Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Silwing or Siltarp

Which would be better for a bivy above treeline?

Flat tarp gives lots pf options over a cat cut or wing type. Utube tarp pitches and see the various options. A 8 x 10 is a good size for one person on a longer trip. A 6X8 will work but not to forgiving to learn with, no a leson you want to learn. A a larger tarp is 4 oz more but wortht he weight. I have been making my own and have various sizes for differnt trips.

The bivy i have is an integral designs wedge more like a tent.I figured a Siltarp 1 might work ok just as a porch cooking area and gathering rainwater.Just not sure if it would be big enough to quickly setup for glassing and to get out of rainstorm.

Buck59, I have a Siltarp1 and it think it will be fine for your described uses. The Silwing looks great, but the tarp is lighter, less expensive and packs small enough that you'll probably never leave it at home. Above treelike the tarp still works but you'll need trekking poles or some other tree substitute.
By the way, how do you like your Wedge? Is it side opening?

I have both and quite some experience "tarping" in BC's mountains. I have an ID Mega Sola, which I prefer over the Wedge and I specifically purchased my Silwing, for an awning for this shelter.

The Silwing can, IMO, be pitched with a greater degree of tautness and it is big enough (barely) for this application. I also have the ID Poncho/St-I and it really is too small for doing this with any real protection from the elements.

I actually like my STIII for an awning over the two ID tents I have, one a MKI-XL and the other a MKI-Lite, bought from our good buddy here, "docdb". With these, one guy can rig a camp that will withstand any weather I have ever experienced and have a pretty fair degree of comfort.

So, all of this is to say that the choice here depends to some extent on the specific shelter one is using with the tarp and the "standard" ST-II, at 8x10', is never a "mistake".

I have trekking poles to use.The Wedge Is top opening which is why i want to put the tarp over.That way i can sit in the wedge and be protected from the rain.If a really bad storm comes just take down the tarp batten down the hatches and ride it out .The wedge is bombroof.
http://www.integraldesigns.com/product_detail.cfm?id=859