Tents vs. canvases vs. Bivies: What backpack shelter is the best?

WWhen you are planning nights in the field, few team decisions matter more than your refuge. It will reproduce such an important role in how well you sleep, not to say anything about how warm, dry and sane you stay when the climate revolves.

Excluding hammocks at the moment, today’s backpacks have three main shelter options. The big question is: Tents vs. can vs. bivias? Each brings unique strengths, compensation and even a philosophy of how to travel in nature.

Tents vs. canvases vs. Bivies: What refuge is better?

The tent

The store remains the most popular type of backpack refuge. It is familiar, reliable and direct: posts, fabrics and a floor that creates a private bubble in the field. Compared to the other options on this list, tents are more friendly to beginners and can be easier to configure correctly (especially if you opt for a traditional and independent model).

Modern tents are lighter than ever, with double wall and trekking pole ultralight designs that cut ounces without sacrificing protection. The true advantage of a store is security. When the storms blow or in the swarm of mosquitoes, criticizing the interior offers tranquility and a physical barrier that allows you to relax. There is also comfort, since having space to sit down, changing clothes or setting up a long rain storm may seem a luxury after days on the path.

The obvious inconvenience is weight and volume. Even the best ultralight models demand space in their package and add pounds to their base weight. For some hikers, that compensation is worth every ounce; For others, it is luggage that prefer to throw. Tents also tend to be more expensive than canvases or bivias.

Pros: Comfortable life space; Safe protection of the weather and insects; Easy settings (especially for independent models)
Cons: They tend to be heavier and bulky than canvases or bivias; expensive

The canvas

The canvases represent the other end of the spectrum. Disassembled to a fabric sheet and some guilinas, a canvas demands more from the user but rewards them freely.

A canvas is infinitely versatile. You can launch it high and aerated on transparent nights for shame of stars, low and tight when the rain threatens, or combine it with a ground sheet and an insect network to imitate a configuration similar to a tent. Many through hikers love the canvases for their adaptability to the ground and the climate. The attractiveness is weight: some canvases weigh less than half a pound and pack up to the size of a bottle of water.

But the canvases do not come with incorporated comfort. They lack a floor, offer limited protection of errors and require practice to effectively launch in the wind or rain. Due to this lack of protection, the canvases will simply be not suitable for some trips, so if you want a shelter that can use for each trip, a canvas may not be the way to follow.

For experienced backpacks that enjoy adaptability and are not dissuaded by the exhibition, a canvas is an elegant and ultralight solution. For beginners, you can feel like a bet, especially when the skies open at 2 am or mosquitoes begin to swarm.

Pros: Microlight; compact; versatile and adaptable; It costs less than tents (usually)
Cons: Less protection against climate and insects; It requires more ability to launch effectively

The canvas offers great weight savings while taking off many comforts offered by a tent. Read our Hexamid Zpacks pocket canvas review here.

The bivy

Then there are bivies, which are small coffins designed to slide on their sleeping bag. A bivy is the latest in minimalism.

It offers an instant configuration, error protection and a barrier against wind and condensation. Weight savings can be significant, and bivies shine in situations in which stealth and speed matter, such as alpine climbing, fast package or bicycle packet. They are also attractive when you want to sleep under the stars, but you still need an support plan for a surprise climate.

But the bivies come with serious commitments. The space is non -existent and you cannot sit or extend. Several days storms can quickly become claustrophobic, ventilation is complicated and the accumulation of condensation inside is a common frustration. For some, bivies are liberating; For others, they feel as a last resort in case of emergency.

Pros: Lighter than most tents, but with insect/weather protection canvases; Compact and stealthy
Cons: Very narrow; Difficult to ventilate, you can accumulate a lot of condensation inside

A bivy is basically a large and waterproof shell to grow around his sleeping bag, simply designed to help him mount some climate. Photo: Chana Putnam

Tents vs. canvases vs. bivies

So what is adequate for you? The choice depends on its hiking style and its discomfort tolerance. If you value comfort, privacy and protection for all climate, a tent is difficult to overcome. If you are chasing ultralight miles and likes the idea of ​​adapting its configuration to conditions, a canvas can be the best option. And if you are moving fast, packing the light and is willing to exchange space for efficiency, a bivy could be exactly what you need.

Composed prominent image (from left to right): Anna McKinney Smith, Katie Jackson, Chana Putnam

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