I am a Section Hiker of the AT, doing it slowly (20 year plan or so it seems) I usually do 3 or 4 days at a time. Here is my new May to September AT Setup, for the State of Virginia which is where I am currently working on.....light and relatively cheap, I use permethrin wherever I can (bag, net, floor plus clothes of course). This can also be used for late Fall/Early Winter or Late Winter/Early Spring at Ocala National Forest in FL (forget any other time, it's full of ticks!) 1) Borah Gear 5.5 x 9 Solo Tarp 8 oz at $61 (there's a new model) Guys lines weigh "nothing" included 2) Equinox Mantis Bug n 4.5 oz at $37 3) SOL Escape Bivvy Lite(5.5 oz ++) 6.5 oz at $40 (I've modified the above, with some cuts, loops in back and a little bit of tape, to work like a quilt, the pad below fits inside!) 4) REI Co-op Flash Insulated Air Sleeping Pad 15 oz at $59 (on sale) 5) Stakes, Kungix Y-stakes 7-in, QTY 10 5 oz at $20 So 39 ounces for Sleep System / Shelter at around $220. Add a cheap, light Osprey Ultralight Stuff Pack, 18 Liter Capacity at 3.2 ounces and $35 and you are at around $250 and 42 ounces! I also have the Equinox Terrapin Ultralite Poncho Shelter, the extended one (58 x 104) at 10 ounces, which I bought for about $60, the original SOL Escape Bivvy at 8 oz for about $50 and Ben's Invisinet at 0.7 ounces and $10. You can substitute 1,2,3 above with these other items, cut out the 4 stakes for the Manta and you will be around the same weight, this time with the dual purpose tarp/raingear at around the same cost. The pad will not be able to fit inside the unmodified SOL Escape Bivvy, unlike the modified SOL Escape Lite "Quilt"I came up with above. This is workable for a 2 day/1 night to a 3 day/2 nights. So 2.65 lbs for base, 4.5 lbs for food for 3 days (Remember you have a big breakfast right before you start and probably a big dinner right after you end), 1 lb for incidentals (TP, wipe, toothbrush/paste, 1 light shirt/polysocks/underwear, UL Pillow) and a 1 liter(2lb) smart water bottle....You are right at 10 lbs! I also carry a mini-sawyer filter and (2) 1 Liter Platypus Bladder for camp where I reload ( I drink 1 Liter at the end of each day, 1 Liter the next morning and the 3rd Liter is for the Trail)
I was searching for an equinox mantis review just last week and nothing much came up, then today, there your new video is. I purchased one a couple years ago and actually just slept in it for the first time in the back yard this week. I found that if I staked all four corners down, I'd still have significant holes/gaps down at the corners by my arms, despite having the cord cinched up. So I ended up removing those two stakes at my sides there and that allowed the cord to bring up the edges snug around all sides. The negative to that was I had to be more careful about not letting it slide up above my shoulders and so on. I wish I had known about the S2S Pyramid before I bought the Mantis, despite the fact that it's twice the weight. I do like that it has protection from underneath though, which, in theory, should help prevent me from waking up to a spider on my face.
I loosen and/or sometimes remove one stake to allow a better seal as well. Will give removing the front two a go next time. The larger shelter is better IMHO but both have their place. Thanks for watching!!!!
I'll definitely be getting the double sea to summit, even though I have a bivy with inbuilt bug netting, being in hotter humid climates sometimes you may just want to forego being stuck in a tiny sweltering plastic bag.
Yea keeping the netting away from the face and more airflow are pros to a bug net over a bivy bag with built in bug screen. Then again it's also another thing to setup aka extra time. Thanks for watching
For me I think I would rather get an el cheapo mesh tent similar to the sea to summit but with a floor. Even if I have to treat it myself. There are some very poisonous spiders in Australia.
The average death rate is one or two a year but clearly no one wants to get bitten. I have ticks infested with lyme and it''s a epidemic. I am actually working on a review of a cheapo mesh imported bug bivy with floor. Will be posted in a few weeks. Thanks for watching!
@@MegaWoodswalker excellent, looking forward to that. My problem is spiders really freak me out and I live in an area why the most toxic spider in the world roams! Thanks for reviewing affordable solutions as well as more expensive items. I find it very helpful.
While I did not go into the woods last night I did try out my new net tent in the back yard and I learned a few things... not all net tents have the same number of holes per inch. the net does restrict airflow. Having my 5x9 tarp at about 3ft also restricted the airflow but at 4 feet did not offer much rain protection.
