Setting Up A Camping Tarp Shelter

Uncle Phil said:
Prusiks? I'm not sure what they are ...
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It's a type of loop knot that acts like a slip knot. You make a loop and fold it over the ridge line, looping it twice within itself. In this application when attached to the tarp prevent the tarp from sliding to the centre, it would help keep it taught along the ridge line.
I use these instead
3 hole tensioner loop
 
Or instead of buying anything to pull the cords tight maybe consider using a Trucker's Hitch. This is now what I use for most of my guy lines for the tarp. I can pull a cord a LOT tighter than with any other method and it is wind proof.
 
kiltman said:
It's a type of loop knot that acts like a slip knot. You make a loop and fold it over the ridge line, looping it twice within itself. In this application when attached to the tarp prevent the tarp from sliding to the centre, it would help keep it taught along the ridge line.
I use these instead
3 hole tensioner loop
Click to expand...
I've already got something pretty similar to that. Thanks.
 
How about a rope across the top of the poles and the tarp on top of the rope for a ridge line? I would suggest one set of the guy ropes in line with the top rope. The ropes from the top of the pole to the ground would pull the top rope tight.

Hopefully. :)
 
plus it's not really a mean thing to do to a tree; speaking of which, they're cutting two on my property edge tuesday with my consent; I never thought I'd see the day when I became complicit in such things; man what a drag, should have put up more of a fight, TLCFTSA fought the better fight in her argument over nesting rights / period, I must be slipping.
 
Uncle Phil said:
Already tried that - couldn't get enough slack out to do any good.
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Methinks your poles need some kind of point/pin at the end you can stick through the rivets in the tarp, then attach your tie-downs on top of that and hereby tension the tarp itself...
(reckon similar issues while dug in during army training, using your rain-poncho as foxhole cover... wise-ass me brought some bungee rope along, which improved the setup tremendously...)
 
Some folks here are pretty close to what I do for similar setups. I ran a 2 pole setup with a hammock for most of the UK's covid lockdown's and called it my office. I just had to keep checking over the tie downs after rain or if the cats were seen playing with the excess rope.

With 4 poles, the bits others have said that I do:
  • 2 longer poles, 2 shorter, allowing a little run-off.
  • tie downs as in your pictures, but also 2 longer runs of 550 paracord, setup forming an X to support most of the weight of the tarp. These get "truckers' hitches" to hold the poles, allowing fairly easy re-tightening as things sag over time. The paracord will stretch if you leave it long enough with tension.
  • tarp attached to the paracord (not to the poles) using prusik's made out of #36 bank line and pulled tight (bank line having smaller diameter than paracord helps it bite)
The secret sauce that I've not seen anyone else mention: one of the shorter 2 poles is actually even shorter. Only by an inch or so, to encourage water run off in that direction (of course, the shortest pole should be downhill of where you're camping if there's any slope at all...).

Play around with different pole heights & knots, and a garden hose. That tarp of yours looks a little thick too, which will obviously compound your problems when it gets wet. Lightweight tarps are pretty awesome.
 
I had a look at each campground we’re staying at, mostly to be able to hang the hammock. They all were Hammock friendly. So it would be safe to say you could tie off two corners to the tree line and fly your tarp with just two poles at the front and have your tent on flat ground under the flying tarp.
I understand the need for autonomy, and be able to free stand, but I don’t think you will be lacking trees to tie it off to.
 
ST1100Y said:
Methinks your poles need some kind of point/pin at the end you can stick through the rivets in the tarp, then attach your tie-downs on top of that and hereby tension the tarp itself...
(reckon similar issues while dug in during army training, using your rain-poncho as foxhole cover... wise-ass me brought some bungee rope along, which improved the setup tremendously...)
Click to expand...
They already do. :biggrin:
 
Uncle Phil said:
So you use two poles and put two tie-downs per pole (or 4 poles and two per pole)?
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Yes. But I think the idea of a bigger tarp will solve the problem. The roof of the tarp needs to be sloped enough in opposite
directions to keep the roof from sagging. Think of an A-Frame house; to get more vertical headroom, the footprint size needs to be larger.

Dave
 
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