Ray Mears - tarp criticism

[Greg]

Bungees are all I use for tension on my tarps and I have never had a problem. Personally I have never seen the need for a ridge line but I must try it one of these days!
And I use a stuff sack for the tarp when breaking camp.

 

[nickg]

One of the things that convinced me to pay a bit more & get an aussie hoochie was watching the hard usages of the ones on the woodlode course. They are used dozens of times a year (and by inexperienced people as often as not). The clincher for me was the number of times that I and everybody else trod on, kicked & tripped up over the guy lines. None of them showed even the slightest propensity to stretch, give, tear etc. What I'm getting to is that they are pretty tough, resilient bits of kit (squaddie proof) so I dont think the creasing issue is worth worrying about. The issue of pitching and packing the same way regardless if the conditions is IMHO far more important & significant.
If it lasts me for a good few years of constant use then I wont really bitch if it wears out & need replacing. After all even if it begins to leak a little it can always be relegated to other less crucial uses ie groundsheet, kit shelter, wood ant harvester etc
I say just dont worry about it.

Cheers
Nick

 

[Templar]

Hi all...

The hootchie is a great bit of kit, and yes they are pretty soldier proof too, I have my original one I was issued about 11 years ago and it has been through a lot of punishment too but it is still going strong, when we used them they wer always folded & rolled to fit into a side pocket of the pack, I have never seen one develope any wear from this...

Karl....

 

[nicodiemus]

Tianjin hen piaoliang.

I want to get myself a basha / hootchie, but i'll be damned if i'm spending 60 quid on it from RM. Is there anywhere that sells them for a reasonable price?

 

[moduser]

Spamel asked - I seem to recall the folding causes weaknes idea, but not sure where it originates from and if that person had first hand experience of that hapening or if it is just supposition.

I seem to recall that it was Gortex garments that shouldn't be folded the same way each time as it can cause the Gortex to breakdown along the fold lines.

Not experienced that myself as I always stuff my Gortex waterproofs in a staff sack.

My tarp is folded and the lines wrapped around so in theory it is quick to put up with ridge and guy lines already attached.

David

 

[spamel]

spamel: Well, yeah - but what I meant was that it's quicker and easier if you know that it's folded up in a consistent manner, rather than stuffed in a stuff sack. I think you may have missed that the original question was about whether to fold it up the same way every time, not whether to put it over or under the ridgeline. That was a digression...

Got ya! The way I read it was continuing on from throwing a tarp over a ridge line. I agree with the folded option, hanked guys and then wrapped in the ridgeline. The longest bit of putting my tarp up is probably sourcing a few sticks to point and drive into the ground as pegs! Having it folded in that manner means I can stick the ridge up and then just pull the tarp along the ridge until it is taut, this is achieved by the use of prusiks.

 

[SimonM]

Tianjin hen piaoliang.

I want to get myself a basha / hootchie, but i'll be damned if i'm spending 60 quid on it from RM. Is there anywhere that sells them for a reasonable price?

£49.99 but you would need to arrange P & P!

http://www.gr-rdtaylor.co.uk/products/products.php?id=4

Alternatively, I drive past these on my way to school - I could pick one up and post it to you if you like!

Simon

 

[Shambling Shaman]

I got a tarp from the Woodlore site some years back (og) but it had press studs on it which i did not like, handy if two have identical tarps to join together, just dont like the idea of metal on tarps.

 

[gregorach]

The longest bit of putting my tarp up is probably sourcing a few sticks to point and drive into the ground as pegs!

I cheat - I carry half a dozen alu tent pegs with mine.

Having it folded in that manner means I can stick the ridge up and then just pull the tarp along the ridge until it is taut, this is achieved by the use of prusiks.

Yep, exactly what I do. Very effective and straightforward, and it means you can get under shelter in a matter of minutes.

 

[nicodiemus]

Kind of you to offer, Simon. Not wanting to spend any money right now, but i will keep you in mind!

 

[Shambling Shaman]

I cheat - I carry half a dozen alu tent pegs with mine.



Yep, exactly what I do. Very effective and straightforward, and it means you can get under shelter in a matter of minutes.

prusiks that the way. Also got a good tip from here last year, tie your guy line knots at the tarp end so you can reach them from under the tarp.

 

[gregorach]

Hehe - I cheat there too. It's not like proper guy tensioners weigh much, and I find them much better to use than messing around with tautline hitches. But yeah, keep the adjustment on the tarp end whichever way you're doing it.

 

[SimonM]

Kind of you to offer, Simon. Not wanting to spend any money right now, but i will keep you in mind!

Any time, no dramas!

Simon

 

[Mike Ameling]

That 9x12 tarp made from a painter's dropclothe is pretty versatile. The number of ways to set it up as shelter is amazing - limited only by your imagination.

