Simple shelter

[Viking]

That is great. Nice and simple...

The greatest part is that with only one open side, you stay clear from wind and rain being pushed in... Great shelter.

Three thoughts, though...

1) the fire place is a bit close to the tarp, no ? --

2) With such setups, you better sleep out of any hole in the ground. Find higher ground, otherwise you soon end up swimming around...

3) On very windy/stormy nights, you better put a few large rocks or logs on the grounded ends of your tarp. When the wind comes from the back it's usually not a problem, but when it comes the other way (wind sometimes turns around and changes direction, especially during heavy storms), the tarp entrance offers a huge surface to catch wind... The best thing still is to loosely tie at least 3-4 grommets to surrounding vegetation (using cord or whatever). I say loosely, because it allows the air to escape if it lifts the tarp, thus diminishing the traction force... The tarp will move around a bit, but it will stay there and you won't need to run around in pitch dark, high winds and rain to put it back into place... Just my two pennies

4) (I know I said 3, but nevermind ) -- For true storms, a good system is to simply wrap a round rock in the middle of the tarp, and tie it from the other side with cord. That creates a grommetless (and hole-free) anchor point that allows you to hang the whole thing with all sides closed. Then you crawl into your "pyramid" and you stay dry even in the worst of thunderstorms. Just make sure you don't hang your shelter from the highest tree in the sector... !

Cheers,

David

Good observation, I know the fire is very close to the tarp but I tightened it all up before I took the photo and then that is why the fire is so close to the tarp.

Storms and rain, you always got to plan your campsite it does not matter if you are going to sleep in a tent, tarp or without shelter.

The things with a tarp like this is that you can make so many diffrent shelters. I have even used a small tarp as grounf mat during winter time just to keep myself and my gear away from snow (wich always gets wet sooner or later).

Nice to see more pics, gives me evn more ideas for my next trip.

 

[Moine]

Arctic Hobo,

Thanks for clearing up my mess -- This is exactly what I had in mind.

Hoodoo,

Great campsites... I really like the "stretcher bed"... great idea. Good way to stay off the wet, cold ground ! I'll have to try that one some time.

How do you attach the tarp/cloth/blanket to the horizontal poles ? Just roll them and secure the poles so they don't unroll ?

The reflector shown there is really neat. Simple and effective canted design. I make mine waist high, when I have time, but a small one like that already makes a hell of a difference, especially with a reflective roof !!!

Great work.

Cheers,

David

 

[Goose]

What you do is get a little stone, and bunch the tarp around it. This makes a kind of button in the tarp, and you tie the string around the bottom. Hold on, I'll put some pictures up.

I use a hangmmans knot for tying to the edge of a tarp, it works well with light poly as well as proper tarps. I find as well as being easy to tie and effective it is easy to undo as well.

 

[Hoodoo]

How do you attach the tarp/cloth/blanket to the horizontal poles ? Just roll them and secure the poles so they don't unroll ?

Moine, I made that from a cot mattress canvas cover. I opened the end so it would be open on both ends, then sewed along the length of it on both sides so there would be tunnels on each side you can slip poles in. It also makes a good ground cloth.

I originally bought the mattress cover at Exploration Products but I was just over there and noticed they no longer carry them. I bought mine quite a few years ago so I reckon their product line has changed quite a bit since then.

 

[Moonraker]

What you do is get a little stone, and bunch the tarp around it. This makes a kind of button in the tarp, and you tie the string around the bottom. Hold on, I'll put some pictures up.

OK, thanks for that Chris. Mucho apprectiato I get the idea of the knot and how it fixes just not sure how David meant it was used to create a pyramidal tarp...

Something like this? knot tied around 'rock' then suspended from a tree etc. Then the tarp tensioned out to each corner and pegged down to form the pyramid (if the tarp is square) with a tipi type flap to enter.....

excuse the 'quality' graphics

Or use a hangman knot as Goose suggests.

 

[Moonraker]

Moine, I made that from a cot mattress canvas cover. I opened the end so it would be open on both ends, then sewed along the length of it on both sides so there would be tunnels on each side you can slip poles in. It also makes a good ground cloth.

