Tarp pitching question

“I just ordered a tarp from Campmor and before it arrives I have a few questions. Does anyone have a website with instructions and/or photos on how to pitch a tarp, or have photos of a pitched tarp? When it gets here I'll play with it in the back yard but just need some ideas. I usually have a walking staff with me that's about 5'5" tall. Can I use the staff to support the tarp? Thanks in advance for your help.”

“Thank God he didn't ask how to pitch a tent. If you don't know how, there's a bottle of little blue pills that can help.”

“Just me talking here.. but if you tie adjustable knots.. you can tie off the four corners.. and then slip the pole underneath.

Personally?.. the staff could puncture the tarp, would not be my choice. A lot of tarps have places for uprights, and the ones that don't.. I have also seen folks make a 'ridge pole' using rope. The tarp ends up looking like a salt block house. (know what I mean by that?)

But my gosh.. get out there in the backyard and have fun.”

“SGT R0ck's site has some info on tarp pitching: SGT R0ck's Tarps ”

“I pitch my tarp off of trees, one hiking staff, two hiking poles, or as a vestibule off of my tent. I carry titanium stakes with my tarp because the whole idea was for me to reduce weight with this thing. One important aspect of pitching a tarp is which knots to use. I use a slip knot that adjusts the tension on the lines and still holds tightly. I forget the particular name for this knot but it can be found in a number of books about backpacking or knots. There are probably a number of knots that fit this bill.”

“HOI beat me to it. i too, was going to suggest sgt.rock's site.”

“I pitch mine in an A-frame configuration between 2 trees, or 1 tree and my hiking stick. I hike with a lot of other tarpers, and everyone else seems to favor a lean-to type configuration.

I bought a similar sized poly tarp to play with in the backyard so I don't mess up the siltarp.”

“Great Link!!.. Thanks everyone!

(especially to Sgt Rock for setting up that page!)”

“wow...that is a great site. Thanks guys. It's added to my favorites :)”

“I cut out two pieces of closed cell padding (6" square) and roll it up in the tarp, along with some stakes, and have in a small stuff sack.

I then make poles from dead branches/sticks or whatever is handy. Then I place the pads between the tarp and sticks to keep from tearing up the tarp.”

“Cub Scout (Webelos) hand book has some, too.”

“use the Trapezoid or flying Diamond, but instead of staking out the corners, fold them in, forming a floor, stake the sides where the side grommets are exposed, gives a more weatherproof arrow head shaped setup, and if you fold the two remaining corners near the opening in it will provide a door to the shelter, easy to heat, and closed to blowing rain...NOTE: the door will slope into the interior...a 9X12 tarp gives me all the room I need.”

“I do the "flying diamond" sometimes.
I stake down one corner and run a rope under the tarp to the opposite corner and beyond to a tree.
Its good to fold the two other corners under and stake the exposed grommet.
You can also place stones or logs on the parts that are folded under for more stability.

Most of the time I string it between two trees like a "pup tent" or "salt box".
Be sure to use one rope for a "ridge pole" and two other ropes to secure/stretch the tarp toward the trees.”

“I use cord instead of rope. Lighter and just as effective. Also, two cords at each corner is much more stable in the wind. I use a hiking stick along with other sticks that are picked up along the trail. The height depends upon the weather. In windy weather you need the windward side down near the ground. In cold weather both sides down. Good weather, pitch it high so you can enjoy the view.
I also usually use a guide line (1/4" parachute cord) for for the center support and have loops tied into the grommets of the tarp. I tie a prussett knot in the loops and can adjust and tighten the tarp on the center line with the prussett knots.”

“From Campmor, along with 8 x 10 feet nylon tarps, I bought bongee cords. They are adjustable and have a ball on one end for holding to a grommet and a plastic snap hook on the other end. Thus, after hanging the tarp, I can make final tension adjustments by easily changing the effective length of the bongee cords.

The cords came in a set of six with three different lengths. I can no longer locate them in the catalog, but one could inquire on the telephone.”

“Well alright.......cord.

I use 550/para rope/cord and its smaller than 1/4 in./6.5 mm.

But yeah, by all means, use the light stuff.

I will sometimes lay rocks or logs on the edge that is staked down to the ground(windward) to "glue" that edge down.”

“I'm using cord that is like 2.5 mm in diameter.”

“Check owareusa.com for tarp pitching options.”

“I like the Flying Diamond if the weather is bad. I'll use a short stick to prop it up in the back for a bit more room. I havn't tried folding the corners in yet to make part of the floor. It came to mind once but I din't know if it would work.
I used to make lean-to's when I first started tarping.
Last weekend I slept under it as a simple A Frame.

Just go out and play around with different ways to set it up. Be flexable and be ready to work with the area you have to set it up. Some places are more confined to set up some ways and some spots you may not have much to choose from as far as trees to tie off on or no rocks or sticks to help you. Ever camped in a Prairie before?
Just get good and fast at setting it up and taking it down. Practice in the rain too.”

“Checked all the responses to my question this morning. Thank you for your helpful suggestions. The tarp is supposed to arrive today so I'll put all the suggestions to the test this weekend. Thanks. As for Dayhiker....your village is missing it's idiot. :)”

“

hehe... aren't we good sometimes?”

“I've been looking at finally breaking down and going with a Tarp set-up. I know I definitely would need a bug mesh for most our trips though.

I was wondering if anyone has the Trekker Tarp, Trekker Tarp Insert, or the Bug Hut 2?

