Tarps for Shelter

[MrKnifekid]

Using a tarp for a shelter is a good idea imo. They are lightweight and fold up small. Here is mine.

It's just a 5' by 7' tarp I bought at Wallyworld.

it is a attached on both sides around trees with a cordlock.

inside

pinned to the ground on all 4 corners by 4 tent stakes.

Playin' around...

Thanks!!

 

[gmoneyluv]

I've been using a Black Diamond Megamid since 1991. Love it. A bit too big for a single person but absolutley luxurious for two.
The older version used an aluminum main pole where the current Megalight has a carbon fibre pole and lighter fabric.
Here is a pic of the current version. Wish I had some photos of us using our rig.

Ok, maybe it's not a true tarp, but it comes close.

 

[Hunter Sharp]

I always carry a tarp in my ruck! And i end up using it more that I ever think!

 

[orangish ducktape]

I use the tarp from my Hennessy Expedition A-sym Zip hammock.
I don't usually use just the tarp, but when I do, I do like that the tarp is so light weight and pretty durable as well.

-orangish ducktape

 

[Skystorm]

I use one of the Eno tarps, folds up to about the size of your fist. Good stuff.

 

[thrillbilly]

I always pack a tarp or 2 when camping. I use a tent usually, but a tarp is great for rigging windbreaks, or rainshelters over the cooking/eating areas. Almost indispensable item IMO

 

[Hunter Sharp]

I use to be a tent guy but I just got into hammocks. I'm liking it!

 

[SpookyDriver]

I never go camping without a couple of tarps. I don't use them for shelter per se, but I use them as a base for my tents when I'm in the backcountry and occasionally for shade when using the RV.

 

[BushOgre]

Hammock + tarp (if needed to combat mother nature) = happy ogre

 

[LECTER]

Depending on the amount of mosquitoes, I use a tarp, otherwise a tent.

 

[C_Tanner]

I always camp semi-primitive, ususally using my ENO Doulenest, Bug Guardian, and a Tarp, plus whatever I build. If I'm doing survival practice, no hammock. But Tarps rule. They are, after all, one of the 5 "C"s of Survivability, "Cover". I have lots of tarps. Mostly cheap ones, a few heavy duty ones. a couple sil-ny, a few Grabber all weather blankets (hooded and un hooded), etc. Then I usually have at least 2 55 gal drum liners as well in my light kits.

Since you brought up tarps...I was JUST talking about this yesterday in the Pathfinder R&D group. Tyvek. It's awesome. It's very light, very tough. I actually want to buy a sewing machine so I can experiment with it. You can get the 9' wide rolls of 150' for $150, or buy it by the foot from people on ebay for about $1.50 a foot. a 9x6 would make a great shelter tarp. I want to sew the edges over and reinforce them, add drawstring loops, reinforced grommets, etc. Though you don't NEED all that. You could just put some Gorilla Tape in the corners and bunch it up and make a paracord/bankline tie off, or maybe grommet it with a kit. You get a very tough, very light, water proof shelter. OR, at the very least, a very tough, light ground liner. This stuff has lots of applications, limited only to your creativity.

One other note on tarps....One of my favorite tricks I learned from the pathfinder school is using 36" flat bungee cords to set up tarps for shelter over cordage. You can set them up REALLY fast, easily adjust it, and it gives it plently of play in case of wind or stress. I have 2 sets of 4 in my kit, thinking of adding another because it works THAT well. If you need to set up shelter FAST, a bungee set is the way to go. Try it.

[video=youtube;D_TZxMhIe9M]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_TZxMhIe9M[/video]

Tarps in action:

This one didn't work out so well once it started raining...needed more side coverage...

And, to keep Moose happy, here is a picture with a Becker in it I just found in my photobucket account (was looking for this!)

EDIT TO ADD: Did a quick youtube search for someone using Tyvek, and came up with this:

[video=youtube;77f6NSAg4ag]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77f6NSAg4ag[/video]

 

[C_Tanner]

BTW..I haven't used it yet, but I have that same blue tarp in post one, wrapped around a wool blanket and attached to the bottom of my Maxped Vulture II...

