Something I have been pondering for a while now. What shelter do you recommend for fynbos-heavy Cape Fold mountains?
Reason being; Had teo separate experiences hiking where a) didnt make it to the hut by sundown and had to pitch my small little A-Frame in the fynbos. B) Got to a hikers hut in Boosmansbos to find it in total disarray and so setup in the fynbos once more.
The reason this is not such an obvious question is that it is bloody hard to find a flat piece of open ground in the cape fold mountains, without the tent or shelter being half slung over a bush or rock. I assume people doing big traverses would encounter this problem a lot.
Ay ideas? I often hike solo and therefore dont need a large footprint.
I’m with you on the struggle of finding ground to setup a shelter that is flatish and not covered in pokey things. I don’t think I’ve ever stayed in one of the huts in the Cederberg due to their conditions either.
I’ve had some luck combining a tarp and bug bivy (Probably don’t need the bivy but I’ve woken up to enough midge swarms I would rather), can be a pain to setup in the wind but they do alow you to change the shape and dimensions to meet a site where most tents struggle.
my sentiments exactly. Have also done a simple tarp setup but these days I do prefer the security of a tent, especially now in winter. wondering if the trekking pole tents might work better as you aren’t as fixed to the shape as with a freestanding tent? Bug bivy I have not tried though
Guess the true best thing to do is plan the route properly, assess camping spots and read some forums like this… and have as small footprint tent as possible.