The products can be viewed here: MSR Tents

I was thinking of the following set ups:

1. Trekker Tarp with Trekker Mesh Insert
2. 1.1 oz ripstop Sil Tarp with Trekker Mesh Insert
3. 1.1 oz ripstop Sil Tarp with Cheap Campmor Bug Net
4. 1.1 oz Sil Tarp over the BugHut2

It seams like a large Sil Tarp over the BugHut2 would weigh about 3.5-4.0 lbs but has floor built in and allows a lot of coverage for cook/eating in crappy weather.

Anybody have any links on reviews/info?”

“By the way, the BugHut2 has 2 poles so that the tarp could be stretched tight over it and then staked down over the edges.”

“I use the Trekker tarp insert with a 10X12 sil tarp and it works well for a 3 season shelter.”

“Where did you get the 10X12 Tarp and for how much $$$?

I was looking at Euinox Tarps...any good?”

“You could go as lightweight as possible (just over 3lbs) and do the Trekker Tarp Insert with the Sil-Nylon Tarp, however you won't be protected from changing wind directions and blustery rain as well as...
Or you could go as heavy as possible (just over 5lbs) and use the Trekker Tarp with the Bug Hut 2 and you'll have more room in the mesh tent and much better blustery-weather coverage.
Or you could be a gearhead and get'em all.
The choice is yours!”

“We have a Trekker Tarp and insert and love it. We have styed bone dry in VERY heavy rains and bug free. The big bonus with the T-Tarp is all the extra space for gear outside of the bug shelter yet still under the tarp.”

“Hey Mr.Birch... Have you noticed that now that MSR makes the TTarp that they scaled it down a bit in size? About 1/3rd, that is, from 100sqft to 66sqft.”

“My 10X12 sil tarp is from Oware and it was $91. He raised the price right after I got mine. I don't know about the Equinox, but the Oware and some others use fabric reinforced pull outs which are supposed to be stronger than grommets. Also, the main seam runs along the ridgeline which is stronger than sideways on top of the tarp. Buddur's right, you will have to pitch it more carefully in a windstorm and blowing rain than the Trekker tarp.”

“What a rip, the big thing I love about the t-tarp IS the size.”

“I use the Treker Tarp Insert with a 12x12 Kelty Noah's Tarp. Works great. 4 lbs total.”

“Also, run a ridge line under the tarp and attatch the Trekker Insert to the line with prusset knots so you can slide the insert to the position you want it under the tarp.”

“How do you tie a "prusset" knot?”

“A few TTrs are going with the TT insert and sil nylon tarp (including me). Check out this thread for more info on how I got there (Birch and BS and others shared similar comments there). I ended up getting last year's model for the insert from globalmart.com for $32. Campmoor has 8'x10' sil nylon tarp for $65.

Concerning backpacking knots - this thread covers most of the bases and provides links to demonstrations of knots.”

“One of the best features about a floorless shelter is that you can cook in them, rather than having to cook meals outside in the elements.”

“Has anyone took a good look at the MSR Bug Hut 2, Mr.adventurist mentioned? They don't have a rainfly for it. It says "rainfly sold separately", but that's it.

I think it would be rad if they made a half-rainfly half-awning for the thing. The rainfly portion going around the sides and back, and the awning covering, let's say 33sqft in front of the door. The more I look at that all-mesh tent, the more I like it.”

“nowslimmer - the bungee cords you use - are they relatively slim shock cords - 2-3 mm perhaps? I have some shock cord that I am thinking of cutting up for relatively small loops for making the adjustment of the tieouts on the tarp somewhat easier - less likely to over tension a tieout.”

“I doubt if I am the first to come across this web site on tarp shelters, but I really enjoyed studying it this evening and thought others might enjoy it as well.

http://www.equipped.com/tarp-shelters.htm

It's really very well done and it gave me a lot of good ideas.

There are a LOT of existing threads on tarps. Hard to choose one!”

“That one has been posted before and I think most comments were something about that person being tarp-nutso.

It's a cool site, but I think most people need some good visualization skills, or a drafting or similar skill set background to make the most of it.

I'm not a tech writer, but I think it would benefit from lots of photos of actual tarps set up in the various configurations.”

“Sargent Rocks is one of the best I've seen.”

“i thought the drawings were pretty clear.”

“Sargent Rocks is one of the best I've seen.”
Nigal
7:02:07 AM
6/16/06

http://hikinghq.net/”

“OK, I looked at the Sgt Rock tarp page. It's quite nice but in terms of content it's thin in comparison to that web site I posted. Perhaps I was in the wrong place.

... that said I acknowledge that the basics are covered and that first web site has a lot of shelters one probably would never use.

I am just in it for the kicks, man. ;)”

“Shelter origami.

The original Boy Scout Handbook had a great section on tarps.”

“So what is everyone's favorite? I generally pitch mine in the old A-frame and lower it for bad weather and I carry a lawn and leaf bag that I use document clips to make a back wall of sorts when it gets really bad.”

“I like the half-A (one side up) or A.

But I'm trying to not do things half-Aed anymore.”

“Does that mean you've started doing things full A'd or no A'd then?”

“I liked the way walkindude pitched his tarp. One end was up against a tree and the other end anchored down at the back. The sides were pulled under to make a floor, plus you had the flaps on the front to block the wind and rain. Or something like that.”

“So he pitched it like a burrito?”