I originally bought the mattress cover at Exploration Products but I was just over there and noticed they no longer carry them. I bought mine quite a few years ago so I reckon their product line has changed quite a bit since then.

Very nice idea Hoodoo.
One question. Do you think it would work as well if you used a piece of rectangular canvas simply sewn together on the sides, then two long pieces of wood inserted as shown on your photo. In this way you re not restricted by the internal diameter of the sewn holes on the sides and it could also be used to sleep inside or slip a sleep mat inside to thermal qualitiy/ comfort?

I guess like with your method it depends on getting a decent tension (using the horizontal wooden poles) to stretch the canvas out and support the weight of the boy properly.

I guess also, that more versatile still would be to have a simple rectangle of canvas with hooks on one side and reinforced holes on the other, in that way the canvas can be joined together and tensioned in a similar way but unhooked and used as a ground sheet or joined and used as a typical bedroll.

 

[Moonraker]

One thing I remember from using the cheaper poly tarps as suggested is that it is better to thread some cord or rope around the entire edge of the tarp, through the reinforced eyelet holes first then attach or peg that. This stops too much pressure being exerted on these eyelets which are a weak point and tend to rip out especially in strong winds (the threaded cord acts as a shock absorber)

 

[steven andrews]

What you do is get a little stone, and bunch the tarp around it. This makes a kind of button in the tarp, and you tie the string around the bottom. Hold on, I'll put some pictures up.

My Hilleberg Tarp has no central loop, so I carry a plastic ball from a children's ball pit and and soft bit of cloth so that I can use them for the "button method" if I need to. (I worry about abrasion damaging the tarp)

 

[arctic hobo]

I'm at my parents' house, so I thought I'd try the idea in the garden. Since there aren't any handy trees, I suspended it from a rope I rigged up.
View from the back, showing the low (could be lower) profile and also how I rigged it: http://img197.echo.cx/img197/8849/20050530tarp00026tq.jpg
This is the stone knot on the top: http://img197.echo.cx/img197/7776/20050530tarp00064rr.jpg
View from above using a fisheye lens, this shows how the tarp is not sqaure. It has to be slightly triangular in order that the sides and the ridges are taut. The taller you rig it, the more triangular it becomes.
http://img197.echo.cx/img197/729/20050530tarp00033pq.jpg
This is from the front, it shows you the entrance to the tarp. It could be tied up like a porch (I'm holding it in this shot). http://img197.echo.cx/img197/6745/20050530tarp00046xi.jpg

Now the part I'm not sure about. In a storm, to keep it all shut, you'd need a teepee fold. Trouble is keeping it shut. I can put a stone on it, as here http://img197.echo.cx/img197/574/20050530tarp200010sf.jpg but how do you do that if you're inside? I can't peg it as there are no loops, and that would be just as hard as putting a stone on it. I guess you could sew some kind of zip arrangement that would hold it...? Any ideas?

 

[Goose]

Have you tried a bulldog clip, like a strong clothes peg but wider for holding papers together? That might work without damaging or adapting anything.

 

[bothyman]

Has anyone tried these

>> http://shelter-systems.com/gripclips/index.html

I asked about them, but they do not have a UK Distributor.

 

[Viking]

Now the part I'm not sure about. In a storm, to keep it all shut, you'd need a teepee fold. Trouble is keeping it shut. I can put a stone on it, as here http://img197.echo.cx/img197/574/20050530tarp200010sf.jpg but how do you do that if you're inside? I can't peg it as there are no loops, and that would be just as hard as putting a stone on it. I guess you could sew some kind of zip arrangement that would hold it...? Any ideas?

A stone and some rope maybe and you got yourself a loop

 

[martin]

This is the rig up I used when I took my stepson on his first over night canoe trip about a month ago. The top tarp overlaps the bottom one by a few inches.

Please excuse the quality of the photo it was taken with a mobile phone.

