Searching for a tarp
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You could contact Neil at TW and see if he has a smaller one which isn't listed. Or he could do a custom job for a bit of an extra cost.
I don't know. It doesn't explain how it attaches at the tent end, and it's back to 5 pegging points, so no real,advantage over my exiting DD or Tatonka. But it looks an interesting idea, if it has some sort of universal tent fixing end.
It's amazing how much easier it is to do these things when it isn't raining and blowing a gale. It seems, it is possible to tension along the diagonal, but then it leaves extra floppy material across the opposite diagonal. Hence the fancy shape required. From reading around, this becomes an increasing problem as the tarp gets bigger.
However, I made a secondary discovery today. The 3x3 tarp set at 1 .8m, the height of the shrangrila 5, gives hardly any shade. Indeed an hour ago, it was giving no shade at all to the area available to sit under.
This is far less than when the tarp is set up as a rectangle, and although the main use is to stop rain getting in the door, this is still something to consider. Less of a problem with a lower tent of course.
However, I made a secondary discovery today. The 3x3 tarp set at 1 .8m, the height of the shrangrila 5, gives hardly any shade. Indeed an hour ago, it was giving no shade at all to the area available to sit under.
This is far less than when the tarp is set up as a rectangle, and although the main use is to stop rain getting in the door, this is still something to consider. Less of a problem with a lower tent of course.
I've never pitched one on a diagonal but from looking at then I suspect the way to make one would be to scallop the sides.
Yes, the tarps designed to pitch this way, do indeed have scalloped sides. E.g http://www.greenmanbushcraft.co.uk/shelter-sleep/tatonka-tarp-basha-3.htm
Thanks, a great porch and I have stood under one a couple of times, but it's really too big and heavy (and expensive) for what I currently want.
Having said that, you may gather form my later posts that after playing a bit more with the tarp/tent arrangements, I'm not sure what I want any more.
Graham
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The weight of a tarp (or anything else) depends on what it's made of. The porch tarp I linked weighs 6.5kg because it's done in something like 15oz cotton. In say, 4oz PU Polyester, it would be substantially lighter and likely cheaper too.
If you're mainly interested in keeping the rain off so you can have the door open in wet weather (ever a problem with the sloping tipi/lavvu doors) a rectangular or square tarp, rigged A-frame fashion is probably your best bet. Bear in mind you are not restricted to setting your porrch/tarp to the peak of your tent. I use a square tarp with my Vango Peace 500 and have a couple of D-rings sewn to each other in- and out-side the canopy directly over the top of the door zip. I have a lashing from the inner ring to the pole and the tarp ridge line to the outer ring, so the ridge line is effectively secured to the pole. You may need to beef-up you pole as it gets some extra strain in windy weather.
If you're mainly interested in keeping the rain off so you can have the door open in wet weather (ever a problem with the sloping tipi/lavvu doors) a rectangular or square tarp, rigged A-frame fashion is probably your best bet. Bear in mind you are not restricted to setting your porrch/tarp to the peak of your tent. I use a square tarp with my Vango Peace 500 and have a couple of D-rings sewn to each other in- and out-side the canopy directly over the top of the door zip. I have a lashing from the inner ring to the pole and the tarp ridge line to the outer ring, so the ridge line is effectively secured to the pole. You may need to beef-up you pole as it gets some extra strain in windy weather.
Sorry, I misunderstood. I now realise you were suggesting this as design, rather than a possible solution. I think the Green outdoors stuff is a cotton/hemp mix, hence its weight. It's similar to the MacCat tarp design that I linked to earlier.
I currently set up a square tarp to the peak as in your picture, but I actually find it difficult without lots of guylines and extra poles to get the tension right, and I was looking for something simpler to put up. The scalloped diamond design looked as if it would work better, but as I discovered , while this would work for the rain, it isn't very good as a sun shade.
I have thought about adding a few more D-rings to the Golite, but reluctant to mess with it, as I am not 100% convinced I will keep it. But I will give that some more thought, now that you have raised it. I'm also returning to the square tarp as still probably being the best compromise,. The hex-type shape like the Green Outdoors and the MacCat may still be a better all round solution, but I'm still not convinced.
I am now also thinking about a small tarp just as a rain shield for the doorway (with two poles), which would also stand up to the wind better, and then an extension to that tarp (attached to the two poles) as a sun shield/cooking area.
Graham
thanks, yes it looks an option, but I have had a sort of a possible rethink after some further experimentation, so less convinced about what I should be doing.
Graham
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