Put up my first tarp ever!

[Wook]

I went for a picnic in the woods with my kids to try out my new tarp and some gear I am planning on using for hiking this summer. Today was the first time I tried mounting often used and important items to my shoulder straps so I can get them without taking the pack off. I think I will be doing this again in the future. The red pouch on my right is a first aid kit.

I've never put up a tarp before, although I have spent the last few days learning a few useful knots in anticipation of my first tarp pitching. Using the right knots, I didn't find erecting the tarp hugely difficult. The only thing I found problematic was stopping the tarp from bunching up on the ridgeline. Perhaps next time I will run the ridgeline through the eyes on the tarp, rather than hang the tarp over the ridgeline. The 4 corners were pegged out with guy lines and tent pegs. The ridgeline was 550 paracord with a Siberian Hitch at one end and a Truckers Hitch at the other. I used a US military poncho as a groundsheet to sit upon.

One problem I did not anticipate was flies! Once the tarp was up, the shady space underneath seemed to attract them. The forestry commission's prohibition on fires was a problem there. If I'd been allowed to light one, we'd have been perfectly comfortable. As it was the kids were unhappy about being eaten alive, so we didn't stay long. Next time I will bring one of my hobo stoves to try and keep them at bay.

A passing dog walker seemed to think my impromptu camp odd. She stopped and, peered over the bush I was behind and said "Watch out for ticks in there....". I couldn't tell if she was trying to be funny, obnoxious or if she was genuinely scared by the thought of going 6 foot off the track.

The quick release knots aided in taking the camp down even quicker than it went up. Corralling the tarp back into its pouch was a little challenging - it acts like a sail and is hard to fold in the wind.

Once I had dismantled the camp, you'd never know we were there.....

PS - The photos make it look like I had pitched the tarp right under some hung-up widow makers. In reality they were quite some distance away.

 

[crosslandkelly]

Thats the beauty of tarps. A Prussik knot at the ends of the tarp on the ridge line will keep the tension and stop the tarp bunching. Nice job.

 

[shaggystu]

.....The only thing I found problematic was stopping the tarp from bunching up on the ridgeline. Perhaps next time I will run the ridgeline through the eyes on the tarp, rather than hang the tarp over the ridgeline........

hanging a tarp under a ridgeline rather than over it does tend to work a little better, it still tends to slip and bunch up though (synthetic ones do anyway) so maybe a few extra lengths of cord to tie off to the ridge line to help pull the whole thing taught would be a good idea.

.......A passing dog walker seemed to think my impromptu camp odd. She stopped and, peered over the bush I was behind and said "Watch out for ticks in there....". I couldn't tell if she was trying to be funny, obnoxious or if she was genuinely scared by the thought of going 6 foot off the track......

non of the above would be my suggestion, i think she was probably just trying to warn you about ticks? did you check your kids for ticks when you got home? from what i understand there are certain areas in scotland that are absolutely rife with the things, and from what i can see of your photo's you were in the perfect habitat for ticks.

a little more information about ticks

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tick

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/ticks/article_em.htm

HTH

stuart

 

[Wook]

You're probably right shaggystu, I just thought it a strange comment to make in passing. It wasn't part of a conversation - that was all she said.

All of us were in long trousers, so I wasn't too concerned about ticks. We checked the kids anyway.

 

[Andy T]

Next time you could try hanging it the other way, with the ridge loops along the ridgeline rather than across it and with a small karabiner, or a small piece of paracord, and a prussik knot at each end pull it taut, that should stop it bunching up.

 

[Chiseller]

For the flies....try a piece of smouldering birch polypore hung at one end ?
Great to see families aht n abaht in t'woods . Good elth :thumbup:

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

 

[andyc54]

yep prussik knots are the way to go on the ridge line,as gor the tick warning from the lady shes probably had experience with ticks and herself or dog so i would say a friendly warning.
looks like a great family day out though

 

[Wook]

I decided to have another bash, so I went for a walk in a different woods nearer my home.

This time I used the eyes on top of the tarp to suspend it, and attached second lines to the end eyes with carabiners to allow me to tension the whole thing. It worked really quite well. I couldn't figure out how to use a prusik knot to do this - surely it would just slide back along if there was no tension on it? In any case, the method I used today seemed to work well.

Siberian and Truckers Hitches holding up my tarp

I was maybe 50 yards from the track and could see it plainly. I was under a green tarp and wearing earth colours, sitting very still. Several dog walkers came along the track. I saw them, but they didn't see me I felt like a wood-elve. The interesting bit was when one of the dogs was directly downwind of me it stopped and looked right at me. It must have scented me.

