BWCA 3 and 5 year old first trip: screen tent or no? Boundary Waters Gear Forum
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muddyfeet
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03/10/2018 07:25AM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
My wife and I are taking the boys on their first BW trip together with us this June. They are 3 and 5 years old. I've never used a bug tarp/screen house but I'm wondering if this might be a good reason to try it. I have a spare 11' hex tarp and DIY gear skills, and after ordering mesh it would take maybe an hour for me to add bug screen walls.

Then again, i've never used one and have gotten along just fine with permethrin/bug spray/etc. Thus is the nature of the woods- sometimes bugs are bad and sometimes they aren't. Also, kids tend to care less about nusience things than adults: especially when there's exciting paddle/camp/swim/explore things to do.

For those that have used bug shelters, and those who have brought young kids: what do you think?
 
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03/10/2018 07:51AM  
It wasn't in the bwca, but when my daughter was 4, on a camping trip to an extremely buggy area, she declared aloud, " no mosquitoes, I want to camp with Daddy, not you." But she had a great time anyway.

If you have the space, I think a bug net is a good idea. It also gives you a space to contain them in if you need to, which is worth something. But you may not use it, and I think you're right that bugs bother kids less.
 
03/10/2018 08:51AM  
I did several trips with kids that age. I never took a screen tent. I just made sure they where dressed correctly and used bug dope. I only had one trip with a black fly problem at one site. So many variables when it comes to problem bugs. The biggest problem with your kids is the site itself. Rocks and roots are tripping magnets and make sure the water landing isn't a drop off into the water.
 
03/10/2018 09:18AM  
Better to take it and not need it than not have it and wish you did because your boys are miserable. Usually black flies are not an issue in June, but they can be, and that alone would prompt me to bring it.
 
carmike
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03/10/2018 11:27AM  
My daughter just turned four weeks old, and for her first present I bought her a Bugout shelter (ok, maybe it was for me, too :). I plan to bring it on our trips because I really, really hope she has a good time and I don't plan to portage so far that the extra weight would make a huge difference.

Not to steer this off-topic, but I was perusing the annual advertisement issue..er, I mean "Gear Guide" in Backpacker magazine yesterday, and there was an ad for a Thermacell that goes right on top of the butane canisters many of us use for our camp stoves. I might pick one up (or the old-fashioned one) in case a campsite isn't amenable to pitching a tarp (or if it's not windy and I'm feeling lazy, which I always do).
 
mastertangler
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03/10/2018 02:26PM  
I would consider it a must have in June with wee little ones. 2nd week in August not so much.

If they get slammed they might not ever want to go again. There needs to be a "safe space"............besides, what kid doesn't like a fort? I know we always were trying to make one ;-)
 
03/10/2018 04:54PM  
mastertangler: "I would consider it a must have in June with wee little ones. 2nd week in August not so much.


If they get slammed they might not ever want to go again. There needs to be a "safe space"............besides, what kid doesn't like a fort? I know we always were trying to make one ;-)"


Stated perfectly!
 
Grandma L
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03/10/2018 09:38PM  
When the grand kids were small we did a fair amount of base camping and minimal moving trips. We would take along an old tent with mostly screen for the tent body, not put on the fly and use it as a "play house" for them. Nice for quite time, reading and general play when base camping. Put the fly on and they had a nap spot.

By the way, MuddyFeet, if you need another adult to increase the adult:child ratio, I would love to go along. I also have a couple of screen tent options. Let me know if I can help.
 
FLATLINER
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03/10/2018 09:41PM  
mastertangler: "I would consider it a must have in June with wee little ones. 2nd week in August not so much.


If they get slammed they might not ever want to go again. There needs to be a "safe space"............besides, what kid doesn't like a fort? I know we always were trying to make one ;-)"


At their age and that time of year, very good advice. Is there any reason you can’t do late August/early September?
 
03/11/2018 08:18AM  

I've paddled with a number of young children. If possible, moving the trip to mid July or later would be the best way to mitigate the bug risk. If you can't move your trip a bug net is a great idea. I have one that is designed to fit over two cots. We tie it up under our tarp. Then drop it only as necessary. I weights only a pound or two.
 
03/12/2018 11:37AM  
I vote NO. I've only taken a screen tent once and I had four teens with me. None of them could manage to plan their time to be inside or outside the screen tent and the door just kept going open-closed-open-closed, etc. and rendered the tent worthless after a short time.

I have had some kids more susceptible to bug bites than others - my oldest was about 8 when she lifted her hair to show me a neck COVERED in bites... oops. More dope and head nets! But in general at your kids ages, they would be content inside a tent too - esp if you have windows.

So, I would skip it.
 
Michwall2
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03/12/2018 03:54PM  
Are you sure no one is allergic to black flies? My wife had never encountered black flies before and found that she is very allergic. Not just welts, but blisters. She was miserable for weeks. Mosquitoes are everywhere, but black flies are more season dependent and a more far north pest. She had never encountered them before.