 

[Skystorm]

Flat bungees is a damn good idea. A bit heavier than paracord but setup time sure drops.

 

[tradewater]

When we stop for the night on the trail or kayak camping, the tarp goes up first. Then the hammocks. Shade if you need it, a dry place to cook, eat, get dressed, do camp chores...etc. A tarp is worth it's weight in gold if you're out for any length of time.

 

[One Legged Josh]

I have over a hundred nights under my 10x10 Bushcraft outfitters tarp in the last year and a half.
104F was my hottest day, and -5F is my lowest day. You cannot beat the versatility of a tarp.

 

[C_Tanner]

I'm not fluent in hammock-head talk, but what is it called that wrapped around your hammock? Underquilt, cocoon, what? Do you like whoopee slings? I have them on my eno, but thinking about going back to how they came.

 

[Silverthorn]

Josh,

you manage to motivate me and make me feel inadequate at the same time.
You sir are one hell of a guy, and I am proud to say that I know you, even if its just on the internet.
I dont know many people who do what you do with all their limbs intact, so to see you get out there and crush it just makes me proud to be witness to it.
Keep it up man !

Silverthorn

 

[One Legged Josh]

I'm not fluent in hammock-head talk, but what is it called that wrapped around your hammock? Underquilt, cocoon, what? Do you like whoopee slings? I have them on my eno, but thinking about going back to how they came.

That is just an old usgi poncho liner, that I modified into a cocoon/underquilt. I installed some snaps, and tie it to my ridgeline with shock cord to keep it snug.. I love ease use of the whoopie slings, very quick, and low bulk.

Josh,

you manage to motivate me and make me feel inadequate at the same time.
You sir are one hell of a guy, and I am proud to say that I know you, even if its just on the internet.
I dont know many people who do what you do with all their limbs intact, so to see you get out there and crush it just makes me proud to be witness to it.
Keep it up man !

Silverthorn

Really great of you to say buddy, Thanks!

 

[TwinStick]

Here is a funny tarp story, but true. We got married in 1985, I was unemployed, wife had a minimum wage job. Money was real tight. We spent 1 night in Niagara Falls & then drove to Alexandria Bay & stayed in a State Park for 2 nights. We got there at 930 pm & our reserved site was occupied. We had to wait until 1230 am before they got us a site. All i had was my US Army pup tent (which is 2 shelter halves snapped together) & some custom made tarps. So, i was setting up by the lights of my Subaru. Got the tent up & staked down, then put my custom tarp on top (it was a 8' x 12' that i grometted to fit exactly on top of tent stakes) & staked it down good. Then i got the last tarp which i modified to fit inside the tent-side to side & back to front with about a 6" side lip that made it look like like a box. Then i dug the trench all the way around. My new wife complaining the whole time, "do we really need to do all this ?" I said yes because you never know when a storm may come in up here. Well, about the time i put the sleeping bags in & batened down the hatches, lightning started & the wind picked up real bad. We fell asleep & woke up around 10 am. My wife said there is something in the tent with us & i think it is a snake. I layed still & could feel something moving underneath us, but it was not a snake. It was running water !!!. I looked around & we were surrounded by water, about 2-3". We were dry though. We layed there for an hour & then got up & went out in bare feet. The Subaru was in water up to the bottom of the rims. Just past the car was a low spot & was about 12" deep. People started coming up to us, looking at us funny. I thought WTF ? then someone finally said loudly, "DUDE- WHAT KIND OF TENT IS THAT ?" I said a $28 US Army pup tent with 2 $10 tarps. He was awestruck & pointed to a bright yellow thing 20' up in a tree & said, "there is my $525 North Face Expedition tent that i did not stake down properly. As I looked around, i could see many tents in trees & gear all over the place. They said i was the only tent that survived the night in the park. I laughed, looked at my wife & said "thats why you always take the time to set up properly.". I was embarrassed about my gear, but not after that. I was happy i took the time to set it up right. Tent was staked w/12" stakes & so was the tarp at every gromett.

 

[DrivebyTrucker]

The good tarps are more expensive tents.