Tarp Ridge line under or over the tarp?

[clcuckow]

Hi All,

I have got some very lightweight parachute fabric to make a ultralight tarp and was wondering if I should rig it for the ridge line under or over the fly?

If you run the ridge line under the fly do you get water running under by capillary acting and drip?

The ridge will have a 5 fold seam down it anyway as I will had to join two widths of fabric but I would have thought that the extra ridge suspension points would have be extra points to let water in.

So as I have only ever used a Basha with over the top suspension its over to you.

What are the pros and cons?

Thanks.

 

[match]

All the tarp setups I've seen have the loops/line on the outside of the tarp, ie the tarp hangs under the line, rather than hanging over it. I'm guessing as you suggested this is to stop the line wicking water underneath if it rains.

There may of course be a good reason to run your tarp the other way - anyone?

 

[led]

If the line runs under the fabric, there will be both friction and the wicking to contend with. If it's a lightweight fabric, then it will need some reinforcement to mitigate both of those things, which would probably end up weighing more than a few reinforced loops for hanging it from.

 

[Nemisis]

As the material is so thin and lightweight I would myself stitch a length of tape to the underside then sew the loops at intervals through both the seam and this tape to strengthen it. Loops sewn directly just to the material I would think in time tear free. Have you used a seam sealant? This will prevent leaks where the loops are sewn through.
Dave.

 

[hilltop]

Hi All,

I have got some very lightweight parachute fabric to make a ultralight tarp and was wondering if I should rig it for the ridge line under or over the fly?

If you run the ridge line under the fly do you get water running under by capillary acting and drip?

The ridge will have a 5 fold seam down it anyway as I will had to join two widths of fabric but I would have thought that the extra ridge suspension points would have be extra points to let water in.

So as I have only ever used a Basha with over the top suspension its over to you.

What are the pros and cons?

Thanks.

want some advice from an ex-paratooper, ? dont use it as a basha, parachutes make good sun shades but crap basha sheets, take it to a tailors shop and have them make it into a zoot suit windproof suit, these are the best use of parachutes apart from there intended job, lol, lol,

 

[Templar]

want some advice from an ex-paratooper, ? dont use it as a basha, parachutes make good sun shades but crap basha sheets, take it to a tailors shop and have them make it into a zoot suit windproof suit, these are the best use of parachutes apart from there intended job, lol, lol,

I would tend to agree with the Dirt Dart myself, (sorry hilltop, couldn't resist mate ) dont use para fabric for a shelter sheet, its too light, wont keep the rain out if it starts to pelt down, and is better used for a set of wind proofs...

Karl
:BlueTeamE

 

[hilltop]

I would tend to agree with the Dirt Dart myself, (sorry hilltop, couldn't resist mate ) dont use para fabric for a shelter sheet, its too light, wont keep the rain out if it starts to pelt down, and is better used for a set of wind proofs...

Karl
:BlueTeamE

lol, lol, lol , nice one, lol :yelrotflm

 

[clcuckow]

Thanks for all the advice but I have decided to still make a tarp out of it. Even if I only use it as a sunshade and I have my basha if it looks like it is going to rain or I am in my canoe where weight is less of an issue.

 

[Jackdaw]

Despite being an ex-commando myself, I would have to agree with Hilltop on this one!

Only joking. Definately use it for zoot suit. Oh, and why does everyone seem to want to use a ridge line? I spent 13 years in the Army and never had any problems with bashas when I simply clipped a bungie on either end and used them to strap it up.

Can't help thinking that it's all a bit "Ray Mears does it so it must be true".

Go on, someone give me a genuine reason why they waste cordage in this way?

Don't just have a go, give me a real reason.

 

[Spikey DaPikey]

Cord dont snap back and hit ya in the face

 

[Templar]

Despite being an ex-commando myself, I would have to agree with Hilltop on this one!

Only joking. Definately use it for zoot suit. Oh, and why does everyone seem to want to use a ridge line? I spent 13 years in the Army and never had any problems with bashas when I simply clipped a bungie on either end and used them to strap it up.

