Headed to Rae Lakes in a couple weeks and I need a quick and dirty solution to tarp camping in skeeter hell. I have a head net which i hope is okay for when I'm hiking. I planned on sleeping with the head net on, in my quilt, but maybe that's not good enough. Do they carry decent netting at local fabric stores?

Parameters: I'm stupid, broke and lazy do it must be easy, cheap and light.

For just skeeters, fabric stores have toole, a net fabric for stuff like retro prom dresses. It's cheap, not durable, but very light. It usually comes in 48" or 54" widths. The 54 is wide enough to make a sort of tent. You could make it full length or half length, depending on how hot the weather will be. (what's worse, mosquitoes or sweating all night?) A simple tripod will keep the net off your face. Three pieces of gardener's bamboo (maybe 3/8 or 1/2" in diameter, 6 for $3 at Home Depot) will do. Cut 3 pieces to the length that works. Drill a hole at the end of each, run a cord through, tie a knot in both ends. Or use duct tape. Done. A tripod. Use small (4 or 5") stakes cut from coat hanger to hold the sides down. Just poke them through the net.

Adan,

Easy and light but what is your level of cheap?

Campmor has this;

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.campmor.com/wcsstore/Campmor/static/images/acc/86660.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___86660&usg=__sPEvGCPFvY6T0aJut3bPM9wJfqM=&h=264&w=245&sz=28&hl=en&start=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=TFs6GcPpORWNvM:&tbnh=112&tbnw=104&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcampmor%2Bhiker%2Bbug%2Bnetting%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us%26rlz%3D1I7SKPB_en%26tbs%3Disch:1

Sorry for the huge link. :-(

Found this on Amazon;

http://www.amazon.com/Coghlans-Single-Mosquito-Net-Green/dp/B000LGX0H8%3FSubscriptionId%3D19BAZMZQFZJ6G2QYGCG2%26tag%3Dsquid858302-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB000LGX0H8

You could cut it down to size. :-)

Check out the camping aisle of your local Academy Sports.

Party On,

Newton

+1/2 on the above suggestion--I'd suggest the Coghlan's hikers mosquito net (just search for that term in amazon) instead. I think it weighs 5 oz. It's easy to suspend from any tarp or your trekking poles.

Quick and dirty is to guy some tulle, cut it to size and tuck in into your shirt as a headnet.

I saw a Coleman head net in Walmart for $1.50. It weighed a fraction of an ounce, perhaps too flimsy to sleep in.

That Coghlans should fit the bill nicely. Thanks everyone for your help, I'm gonna need it!

At the Army Surplus I found a Stansport Mosquito Net, $20 and very light. I hope it works well, it only has 4 tie-out loops so it's hard to tell if it will actually seal well against the ground.

"...it's hard to tell if it will actually seal well against the ground."

That is why they invented rocks.

I slept this way on one trip. I put rocks around the inside of three sides. One long side was left unrocked so that I could come and go easily.

--B.G.--

Hey, for $20 bucks, rocks works just fine with me!