 

[HuBBa]

A stone and some rope maybe and you got yourself a loop

This sparked an idea =) And since i got my kit right here and a cheap digital camera i thought i'd share it

start of with two stones for each side of the flap. Note. I do not have my cord cut to length so i will be using it just for illustration. So don't go wondering "oi! what knot did he use there "

Next we put a stone in, and twist it around to form the first "peg".

Secure it with cord.

Then form another on the opposite side

You now have two "pegs" which you can use to tie the flaps together

This can be done on the inside, and pretty much anywhere on the tarp.

I'm definately gonna try this one this weekend

 

[arctic hobo]

A stone and some rope maybe and you got yourself a loop

Of course! Cheers Johan

 

[Moonraker]

Great thread! Thanks for all the ideas, descriptions and photos guys

 

[RovingArcher]

Ahh, the joys of K.I.S.S. Great thread all. Eventually I'll end up with a siltarp in the 10X12 size, which will replace my poncho as my shelter.

 

[Hoodoo]

Very nice idea Hoodoo.
One question. Do you think it would work as well if you used a piece of rectangular canvas simply sewn together on the sides, then two long pieces of wood inserted as shown on your photo. In this way you re not restricted by the internal diameter of the sewn holes on the sides and it could also be used to sleep inside or slip a sleep mat inside to thermal qualitiy/ comfort?

Well heck. It's been a year since I used that setup so I had to go look at it. I guess my original plan was to sew the tubes but then decided not to. So...my stretcher actually is nothing more than one big tube. Geez I hate it when I forget details like that. Gettin' old sucks eh?

As I now recall my reasoniing, I decided that sewing the tubes would reduce the space inside and make it more difficult to crawl inside in case you wanted to use it as a bivy so I nixed the tubes.

So...I can't really say if tubes would be better because mine doesn't have tubes. Worked ok as is though.

 

[Moonraker]

Well heck. It's been a year since I used that setup so I had to go look at it. I guess my original plan was to sew the tubes but then decided not to. So...my stretcher actually is nothing more than one big tube. Geez I hate it when I forget details like that. Gettin' old sucks eh?

As I now recall my reasoniing, I decided that sewing the tubes would reduce the space inside and make it more difficult to crawl inside in case you wanted to use it as a bivy so I nixed the tubes.

So...I can't really say if tubes would be better because mine doesn't have tubes. Worked ok as is though.

Great minds think alike Time to find some nice canvas and get sewing..

 

[Moine]

Ok

Great idea for creating a loop, Hubba.

The fun part with this cord & stone anchoring system is that you can place waterproof anchor points anywhere you want on your tarp. Instead of a rectangular pyramid, you can easily create yourself a complex dome, or an asymetric new age habitat if you want... Just adjust your design to the anchor points you find on the bivy spot you choose... It's pretty simple : just pull that 2D tarp on a few chosen points to create a volume. As long as the "summits" of your polygon are pulled in different directions, it will work, however ugly the result may be

Re abrasion, when using really soft stones it isn't a real problem... but I haven't try that with silnylon or such materials. When I can't find a soft stone, I'll just wrap the softest I can find in a bandana or whatever to protect my precious tarp.

Oh, and anything can be used... rubber balls is a good one, but I've used anything from an old SAK to an enamel cup ;D -- Just test how strong it is by pulling on the cord.

Instead of using pegs, depending on how rough he weather is, one can use cords on the corners. This makes it harder to secure the tarp perfectly on the ground, though. It's often a few inches off it. But 99,99% of the time it won't matter. Pegs sometimes are pulled off. Cords are stronger, even if tied on relatively small saplings (which is best : they will give a little, in the wind, and save your grommets from strong traction forces...).

Simon, if you thought your graphics were ugly, look at this LOL -->

For the entrance, I usually use a corner. Most people strive to make their doors on a wall, but this is just because we are used to do this in our houses. Mental framing is powerful medicine The trick is to have a loop going through one corner grommets. You can thus lift one corner 2 feet, crawl in and tie the thing shut from the inside. Use any knot that will be quick to untie when you have to go take that urgent whizz at 4am, and you already spent 5 minutes trashing around for your shoes... I like to use brightly colored cord for that corner, so it's easier to find in the dark.

Cheers

David