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Actually the stuff I have is lighter than the small stansports A frame tent with its metal poles... and still lighter than the 9x9 tent I have.. mainly due to the tents having a much thicker, heavier plastic tarp like floors.The only beef with this though is that once you add it all together it weighs the same as a tent or damn close to it and doesn't provide nearly the durability or protection a tent does...
The silnylon tarps that I use for hammocking; under 1 lb each. The Bushcraft USA 10x10 tarp is little bit over 1 lb, but packs into a nalgene sized pouch. The IBNS Catoma bug bivy tent though.. 30oz or almost 2 lbs. Together with the 10x10 tarp its about 3lbs.. and thats the heaviest tarp/bugnet combo I have. whereas the stansports A frame which is NOT waterproof on the top, is 5lbs all in.. and you need to add a tarp to it or spray waterproofing to it which increases weight anyhow. The 9x9 tent is 7lbs on its own.. due to the floor, full height rainfly, and dome design with old fashioned 10mm fiberglass poles.
The hammock tarps and hammock bugnet together is 1.5lbs, but the hammock itself for my weight.. a little over 2lbs.. with cordage and tree straps the weight difference goes away. Understand that this is without insulation which for the hammock means the down underquilt and for the ibns bug bivy a usgi closed cell pad.
For both systems, the sleep systems varies... can be as light as 1 usgi poncho liner to as heavy as the Intermediate Cold Weather bag... and the two sizes of down bags I have are each about 2 lbs for fiancees and little shy of 3lbs for my much larger toastier bag.
The smaller usgi ponchos are as heavy as the 10x10 nylon tarp because of the perimeter snaps and grommets and heavier coating... instead of taking tent poles plus hiking sticks, i just take lightweight hiking sticks and cordage so that eliminates some weight.. with enough cordage the sticks may not even be needed, depending on the areas youre going in.
Honestly? A lightweight tarp/ bugnet shelter are way better than a box-store dome tent that may not be totally waterproof.
In my experience in Oregon... it doesnt matter if your box store tent is brand new, you gotta add a tarp to cover it in most Oregon weather so why have the cheap tent to begin with? Just a tarp and a bug tent is more than enough for summertime for me... for winter or cold weather though, some tarp pitch shapes will keep the heat in just fine, and if theres no mosquitos.. then you can do away with the bugnet.
In dry but cool weather.. a campfire and a lean to tarp shelter is awesome if youre sure the wind wont shift.
Edit. Cheap box store tents are quite inferior in quality compared to what REI and Cabelas offer; but the tradeoff is the vast price difference.. for the money a lightweight tarp from Bushcraft USA, Etowah, Chinook Gear, and a few others.. or self-made silnylon/sil-poly custom tarps/tarptents from materials from ripstop by the roll and diy gear and oware gear are all awesome. Ripstop By the Roll also sells ultralight bugnet fabric if you're feeling up for making your own UL tarptent with 0.5oz-0.9oz bug mesh and 1.9oz floor, 1.1oz upper fabric or lighter fabric, they do have 0.9oz silpoly and 0.51oz Cuben fiber waterproof fabric (pricey!!!)
The oz numbers are per sq yard.
The 10x10 tarp and ibns both use 1.9oz Polyurethane coated ripstop nylon.
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