Another new camping trend - individual tents

I appreciate all the responses and various perspectives. After 50+ years of camping/canoe camping this trend is new to me and three different groups I have tripped with in recent years.

jdeerfoot said:

I appreciate all the responses and various perspectives. After 50+ years of camping/canoe camping this trend is new to me and three different groups I have tripped with in recent years.

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Perhaps the single tent issue is simply or mostly a function of how large a group one paddles with, how much community sharing that group does, and how interested one is in those community activities.

Many of us trip primarily solo, and even when tripping in a group, choose to travel self-sufficiently. I, for example, carry the same things in my canoe whether I'm solo or in a group. That is, I remain completely self-sufficient, carrying all my own gear, food and shelter.

I would find it very physically and psychologically uncomfortable to sleep in a tent with another person, and I generally want nothing to do with shared cooking and other camp chores because I'm frequently on my own preferred diet and have little to no interest in many camp activities, such as processing wood, washing dishes, drinking booze, smoking dope, playing instruments, singing, or wasting my time (in my opinion) on almost anything other than paddling.

I can see sharing tents if one is in a big group and tent space is severely limited on the camp site. I've never been faced with those two scenarios simultaneously, and would almost surely opt not to participate in a trip where I thought those scenarios were likely. Other paddlers obviously do and presumably enjoy it. Different strokes.

I'd never heard of "personal space" until well into adulthood, but I guess it's been around long before anthropologist Edward T. Hall who developed the theory of proxemics, observing in the 50s and 60s the distance people maintained with each other, and found that different cultures percieve personal space differently. Also it seems individuals choose this space based on factors like prior experience, cultural background, and the kind of relationship they have with the others. I think we all encounter this and are an active participant wherever we go, including canoe tripping.

From Proxemics ~ Psychology Today
What is intimate space?
Our romantic partners, family members, and closest friends are allowed within this space of 0-18 inches. Familiar touch is part of this proximity; the space is close enough to whisper in another’s ear and smell that person’s scent. We become extremely uncomfortable when this space is breached by people outside our inner circle.
What is personal space?
This is generally called the personal space bubble. At this range of 18 inches to 4 feet, we are close but not that close; we can reach over and pat the other person’s back. This space is known as friendly but not intimate. We are in this space when we must speak privately with another person, and the outer limit of this zone is acceptable in close business relationships.
What is social space?
Casual acquaintance and most professional interactions remain within the 4-10 foot boundary. We can’t touch others at this distance, and it is a safe gap to conduct more formal exchanges. The small classroom setting is a good example of a 4-to-10 foot social space, where students are close enough to get to know their teachers.
What is public space?
Shopping malls, city sidewalks, and airports are planned with this distance requirement. This range is also used in public speaking, giving a formality to the communication delivered. This type of space does not require eye contact or any personal contact, whatsoever.

Glenn MacGrady said:

Many of us trip primarily solo, and even when tripping in a group, choose to travel self-sufficiently. I, for example, carry the same things in my canoe whether I'm solo or in a group. That is, I remain completely self-sufficient, carrying all my own gear, food and shelter.

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I agree and this is my mode also. On the Yukon Y1K we each (all 7 of us voyageur canoe paddlers) carried our own gear and tents, except the two ladies who share their one tent. Women appear to be more comfortable at such sharing than men usually are. Team food was preplanned in mass to be prepared, heated, and eaten while still underway while continuing paddling.

When I do lean2Rescue group volunteer work jobs in the Adirondacks, each person does their own fully solo thing, including meals and tenting, unless, as is sometimes common, one guy or another brings steaks (sometimes venison) or pork from his farm to BBQ in shared common with everyone. Even though we are working to build a leanto shelter, most often it is either not yet erected or clean (from sawdust and tools) for sleeping until we are ready to depart.

I can see why this is a trend. As we get older we don't always sleep as well as we once did, and over the years may have had some bad experiences sharing a tent with others. Plus, as we get older we might tend to snore more than we once did. We may also have to get up more to relieve ourself, this could be a problem for both of you. Also, if your tent mate is tossing and turning it will affect your sleep too.

Another thing to factor in is that we are probably more likely to camp with people we don't really know these days. Sharing a tent with someone you only know from the internet is different than sharing one with a long time friend.

If you do have to share a tent, I suggest using your own tent. This way if someone gets kicked out, it won't be you.

Glenn MacGrady said:

Many of us trip primarily solo, and even when tripping in a group, choose to travel self-sufficiently. I, for example, carry the same things in my canoe whether I'm solo or in a group. That is, I remain completely self-sufficient, carrying all my own gear, food and shelter.

I would find it very physically and psychologically uncomfortable to sleep in a tent with another person, and I generally want nothing to do with shared cooking and other camp chores because I'm frequently on my own preferred diet and have little to no interest in many camp activities, such as processing wood, washing dishes, drinking booze, smoking dope, playing instruments, singing, or wasting my time (in my opinion) on almost anything other than paddling.

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That sounds much like me, Glenn. I think that's why we've always got along so well not tripping with each other.

I don't think I'd feel comfortable on a group trip if, like you, I wasn't self sufficient. I'd always want to option to leave a note and paddle away in the middle of the night.