How effective would you say these are against ticks? 300k new cases of Lyme disease each year which makes one long for the days when mosquitoes and the rare bear sighting were your only concern.
I contracted Lyme twice however was unrelated to the bug bivy. As there is no floor ticks on the ground under a person could still bite. I am about to review another bug bivy which has a floor. Just need the weather to warm up so the bugs are out. Thanks for watching!
If you have an E-mail just send a message to Daytraderwon@yahoo.com and I will attached a few photos. It may appear once bug season is back on in a video but that is some months away. Thanks for watching!
Yea the pyramid sea to summit...non military looks better...it also looks like a single slim stick or pole from the ground above your head and too the peak would solve the clearance issue...I think it would hold itself there too. Tarps or ponchos these days are so light me thinks bigger is much better there as well
Bigger is often better when it comes to poncho/tarps. One pro to the Equinox Poncho with extensions is more material. To be honest I like 10x12 tarps. Also I would get the double despite the heavier weight for the Sea to Summit. Thanks for watching!
Having a decent lightweight 1 or 2p tent doubles as a bugnet when you dont use the canopy. My neo Dagger 2p is awesome for this and weighs considerably less then 1kg something like 600 grams once you drop the canopy. www.nemoequipment.com/wp-content/uploads/bcpsw6hz73tyenqfvcnp-1768x1496.jpg
I am a Section Hiker of the AT, doing it slowly (20 year plan or so it seems) I usually do 3 or 4 days at a time. Here is my new May to September AT Setup, for the State of Virginia which is where I am currently working on.....light and relatively cheap, I use permethrin wherever I can (bag, net, floor plus clothes of course). This can also be used for late Fall/Early Winter or Late Winter/Early Spring at Ocala National Forest in FL (forget any other time, it's full of ticks!)
1) Borah Gear 5.5 x 9 Solo Tarp 8 oz at $61
(there's a new model) Guys lines weigh "nothing" included
2) Equinox Mantis Bug n 4.5 oz at $37
3) SOL Escape Bivvy Lite(5.5 oz ++) 6.5 oz at $40
(I've modified the above, with some cuts, loops in back and a little bit of tape, to work like a quilt, the pad below fits inside!)
4) REI Co-op Flash Insulated Air Sleeping Pad 15 oz at $59 (on sale)
5) Stakes, Kungix Y-stakes 7-in, QTY 10 5 oz at $20
So 39 ounces for Sleep System / Shelter at around $220. Add a cheap, light Osprey Ultralight Stuff Pack, 18 Liter Capacity at 3.2 ounces and $35 and you are at around $250 and 42 ounces!
I also have the Equinox Terrapin Ultralite Poncho Shelter, the extended one (58 x 104) at 10 ounces, which I bought for about $60, the original SOL Escape Bivvy at 8 oz for about $50 and Ben's Invisinet at 0.7 ounces and $10. You can substitute 1,2,3 above with these other items, cut out the 4 stakes for the Manta and you will be around the same weight, this time with the dual purpose tarp/raingear at around the same cost. The pad will not be able to fit inside the unmodified SOL Escape Bivvy, unlike the modified SOL Escape Lite "Quilt"I came up with above.
This is workable for a 2 day/1 night to a 3 day/2 nights. So 2.65 lbs for base, 4.5 lbs for food for 3 days (Remember you have a big breakfast right before you start and probably a big dinner right after you end), 1 lb for incidentals (TP, wipe, toothbrush/paste, 1 light shirt/polysocks/underwear, UL Pillow) and a 1 liter(2lb) smart water bottle....You are right at 10 lbs!
I also carry a mini-sawyer filter and (2) 1 Liter Platypus Bladder for camp where I reload ( I drink 1 Liter at the end of each day, 1 Liter the next morning and the 3rd Liter is for the Trail)
I was searching for an equinox mantis review just last week and nothing much came up, then today, there your new video is. I purchased one a couple years ago and actually just slept in it for the first time in the back yard this week. I found that if I staked all four corners down, I'd still have significant holes/gaps down at the corners by my arms, despite having the cord cinched up. So I ended up removing those two stakes at my sides there and that allowed the cord to bring up the edges snug around all sides. The negative to that was I had to be more careful about not letting it slide up above my shoulders and so on. I wish I had known about the S2S Pyramid before I bought the Mantis, despite the fact that it's twice the weight. I do like that it has protection from underneath though, which, in theory, should help prevent me from waking up to a spider on my face.
