tarp camping in the rain?

[RAPPLEBY2000]

ok the problem with wind and tarps, (the umbrella idea was a joke!)

camp low and keep it tight is your obvious and sensible option, i have used a poncho/tarp/basha for about 20 years and they do have some limitations, high wind is one of them.

on my sca-fell trip though my tarp flapped like a flag in very strong wind,it kept me dry and warm, people i was with said their tent actually lifted off the ground overnight, that impressed me!


for mountain conditions tarps aren't great as you discribe, bungees can be usefull here , they have a bit of give (stretch) allowing the tarp to move slightly reducing stress on the attatchment points.

you could sleep on one long edge of your tarp for added protection against horizontal rain.

in really high wind run a couple of cords over the back of your tarp to keep it on the ground!

peg down your bivibag/mat with a bungee to stop them flying away!

if you have time build a small wall to stop wind, on a mountain course one of my mates built a "U" shaped wall and put his tarp on it as a flat roof they had a very dry comfortable night everyone else with bivibags got soaking wet, just by getting in and out of their bags!

so in conclusion i would suggest

low profile.
add some structure to the tarp
take spare cord
but above all know it's limitations it is after all just a waterproof sheet!

top marks for tarp camping in the alps ! :You_Rock_

 

[bambodoggy]

Do you climb when you're in the Alps? I only ask as another way of securing the tarp guys is to use rock climbing nuts, chocks, cams or friends.....if you're carrying them anyway for climbing then you might as well make them duel use.

If not then maybe look at getting a small sellect few micro-nuts just to use as guy anchors.

This sort of thing:
http://www.omegapac.com/media/mainpic_scallops.gif

I've used tarps in the mountains before and it does take a bit of thinking about

Hope that helps,

Bam.

 

[RAPPLEBY2000]

Amen to that!

if you're carrying it you may as well use it!

it's probably worth even using climbing tape insted of cord in some cases! as you know you can make natrual nuts with small rocks!

something i just remembered:

saunders tents (well known for the space packer tent) made triangle patches for snow/rock conditions where tent pegs were unsuitable, basically a triangle of toughPVC which you place snow or rocks on as an anchor insted of a standard peg.

 

[Ed]

Thats a great idea Bam.... I often find myself on the beacons with only rocks for company.... not a tree around.

Ed

 

[bambodoggy]

Thanks Mate I've used this idea quite a few times and have even managed to string my hammock using the larger sized nuts and chocks in the corner of a rock face (just do check for lose rocks above before you pitch! lol ).


For anybody that doesn't have/can't afford the shiney climbing gear then as Rappleby says you can often jam small rocks and pebbles in cracks and tie off around them... or even just tie knots in the guys lines and use the knots as jams in cracks....both these ideas are how the old time mountaineers used to climb and is where the development of all the other newer nuts, chock and cams came from

Hope that helps,

Bam.

 

[Bjorn Victor]

Woohoo!!

This is a nice discussion!

I climb, but then I stay in refuges mostly or go from a tent in the valley.

This is just for trekking.

I found that a tarp can handle quite a bit of abuse from the weather if you think about the set up a bit. I just wanted to inform if you guys have any good tips or tricks.
The triangle and the nuts are great.

Just to show you where I usually camp:

I have a picture on the European Hilleberg website.

www.hilleberg.com
click europe
click english
click products
click bivouac
click tarps
It's the first picture you see (Alpine Walking High route, picture by Bjorn Victor)
Picture was taken on top of a col called Fenetre d'Arpette (2671m).
You see my buddy Bart tying the tarp to the big rock.

Bjorn

 

[addyb]

Quite often when you're in the outdoors you're going to get wet and muddy no matter how experienced or careful you are, it's a fact of life. I truly believe that the name of the game is to not get as soaked as everyone else in your party. Even the strongest mindset and the best possible kit won't always guarantee your safety, or your sanity!

Adam

 

[Wayland]

Similar to the triangles idea is to use empty stuff sacks loaded with some stones for guy points.

They can also be thrown over a rock or wall to act as a weighted guy which gives some elasticity to your tarp setup which can prevent tears in strong wind.

 

[hilltop]

you get wet, your gear gets wet, youand your gear get covered in mud, you swear and complain,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,then do it allover again the next weekend, it builds character, lol, lol, lol,

 

[Bjorn Victor]

you get wet, your gear gets wet, youand your gear get covered in mud, you swear and complain,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,then do it allover again the next weekend, it builds character, lol, lol, lol,

That's exactly what it's all about!!!

 

[pierre girard]

Imagine:

- Rain all day long.
- Everything (including yourself) is wet.
- You arrive at your campsite.

What do you do?
Pitch tarp first would be my guess.
And then? (and here is my question)

Do you throw your backpack in the mud, take out the bivy cover and put it in the mud too, place the sleeping bag in the bivy bag without touching the mud? Place thermarest in the mud under the bivy bag or inside the bivy?
Do you have a ground sheet? If yes, how big?
Put the trangia in the mud and start cooking?

Basically: how do you deal with wet/muddy floor? Where do you put the backpack?

Or do you all stay in when it rains

Bjorn

Hang backpack in tree

Build fire

Find least muddy spot and lay tarp over groundcloth

Lift tarp and set up, keeping it over groundcloth (if it is still raining)

Lay thermarest on groundcloth

Lay sleeping bag on thermarest

 

[Nemisis]

I've used two line-lok cleats one either end of my guy lines saves struggling with knots with cold wet hands very fast and easy to use and secure too. Each one only weighs a few grams. http://www.cleats.co.uk/home/details.asp?id=2
Dave.

 

[Shambling Shaman]

Ok - Some of what Im going to say has been said before.
Sleeping bag already in bivi bag (this saves a lot of hassle)
I have a Quara medium emergency shelter that has peging points - so open shelter place sac in as if it were your buddy then sit in with it, now as mine is the med you can bring in all sides (undercover) and peg down. use a walking pole if you like to hold the middle up. plan and arrang your kit.
As said before if every thing is baged up nothing gets wet - I use exped dry bags fairly chep and light.

 

[addyb]

Or....when it's muddy just sleep inside of your Land Rover. "A Ray Mears Moment."

LOL

 

[Nemisis]

Makes note to pack a landy in my rucksack for next time it rains lol.
Dave.

 

[Hoodoo]

I generally use two tarps. One is for sleeping and the other is smaller (often a sil nylon poncho) that I use to cook under and store my pack for the evening. If you are constantly encountering muddy conditions, you might consider taking along an extra hunk of material like tyvek or something to put your pack and gear on under the cook tarp. Sounds like a mess to me. I generally don't have a problem avoiding muddy areas but sometimes it can't be helped.

 

[Bjorn Victor]

nice picture hoodoo. Thanks.

What tarp/poncho is that?

Bjorn

 

[Hoodoo]

nice picture hoodoo. Thanks.

What tarp/poncho is that?

Bjorn

I think it's an Equinox silnylon poncho, IIRC. They weigh very little. I always keep one in my daypack. Probably a lot of good silnylon ponchos out there. The equinox comes in two sizes that I know of, depending on if you plan to drape it over your pack while hiking or not. The one in the photo is the larger one.

 

[addyb]

Is there any issues with using an army poncho as a basha if it fits? I'm five foot nine, and if I stretch my poncho out all the way, it's longer than I am. Would that make a good basha? I'm too used to sleeping in a tent so I'm a wee bit nervous about what I'll sleep under this summer as I've decided to try and lower my pack weight as much as possible.

Adam

 

[wingstoo]

addyb,

Hi I have tried the poncho basha, I try this set up...



LS