Just a thought that the screen may be more necessary than you might think.

 
Savage Voyageur
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03/12/2018 05:08PM  
I would take a screen tent with your situation. It’s saves the tent from opening and shutting 40 times a day. June can be a nasty time for bugs. You will not regret taking it.
 
Thwarted
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03/12/2018 07:38PM  
Not a hard call for. I would not take little kids without some kind of bug shelter. In fact though, I always bring one in June for myself. I know that some outfitters offer them for rent.
 
mastertangler
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03/13/2018 07:09AM  
After considerable thought I have reversed myself. We have enough kids lacking grit in this day and age. Heck why not remove some clothing as well? Toss them out of the tent nice and early in the morn. Toughen 'em up a little......after all, it can be a cold hard world. 20 years from now they will be thanking you and you can both have a good laugh.........."yea dad remember when we went canoeing? There was hardly a place on my body which didn't have a welt"
 
mschi772
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03/13/2018 08:43AM  
I feel like you should bring it. If it's buggy and the bugs could potentially be the cause of a bad early impression of camping for your kids that steers them away from the outdoors, that would be quite sad. Now, if it's buggy and your kids don't mind, then great! Now you'd know you never have to bring it again.

If you bring it, and your kids mind the bugs, so you use it, but they do what BWPaddler's kids did...teachable moment about going in and out of the screen repeatedly and leaving its door open. I'm sure if you approach it right, you can teach them to be more responsible if they genuinely don't like the bugs inside the screen tent. If the lesson can't be learned, then you also just never have to bring the screen tent again.

Basically, bring it now because you don't know if you'll need it or not. You might find that you need it, or you might find that you'll never need to bring it again, but you can't figure that out unless you bring it at least once.
 
03/13/2018 10:06AM  
If you're not base camping, I'm guessing you're already double portaging. If you can take it without adding another trip back and forth on the portages, I'd take it.

I agree with those who said , if possible, move your trip to July. Less bugs, blueberry possibilities later in the month, and water warm enough to swim, all good for the kids. Plus mornings should be 5-6 degrees warmer.
 
muddyfeet
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03/13/2018 08:56PM  
mschi772: "Basically, bring it now because you don't know if you'll need it or not. You might find that you need it, or you might find that you'll never need to bring it again, but you can't figure that out unless you bring it at least once."

That's pretty good logic.

mastertangler: "After considerable thought I have reversed myself. We have enough kids lacking grit in this day and age. Heck why not remove some clothing as well? Toss them out of the tent nice and early in the morn. Toughen 'em up a little......after all, it can be a cold hard world. 20 years from now they will be thanking you and you can both have a good laugh..........'yea dad remember when we went canoeing? There was hardly a place on my body which didn't have a welt' "

This is the larger everyday question, isn't it. There's a scale ranging from "overprotective helicopter parent" to "unsupervised free-range kids". We probably lean more towards the free-range side: keeping aware of safety issues (real safety- drowning/serious injury/burns/etc) but at the same time encouraging the kids to explore and try things for themselves and fail- and learn how to recover and figure it out. That's the real life skill. Nobody can say for sure how exactly things should be done or how specific kids should be raised, but I think there is a real danger today of well-meaning adults 'parenting' kids to the point of self-helplessness.

carmike: "My daughter just turned four weeks old, and for her first present I bought her a Bugout shelter (ok, maybe it was for me, too :). I plan to bring it on our trips because I really, really hope she has a good time and I do"

Congrats on the baby! The adventure is ahead of you!

BWPaddler: "I vote NO. I've only taken a screen tent once and I had four teens with me. None of them could manage to plan their time to be inside or outside the screen tent and the door just kept going open-closed-open-closed, etc. and rendered the tent worthless after a short time."

This is funny. And a good point!

GrandmaL: "We would take along an old tent with mostly screen for the tent body, not put on the fly and use it as a "play house" for them. Nice for quite time, reading and general play when base camping. Put the fly on and they had a nap spot."


Good to hear, Lori! This trip is difficult for me as it will involve a HUGE family dome tent we have used for car camping, all the kids' stuff, and will in no way be lightweight or efficient :) This trip is the challenge of introducing both boys to a place we love and spending time as a family.... and it may involve adding a new canoe to the fleet!


 
HayRiverDrifter
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03/14/2018 03:36PM  
Yes, you definitely need an additional canoe ;-)

If you do not bring the bug net, bring head nets, rubber gloves, and clothing that the bug cannot bite through.

Another option is just put them to bed when the bugs come out. They will be plenty tuckered out by after supper.
 
Grandma L
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03/15/2018 02:21PM  
Yup, some guys will find any excuse to buy a new canoe! Enjoy!
 
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