- Joined
- Aug 4, 2007
- Messages
- 1,745
tarps are my go-to's for shelter.
i like a lot of other shelter systems, but the multiple options of tarp sets suit me better than the limitations of tents, and i especially like to use my tarps with extending poles, hammocks, mesh fabrics and sheets, and natural materials, ...to shelter me from snow to sun and bugs.
here's a simple high-set shelter that would comfortably protect about eight people and two dogs from sun and light precipitation, when seated and laying about. - actually, sometimes the dogs were seated, and the rest of us were laying about - that's why it's called a Mancation, ya hip?
these guys were all having a horrible time, they were just smiling at the camera to be courteous. ol' Quote, the white coyote there, just ate Mickey's family and was having really bad rodent gas that she seemed to be very proud of, so she was happy.
i set the tarps, one 7' x 5' and one 10' x 12' fairly high, with the larger tarp oriented to give partial shelter from the wind. the ties were such that the tarps could've been lowered quickly, but these pirates know that i would desert them immediately if that was needed, probably with their purloined beer. they are true scum, after all, but that's why they are survivors... and kinda fun....
the wind was really whipping up in gusts during regular parts of the day, from the northwest, generally.
using minimal line, conventional anchors were not always possible, but i made use of the rough rock surfaces, by gently wrapping the paracord around curves, which would hold the tarps with very little arc alone before wind was a factor,
....and then i'd use secondary anchors like this rock, when full encirclement of a stationary anchor, like a boulder, was not feasible.
the tarp lines were easy to keep taut as they stretched out over the five days by using simple Prussik Knots and their variations, the texture of the rocks, and mobile anchors and ballasts, like the rock pictured above.
there are ten thousand ways to do tarp shleters like these, most of them better than the way i put these up, but none of us had gotten in trouble together for a long time and we were itching to get settled and talk garbage, so Good Enough! was the rule.
and it was good enough.
anyone who bitched got kicked into direct brain-cooking sunlight, and we drank his grog in front of him.
the tarps were oriented by height and angle to take advantage of the warming sun early in the morning, but to protect the drunks and token mormon buddies in the high sun times.
these cheap poly tarps are a good deal, i think.
they were on special on base, right before i headed out, so i had to grab some. i normally don't bother with the smaller tarps, but they cost a buck each, and the dogs could use them, or i could get artsy fartsy with them for a large shelter if i needed to.
nylon ground sheets, particularly hexagonal ones, are a longer-lasting favoirite of mine, that you can usually get at REI when they are having their sales. Kelty makes great ones with grommets and lashing points that don't fail.
i usually carry a 10' x 12' poly tarp when i go minimal with just a knife and blanket and some other basic goodies. it's plenty large to just lay down and burrito-wrap in when sudden bad weather hits. it also makes quite a patio for hanging out with buddies when sea kayaking or just resting along the trail, and it also makes a nice A-frame tent for a vector and his coyotes, in extended stops during bad weather. i usually put one upwind end down flat to the ground while the other end remains in the A-frame, with the high end on an adjustable height line, with the opening covered with pine bows when they are avaailble, for privacy and to repel bugs (instead of carrying mesh).
my dogs flip over that method and variations, and think it is a deluxe den.
it's very lightweight and mobile.
and good enough!
hammocks are great with tarp camping, but none were really necessary on this easy going trip, especially with so much soft ground to sleep on.
i don't like sleeping in the net hammocks, but they are good for a lot of other things, including getting your gear off the ground, which can keep the damp away as well as nibbling rodents, which have surprised a lot of folks, especially in the desert. - a Kangaroo Rat will ninja noiselessly right between two dogs and nibble through your pack at night, so suspended gear in a hammock can be nice.
forgoing the hammock, one can clothesline their gear too, of course, but heavier stuff is easier to orient and control in a hammock IMHO. some dogs like sleeping in them too, and little kids love them, especially with a wool blankie surrounding them, and a wolf guarding them for good measure. i worry more about the adults going out than i do the children. kids were born to camp.
i forgot about a million things to say about tarps, like using grommets with caution because they all seem to tear out, talking about Grabbits and (especially) improvised load holders wiht rocks and line, etc., ...but you cool cats are smart and probably know all about that stuff.
