Reddit reviews TRM Manufacturing 61025C Weatherall Visqueen Plastic Sheeting, Drop Cloth 10' Wide x 25' Length x 6.0 mil Thickness, Opaque/Translucent

We've used heavy plastic sheeting like the kind painters use to cover floors. Then use really good masking tape to tape it down on the floor and about 2-3 feet up the wall. If you tape it right and keep the corners tight, it won't get pulled down even if it gets rowdy because the weight of other people standing on it will help keep it in place. Afterwards, just roll it up and throw the nasty thing away.

[Something like this.] (http://www.amazon.com/TRM-Manufacturing-61025C-Weatherall-Thickness/dp/B00KOOF5W0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1450296953&sr=8-2&keywords=heavy+duty+plastic)

1. A 35L pack is plenty of space for an overnighter and probably enough space for a 2 nighter....depending on the season, your budget (for everything in your pack), and your willingness to forgo some comfort.

• Season: If it is Summer or a shoulder season (late spring or early fall) 35L should be more than enough. You need less layers and lighter weight sleeping bag in the warmer seasons which saves a lot of space and weight. In Winter when it's colder it might be difficult to fit everything you need to stay warm inside a 35L, unless you are willing to spend some money
  
• Budget: There are 3 different measurements for gear...lightweight, inexpensive, and durable, but unfortunately you can only have 2 at the same time. If you buy something that is inexpensive and durable, it is not going to be lightweight. If you buy something that is inexpensive and lightweight, it is not going to be very durable. And if you buy something that is lightweight and durable, you better believe it is going to cost you. All that being said, if you want to fit everything you need you a 1-2 night trip in the Winter into a 35L pack be prepared to pay quite a bit to get stuff light enough that will keep you warm enough and still fit into a 35L pack....unless you are willing to forgo some comfort.
  
• Comfort: if you are trying to fit everything into your pack but don't have enough room, the obvious answer is either buy things that pack down smaller but perform the same (which means more money likely) or find ways to leave things behind. For instance learn how to tarp camp instead of tent camping. Go no-stove and cold soak all your food. Carry less clothes for "just in case" scenarios. And make sure everything in your pack serves as many purposes as possible (a stuffsack with extra clothes for a pillow, a pot that doubles as a bowl/cup, a spork, a pancho that can be turned into a tarp, etc.) Also switching to a down sleeping bag instead of the synthetic bag you are currently using will save you TONS of room in your pack. The caveat is that you will have to risk losing warmth in the down bag if it gets wet, where the synthetic bag will keep you warm if it gets wet. I have used down bags my whole life and have never had a major issue, but the loss of perceived comfort is still there sometimes.
  
  As someone has already mentioned most people start in the 65L range and I'd say that's a good place for a beginner to begin. You can always carry less in a bigger pack, but you can only carry so much in a smaller pack. If you are looking to get a bigger pack, the best bang for your buck right now is the Granite Gear Crown2. They retail for $200 but you can find them online for as low as $120-$150 if you look hard enough and are willing to buy a pack that someone has maybe used once or twice. If you want a more substantial framed pack I'd say go with Osprey. As much as I hate to support the big guys in the pack industry, their warranty is killer. Rip your pack...send it back for a new one, catch it on fire...new one, basically as long as you don't loose it or shit in it, they will replace it.
  
  2. Honestly at the $200 price range the Nemo is a good tent that you can find for about $150 at REI but weighs in at about 6 lbs. I'd stay away from Mountainsmith and Alps, in my experience, while they do offer inexpensive gear it is neither lightweight nor durable (Mountainsmith Morrison 2 is 5 lbs 9oz for $135 and the Alps is basically almost 6 lbs for $160). For tents I think you can't beat Sierra Designs, Big Agnes, or smaller companies like Hyperlite Mountain Gear, Zpacks, Tarptent, and Gossamer Gear. My top pick for under $200 though would have to be Sierra Designs. You can usually find last years stuff on sale super cheap, like this Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight 2 for sale at Backcountry Edge. It's 120 bucks and 3 lbs 14 ozs, less than half the weight of your current tent. Another good option is a good tarp and a bivvy sack, unless bugs aren't an issue where you camp, then just a tarp with no bivvy. For example I hiked the Arizona trail in April of 2017 and only carried an 8 oz tarp for shelter.
  
  3. Like someone else has already mentioned, a stove is as important as you need it to be. Here is a link to everything you need to know about stoves. I prefer a Homemade Alcohol Stove because it costs about 3$ and an hour of your time to make, and mine has lasted me 3+ years and 4000+miles of backpacking. Plus fuel is easy to come by and very cheap. While canister stoves are convenient and boil water very fast, they can also break pretty easily if you don't take care of them. My alcohol stove, if I bend it I just bend it back and it works fine. If you want to try a canister stove for cheap get This one, I also own this one (and about 13 others) and it works great for under $15!
  
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  The last few things I'll say are that the frost on your sleeping bag is not dew, but condensation from your breath because your tent does not ventilate properly. I have never used a hooligan 2, but I'd guess there is not much ventilation and that the fly probably goes all the way to the ground on all sides. Also, and this is just my personal theory, but "footprints" are a scam. The reason a "footprint" is there is to cut down on abrasions on the bottom of your tent, not to make your tent waterproof on the bottom. Your tent floor should be plenty waterproof to keep weather out, and if you want some abrasion resistance just buy a piece of tyvek or visqueen plastic and cut it just a hair smaller than your tent's floor. I've had the same piece of tyvek for 2 years and I use it to sleep on 100-150 nights a year.
  
  Let me know if you have any more questions and happy trails my friend.