The pocket sized space blankets are noisy. And they ride up when you sleep in them.

Very true. Thanks Aksar.

Standard Jeep Cherokee. Remove the rear seat cushion (leave it at home). Fold the rear seatback down. Put the bedding (air mattress & closed cell foam) catty corner so that your head is in a rear corner and feet are at a rear door. Move the front seat forward if necessary for a little more room.

I slept out a 2 day snowstorm at 10,000' one year very comfortably that way.

HAHA!! Have you seen my mini u-haul style of packing? My sleeping on the ground days are far behind me too, Snake. I keep two thermarests and a sub-zero sleeping, along with two wool blankets, in my Jeep. I don't camp without them and carry at least a thermarest on a long hike.

Also, tarps do not have as much of a condensation problem due to moisture in the breath, from the body, and sweaty clothing.

After a nights sleep in below freezing weather, the sides of a tent will release a shower of frost all over everything inside. Not a good start.

A tarp does not have nearly as much of a problem in that way.

small light weight tents can be had for cheap and if you plan on staying for a while making a brush shelter over one would add more protection from storms.back in the 80's i went on two long solo canoe trips with just a tarp that i put over the canoe,Boy Scout style.by the end of the second trip,17 days,i knew i would have to invest in a good tent.bug,mice,rain,wind,dirt.i know people will say well you can set up a tarp to take care of those problems but that takes time and energy when pulling a tent from a sack and threading poles and putting in a couple wire stakes will give you a shelter ASAP.

I have went back and forth over the years. Loving Tarps but thinking I needed a tent. After reading "Woodcraft" by Nessmuck (George Washington Sears), I am totaly in the Tarp camp now. Even in the fridged cold, a properly set up Tarp system in front of a fire will keep you warm and dry in almost any conditions. For me personally I just like being closer to the nature that I came out to enjoy, regardless of what she throws at me. I don't even own a tent at this point, I do own a $1,200 Kifaru Tipi (pictured in my avatar) that I Rarely ever use.

Woodcraft..great book it's in the bookcase a arms reach away.
i don't want to get on and on about tents and tarps but i think the term "properly set up" is the tricky one here.
i have set up a one man tent where the working floor space was not much bigger than my air mat and sleeping bag.wedged in between trees or with rocks or downed trees and brush the tent gave me fast all around shelter.to get a tarp up properly,and i have done it,means finding trees or whatever to run lines out to and tie off.wind is a major factor and the brush,rocks--whatever--could mean taking time to clear a spot for floor space to get the door down wind while a tent is up and thats that.
it also depends where your using it,part of the country your in i mean
in the north woods the bugs will eat you alive while maybe other places they are not so bad,weather is another factor of course.nice summer nights or damp cold rain coming in off Lake Superior.
i think we all know what works best for each of us and i don't think you could have a post about the best tooth brush without it running down the page----cut the handle down or not???---

For survival use go ahead and make fire.

For regular camping, many places (National Parks - I've done a LOT of backpacking in RMNP) don't allow fire.

Does that change the equation for you?

I hate fire bans. We've run into them a lot the last few years. Always check with the area authorities in advance, or bring back-up, especially if you need the heat or the cooking ability.