Can't help thinking that it's all a bit "Ray Mears does it so it must be true".

Go on, someone give me a genuine reason why they waste cordage in this way?

Don't just have a go, give me a real reason.

I am in agreement here, Jackdaw, I have a hootchi I use for work and all i do is get some bungiees attatched to, about 6 on the ends and just stitch them on with the old speedy stitcher so i dont loose 'em in the dark, (bugg outs are a pain...), I've never used ridgelines either, not even when I use a hammock in the J, and to a mozzie net, well our hootchi has 4 eyelets in the end seams to tie it in then we dont need any spreaders, but anyway as I said, I dont use one and cant honestly see the point in one more to put up and take down, and another thing to get coathangered on in the dark, admitedly on this last one, i still tend to set myself up pretty low profile out of habit...

anyway if you set up with bungiees properly, you wont have to worry about things like run off from the rain, its all in the tension and angles...

Cheers
Karl

PS. and Hilltop yer welcome...... Splatcat..

 

[Naruska]

Use what you have...then adapt, improvise and overcome (Clint Eastwood:Heartbreak Ridge)...

Marko

 

[leon-1]

anyway if you set up with bungiees properly, you wont have to worry about things like run off from the rain, its all in the tension and angles...

Cheers
Karl

That's fair to a degree, but bungees are unreliable and don't always work out especially when things get cold (they stretch and stay stretched). Bungees can and do pull through the eye that retains them (the cord through the hook).

A long heavyish cord can be used for hauling or as a safety line and disputable as it is they may deflect a peice of deadfall (obviously dependant on size density) when set up as a ridge line.

 

[BOD]

A long heavyish cord can be used for hauling or as a safety line and disputable as it is they may deflect a peice of deadfall (obviously dependant on size density) when set up as a ridge line.

Or a falling monkey!

 

[Jackdaw]

Okay, so we have a couple of reasons for using string instead of bungies. However:

1. I have never had a bungy fling back on me, though used to crap myself thinking it would when I first used it.

2. One has never pulled an eyelet out. Then again, I use my mil issue DPM Basha and they're squaddie proof.

Still don't have a reason for using a ridge line yet. Anyone?

 

[Nemisis]

When all said and done neither way is right or wrong its down to what we have all learned or been taught or from various experiences in the past. That doesn't mean to say we can't change because we are or should be learning all the time. While one method might be quicker than the other or less fussy etc my choice is to side with Leon and go for a ridgeline but only because the rope offers more options of use in some possible situations than bungees. Its that simple.
Dave.

 

[leon-1]

Okay, so we have a couple of reasons for using string instead of bungies. However:

1. I have never had a bungy fling back on me, though used to crap myself thinking it would when I first used it.

2. One has never pulled an eyelet out. Then again, I use my mil issue DPM Basha and they're squaddie proof.

Still don't have a reason for using a ridge line yet. Anyone?

I am not talking about on the basha, I am talking about the shock cord through the eye of the hook on a bungie and if you haven't done that yet you will, believe me, they aren't that good. The current issue Basha aint that much cop either, don't get me wrong the concept is quite good, the older stuff was just more robust.

The bungies when they fail tend to leave the hook behind so I wouldn't worry about the whipping back effect

Virtually nothing is squaddie proof and the basha that you are talking about I have seen damaged on more than one occasion in military service.

As far as other reasons, you are limited by the length of the bungie, linking 2 bungies together makes for a bouncy and unstable basha, whereas the ridgeline can be tensioned using your tarp and the ridgeline itself.

I have used bungies and the like since I was about ten or eleven years old doing this sort of thing, I used them through the greater part of my military service and only changed to cord towards the end of my service.

I have used shockcord tied in loops on the attachment points on a basha as a halfway between measure and I still find that a decently set up ridgeline is better than bungies.

 

[dommyracer]

I'm a bit of a novice, but looking back at shelters I built as a youth I found that a bungy can pretty much only ever be a bungy.

A ridge line cord can put into service for many other things.