Most of the time I set it up as a "diamond" shelter, or "plow point" shelter. I tuck 3 feet under so I have a 9x9 square. I then tie one corner to a tree, stake the opposite corner to the ground, and then pull each of the other two corners tight from that back staked corner and stake them to the ground. I then prop a 3 foot stick up in the center to push the tarp up for some headroom. I then spread out that extra part as a little extra groundclothe, roll out my bedroll, and start my campfire just out to the front side a bit. There's plenty of room for one, and can also be used by two if you stretch out right.

We also use it with a canoe to make a lean-to shelter. Prop the canoe upside down and tilted back a bit. Stake or tie one end of the tarp behind the canoe - stretched tight between the two corners on the narrow end. Now tie the other two corners to two of your canoe paddles, and use a bit of rope to stretch them out and down in front of the canoe. There's your lean-to shelter. Extra gear can be stored under the canoe, or you can stretch out and sleep under it if the canoe is large enough. If your paddles are long enough, then the canvas will slope enough to drain any rainwater over the back of the canoe. You can use a couple long poles if your paddles are too short, or you want more "headroom" out front. This was the traditional shelter used by the voyageurs traveling the rivers and lakes back in the 1700's and 1800's, and is still used to this day by many modern canoe campers.

I've also set my tarp up as an A frame type wedge tent - with both ends open (or closed up with another tarp/blanket. Or as that simple lean-to. And I've also just rolled up in it beside the fire. It's just so ... versatile. And, for my historical camping/trekking, it can be documented as being used in those early time periods. Yeah, it is heavier than modern nylon tarps, but that's the price I pay for camping/trekking in that historical manner.

Oops, forgot to comment on that waterproofing. Traditional canvas can and often does "leak" or drip water if you touch it when it is raining/wet. So you do need to keep your bedroll away from touching the sides when it is raining - or it can "wick" water through and into your blankets/clothing. Just one of the known hazards of using canvas when camping.

I hope these humble thoughts help.

Mikey - yee ol' grumpy blacksmith out in the Hinterlands

 

[spamel]

I like the three corners pinned to the ground and the last corner way up method, but it is really only useable like that in summer with a small fire to keep the midges away. It's not a stretch out type shelter, but it is nice for sitting down and chilling by the fire.

 

[Mike Ameling]

It's all a matter of what you want out of a shelter.

I use the Diamond tent in all weather. Yes, it is open on the front, but you do have two edges pinned to the ground to cut the wind. You do need that prop stick in the middle to give you some headroom, and some room way back in the point so that your feet and gear don't touch the canvas.

I sleep in it two different ways. One way is to have the foot of my bedroll sticking down towards that staked down point, with my head up near the front. The other way I usually use is to stash my gear back in the point, and sleep cross-wise just back from the point where the two sides are staked down. That prop stick is usually right next to me. This allows me to tend a fire just out front and to the side, but also to crawl out of my bedroll and still be under cover if it is raining.

But I usually carry in a big enough bedroll to not NEED a fire to get me through the night. If it's that cold, I tend to set my long tarp up as a lean-to, with a reflector fire in front and the sides closed off with other tarps or brush debris.

It's a good, simple, quick way to set up a square tarp for a shelter. Unfortunately, we can't find any documentation of that specific style of using a tarp back in the early 1800's and before. Many people have searched for paintings or descriptions of that specific configuration, but with out any sucess so far. It's "accepted" as a historical tent at many of the Living History events, and by many of the Longhunter groups, but just not historically documented - yet.

One note: they work great in rain storms - as long as the storm is coming from behind you. If it's coming from the front, you tend to get drenched.

Mikey - yee ol' grumpy blacksmith out in the Hinterlands

 

[Thoth]

I'm having problems rigging my tarp as taught as I think it should be without the ridge sagging and the head room getting too low. I'm using 4mm static climbing accessory cord for the ridge and 550 paracord for guying out. I'm putting as much tension on the ridge as I can (Evenk hitch one end, taught-tarp hitch at the other). Maybe I'm just being unrealistic and putting too much 'pull' on the guys and should settle for more slack in the tarp. Isn't there a school of thought that suggests that some slack is good since there is less chance of the tarp ripping in a stiff wind? Advice appreciated please. I notice some folks use bungees - am I missing a trick?

Cheers. Steve.

 

[Shewie]

Without stating the obvious have you got prusic knots attached to the loops on your tarp ridgeline ?

 

[phill_ue]

Bungees are quick and continue to apply tension, and they'll let the tarp give in the wind. They're cheap and so they can be replaced easily if required. I prefer cord guy lines as I then have cordage for other tasks if required. Tie a prussik on either end of your tarp at te ridge line points and you'll be able to get the tarp nice and tight.

 

[Hoodoo]

I always stuff mine.