up again. They tend to break quickly after repeated moving. If you are going to be carrying your tent you will want to look into other options (research tarp tents). Living in a tent out of your car is entirely different, as then you have a waterproof storage area. Feel free to PM me with specific questions. I am fairly well versed in this arena.
Mar 28 2011 11:55PM
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infedel_one
Posts: 5140 - Karma: 444
and whose fault is that. u could buy one.
Mar 28 2011 11:57PM
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dbstar
Posts: 2038 - Karma: 20
i treeplant every year and live in my tent for like 3 months in the summer, but is northern alberta so we get some crazy weather. I'd say get something with space, like a 4 person, and get something quality... Don't get a 4 season tent, when its hot out you will die.
Mar 28 2011 11:59PM
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Chunter
Posts: 2050 - Karma: 1,894
This.

I need to go camping. Especially when you have some mesh window above or near your head thats unzipped so you can just lay and look up at the trees straight from your bed.
Mar 29 2011 12:03AM
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COrider
Posts: 1498 - Karma: 23
Damn this thread, I want to go camping so bad now.
Mar 29 2011 12:08AM
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Steve-Brown
Posts: 1894 - Karma: 809
depends where u wanna sleep
it would probably be nicer just to make a cabin, thats what my dad and my grandpa did in Alaska haah they just brought a chain saw and a shit ton of nails and food and made a cabin. so you should look in to that, just get some carpentry skills down
my dad and grandpa make houses so...maybe thats why it was easy ahha
Mar 29 2011 12:15AM
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Skipig25
Posts: 10729 - Karma: 256
if you're going to be staying somewhere nice, I agree with the shitty huge tent.

but arctic circle or anywhere not nice all the time, go with a bomber 4 season tent. I've literally seen cheaper tents rip themselves apart in high winds, and then your stuck in the middle of nowhere with no shelter.


heavier, and more expensive, yes. but worth it's weight in gold if you actually need it.



that being said, I have a 3 season tent that gets 90% of my use
Mar 29 2011 12:16AM
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MothaHucker
Posts: 4678 - Karma: 2,589
iv done a week of living under a tarp. i have faith in you
Mar 29 2011 12:39AM
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.nasty
Posts: 10465 - Karma: 9,690
a friend of mine got evicted from a tent in the middle of a field in downtown denver. cop took his sleeping bag and put a note on the flap.
Mar 29 2011 12:40AM
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Phil-X-
Posts: 7204 - Karma: 14,371
op needs to tell us if hes going to be hiking around daily or posting up in one spot for a few months
Mar 29 2011 1:46AM
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chicken
Posts: 6843 - Karma: 2,116
Thanks for all the input. So for the record, I do have a great little 2man 3 season tent. I have lived in tents along the time scale of 2 weeks, but now I am looking at more like 4 months. I know I will need a bigger tent, so I was wondering if now is the time to invest in a 4 season tent or not. I did not think about the UV damage at all and that is definitely something to consider. Not that there is much intense sun in the yukon but it is basically always out so it really could damage the tent. This is a location where you need to keep everything in one backpack essentially. I believe the tent will be fairly permanent all summer but I still don't want to be messing around with really large tents primarily because it is pretty important that this tent performs (it would be my home rain or shine) and I don't want to be dropping the cash for a good 6 person tent when I could get a 4 season tent for the same price.

No I'm not going to denali (well not up it), but this also isn't like camping in banff. It is out in the wild.

With that being said does anyone have good recommendations for 3 man tents then? I think it would be really important for me to have large vestibules and pretty roomy feeling. Much more importantly I am looking for something built with sturdy construction (thinking more wind/rain than snow but anything could happen)
Mar 29 2011 1:48AM
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chicken
Posts: 6843 - Karma: 2,116
posting up in one spot for a few months.
Mar 29 2011 1:49AM
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TheStamos
Posts: 9311 - Karma: 910
I have a mid size SUV and i lived in it for 2 summers to save money when working in Tahoe. Turns out, you don't save as much because you drive allot, and you have to buy a decent amount of food because you dont have a kitchen. But, the benifit of sleeping in amazing places every night was worth it. Showered at campgrounds every day and yeah , pretty fun. I'm renting a house this summer though haha. I had a black bear open the door of the truck one morning and yeah , its an adventure. I imagine a tent would be much dirtier..
Mar 29 2011 2:42AM
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TheStamos
Posts: 9311 - Karma: 910
OH , you only need a 4 season tent for winter camping.. winter is the 4th season.  It will be heavier than a 3 season a more expensive. You can still get rained on in a 3 season no problem but the 4 season is built for snowload. DO ALLOT OF RESEARCH. good luck.
Mar 29 2011 2:45AM
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B.Aussie
Posts: 5851 - Karma: 4,521
This thread makes me want to go camping so bad.
Mar 29 2011 3:15AM
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.AR6rider.
Posts: 15976 - Karma: 8,796
You can pitch my tent any time.





Hahahaha jk, wow I need sleep.
Mar 29 2011 3:19AM
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Foxy_Grandpa
Posts: 594 - Karma: 12
spent about three months in this http://http://www.rei.com/product/779452
and the trango 4. best tents ever.
Mar 29 2011 4:39AM
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skier_boy26
Posts: 11295 - Karma: 502
Well, you still probably don't need a 4 season tent for what you're doing. But you can certainly use one if you're looking to invest in one.

As for UV damage, just buy a cheap tarp and use that to block direct sunlight.

this tent is overkill, but convenient: http://www.rei.com/product/779450
I have the EV2 and its easy to set up, cheery, and pretty bomber
And the aforementioned Trango tents are pretty nice, but also overkill.
Mar 29 2011 5:21AM
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DERS.
Posts: 6299 - Karma: 1,293
its intense

lolpun
Mar 29 2011 5:25AM
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I_Am_Mod
Posts: 13214 - Karma: 3,738
make sure you have a good sleepingbag and mattress....
also, if your tent is gonna be stationary then take one thats definately big enough for 1 person extra....
a 1 person tent is just good for 1 person without stuff, if you want to take your gear inside/live inside you'll need at least the room of 1 extra person/person ....(= if you're alone, take a 2person tent, if you're with 2, a 4 person, etc...)

also if you're gonna be there for longer time, pick a good spot and prepare it, clear the ground thoroughly and you might even consider lining it with moss or leafs, this gives your base tarp protection from hard and pointy things below, gives extra insulation and is soft to walk on :)
Mar 29 2011 5:53AM
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soulskier
Posts: 17805 - Karma: 3,819
are there going to be bears? just planting the seed...
Mar 29 2011 6:45AM
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