Support poles help!!

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PhilParry

Nomad
Sep 30, 2005
345
3
Milton Keynes, Bucks
hi all,

I was attempting to experiment using some support poles to raise each corner of my tarp and I must admit to having some difficulty!! :eek:

Has anyone got any recommendations on how to achieve this and have a reasonable stable support? Would you use a Clovehitch around the pole and then take it to a peg or what?


All advice appreciated!

Phil
 

spamel

Banned
Feb 15, 2005
6,833
21
48
Silkstone, Blighty!
You will need to dig the sticks into the ground a little to stop the slipping. Point them off and drive it in, it should be enough doing this by hand. You will need to guy the poles to the ground, if the top of your poles can be slightly pointed to put in an eyelt at the corner of the tarp, then you can use the guys straight from your tarp.

Make sure the guy lines come out from the tarp so that you can draw a straight line through from the peg, up the guy line, through the centre of the tarp and on to the guy line diagonally opposite (I didn't know quite how to put that in words, but I hope you get the idea!)
 

gregorach

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 15, 2005
3,723
28
50
Edinburgh
I usually try and use poles with little "spurs" at the top - just put the spur into whatever loop you're using to attach the line to. I don't tend to sharpen them either - I just rely on the tension in the line to hold 'em in place. I usually find I can just stick the pole in with the line under tension and then get the pole upright. If you want to drop your tarp back down again in a hurry (eg when a storm hits) you just kick the poles out.
 

billycan

Forager
Jan 21, 2006
240
1
Sussex
Make sure your guys/lines are pulled out at 45 degrees from the corner, then put a single turn round your stick/pole and then hammer a peg about 2 foot from the bottom of the stick and put the guy round it and tie a slippery prussic. Works every time for me, keep it simple... no need for knots or pointed poles...
 

dommyracer

Native
May 26, 2006
1,312
7
46
London
gregorach said:
I usually try and use poles with little "spurs" at the top - just put the spur into whatever loop you're using to attach the line to. I don't tend to sharpen them either - I just rely on the tension in the line to hold 'em in place. I usually find I can just stick the pole in with the line under tension and then get the pole upright. If you want to drop your tarp back down again in a hurry (eg when a storm hits) you just kick the poles out.

Same here. And if I can't find a pole with a spur, I just knock a quick point in the end.

It usually gets poked up through the eyelet on the corner of the tarp
 

cronos

Tenderfoot
Nov 6, 2005
52
3
54
Norfolk
dommyracer said:
Same here. And if I can't find a pole with a spur, I just knock a quick point in the end.

It usually gets poked up through the eyelet on the corner of the tarp

Try this site: http://www.aakamilitary.com/bivi_pole.cfm

I use these poles, they are adjustable with a point at the end to go through your eyelet and a pointed base to allowthen to settle into the ground.

cronos
 

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