I Want to Start Camping but I hate tents.

[petronius]

1. I've done a lot of trips just using a tarp, especially when I don't expect much

if any rain. It takes some time and practice to set up, and more careful site selection, but it's a lot less stuffy than a tent, and a bug net can easily be hung on the inside.

And sleeping out is a fine option, with a bug net if necessary!

I also feel like a lot of newer tents have a lot more mesh than you may be used to - pitching them without the fly often provides a pretty open experience (that how I almost always pitch my Kelty Zen, which is not nearly as meshy as some newer models).

What kind of camping are you looking to do, and where?