first time tarp

Discussion in 'Knives, Gear, Guns And Other Tools' started by KnOeFz, Oct 10, 2018.

  1. KnOeFz

    KnOeFz Member

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    My father in law had a tarp he never used, asked if we could do anything with it.
    Last sunday was the first time we set it up.
    It's pretty big, around 4x4 meters (13x13')
    Also the poles are steel and very heavy, the tarp itself is ok to carry (still a bit of a large package when folded in)

    I do like the way it looks with the 'wings' (what the name for a model like this?)
    not sure what's the best way to set it up.
    It was very windy last Sunday so the setup with one corner up and the rest down to the ground gave most comfort but little height underneath.

    I'll be browsing for the ways people setup their tarps through the web tonight so get some more ideas.
    Anyway... here's some pics, any tips on improving my 'tarping' skills and experience are very welcome :D


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  2. shaneadams90

    shaneadams90 ESEE Knives Marketing Director Staff Member

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    Reminds me of an old Moss Tarp....I coveted a Moss Tarp for years.....got an early prototype tarp from Mtn Hardware that was awesome but leaked like a drainage grate!
     
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  3. KnOeFz

    KnOeFz Member

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    Havent tried it in the rain yet :D ... maybe this has the drainage grate option built in too :p
    But dont think my father in law ever used it. The thing looks brand new. And no signs of mice taking pieces for insulating their nests.
     
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  4. BlueDogScout

    BlueDogScout Member

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    Reminds me of the Kelty Noah tarps and the MSR tarps
     
  5. BlueDogScout

    BlueDogScout Member

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    REI sells aluminum tarp poles that are compact and lighter, or you can do a ridgeling from tree to tree or a plow point with one tree. Looks nice
     
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  6. KnOeFz

    KnOeFz Member

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    Need to try tying it to a tree, sound like a good option and the most lightweight :D
     
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  7. BlueDogScout

    BlueDogScout Member

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    Yea, ridelines aren’t bad either. You can also use trekking poles instead of carrying extra poles etc...
     
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  8. Bushman5

    Bushman5 Member

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    I see that as making one heck of a big kite....get some carbon fiber struts......500lb synthetic fishing line.....and an alvey fishing reel mounted to a screw in anchor......
     
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  9. Willow

    Willow Member

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    I was also going to suggest just using your trekking poles. I recommend using the handle of your trekking pole inside the tie-out loop with the point stuck in the ground. Most people I see have a grommet in the tarp where the point goes through. But reversing this makes a much more stable, and safe for your tarp, option. If the tie-out loops on the tarp are not big enough to go over the handle you can wrap your guy line around the handle before tying off to your ground stake or tree.
     
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  10. Stone

    Stone Member

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    Subscribed. I've been into tarps on and off for various uses -- from camping (first) to awnings for trailers -- since around 1976 or so. I'm back into them big time now that I've taken up hammock camping seriously. I'm far, far from expert, but I have some experiences, and will share some thoughts here ... later. (Need to sleep soon.)

    I agree with @shaneadams90, by the way: first thing I thought of when I saw your tarp in your OP was one of those professional Moss tarps. I wanted one, too, for a trailer project back in the late 90's and early 2000's, but it was too pricey for my budget.

    Here's a starter pic from me, my experimental hammock camp about 300 m outback from my apartment. It's a place where I can test my gear long term. Not my land, but I have permission to be there, and no body else (including the landowners) ever go out there, so I feel safe leaving it up for days to weeks for tests. I check it daily (and sleep overnight some, though alas not nearly often enough -- and now winter is coming).

    This is one of my two favorite tarp configurations for this set up. Notice that I've run 11' tent poles through the loops on the edge of the tarp (GoOutfitters Apex; best tarp bang for the bucks I've found to date) to help keep it rigid. This helps me shape it during rain/wind events.

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  11. KnOeFz

    KnOeFz Member

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    Great little camp you made there.
    Great shot, thanks for showing the tentpole use.
    Never seen that before.
     
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  12. Stone

    Stone Member

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    Nor have I seen pole use with tarps before. Of course, it's not doable, I suspect, with most tarps because they lack the requisite loops. The GoOutfitters Apex comes with about ten on the sides perpendicular to the ridgeline. I may ask the company owner/designer to put extras on the front and back as well.

    Again, I say, the Apex is a fantastic tarp for the price. They're down to about $50 now shipped. They're not light, mind you, let alone ultralight. I use mine in base camp only, not in my pack for an emergency shelter. For the latter, I pack my Warbonnet Mamajamba, which packs down to nothing.

    Here's my hammock set up with the Mamajamba last October (2017) up north of here about 35 miles at my favorite camping area just south of Mt Katahdin (which is the tallest peak on the US coast this far north). I had hoped to be there this week, but alas, finances, travel logistics and professional responsibilities postponed it.

    I was there for a week during which the remnants of Hurricane Jose (?) swept by slowly. I got dumped on: nearly 5" of rain in 4 days with very high winds coming off a lake with a large fetch. The tarp had to work since I was stuck there with no vehicle -- got dropped off and picked up by friends -- no cell (no coverage there), and was near the end of a 25 mi gravel logging road near the AT. Making matters more challenging, fires are prohibited in the area outside of established camps that have fire pits.

    My gear stayed dry enough with the Mamajamba (although with that much rain, everything just gets damp), but I wish I'd had the Apex then because I'd have stayed even drier. AND the Apex is MUCH quieter in the rain. With the harder synthetic fabrics stretched out properly, it sounds like rain on a metal roof -- hard to sleep at night.

    I learned a LOT about how to best pitch tarps during that week. :D It was that experience that convinced me to start setting up "experimental camps" so I can practice pitching both hammocks and tarps closer to home before my life depends on it. Pitching tarps has some science behind it, but it's as much art as science. Same for hanging hammocks under them.

    Hammock day 7 dialed.JPG

    The big pack on the right covered by the blue rain cover is my Gregory 75 L expedition pack that I use to get all my hammock gear plus extra insulation to base camp from the trailhead. My smaller 35 L Eberlestock Halftrack that I use for day hiking is sitting on a pad in the foreground.

    Just for context, here's Katahdin from an overlook on the AT about two miles from my base camp. You're looking across Lake Nahmakanta, which is about 5X longer than wide. (Glacial lake.). Only the base is peeking out from under the cloud. It's a MASSIVE mountain, really more than a peak, more like a whole tall mountain, the tallest point on a giant granite dome that lays just a few inches under moss-covered soils there for at least a hundred square miles. You can see an exposed piece of it in the foreground of this pic. It was under my hammock too, making use of stakes problematic. Several times, I made use of grounded logs to tie off the tarp.

    IMG_2753 arrow Katahdin.jpeg
     
    Last edited: Oct 20, 2018
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