Your shelter has no vestibule. Where do you put your muddy boots in consideration of rain? Do you bring them in the shelter, mud and all? Do you bag 'em and leave them outside?

Well - if it rains you put them inside your shelter, preferably in a plastic bag so as not to get everything all muddy(not too heavy!)
S.

Edited by svenklingemann on 05/28/2008 09:21:26 MDT.

Definitely inside.

I never leave my footware outside and unsecured. Racoons and other creatures like the salt and if they were to run off with one in the middle of the night..........

I agree with above -- and definitely inside a plastic bag.

OTOH, even leaving the plastic bag somewhat open, this severely affects the boots' chance of airing out and drying out through the night!

I've always left my hiking boots and socks in my tent vestibule and no animals or insects have ever molested them in my five years of backpacking. Of course, now that I said it...

Thanks guys.

Bob, the boots just go on the floor of the tent or do you use a small piece of....something....?

I wouldn't use a shelter which did not have a vestibule. Priorities...

I generally leave them under the floor of the tent, standing up. Keeps them dry and mud out of the tent. Works well with the kids.

Rod

I agree with Roger. I want a vetsibule for wet gear and cooking. It's the only thing stopping me from getting a Warmlite tent.

"I wouldn't use a shelter which did not have a vestibule. Priorities..."

Yes, I know what you mean. Like, for example, I would ski with a jacket on...but that is just me ;) My priority is minimal weight and tight (read: relatively small footprint) pitching.

Mike, I hear you with cooking. But in my neck of the woods, cooking in the vestibule will surely attract Grizzly Bears. They aren't much fun to barter with over food. Trust me. For cooking, I have a 6 oz tarp that provides plenty of coverage AWAY from where I sleep. Then all the food and the tarp are bear bagged.

I guess it depends on where and when you backpack. I wouldn't consider a shelter without a bug proof inner and a vestibule for Scottish summers. However in the winter I sometimes use single skin shelters such as the GoLite Shangri-La 3. As I use a small groundsheet there is ample ground space inside to use as I would a vestibule. Such a shelter would be unbearable when the midges are biting. On trips to dry areas such as the High Sierra and the South-West USA I've mostly used tarps and not felt any need for a vestibule.

In grizzly bear areas, and places where black bears may be interested in my food, I've carried a tent and a tarp, setting up the latter as a kitchen and dining area in wet weather.

Damp gear increases condensation inside a tent if left in the open so if I have to bring it inside I keep it in a plastic bag or stuffsack.


Of course a small tarp can be used to create a vestibule for a tent without one, something I have done occasionally when testing tents.

Edited by Christownsend on 05/29/2008 10:49:14 MDT.

No vestibule. What to do ?

1) Panic
2) Look around, it might be at the back or at the bottom end
3) OK , it's not there . Ask yourself "why..."
4) Look again, just in case

How about having one of those multiuse heavy duty trash bags, shove your boots in there, rig it so that you still have an opening but protected from rain.
For the Aussies : always turn the boots upside down and shake them before wearing them.
Franco

I actually laughed out loud at #3.

Is it just me or am I the only one who is absolutely thrilled (and I mean that) to have Chris Townsend posting here!

Edited by FamilyGuy on 05/29/2008 22:16:19 MDT.

It's definitely not just you David!

While I own a couple of tents with vestibules I usually choose one without one. I'm usually camping in the Northern Rockies, grizzly country, and wouldn't think of cooking that close to the tent even if I had a vestibule. Mike, the Warmlite 2R has more storage space inside the tent than the vestibule on any 2-man tent I've seen. Richard

Hi Richard. I usually have a personal rain cloud that follows me about! My routine in pouring rain is to dive into vestibule, and dump sack. Then i open inner and take off jacket whilst backing into inner to sit down. My shoes/boots and rain pants are taken off in the vestibule. No wet gear ever comes into the inner. I reverse this when exiting in rain. Wet gear inside just adds to condensation. Living in a damp climate with usually damp ground, you have to work at minimising condensation. I REALLY want a Warmlite, the weights are so tempting, but i can't convince myself it would work for me. Even the act of opening the low angled door lets in rain.
I'm not bothered about midges/bugs, as i wouldn't be using it at that time of year. I've got a chance of a swap deal on a Hex 3, so i think i'll go down that route.

How about a tarp that is all vestibule and no tent?

Or better yet a hammock. The Hennessy is like a suspended tent with a vestibule below.

I'm away tarping this weekend Richard:) Not enough trees for a hammock though.

It depends. I have a Montbell monoframe diamond shelter which doesn't have vestibule, but due to its double wall construction, I can easily fit my boots in between the rainfly and the inner tent to keep them out of the rain (well, mostly anyways). For a single wall shelter without a vestibule, like a Bibler I-tent, I would put the boots or shoes underneath the tent floor at the head area and use them as a base for a pillow.

I've never heard the raccoon thing before! Never would have thought of that. Has that ever actually happened to anyone? Or it is just a theory?

Great idea about keeping them under the tent floor. Very creative.

I agree also that I wouldn't use a shelter without a floorless protected area. That means either a vestibule (like my GG "The One") or a "tarp" type shelter (like my GG "Spinnshelter").

Regarding cooking... I never cook in the vestibule.

Edited by davidlewis on 05/31/2008 08:13:13 MDT.

Never had a problem with racoons, but I can vouch for possums. Mean little bugger ripped one of my shoes to shreds. I've heard friends tell me about deer chewing on them too. This is how I learned to bring them inside at night.