Rigging a Cheap Tarp?

[The_Taffinch]

Hi All,

Has anyone any tips of rigging a general purpose tarp of the woven pvc type, i.e one without ridge-line loops and just eyelets? I have bought one to use as work area and secondary cover for my tent. There's loads of info on rigging a proper camp/expedition tarp but I couldn't find much on stringing a cheapo sheet up.

My first thought was to run the ridge line through the centre eyelets, but under the tarp so that I could hang stuff from it if need be, but I am wondering if the wind gets underneath the tarp it could slap up and down against the ridgeline. I've got some sprung mini clamps that might sort this, but was wondering how others hang there eyelet-only tarps?

Kind regards,
Matt.

 

[Joonsy]

the main trouble with those tarps is that the eyelets can rip out

 

[Shewie]

I'd make some loops from thin bungee cord and tie them onto your eyelets, then attach guy lines to those. You'll get a bit of give then so the eyelets should last a bit longer

Poly tarps are noisy whatever you do with them, but they're cheap and they keep you dry

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

they work just fine. Crabs through the eyes or a bit of bungee or both

 

[Joonsy]

I'd make some loops from thin bungee cord and tie them onto your eyelets, then attach guy lines to those. You'll get a bit of give then so the eyelets should last a bit longer

Poly tarps are noisy whatever you do with them, but they're cheap and they keep you dry

good advice

 

[The_Taffinch]

Thanks Shewie and Paul. I've got some bungee so will use that.

 

[Teepee]

If you get the ridgeline tight enough with a strong and non-stretchy rope, you don't need to worry about anything else but the tie-outs. A truckers hitch, finished of with a timber hitch to the tree will tension it adequately. Just throw the poly tarp aver the ridgeline and tie down with the tie-outs. If it's tight enough, It won't sag to the middle. I too would go with bungees for the tie outs, but at a push, you can use a pebble/marble/ round piece of wood etc as an insert into the corners and tie a tie out round the pebble. This will be much stronger than the grommets.

(Your right Paul, I really do look like a weird Ewok in that hat)

 

[The_Taffinch]

Many thanks. I'll try that.

Nice fire by the way. Is it the tailend of a Rakovalkea or did you use the two logs to create a long sort-of fire pit on the ground?

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

Many thanks. I'll try that.

Nice fire by the way. Is it the tailend of a Rakovalkea or did you use the two logs to create a long sort-of fire pit on the ground?

Was a product of some lazy wood processing

recipe - take one pine, chop into 5 ft sections - burn the village

 

[The_Taffinch]

...and there was me thinking it was some ancient woodlore firelay designed to maximise warmth and burn time in sub-zero conditions, whereas is was good old-fashioned randomness.

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

...and there was me thinking it was some ancient woodlore firelay designed to maximise warmth and burn time in sub-zero conditions, whereas is was good old-fashioned randomness.

Ah well it may have been but i was on fire technician duty that day rather than fire control lol.

Seriously it was a conscious choice to have a long fire. Its not really a pit beyond the fact that the snow obviously sinks away. Great for cooking and a nice even heat along the length.

 

[mountainm]

Long fires have become my favourite too. Easier to cook on, sit around and keep going.

Anyhow, back on topic....

 

[Wayland]

This was the set up I used in Jokkmokk last year.

 

[sandbender]

My advice would be to not use the eyelets, instead tie small stones or pine cones into the cloth with the guy lines.

 

[rancid badger]

The "pebble in the corner" is by far the strongest practical method of rigging these tarps.

There are of course these things:
http://www.easyklip.com/

I've used these for securing polyprop tarps over boats on trailers ( to protect kit inside boat) and then driven 200 miles, in windy condition's, at motorway speeds and had no trouble at all. They do tend to eat away at the tarp material, eventually tearing holes, but they're much stronger than the grommets or eyelets.

I'd still use the pebble method for camping shelters though

 

[The_Taffinch]

Ah, so basically you 'wrap' a pebble or small stone in the tarp to form a ball around which you can tie the guy line? Good idea.

I've also looked on Amazon and seem cheaper versions of the EasyKlip which I might look at. But to be honest, because it's not my primary shelter and because it's pretty cheap, I won't be too gutted if the eyelets rip out - I can always use it as ground sheet or other cover if it busts - though I guess it will be pain if it happens at 4am in the morning and the wretched things starts flapping about all over the place.

 

[bilmo-p5]

These work well on polytarps.