I think it's hereditary. When we used to get together at my grandparents' house for holidays my dad, sister, and I would all drive separately the 90 miles to get there. We'd often arrive within minutes of each other and leave around the same time as well but all of us felt better being in control of our own destiny.

Alan

jdeerfoot said:

The last several years the groups I travel with have been taking individual tents. On the trip in August on crown land west of Wabakimi, we had five tents for six people. In the Wabakimi area this can be problematic since there are few campsites and many of them are small. We spent most of our one week trip storm bound on a small island with the tents packed together like a homeless encampment in the woods.

On the plus side, it’s nice to have the privacy. I am a restless sleeper and with a noisy NeoAir inflatable pad, so I disturb my tent mates as I toss and turn. And I frequently awake in the wee hours for a hour or so of reading with the headlamp on. The downside is the extra weight and bulk that is packed along. This runs counter to decades of trying minimize the amount and weight of our gear. Maybe it’s just an extension of the comfort gear trend.

What do others think?

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I don't know how recent a trend that is. Maybe just in your group and might reflect a loss of partners.
I've been sleeping solo for many years. On canoe trips, where room and weight aren't as critical as backpacking, I often sleep solo in a two person tent. My personal trend is to not use a tent at all. Most of my canoeing is in the desert, so rain isn't much of a threat. Instead of a tent, I bring a bivy sack and a cot.

When I have gone with groups I always bring my own tent. Unfortunately I have gone with groups who made a beeline to the prearranged campsite towards the end of the day and grabed the premo spots. I’m not a fast paddler, never in a hurry, so I had to set up in some awkward spots. I actually chose to move on one evening as the pickens where slim. This was my last trip with these guys.
On the other hand, my Canadian friends made no obvious sprint towards our evening campsite and we always worked things out to everyone’s satisfaction.

There have been a few trips where I shared a tent with a friend, but mostly, I'm solo in a 2- or 3-man tent. At home, I sleep by myself, and it is uncomfortable to share a bed, with the exception of sharing with intimate partners, and there's not much of that at my age. I snore. My Neo-air is noisy. I get up a couple times a night to pee, which would be very annoying to somebody else who is sleeping in the same small tent--I'd probably bump into him, there's the tent zippers, the light, etc.

Historically, humans mostly slept in the same bed with others, be they family or even complete strangers. Apparently we can adapt to and even relish sleeping with others. Up until the last hundred-plus years, humans mostly slept together, and it wasn't about sex. (See the lost ancient practice of communal sleep). In modern times, we all sleep by ourselves, or with intimate partners.

So, I think it is just what we are comfortable with, which for the most part, is sleeping solo. Those trips where I shared a tent with my buddy turned out okay. I don't have much memory of it being good or bad. We did a trip together over the past summer, and we each had our own tents.

For me, it's also a matter of convenience, because the tent is my storage locker where I can keep all my gear in one place. I'd still do that if I was sharing, but then it would be two people's gear.

Individual tents for us - we spend enough time together, we don't need to be in the same tent. When you get 4-5 people in a group, having enough room can be a problem on smaller sites, but we usually make out OK. If we had to double up we could.

I have 1, 2, and 3-person tents. The 3-person tent is great, but it takes up a lot of room - not something that I would take on a trip with even a small group unless I knew the sites were big. The 2-person tent is the go-to tent for me. Its an old Eureka A-frame - plenty of room inside for me and the gear I need inside, but not too bad on space. I recently bought a 1-man tent for kayak camping. Personally I find it a little tight, but it packs up small to fit in my sea kayak and it is weather-tight. With its smaller footprint I have brought it on a couple of canoe trips where packing size wasn't an issue, but I knew we would be crowding into smaller campsites. Nice to have options.

Robin said:

When I have gone with groups I always bring my own tent. Unfortunately I have gone with groups who made a beeline to the prearranged campsite towards the end of the day and grabed the premo spots.

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Yup - first thing you do when getting to a campsite is drop a bag where you are going to set up your tent. To be honest, it usually works out that everyone gets a good spot sometimes, and a less-good spot sometime. If the same person was getting rocks and roots every night, we would make arrangements. Don't worry Robbin, it you ever come with us we'll make sure that you get a least one good night's sleep. ;-)

Robin said:

When I have gone with groups I always bring my own tent. Unfortunately I have gone with groups who made a beeline to the prearranged campsite towards the end of the day and grabed the premo spots. I’m not a fast paddler, never in a hurry, so I had to set up in some awkward spots. I actually chose to move on one evening as the pickens where slim. This was my last trip with these guys.
On the other hand, my Canadian friends made no obvious sprint towards our evening campsite and we always worked things out to everyone’s satisfaction.

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Unfortunately this is a problem when everyone has their own tent, but the group still should try to make sure everyone has a decent spot. It sounds like the opposite had taken place on that trip.

There are ways to make yourself feel better in a situation like that. The easiest thing is to do is, when no-one is looking slip your arm far enough under their tents and deposit some rocks under their sleeping pads. Another easy one is whenever you wake up throughout the night, loudly holler something out like; "Wow, did you guys see that shooting star" My personal favorite requires a little preplanning but gives the most satisfaction and may also help solve the problem. It involves bringing Ex Lax. If you don't feel comfortable secretly putting it in peoples food you could pass them out in the morning, people rarely refuse treats on a trip.

All kidding aside, we have to look out for each other and not be self centered on a trip.