The ground was quite rough so I was wishing I had brought my self inflating mat. Comfy enough for sitting on though, but not for lying down. If I had my mat, there was absolutely no reason I could not have stayed the night. As it was I had an excellent hour in the woods sitting very still and just watching and listening.

When I got up to take the tarp down, several birds flapped off in alarm from very close by. They hadn't noticed me till I moved.

On the way back to the main track I came across a foot print. Deer sign perhaps? Something cloven hoofed had passed this way. The photo didn't quite turn out, so I have highlighted the track.

So that's two visits to the woods in one day. I may be developing a problem

 

[shaggystu]

......I couldn't figure out how to use a prusik knot to do this - surely it would just slide back along if there was no tension on it?.....

it would, but seeing as how you're using it to apply tension to something then there'll be tension on it, so it won't slide

nothing at all wrong with the method you've used though, i've done it the same way myself and it works well enough

 

[Wook]

I think my bemusement and irritation at the dog walkers "tick" comment was more to do with me being highly strung than anything she was doing. Feeling pretty mellow now though

I obviously just hadn't spent enough time in the woods yet

 

[ReamviThantos]

Hi Wook nice work for your first attempt. Surprised no one pointed out the grave faux pas re hanging kit off your ruck sack apparently. there's whole thread advising on the can and cannots of this practice. You should be okay with the FAK though lol.

 

[Wook]

Really? My pack has mounting eyes right there - I assumed that is what they were for. The FAK has a carabiner attaching it to the shoulder strap mounting eye, and I also threaded the chest strap through the FAKs belt loop so it is attached at 2 points. It seems to stay put.

 

[shaggystu]

......Surprised no one pointed out the grave faux pas re hanging kit off your ruck sack apparently. there's whole thread advising on the can and cannots of this practice. You should be okay with the FAK though lol.

i know, it's amazing isn't it? maybe the knobber police are having a rest day

 

[Mesquite]

Looks like you had a great time...

This time I used the eyes on top of the tarp to suspend it, and attached second lines to the end eyes with carabiners to allow me to tension the whole thing. It worked really quite well. I couldn't figure out how to use a prusik knot to do this - surely it would just slide back along if there was no tension on it? In any case, the method I used today seemed to work well.

Have a look at this video from animated knots for a prusik knot.

If you put a small carabiner on the loop to connect to the tarp you can then pull it tight and get all the tension you need on your tarp without it slipping

 

[Wook]

What I'm unclear on is how the prussik is being deployed here. When I think of prussik knots, I think of stranded climbers shimmying up ropes with their feet in the loops.

I'm assuming it goes on the inside of the last ridge eye to push it outwards, but then what do you do with the rest of the loop? With no tension from the loop the prussik will not offer any resistance.

Or do you mean the loop goes through a carabiner on the eye and the prussik goes between the tarp and the tree to pull the tarp out the way? I can see how that might work..... hmmm.

Still, I'd need to tie a semi-permanent knot to create a loop of cord. With the way I'm doing it now, everything is quick release.

 

[shaggystu]

....Or do you mean the loop goes through a carabiner on the eye and the prussik goes between the tarp and the tree to pull the tarp out the way? I'm can see how that might work..... hmmm....

yes, exactly that

 

[Mesquite]

Or do you mean the loop goes through a carabiner on the eye and the prussik goes between the tarp and the tree to pull the tarp out the way? I'm can see how that might work..... hmmm.

That's how you do it... the knot is on the ridgeline between tarp and anchor point. You connect by crabs then pull it tight.

When you want to take it down you leave them on the ridgeline and just shove them to the middle with the tarp and fold it all up

 

[capt.dunc]

"One problem I did not anticipate was flies!"

pitching your tarp as a steep roof creates a nice still area, you could align to allow the prevailing wind through, or make a high shallow roof, or raise a corner on the windward side, it's a balance between shelter from the wind/ rain/ flies, midges etc. a bit deciding how much smoke you're prepared to sit in to keep the blighters at bay.
ps i use 2 short lengths of paracord to keep the tarp tight on the ridge line, sheet bend onto the edge loop of the tarp and magnus hitch onto the ridge line.

 

[Wook]

I'm wondering if my Biolite will keep the flies away when it arrives. It may not be smoky enough.

Perhaps I should add a bottle of insect repellent to my day sack. Up till now, unless I'm on holiday in midge country I do not usually bother.