Fibre Glass Shock Cord Pole Mod for Poncho/Basher

[Jaeger]

Fibre glass shock corded poles can be a useful (and versatile) additional option to a shelter kit both in woodland and elsewhere. They are light, compact and reasonably strong provided that you don’t exceed the curvature that you apply (less poles = more stress on the arch and vice versa).

You can set a shelter high or low depending on your requirements simply by extending the poles to the desired length – you don’t have to use the full arch, just fold a section(s) back.

The images show an ex Austrian Army poncho/basher easily modified for use in a situation where upright supports are unavailable/unfeasible. (I used this item both operationally and leisure-wise for decades and even now on occasions). I am sure that the same principle could be applied to a canvas tarp – the fibre glass poles are available at least up to 10mm diameter. (The one shown uses 7mm).

You can either affix 3 x full length narrow sleeves (to accommodate the poles) across the width of the sheet at both ends and the centre or use a number of loops made from webbing spaced across the width at said points if you don’t fancy too much sewing (and reproofing).

If you want to take things a stage further –

A pair/three of webbing tapes cut to the width of the shelter and with a pair of eyelets emplaced at each end (one for a pole-end the other for a ground anchor peg) can help hold the poles on stony ground and add stability in soft.

A webbing tape running from end to end along the length of the basher will allow even more tension to be applied along the length of it and down to the end anchor cords.

The beauty of the system is that you can get a nice taught sheet (better than a ridge style basher set-up when snow (or cam) weighs upon it!) and if you have the pole lengths correct you only need two pegs to anchor at each end. (I feel that there is also a bit more elbow room than in the ridge style set-up).

Done appropriately the mods don’t interfere with use of the item as a poncho.

The small shelter was made to go over the end of a Corinthia hooped bivvy to provide a sheltered cooking and ruck storage area.

 

[bilmo-p5]

Excellent!

Good thinking.

 

[Jaeger]

Ta. It makes for a very lightweight, very versatile kit

 

[bilmo-p5]

Have you tried poling it diagonally instead of/as well as the ends?

 

[Jared]

Nice.

Dacpole make something called a Jake's Foot for that makes a ball joint with the pole ends and webbing. http://www.dacpole.com/html/jakes_foot_new.htm

Also been thinking of open tubular webbing as pole sleeves, just how to attach it to the tarp.

 

[Jaeger]

Aye Up bilmo-p5 & Jared

No, but I suspect that modification might have been slightly more problematic and have raised the roof so to speak and as low profile was a key requirement I just went with straight across. (Think army mossi cot - I've modified one of those to be low profile because the diagonal poles raise the height of the net considerably). The inspiration for the mods in the images came from the Argy patrol tunnel tents that I saw on a trip down south a decade before.

Jared - That Jakes foot looks good, I'll keep it in mind for the future, thanks.
Take note that sometimes a series of webbing loops makes for easier insertion/erection of the poles than a continuous sleeve (the same when you destruct).

It also means that you only have small areas to proof as opposed the full length of a sleeve. If you can, try to stitch whatever you do attach to an existing stitch line and then reproof that.

In the example shown the (full length) end sleeves are sewn to the end seems of the poncho and the centre pole supports are only webbing tape loops at the edge seems and a couple at the seem where the hood joins the body of the poncho.