Inner
Peace
4 ounce bug-free haven |
Inner bug shelters made
of no-see-um mesh allow tarp users to continue enjoying the benefits of tarping,
despite the mosquitoes and black flies that might otherwise drive us into a heavier,
less spacious, and less ventilating tent. They can also work well on their own,
for bug-free sleeping without a tarp on starry nights. Unfortunately, a full-length
bug shelter tends to be rather heavy itself, if it has a sewn-in floor and isn't
suffocatingly small inside. And
bug-proof shelters without floors, like tarp-tents with mesh skirts, offer zero
protection against insects that may be on the ground beneath you. In fact they
tend to trap these insects right where you'd least prefer them to be. The
Simblissity Inner Peace bug-free haven
is a half-length shelter with sewn-in floor that effectively prevents all
insects - both flying and crawling - from entering your living space. The half-shelter
design eliminates the weight and redundancy of enclosing the entire occupant in
netting; a sleeping bag, lightweight bivy or liner - even most hiking pants -
is comfortable and effective protection for the lower body. The
Inner Peace outperforms other netting half-shelters in a number of
important ways, by offering: -
Superior
protection An elasticized opening with cordlock cinches securely
around the full perimeter of the sleeping bag and mattress - not just along
the top - thus eliminating the vulnerability of gaps where the shelter meets the
outside world. At 48" in length, the shelter protects to well below the waist
and is designed to completely fit most 3/4 length sleeping pads, as shown in the
photo above. (Longer pads extend beyond the shelter without concern, or can be
placed underneath the floor.) - More
functional living space
With a generous height and width, sewn-in
floor, and taut, vertical walls, the Inner Peace is much more than a mere
sleep screen. The shelter offers ample room to sit up on your side while eating
or reading, and to stretch out with no fear of coming into contact with the walls
or roof. Most importantly, you can unzip - or completely dispense with - a sleeping
bag on warm nights, as the shelter is taut and roomy enough to protect bare arms,
hands, and the entire torso area to below the waist. Toss and turn all you like;
the Inner Peace stays put and bugs stay well out of reach. - Greater
versatility
The Inner Peace can be attached beneath a tarp,
pitched on its own in fair weather, or kept protected in its stuff sack on bug-free
nights. Its A-frame roof shape matches that of most tarps, while four elastic
lines attach to the tarp's corner stakes, stretching to accommodate the variable
pitch of the tarp. A fifth line attaches overhead to a trekking pole, support
stick, tarp guyline, or even to an overhead branch if pitching the shelter on
its own. The attachment lines terminate on the inside of the shelter, where tiny
cordlocks permit further adjustment of line length and tension to create a taut
and roomy structure, regardless of the tarp's dimensions or geometry of pitch.
Set-up is quick and easy, taking less than a couple of minutes. Planning
to use the trail shelters on your next outing? The Inner Peace can be pitched
as basic bug protection inside a shelter without using all of its lines - or encroaching
upon your shelter mates' space. For the lightest possible arrangement, any unused
attachment lines can be removed. And
speaking of versatility, the Inner Peace also doubles as a bug
poncho. Put it on over a brimmed hat, cinch the opening below your waist,
and find ample room for eating lunch - cookpot and all! - without the mosquitoes
forcing you to make an early camp. - Lightest
all-up shelter weight
Used in conjunction with a tarp, the Inner
Peace requires no additional anchoring equipment. (Two ultralight titanium
stakes are recommended, but aren't essential.) Its taut, roomy shape is a barrier
not only to insects, but also offers an additional measure of protection against
moisture, such as condensation build-up inside a tarp, angling rain, and splash-back.
And because it works with even a small, very lightweight tarp, the Inner Peace
can be a key component in a truly ultra-lightweight shelter system - a versatile
and highly protective rig which, including stakes and ground sheet, can have an
all-up weight of less than a pound!
A vertical zipper opens the
entryway wide for easy access; the entryway will actually lift higher than this
due to the stretchy nature of the attachment lines at left and right above it.
With the zipper closed and
entryway cinched snug around its full perimeter, the vulnerability of gaps is
eliminated where the entryway and sleeping bag/pad meet. Note how the entryway
panel remains vertical, in fact sloping away from the occupant to increase interior
space.
Here the enclosure is pitched
stand-alone using a single trekking pole and 7 stakes. Achieving
this pitch is extremely easy. Start by staking out the 4 corner attachment lines
then simply raise and stake out the ridge. An optional stake in each of the two
entryway-corner loops (the rear corners of the shelter in the photo) solidly anchors
the floor.
You're sure to
be the main attraction - but not for the mosquitoes! - while wearing the Inner
Peace as a combination headnet / bug poncho at rest breaks and lunch/dinner stops.
"Unconventional" though it may look, wearing the enclosure over the
head and torso when bugs are swarming will allow you to eat lunch in blessed peace,
since there's ample room to bring your food and cookpot completely inside with
you. Simply pull in the attachment lines, put on a brimmed hat, and pull over
the shelter, cinching the opening around the waist. Read a book, or catch up on
your journal. There's even enough room inside to gracefully swing your arms, though
we really can't recommend it for hiking - except, perhaps, around a padded cell.
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