Tents for Possible bug out!

[bettersafethansorry]

First off bugging out is last resort for me.... never the less..

Ok this week i'm looking for tents... not im not well up on brands but i also don't want to spend a small fortune on something i may use once a year unless TSHTF.
if i'm honest i've always been a simple military canvas tent man no ground sheet but with family to think of i need an all in one.

What I want:
3-4 Man tent that can be easily carried on foot (strapped to bergan etc)
Lightweight but waterproof and durable.

Possible 2nd small tent for supplies ect. same specs as above bar size.

suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

M

[pseudonym]

I have this as a autumn/beginning winter set up:

http://www.scandinavianoutdoorstore.com ... laavu-pro/

You have to buy the poles seperately, they are on that site too.

[bob the builder]

Almost indestructible tent but has 2 main draw backs for you one size only really 2/3 man and bright orange the vango force 10 but will survive all weather's think they come in green too but orange is normal and used cheap enough quite an old design but still being made. I have a few tents and always go back to the force 10 so easy to put up and take down some branches and mud would soon sort the colour

[external]

We are avid campers and have been caught in quite a few storms where some of the lightweight tents get ripped and generally don't hold up.

The Outwell bear lake and wolf lake tents are pretty robuts units but sadly weigh a fair amount, but if its a long term bug out then I'd want to be in one of those.
For a short term bug out personalyl I'd go for a couple of smaller tents which will be cheaper/lighter but more limited on space. Something like the Outwell Fusion (choice of 2, 3 or 4 man popup).
(sorry i am quite a fan of Outwell tents)



4 man version


2 man version

[m4me]

First off bugging out is last resort for me.... never the less..

Ok this week i'm looking for tents... not im not well up on brands but i also don't want to spend a small fortune on something i may use once a year unless TSHTF.
if i'm honest i've always been a simple military canvas tent man no ground sheet but with family to think of i need an all in one.

What I want:
3-4 Man tent that can be easily carried on foot (strapped to bergan etc)
Lightweight but waterproof and durable.

Possible 2nd small tent for supplies ect. same specs as above bar size.

suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

M

The technology is a little bit older, but you can't really fault the wild country tents for their build quality, or their more expensive terra nova equivalent if you can afford it:

http://www.terra-nova.co.uk/tents-and-s ... ee-3-tent/

[Pointboy]

Why use a tent? Yes I understand that tents are very good for in bad weather but what if it comes too you having to do a quick evac from the area you bedded down in? You can't really just pick up the tent with all your items in it can you?!. We are taught in basic training to set up effectively a basha. Now bashas are great because all you need is the basha it's self, two of three bungies and maybe a bit of green string.

With bashas you can pull the things down in seconds and just run with it in your hands, with a tent it is pretty much not going to happen. If you get caught out, for any reason whether it is people or any situation you would think of, you would want to be able to pick up and run straight away. Using a tent makes this option pretty impossible.

I would suggest getting a basha, a bivvi bag and a good sleeping bag, winter period bags are good, the just purchase some good bungies and green string and a role mat and your done.

[Pointboy]

Just too add, you could strap a basha to each of your persons bags, they are super easy to use and are light. When we go into the field in training we use them all the time and tbh even in the very cold and rainy weather they are great.

[Amber_Leith]

A tent really is overkill.

As has been said, packing it up or moving it quickly is impossible, when they're wet they can barely be packed up when you've got all day lol.

Having one for yourself and another for supplies doesn't bare thinking about.

I used to live out of a backpack, you have to keep it waterproof but you have to keep it ready to go at all times, I used one of those stretchable waterproof covers all hiking stores sell and never once had a problem with water.

For sleeping, all I needed was a decent bivvy bag and a tarp. Inside the bivvy I'd always have rolled up a self made padded hoody (yes i really did sew part of a padded groundsheet to a thick warm hoody), a thick pair of jogging bottoms with similar modifications and the wooliest, warmest socks I could find.

I had two sets of clothes, one lighter set I'd wear through the day as well as the robocop hoody, then obviously a waterproof overcoat and trousers. If it was wet I would very quickly sit under the tarp on he rolled out bivvy or tie it up if possible to change, you only needed one elevated place to tie it as my waterproofed bag was always there to pull the tension out and keep it off the ground.

I'd shove the waterproof outter gear under the bags cover with my shoes and use the lighter clothes id been wearing all day as a pillow.

I did start out with a tent but not only was it impossible to hide it anywhere, move it as said above but it was also a nightmare with the wind. When you're lying flat out in a bivvy you have virtually as low a profile as you would lying in a bed, it's a hell of a lot warmer as you can shove yourself between bushes and other small spaces that you could never fit a fully set up tent.

Sure it wasn't the most comfortable solution in the world but I was homeless at the time and often found myself sleeping on private property, plus you always had to be aware of the police and would be passers by (even in the middle of nowhere). You could never get a decent nights sleep in a tent for fear of being spotted, which meant being either robbed, arrested or asked to move on.

That was my own personal SHTF solution lol. In a world where everyone is in the same boat, I'd be tempted to go without almost everything here and simply pile on a couple of layers before laying down with no cover at all. As long as water never came into contact with your skin or you last line of clothing, it would never get that cold, the UK isnt Alaska.

[Amber_Leith]

The weight is the biggest reason not to get a tent over a simpler system, missed that part.

Everything has to be as light as possible if you're planning to avoid people/trouble.

[bettersafethansorry]

I understand the being light and for me i can live out of a patrol pack if needed but the fact is i have mrs and 3 year old at home so its them im thinking about in this situation.

-M