I loosen and/or sometimes remove one stake to allow a better seal as well. Will give removing the front two a go next time. The larger shelter is better IMHO but both have their place. Thanks for watching!!!!
I'll definitely be getting the double sea to summit, even though I have a bivy with inbuilt bug netting, being in hotter humid climates sometimes you may just want to forego being stuck in a tiny sweltering plastic bag.
Yea keeping the netting away from the face and more airflow are pros to a bug net over a bivy bag with built in bug screen. Then again it's also another thing to setup aka extra time. Thanks for watching
I went on eBay, bought a bed mosquito canopy for $17.00. it's big, HxW enough to customize. I hang 2 corners, stretch, and I'm good. Just an idea.
Thanks for watching!
For me I think I would rather get an el cheapo mesh tent similar to the sea to summit but with a floor. Even if I have to treat it myself. There are some very poisonous spiders in Australia.
The average death rate is one or two a year but clearly no one wants to get bitten. I have ticks infested with lyme and it''s a epidemic. I am actually working on a review of a cheapo mesh imported bug bivy with floor. Will be posted in a few weeks. Thanks for watching!
@@MegaWoodswalker excellent, looking forward to that. My problem is spiders really freak me out and I live in an area why the most toxic spider in the world roams! Thanks for reviewing affordable solutions as well as more expensive items. I find it very helpful.
Our sea to summit dry bag was the first to fail out of all our cheaper dry bags on our sailboat.
While I did not go into the woods last night I did try out my new net tent in the back yard and I learned a few things... not all net tents have the same number of holes per inch. the net does restrict airflow. Having my 5x9 tarp at about 3ft also restricted the airflow but at 4 feet did not offer much rain protection.
Some cheaper netting allows smaller bugs to pass though. Thanks for watching.
The Mantis uses no-see-um netting, while the Pyramid uses mosquito netting, which may account for the similar weights despite the different sizes.
How effective would you say these are against ticks? 300k new cases of Lyme disease each year which makes one long for the days when mosquitoes and the rare bear sighting were your only concern.
I contracted Lyme twice however was unrelated to the bug bivy. As there is no floor ticks on the ground under a person could still bite. I am about to review another bug bivy which has a floor. Just need the weather to warm up so the bugs are out. Thanks for watching!
As always, a great talk on da-bug nets... Great job.
Thanks for watching brother!
Love the shirt brother
luxe sells a bath tub floor inner tent piramid shelter that weighs one lb for $45. you could get a 1 lb tepi or use a tarp over it.
I will check it out! Thanks for watching!
@@MegaWoodswalker I'm always refining my gear when i see good options.
I bought the Sea to Summit Nano (summer 2017) and it is repellent treated. Your audio is nice and clear! thanks.
This one is as well. Good to know they're still doing that. Thanks for watching.
Interesting comparison brother.
Looked like a fun test too. :) enjoyed it!!'
Be well
Craig
Thanks for watching!!
Great tip, I start to use this portable USB lamp for catching mosquitos and for now do the work done. Check my video how it works.
Still, i'd love to see your custom made one ;)
If you have an E-mail just send a message to Daytraderwon@yahoo.com and I will attached a few photos. It may appear once bug season is back on in a video but that is some months away. Thanks for watching!
Done ;)
"Lyme capital of the COSMOS" 😆✌️💚
Yea the pyramid sea to summit...non military looks better...it also looks like a single slim stick or pole from the ground above your head and too the peak would solve the clearance issue...I think it would hold itself there too. Tarps or ponchos these days are so light me thinks bigger is much better there as well
Bigger is often better when it comes to poncho/tarps. One pro to the Equinox Poncho with extensions is more material. To be honest I like 10x12 tarps. Also I would get the double despite the heavier weight for the Sea to Summit. Thanks for watching!
looks very good to me
ideal for me and my little girl
atb
steve
Thanks for looking. i would get the double size for two people.
thanks for the reply
Having a decent lightweight 1 or 2p tent doubles as a bugnet when you dont use the canopy. My neo Dagger 2p is awesome for this and weighs considerably less then 1kg something like 600 grams once you drop the canopy.
www.nemoequipment.com/wp-content/uploads/bcpsw6hz73tyenqfvcnp-1768x1496.jpg
👍🏻
Thanks for watching!
RIP
no floor at all not going to worry about that one
Yes that could be an issue for some situations. I am reviewing one with a floor this week. Thanks for watching!
both are to small not good at all