more later. have a good night, brethren.
vec
i like a lot of other shelter systems, but the multiple options of tarp sets suit me better than the limitations of tents, and i especially like to use my tarps with extending poles, hammocks, mesh fabrics and sheets, and natural materials, ...to shelter me from snow to sun and bugs.
here's a simple high-set shelter that would comfortably protect about eight people and two dogs from sun and light precipitation, when seated and laying about. - actually, sometimes the dogs were seated, and the rest of us were laying about - that's why it's called a Mancation, ya hip?
these guys were all having a horrible time, they were just smiling at the camera to be courteous. ol' Quote, the white coyote there, just ate Mickey's family and was having really bad rodent gas that she seemed to be very proud of, so she was happy.
i set the tarps, one 7' x 5' and one 10' x 12' fairly high, with the larger tarp oriented to give partial shelter from the wind. the ties were such that the tarps could've been lowered quickly, but these pirates know that i would desert them immediately if that was needed, probably with their purloined beer. they are true scum, after all, but that's why they are survivors... and kinda fun....
the wind was really whipping up in gusts during regular parts of the day, from the northwest, generally.
using minimal line, conventional anchors were not always possible, but i made use of the rough rock surfaces, by gently wrapping the paracord around curves, which would hold the tarps with very little arc alone before wind was a factor,
....and then i'd use secondary anchors like this rock, when full encirclement of a stationary anchor, like a boulder, was not feasible.
the tarp lines were easy to keep taut as they stretched out over the five days by using simple Prussik Knots and their variations, the texture of the rocks, and mobile anchors and ballasts, like the rock pictured above.
there are ten thousand ways to do tarp shleters like these, most of them better than the way i put these up, but none of us had gotten in trouble together for a long time and we were itching to get settled and talk garbage, so Good Enough! was the rule.
and it was good enough.
anyone who bitched got kicked into direct brain-cooking sunlight, and we drank his grog in front of him.
the tarps were oriented by height and angle to take advantage of the warming sun early in the morning, but to protect the drunks and token mormon buddies in the high sun times.
these cheap poly tarps are a good deal, i think.
they were on special on base, right before i headed out, so i had to grab some. i normally don't bother with the smaller tarps, but they cost a buck each, and the dogs could use them, or i could get artsy fartsy with them for a large shelter if i needed to.
nylon ground sheets, particularly hexagonal ones, are a longer-lasting favoirite of mine, that you can usually get at REI when they are having their sales. Kelty makes great ones with grommets and lashing points that don't fail.
i usually carry a 10' x 12' poly tarp when i go minimal with just a knife and blanket and some other basic goodies. it's plenty large to just lay down and burrito-wrap in when sudden bad weather hits. it also makes quite a patio for hanging out with buddies when sea kayaking or just resting along the trail, and it also makes a nice A-frame tent for a vector and his coyotes, in extended stops during bad weather. i usually put one upwind end down flat to the ground while the other end remains in the A-frame, with the high end on an adjustable height line, with the opening covered with pine bows when they are avaailble, for privacy and to repel bugs (instead of carrying mesh).
my dogs flip over that method and variations, and think it is a deluxe den.
it's very lightweight and mobile.
and good enough!
hammocks are great with tarp camping, but none were really necessary on this easy going trip, especially with so much soft ground to sleep on.
i don't like sleeping in the net hammocks, but they are good for a lot of other things, including getting your gear off the ground, which can keep the damp away as well as nibbling rodents, which have surprised a lot of folks, especially in the desert. - a Kangaroo Rat will ninja noiselessly right between two dogs and nibble through your pack at night, so suspended gear in a hammock can be nice.
forgoing the hammock, one can clothesline their gear too, of course, but heavier stuff is easier to orient and control in a hammock IMHO. some dogs like sleeping in them too, and little kids love them, especially with a wool blankie surrounding them, and a wolf guarding them for good measure. i worry more about the adults going out than i do the children. kids were born to camp.
i forgot about a million things to say about tarps, like using grommets with caution because they all seem to tear out, talking about Grabbits and (especially) improvised load holders wiht rocks and line, etc., ...but you cool cats are smart and probably know all about that stuff.
more later. have a good night, brethren.
vec
