Tarp pitching tips

[geoskid]

Hi Tarp users, I'm looking for tips on the finer points of tarp pitching to suit various setups determined by wind direction,
view direction etc, 1 side to ground, 2 sides to ground, height etc. 10' * 8' seems to be a good size to give a bit of space when wanting one side to ground.
Thanks

[bushrunner]

I would also like to ask, how does a lack of poles effect the pitching? I do not and will not walk with poles.

[Tony]

Hi Geoskid,

Hi Tarp users, I'm looking for tips on the finer points of tarp pitching to suit various setups determined by wind direction,
view direction etc, 1 side to ground, 2 sides to ground, height etc. 10' * 8' seems to be a good size to give a bit of space when wanting one side to ground.
Thanks

My tarp is a poncho/tarp which is considered small, I first tried setting it up by pitching one side to the ground facing the direction that the wind and rain was expected from, this was OK for the first night but the second night the rain came in from the other direction and I got a bit wet.



So next time I set my tarp up in the more traditional A frame style with the back lower than the front this offers much better protection but I have not experienced rain using the tarp in this configuration, I have experienced some strong winds and the tarp handled them without problems. Some techniques to pitch a tarp in windy wet weather is to use a Bivy bag and pitch the back end to the ground into the wind, some tarps are bigger and can offer tent like protection. If I decided that I wanted to use a tarp in wild wet and windy Tasmania I would go for a larger tarp.



Hi Bushrunner,

I would also like to ask, how does a lack of poles effect the pitching? I do not and will not walk with poles.

I walk with one walking stick, I find it helps with creek crossing, walking in think grass, traversing steep hills etc. I use my walking stick for the front end of the tarp and I can usually find a suitable stick for the back end, if I was going to an area that had no sticks I would take a lightweight pole eg; carbon fiber arrow shaft or an aluminium pole from another tent that I have.

Tony

[geoskid]

Thanks Tony,
Just came across a Tarp Pitching DVD whilst looking for the RAB survival zone Bivvy that Bushrunner posted about
http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/product251.asp
I think I will get it - seems fairly comprehensive.
I could get a cheapie tarp locally and practise setting it up at home in various ways to get an idea of what size would suit me
before buying a silnylon one.
I've seen Nuts' 10*8? set up at Pelion with one side to ground and pitched over a cord strung between 2 posts - heaps of room. I like the idea of 2 sides to ground somehow to create a corner to retereat to.
Geoskid

[Nuts]

Thats a 20x20' Hilleberg XP tarp geo's. Nice one but probably a bit heavy for single use. Hilleberg do make smaller ones... I like their fabric, its a bit heavier but tough and they have very strong attachment points. Whichever tarp, I like the ones with at least 4/5 attachment points on each side. One end can then be drawn together (when pitched A frame style) and closed up (like a 3 sided shelter. In the worst weather I like to pitch them low, keeps out of the wind and if it turns to snow the sides act like a 'vallance and seal off.. Sleeping along the centre pitch line the tarp will shed show once a steep enough angle is reached. I'll add some more info here (when I get a chance) and perhaps show a few setups. Static cord is strong and comes in various thicknesses depending on the size of the tarp. As mentioned I also have a couple of Integral Designs tarps, very light weight but I would still prefer a decent size and strength. 8'X10' is ok for one, perhaps a couple.

[geoskid]

Thats a 20x20' Hilleberg XP tarp geo's.

Ah.. probably why there seemed to be heaps of room - it was a while ago

[Nuts]

, yeah, it is a biggun' probably not in the U/L camp. Still, it does only weigh around 1.4kg (U/L group perhaps?)
I guess, early in the topic, it's worth mentioning that I wouldn't Choose a tarp until looking at the forecast. Even though 'safe' enough for most conditions, I would still prefer a tent if Expecting bad weather. All a game of probabilities perhaps? If your going on a walk where the weather is Generally expected to be ok or you Expect to use huts then they start to make sense. All part of the calculated risks accepted when leaving home however. I have used a tarp and bivy for snow trips but it is mostly just a good option if you Plan to just be covering ground then getting straight into the bivvy. Not much fun sitting around in them when it is cold. If you have a delay, you will need to expect to be less comfortable (Is this a chance in a hundered, 2 chances, Is it going to be That much better waiting it out in a tent (if its cold your likely to end up in the sleeping bag anyhow), all things to 'weigh' up). I dont really want to get into another 'debate' about the pro's and con's, others have more and less experience with tarps (and especially u/light gear) than me and they need to apply Common Sense to Their decisions....

[tasadam]

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

Speaks for itself.

[Franco]

Some of my pitch variations with the Sea2Summit tarp. (I don't use it except as an extended porch for my Tarptents)
No idea what they are, I just do it...





