I want a small, lightweight tent that goes up and comes down FAST. I raced the MO340 and sleeping under the stars wrapped in a goretex sleeping bag cover didn’t get me the rest I wanted as mosquitoes buzzed my face and beetles fell in my ears from the trees above… I want a quick erect and take down tent…it is a race you know! Any ideas?
Hammock?
There was a thread recently about the current crop of hammocks - they seemed like they went up quick, have bug netting, rain fly if needed, etc. They look comfortable , but use depends on how available trees are in your area, I suppose.
Hoop tent?
At a scout function I saw one of the boys with a tent that looked like a hoolahoop. He threw it in the air and
he had a tent that he could move any where (no trees needed etc)It was a little too heavy for me with the backpacking my troop was doing but it seemed perfect for a paddling trip in a canoe.
Might look at inflatable tents too as
they claim to go up pretty quick and one, Nemo I blv, comes with its mini foot pump. Not cheap though. R
with practice
you can probably get any solo tent up in under 60 sec. My North Face Tadpole takes me 90 but I use a fly and it has three poles for far northern travel. Winds would rip a lesser supported tent to shreds.
I like anything with an "X"
Crossing polls go up quick. Who knows, the sleeves might even make it quicker. And you can’t beat the price.
http://www.rei.com/product/781041
Try the Eureka Backcountry I . . .
– Last Updated: Sep-06-10 10:48 PM EST –
. . . you can get it up and down in under five minutes if you ain't picky about gettin' it folded perty. Don't mess with the fly unless it looks like rain. If it ain't windy you don't need to stake it down.
What happened to pop tents?
They supposedly could be flung open and fiberglass hoops sewn into the fabric would spring open (think of auto sunshades) into a tent form. To pack one, you’d fold the springy thing back into a compact form. I have no idea if it really worked.
There’s still a tent that employs air-filled tubes instead of poles. No threading or clipping at all.
Pop Up Tents
If you are looking for a Pop Up tent, check out ebay. There are hundreds listed. Just type in Pop Up Tent. Most are less than $125.00. Do not know how weather proof they are. Good Luck.
If your Pop Up tent
stays up for more than 4 hours, contact your doctor.
Campmor has a pop open tent also.
wildlifejoe–I second the hammock
– Last Updated: Sep-07-10 1:21 PM EST –
Youtube search Hennessy Hammock
Then do your real research here:
www.hammockforum.net
Best for your purposes: either Hennessy or Warbonnet Blackbird. And no, you don't need trees--can hang from rock, two walking poles, your truck and one tree, etc.
Now, even though these ENOs are only so-so camping hammocks, this video will whet your whistle, Joe:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpZNeVxBeOI
Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight.
nm
tarptent
I have a tarpent that is pretty quick going up. 1 pole threaded through a sleeve on the bottom end, same thing on the top end, and three stakes.
Ok, hammack guys…
By the time you pitch your fly and your bug net, you might as well have the room and comfort of a tent. I just don’t get the economy, and to tell the truth, they don’t look that comfy.
they are comfy and they
are quick… As long as there are cooperative trees…therein lies the rub so to speak.
Willows and black spruce are very very iffy. I dont know what grows in Texas but I do know hammocks are pretty much out on caribou ridges in Ontario.
With the hurricane force winds ( you ought to see Lake Michigan today) and the vision of pop tents…all I can think of is kite. Can you run faster than your tent?
Kelty
I like my Kelty Traildome 2 for pretty much anything.
Really durable, and sets up very quick. Even in strong wind its probably only about a minute.
Next year for the 340 I am planning on going unsupported, and I intend to just make a bugscreen cover for the Kruger that snaps on like the sprayskirt, and sleep under that in the boat.
Sleeping in the boat might be the way to go Joe. Tie to a tree, drop your nicely padded seat down to its lowest setting, and slide up into the bow, using the seat as a pillow. I love sleeping in my boat. I figure its pretty secure, no problems from animals or landowners, you don’t get muddy, plus the gentle rocking of the waves is pretty nice. I saw a tent someone made to be used on a Kruger once. If I can find a pic I will email it to you. It was pretty cool.
here is the link
http://krugertent.blogspot.com/
Its a Kruger paddler’s blog. Awesome canoe tent. I already emailed around to see if one of these could be bought, and apparently this was a one of a kind creation, but maybe you will be able to build something similar.
My two cents…
Clips and a single wall is what you should look at. The Eureka Zeus 2 would fit the bill well. I’ve heard many rave reviews on this tent.
http://store.eurekatent.com/products/347446/Zeus_2_Classic_Tent
Efficiency
I’ll start by saying that I love buying new gear, but there are other ways to get in the tent quickly rather than replacing what you’ve got. The difference between setup time in the best and worst tents I’ve owned is really only a couple of minutes.
I’m not really what you’d call and experienced racer, but I’ve learned to be efficient by watching friends that have been at it longer than me. When I get out of the boat the first thing I do is start water boiling. While that’s going I get the handful of things I need from the boat for the night. Pour the hot water in a freeze dried meal and while it’s “cooking” I set up the tent, clean up, etc. I pack my sleeping clothes in my sleeping bag so I have one less bag to grab from the boat. By the time time I’m done with setting up the tent, my food is almost ready. I eat and then I lay down. Boat to bed in about 25 minutes. I could probably do better if the freeze dried meals didn’t take 10-15 minutes.
In the morning I don’t repack the tent, just shove it in a hatch and go. If I skip coffee and just eat a bar or some trail mix for breakfast I can be on the water in 10-15 minutes and part of that time is convincing myself to put wet clothes back on. 
YMMV