Long Term Report - Integral Designs Silshelter Bug Liner
November 22, 2005
Name: David Sowards-Emmerd
Age: 28
Gender: Male
Height: 5' 8'' (1.73 m)
Weight: 155 lb (70 kg)
Email Address: drunken_marmotATyahooDOTcom
Los Altos, California, USA
Backpacking Background:
I began backpacking semi-frequently about four years ago, soon
after moving to California. I generally take weekend (1 night)
trips, and occasionally take 3-4 day trips. Most of my
backpacking experience is at moderate altitude, 6,000'-12,000'
(1,800-3,650 m), in conditions ranging from dry desert to hail/heavy
snow in the mountains. In winter and spring I split time between
Southern California (SoCal) deserts and snowshoeing/skiing/snow camping in
the Sierra/Cascades. Summer and fall I tend to stick to the high country.
I have reduced my pack weight down to less than 50 lb (23 kg) over
the past year - including food/water and a bear barrel. I'm trying to
include more mountaineering, climbing and bouldering in my trips.
The product was received on May 11, 2005.
Product Description:
Manufacturer's Website: www.integraldesigns.com
Manufacturer's Description:
''This liner is designed to be in conjunction with the Silshelter, or as a stand-alone refuge from no-see-ums and bugs. Set up is on a single trekking pole (handle fits into pole cup at apex of shelter). The bug screen is a grey no-see-um netting. The floor is bathtub-shaped with 2'' high side walls to keep out any ground water. Floor fabric is a lightweight 70 denier urethane-coated taffeta nylon with no seams. Corner loops are made with 1/2'' nylon webbing with ladder lock adjustments to tension off the same stakes that anchor the Silshelter. Corners are seam taped. Entry is through a 'D-shaped' 60'' zippered door. Three tie loops at the foot end enable the foot end to be elevated. A single loop above the pole cap enables the front to be staked out.
Capacity 1-2 people
Length 84" (210 cm)
Width 44" (110 cm)
Weight 17oz (485 g)
MSRP $100''
Height: 38'' (96 cm)
Packed Size: 5'' x 10'' (13 cm x 25 cm) in silcoat stuff sack
Specifications (as measured by tester):
Weight(bug shelter, including guylines): 19.68 oz (558 g)
Weight(stuff sack): 0.46 oz (13 g)
Length: 86'' (218 cm)
Width(stake loop attachment to stake loop attachment): 45'' (114 cm)
and both ends are same width
Height: depends on how long a trekking pole is used in setup
Packed Size: approximately 5'' x 11 '' (13 cm x 28 cm) but I can pack it smaller
Product Description:
The bug liner is a simple, single-door, fully enclosed, mesh tent with a bathtub floor. For a more detailed description of the bug liner, see my Initial Report.
Earlier Field Use:
For details on my first few months of testing the bug liner, see my Field Report.
Continued Use:
During the last bit of the testing period, I've carried the bug liner on two multi-night trips. I did not bring the bug liner on the remainder of my trips this fall due to bad weather forecasts. Additionally, the bugs had more or less disappeared by this time of year. On both trips, I used the bug liner as a solo shelter. Details of the two trips follow:
Gem Lake, Emigrant Wilderness, Stanislaus National Forest, CA
September 3-5, 2005
Elevation: 8,200' (2,500 m)
Conditions: Perfect, sunny weather for Memorial Day Weekend, with temperatures probably between 40-50 F (4-10 C) in camp.
We set up base camp at Gem Lake and took a long day hike from there on the second day. I slept in the bug liner both nights on this trip. The photo of the bug liner above is from this trip, where it was set up with one long cord attached to a tree. I connected the cord to the bug liner with two screw links which I clove-hitched to the cord. I definitely prefer this setup since using a pole makes it more difficult to get into the bug liner. Wind wasn't really an issue since we were camped next to a steep 30' (9 m) granite wall (with a couple higher domes above that). I didn't carry a bivy sack this time and just used the bug liner along with a blanket. Bugs were common on this trip, but the bug liner kept me bite-free at night. I found minimal condensation on the bottom (outside) of the liner when packing up the last day.
Rock Creek Lake and Treasure Lakes, Inyo National Forest, CA
September 29 - October 2, 2005
Elevation: 9,700' (3,000 m)
Conditions: Windy and variable (no precipitation, although the sky sure had me fooled!)
I only used the bug liner one night on this trip. The first night we had just crossed over Tioga Pass and were setting up at a no-fee campground in the dark and decided to just bivy and get to sleep. It was probably below freezing at the time, so bugs weren't an issue.
On the Second night, the winds were strong, so I slept in my bivy inside the bug liner. This time I set up the bug liner with a long cord running all the way along the liner (stake-to-stake) and one trekking pole. It was nice to be able to unzip my bivy and get a nice breeze when I was too warm that night.
On the third night, the clouds had moved in, and the whole group we were camping with was sure it would rain, so I took down the bug liner and just slept in my bivy sack that night. I would have tried out the upside-down configuration of the bug liner, but didn't want to damage the netting on the rocky tent platform, didn't really have enough space on the platform for setup, and didn't want to risk getting wet with the sub-freezing temperature and alcohol content of my blood.
More Results and Observations (since my Field Report):
Surprisingly, I don't think I've had to 'remove' any bugs from inside the bug liner when getting ready for sleep at night, even though I tend to keep the door unzipped for extended periods.
Wear and Tear:
I haven't managed to wear any holes in the netting, which was one of my main concerns with the bug liner. The only difference I can see at this point is the outside of the floor is a bit discolored from dirt and dust.
In Wind:
The bug liner doesn't noticeably block any wind, but the positive side to this is that it's silent, even in moderate winds.
Conclusions:
This one is a keeper as a solo summer shelter. However, it's cramped for two and isn't really large enough to comfortably play cards. It doesn't provide any privacy, but this is not a problem for me in the backcountry. On the other hand, it does allow me to watch for any animals passing by camp, and provides a nice view of the night sky. It's easy to set up with or without poles. The bottom line is it provides me with a bug-free area in camp at an acceptable weight.
Continued Use and Modifications:
I will continue to use the bug liner as a solo summer shelter, especially during the bug season. Before next summer, I will remove the webbing stake loops and replace them with something a bit lighter and better designed for tent stakes as opposed to attaching to another shelter.
Read more reviews of Integral Designs gear
Read more gear reviews by David Sowards-Emmerd
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