Franco

[sthughes]

Do any of you regular tarp users have any issues with mozzies or more importantly leeches attacking you in your sleep? Or how do you combat them otherwise? I'm interested in using my tarp alone just for fun this weekend, but just keep picturing waking up with a leech in my ear/nose/eye and mozzie bites all over :-p

[Nuts]

Hi StH,

I just had an open tarp and groundsheet/sleeping bag for a few years. Yep, mossie bites, leach in nose, squashed spiders all good stuff
Being a bit 'softer' these days I take a light bivy with a screen (actually mine has a hoop pole). Its a bit better on cooler nights but does get a bit warm even with a marmot Atom s/bag. If its too hot I sleep on top with lashings of rid... not ideal, but then I get hot pretty easily (even naky shagy in a tent). If solo i think i'd prefer the extra weight of a tent (with designs like Tony showed at 2-300grams! , (lighter than my bivy bag!)

[sthughes]

Ah, righto then, might forget that idea then!
Yes that tarp thing on another tread is interesting with its bug netting all around, solves a big problem me thinks. Although given it still needs some sort of ground sheet for damp ground, I think I'd just get a TT Contrail or similar instead.Less roomy I guess though.

[Ent]

Ah, righto then, might forget that idea then!
Yes that tarp thing on another tread is interesting with its bug netting all around, solves a big problem me thinks. Although given it still needs some sort of ground sheet for damp ground, I think I'd just get a TT Contrail or similar instead.Less roomy I guess though.

Given you walk with poles the Hilleberg single skin two man tent at 950 grams might be worth considering. The extra space inside would compensate for not having a vestibule. It is a traditional A frame style with the top half of the ends mesh. It will keep all the biters at bay. Also allow you to sleep using the bag as a donna that you normally tend to do. The Hilleberg uses heavier fabric than Tarptent so might also last longer. Worth looking at but not cheap as typical of Hilleberg.

Cheers Brett

[Nuts]

The Rajd?

RajdGrn-Web.jpg (42.92 KiB) Viewed 12029 times

I have been tempted to get one of these... Looks very roomy compared to the u/l offerings....

http://estore.websitepros.com/1764795/- ... Detail.bok

(Brett, my Altai arrived last week, A yurt that should be great for group camps )

GifAltaiGrn.gif (24.05 KiB) Viewed 12030 times

[sthughes]

Hmm, interesting, shame it's darn near twice the price of the TT and at least with the contrail if you snap a trekking pole it only needs one anyway! Condensation concerns me with single skin jobs, but with the TT Contrail it looks like it might run down the walls then through the netting, rather than puddling on the floor/soaking into down bag. Could be wrong, but still it is very well ventilated to prevent it in the first place. Not that I really plan to buy either, just a thought that maybe a slightly more spacious and more ventilated summer tent to complement my cramped microlight might be good.

[Ent]

Hi Nuts

The Rajd is correct for the one that is tempting me. For the summer months and missing out on huts a shelter that can fend of bugs and big enough to store stuff in at 950 grams (minus the poles) is highly tempting for the twin pole walking fraternity. The high mesh means it should not be too draughty in a cross wind. Not a fan of cross winds blowing low down in a shelter as I tend to sleep with my arms out of the sleeping bag regardless how cold it gets. I wear woollen thermals instead of using a liner to keep the bag clean. Hopefully nobody on this site will break the "play nice rules" and post my anti-superman sleeping costume

Condensation is one of those dreaded things that weather, person and position appears to trump the actual shelter design. My rules are simple, Have a low vent and have a high vent in the fly and you are a long way towards controlling it. The original Akto did not do this so even to this day coops that criticism even though the design was changed to fix that problem.

If someone gets a Rajd I will be very interested to look at given that my Black Diamond walking poles performed brilliantly at Frenchmans Cap. My knees loved them and they save a monumental fall without breaking. Their performance is good enough for me to consider using two poles for tracked walks. Off-track and scrambling they are still a nightmare but at least the Black Diamond flick lock system makes for rapid storage. In fact, the One Planet Stiletto is a tempting pack as it has excellent ski pole holders and the brilliant Exact fit plus harness and is 75 litres in the long fitting which is about as small as my current packing approach allows for. Now all I have to do is find someone to throw my Macpac Traverse at

Cheers Brett

PS like the idea of a communal shelter as on Strollers walk handing your poles over to pitch a tarp makes great sense. Much better than everyone huddled in individual tents when cooking and chatting.

[alliecat]

Do any of you regular tarp users have any issues with mozzies or more importantly leeches attacking you in your sleep? Or how do you combat them otherwise? I'm interested in using my tarp alone just for fun this weekend, but just keep picturing waking up with a leech in my ear/nose/eye and mozzie bites all over :-p

With just a tarp, you're in trouble with persistent bugs; you need some sort of protection. Pretty much any groundsheet will do it for leeches, but for mozzies you need some netting. That can either be a cheap conventional mozzie net, or a bug bivy like this one, or this one, or just a head net like this one.

That's one of the reasons Henry Shires's tarptents are popular - all are bug proof and for not much more weight than a separate tarp+bug protection.

Cheers,
Alliecat

[farkewie]

Hi,

Here is my Tarp set-up for car camping. I have not used it for hiking yet but I think it would be great for an extremely light weight option.

MSR E-Wing

E-Wing.jpg (224.51 KiB) Viewed 11949 times

Oh it is an MSR E-Wing.

I also plan on using it as a dry entry for when I am hiking the SCT.

Weight 190gm