Shelter tarps with no guy lines

[Toddy]

I know that hammocks are supposed to be the bees knees, but I'm not fond of the way that the hammock and the tarp covers turn woodlands into throat slitting spider webs of guy lines.

Please don't go ballistic on me, it's a fair comment, especially at 3 am

How many different ways can we come up with, that use a standard width of waterproof cloth, that will provide shelter without using guylines?

Waterproof cloth, from Goretex to waxed cotton to the cheapest plastic backed nylon, comes 150cms or 60" wide. Whatever length you like......

Buttons, studs, eyelets, toggles, velcro, pegs, etc., are all acceptable, but the simpler the better.

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[tomtom]

you can peg your tarp right down to the ground by its corners using sticks for structure.. but it doenst give you the same open type of shealter.

 

[Toddy]

Maybe I ought to add, " Using guylines only within the footprint of the tarp", but if it were hung high that would still allow trip-upable lines though if someone walked close

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[mark a.]

Hmmm... tricky.

I suppose you could "cheat" and use bungee cord - that way when you do walk into it it won't hurt so much.

A "proper" idea is to use a kind of part-tent. So rather than having lots of guy lines coming out from 6 points (4 corners and 2 from the ridgeline) you could slide some tent poles into the tarp to create the roof shape, then you can suspend this from a tree branch overhead so you won't trip over any wires.

Unfortunately I haven't yet figured out how to stop this suspended tarp from blowing in the wind, and it'll be heavier than a normal tarp I'd imagine. But it's a thought!

 

[anthonyyy]

Would this type of camp be more to your liking?

http://www.olive-drab.com/od_soldiers_gear_shelter_half.php

 

[innocent bystander]

With or without a hammock ?

Without, you could lay a length on the ground, weight it down, and lay under it...

With, you could greate a "woodlore mozzy net" style cover that clips under the hammock, completely encapsulating you, though i doubt it would be wide enough. For me anyway. Wouldn't be much fun cooking in the rain either.... On the plus side, there won't be any guylines at night...

 

[Snufkin]

Make a bender out of willow or hazel saplings and lash the tarp to that.

 

[Tony]

Hang it over two branches with weights on the corners to keep it tight. Or the end could be on the floor weighted down and the branches keep the rest in the air.

 

[Toddy]

Would this type of camp be more to your liking?

http://www.olive-drab.com/od_soldiers_gear_shelter_half.php

No Way!

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[Toddy]

Make a bender out of willow or hazel saplings and lash the tarp to that.

I've been playing around with this one, a bit like an upturned boat; it still lets me see out if I don't cover right down to the ground, and there are no guy lines
It does mean though that I have to cut or carry willow/hazels/saplings, or it's back to carrying a tent really

I've been wondering about origami type folds in the cloth and using the same sort of thing that Tony suggested to keep it all in place.

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[nooky]

I havent tried it but would it work if you use some sticks to keep the ends up and out and then cross the guylines underneath the tarp pulling the tarp against the sticks.
Does that make sense?
Andrew.

 

[Stew]

How about sticks in each corner and peg guy lines straight downwards to the base of each stick?

 

[Toddy]

How about sticks in each corner and peg guy lines straight downwards to the base of each stick?

I've been wondering about this too, but would I manage enough tension? I think I could do it if I crossed the guys over like X's at both ends though......much like Nooky suggested.
If I used crossed sticks and bungees running straight down, would that spread out the tension and keep the tarp from taking off like a kite? Like this |X| sort of set up?

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[simonsays]

I know that hammocks are supposed to be the bees knees, but I'm not fond of the way that the hammock and the tarp covers turn woodlands into throat slitting spider webs of guy lines.

Please don't go ballistic on me, it's a fair comment, especially at 3 am


Probably no worse than trying to negotiate -any- busy campsite in the dark and after a few beers
Some family tents seem to be supplied with special 'Super Low Visibility' guy lines.....

Cheers,
Simon

 

[Stew]

I've been wondering about this too, but would I manage enough tension? I think I could do it if I crossed the guys over like X's at both ends though......much like Nooky suggested.
If I used crossed sticks and bungees running straight down, would that spread out the tension and keep the tarp from taking off like a kite? Like this |X| sort of set up?

Cheers,
Toddy

Don't know really . I guess I was thinking of how a gazebo tarp is tensioned but had forgotten that they have cross beams as well.

 

[Toddy]

Probably no worse than trying to negotiate -any- busy campsite in the dark and after a few beers
Some family tents seem to be supplied with special 'Super Low Visibility' guy lines.....

Cheers,
Simon

Like bushcrafty camouflage you mean
I agree tent lines are a pain too, but generally they're not strung up between trees

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[Nemisis]

As I see it any or most alternatives to the guylines will have a far greater impact on the woodland with cut branches poles etc to provide the basic support.
Dave.

 

[Laurence Dell]

I havent tried it but would it work if you use some sticks to keep the ends up and out and then cross the guylines underneath the tarp pulling the tarp against the sticks.
Does that make sense?
Andrew.

Good luck putting that up on on your own on a windy day

When I set my tarp up I usually mark the guy lines with something to make them visible like upturned bracken fronds or similar. The other thing is where possible I attach the guys to trees if there are any in the right places, I find in chestnut coppice it is quite often possible to do this with three out of 4 guy ropes.

You could carry small bits of hazard tape to tie onto/wrap round the guylines but it would look a bit untidy and out of keeping with the surroundings. But hey thats the price you pay for safety, next thing is we will be having to do risk assesments for the camps at bushmoots

 

[Pablo]

This is the best I can do. Oh...there is a guyline from the basha pole (but that's because it was really windy at the weekend) The ridgeline rope was loose as I was experimenting.

Pablo

 

[Toddy]

As I see it any or most alternatives to the guylines will have a far greater impact on the woodland with cut branches poles etc to provide the basic support.
Dave.

Another issue I was trying to minimise, though to be honest trees grow like weeds most places I go.
I wonder about tying one end of the tarp closely to a tree, could that then be used like a high line that would carry the tarp through loops along the ridge like a hootchi (so water wouldn't run under the tarp and since the line would run the length of the tarp there wouldn't be any spider's web effect) but how to fasten it under tension at the other end?
Not to another tree unless exceptionally lucky with spacing, and that can't be guaranteed. :Thinkingo
Maybe to one short stout pole and run lines under, or through a channel sewn in the edge of, the tarp A shaped end down from that ridge line to the ground? It would mean though that the end corners would have to peg into the ground, which would limit all round view.

Cheers,
Toddy