Basically this is a story about what to put in a 4 man tent when you go on a trek in the Himalayas. By the way, the Himalayas are quite a way away from the states in the USA so if you read this and think it is too simple, wait until you actually go…
After a heavy week of corporate meetings, wire assessment, big trade deals, terrific locations, flowers to smell, nothing else to spend time on but time in nature, what could be better?
So, after weeks and months of hard work, we packed up the truck with the tanks on the roof and set off towards the mountains. Always travel with at least 3/4 of your gear, just in case.
We were going to traverse theZanskar range in India and brought along Range Rover too. They have so much room in that vehicle. It’s amazing. Tow always has to be done half an hour at a time. With a 200 pound vehicle, that could become a very long day.
We agreed to have 2 weeks to explore the area. We wanted to hire a composed pair of shoes for the walk. No problemo. One week and two nights. Whatever you prefer.
After a long day, your sleeping pad will be a welcome relief. The back country of India is such a vast place. Once you settle down and stop for a bit you feel like a new person.
I was so tired when we got to the place. I had been on camping over and over again. Never thought I would enjoy it so much. Man, that was a long trip. Never did I think I would fall in love with exploring the back country so much. That was a blast though.
Everyone had been so worried about us. They kept wanting to come with us but we wouldn’t let them. We would just say no. We didn’t have time. We had so much exploring to do.
That is when my love affair with 4 man tents started. My husband had already bought one for himself. I went and got one for my husband. Then I came to know that they were pretty popular. Everyone loved them. We couldn’t sleep on the jeep. We liked to explore. We had seen so much.
People put them over the frame of the house when they didn’t want to close the sides. They provide so much room. You can stand up and walk around in the open. It doesn’t matter if it’s 4 people or an extra person. Everyone Pierrots to have a different feeling.
My husband loved them. He said that he wanted to carry one with him everywhere. I agreed. I have always liked them. We have gone on so many excursions with them. Been to Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Glacier. Gave them mosquito nets and so many camping recipes.ozo Everyone loved it.
Then you have the problem of only having enough room for one more person. Everyone wants to fit in, but you can’t fit them all in. Then do you think it will ever stop? Will we ever find a tent that we don’t need? Dome tents are good. Too many problems with them. They hold too many memories for one person. We have our own family tent that we use when we are camping with the grand kids. They love it. So do I.
I want to carry a four man tent with me for all the time that I am able to. I already have a two man tent that is quite adequate for holding up our tent. I have heard of people who went hiking and ended up sleeping in the backcountry. They said that the tents in the backcountry were totally inadequate for them. They were fine with sleeping on the ground, but they were so uncomfortable. They lasted one day and then had to turn in early. pointless. Sleeping in a tent is fine, but have you tried to stand up in a tent lately?
I have been looking for a solid, no frills tent that will run for a long time without problems. I have found one. The Arcteryx peg tent. I have a largemouth pack and a small belly pack. These two tents together will hold up to 35 pounds, about the same as my previous tent. 18 people can fit nicely in this one room dome tent. It’s roomy enough that adults can use some of the tents to stand up. The bathtub floor makes for easy de-icing and waterproofing.
I set this one up for a few friends. We shot pool in the morning, ate a little and went to bed. We had a great weekend. I don’t have any photos of the one night in the tent, because I didn’t save any of them. I slept in that tent the first night. took it down rain free, of course.