Bit of measurements needed...

[Asa Samuel]

I've got a 58 pattern poncho and want to make a poncho tent using two of those flexible folding tent poles crossed to make a dome-ish type shape. I'm going to have to make my own poles but i don't know what length to make them, the poncho is roughly 7' 2" x 5' 0" so how could I figure out how long to make them? I could just buy a load of the sections and just see how it goes but funds are low so I want to make sure I don't buy too many.

Thanks for any advice, suggestions or even ansers

Asa.

 

[bikething]

It'll be a very small tent! - could you sketch how you intend it to look and post a picture?

and some idea of the height you want the middle to be - ignoring the hood.

 

[Asa Samuel]

Even better, I'll show you vid, just gimme a sec.

It's not really meant to be a living in tent, just a one or two night shelter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgoqAtw-55g

There we go, the reason I want that is it is an easy way to set up the tent without trees, I could set it up two-sided a-frame style but that leaves two ends open, whereas the poncho tent is closed on all sides and needs no trees.

 

[bikething]

I see... not entirely sure that will work with a '58 poncho - the one in the video looks to be a lighter gauge material
I've got a '58 poncho in the garage I use for lugging garden waste around, and a dome tent that uses those bendy poles - I'll try and cobble something together over the weekend and let you know what length poles it can take

 

[sasquatch]

Would making an A Frame out of the poncho
with telescopic tarp poles be an option or do you want to avoid that?

 

[Asa Samuel]

Thanks for the replies,

bikething: Thanks for that that would be great, It's a shame you are using it as I'm looking for another to button on to mine for use with a hammock.

Sasquatch: It is an option but the reason I want the dome tent is it is sealed all four sides, and just buying two tent poles rather than two telescopic poles and two triangle peices of tarp (to cover the ends of an V frame) qould probably be cheaper

Asa.

 

[MrPhil]

A quick bit of maths and you are roughly looking at two lots 9 foot lengths, that isn't taking into account the stretch the material has, its purely on the figures you supplied.

Aim for 10 foot and reduce as needed, if you have any spare then you can make a blow pipe for your fire too.

 

[andybysea]

Dont think there'd be much room from a 58 patt poncho if you where tall say over 6 ft once you figure in the loss of length threw creating a dome, it would be okay for a emergency shelter but for sleeping in id say it would be a tad snug.

 

[bikething]

bikething: Thanks for that that would be great, It's a shame you are using it as I'm looking for another to button on to mine for use with a hammock.

presumably you want to be able to see the stars from your hammock then? (like I said it's old )

just need to type a post up... back in a mo.

 

[bikething]

For this demonstration, I will be ably assisted by the dummest cat in the world :

The poncho laid flat with the poles through the corner grommets and tied at one end, ready to be tensioned by pushing them in from the other end. You'll need to find some way of keeping the pole ends in the eyelets. - see if you can spot the cat

To keep the poles crossed in the center I inverted the hood, gathered it together at the neck, and tied a cord securely around the bunched fabric, then tied a loose loop with the ends of the cord. - this would probably be a water ingress point, but there's not much to tie to on the underside of the poncho - maybe sew in a cord loop and seam seal the stitching?

To tension the poles (I didn't want to cut them ) I used a Klemheist knot, tied in 3mm comms cord as that seemed to grip the pole better than paracord, or a prussik.

This was the end result - obviously with the poles the correct length the shelter wouldn't be raised at one end like this, though I can see merits in doing it this way

As has been said before, It's a bit short for us 6-footers !! (but that cat takes a great photo, don't he? )

Also with the long legs,(on the shelter, not me ) the shelter could be made into a lean-to - or the same can be achieved by tying cord from the corners to a couple of suitable trees, as per the video link above (but if you've got trees, why aren't you in a hammock??!! )

And here's the poncho in it's day job - being modelled by the cat again

From the above experiment, I reckon your poles need to be about 2.8m to give you 0.5m height in the center. The poles I used were just about at the point of buckling in the photos

HTH

Steve & Herc!

 

[Asa Samuel]

Thanks, that was a great post, do you know the length of it while the poles were in?

That's pretty much how I want it, if the length is right then I think I've got my shelter

 

[bikething]

Thanks, that was a great post, do you know the length of it while the poles were in?

err, No .. but I'm 6'1" and my head was brushing against the poncho at the left in this picture :

just had a measure and I reckon edge to edge is 5'10" .. maybe 6' tops

 

[Asa Samuel]

Hmm, I think I'd fit in straight. If not I could always sleep diagonal, would give me an extra bit of space.

I think I will get some poles, thanks a lot!