CHOOSING A HIKING SHELTER

Quathlamba

“A mass of Spears. Named thus by the Zulu warriors before the white man came. Today called the Drakensberg, Mountains of the Dragon, a name given by the Voortrekkers. Evocative names, both equally applicable to South Africa’s mightiest mountain range with its spear-like peaks – reminiscent of the saw-toothed spine of a gigantic dragon.”

Panorama April 1966

This blog is all about the Drakensberg Mountains and its Wilderness area, South Africa. I have lost my heart and soul to this area and every single time I hike these mountains, I stand in awe all over again at this magnificent beauty.

“Listen to the streams as they gurgle from their cradles and you will hear the story of the mountains. You will hear fascinating tales if only you listen! Lie next to a stream and listen to the song of the mountains. The smiling faces of the flowers, dancing in the wind. Venture into the remote valleys or stand on a peak at sunrise or sunset, after snow has fallen, and you will hear a song that you will never forget - the Song of the High Mountain". (DA Dodds)

Hiking adventures, hiking gear reviews, day walks, accommodation, books, articles and photos, all related to these magnificent mountains will feature here.

Should you want to accompany me on a hike, or need some information or advice, please make contact with me. I hope you enjoy the articles.

Please visit the archive for some more interesting stories, photos and reviews.

Please note that all photos on this blog are copyright protected. If you would like to obtain

Photos please make contact with the author, Willem Pelser.

“THE VERY BASIC CORE OF A MAN’S LIVING SPIRIT IS HIS PASSION FOR ADVENTURE”

C McCANDLES

CHOOSING A HIKING SHELTER

Next to your backpack and sleeping bag, your tent will be one of the most expensive items on your outdoor shopping list. Deciding factors will be cost, weight, size and likely weather conditions.

You will best know your own budget and, to a large extent, the carry weight of your tent will vary inversely with what you are prepared to pay. Size therefore becomes the primary issue, with expected weather conditions playing an extremely important role when it comes to deciding on the technical specifications.

Tents

Step into any outdoor retail shop and you will be confronted by an array of tent shapes, styles, colours, and fabrics. A useful feature to consider is ease of erection. Will you be able to pitch the tent when it is blowing a gale? Other considerations are whether it offers enough storage space for your packs; whether you can sit up comfortably, or stretch out without getting your nose wedge in a zip; and whether poles and pegs are lightweight.

The more breathable the tent material is, the less condensation you will have to cope with when it is zipped up to keep out the cold. Finally, make sure the screen netting covering the openings is fine enough to keep out mosquitos, midges, and other insects. Take your time; insist on seeing the tent pitched, crawl inside and check it out. Remember, when you are out in the wilderness, this will be your home.

Do you need a one-man tent, or will there be more of you huddling together? If you are going solo, opt for a bivy shelter or lightweight tent, both of which offer a reasonable combination of space and rigidity.

The outdated A-frame design requires anchor lines to be properly pitched and has little to offer except affordability.

The dome shape, or geodesic tent, arguably the most popular option, is a freestanding tent with ample space and good stability in the wind. Erection is based on a multi-pole system and the tent’s weight to space ratio is good, although ventilation and sloping walls (in some designs) can be a problem. A variety of geodesic configurations is available from a range of reputable international manufacturers.

The hoop, or tunnel tent has the advantage of rectangular floor space, nearly vertical side walls, optimum stability when pitched in line with the prevailing wind direction and an excellent weight to internal size ratio.

Grading tents by usage

Terminology regarding tents can be quite confusing, so here is a quick list of terms for your reference. Single wall construction refers to the lack of a fly sheet; expect to do battle with both heat and cold due to the lack of proper insulation.

A summer tent is a lightweight shelter meant for mild weather and offers protection against little more than the insects buzzing about on a temperate night.

A three-season tent incorporates screened canopies, fly-sheets and a ventilation system able to handle most conditions short of heavy northern hemisphere winters.

What sets the four-season tent apart is its ability to shed snow and to handle higher wind speeds. Loosely grouped together under the term technical tents, four-season tents are preferred by mountaineering or climbing parties heading into extreme conditions. These tents may feature Gore-Tex or similar fabrics instead of nylon, plus heavy-duty industrial stitching, a coated base, lap-felled seams, carbon-fibre poles and superior workmanship.

Setting up camp

If you are not stopping at a designated place, don’t leave site selection too late; there is nothing worse than ending up in an exposed, uncomfortable position because you ran out of daylight.

If there are designated camping sites along the route, study your map before you set off in the morning, identifying a few possible sites where you might spend the night. The bigger the distance between the contour lines on the map, the flatter the area will be.

For many hikers, proximity to water equates to a good camping site. This is not only because of the obvious availability of water for cooking, washing and swimming, but also because being near water often provides a profound sense of tranquility.

A whole range of factors come into play when deciding on where to camp though, so look beyond obvious scenic beauty.

Your first consideration should be safety. Study the area to ensure that you are well clear of precariously perched rocks or potentially rotten tree branches, that you are above the high-water mark of rivers, outside canyons or kloofs where you might be trapped by flash floods, and out of the path of avalanches. High-water levels may be determined by looking for debris, usually a line of dry plant matter, along the river or canyon side.

Try to determine from which direction the prevailing wind blows and set up camp in the lee of a rocky outcrop or a dense stand of trees or other vegetation, thus ensuring relative protection from the elements.

If you expect an electrical storm with lightning, play it safe by moving away from exposed high ground and obvious lightning conductors such as tall trees, opting for a dry cave, rock overhang or low stands of bush instead.

The End.

Safe Hiking.