Turn your Army issue basha into a dome tent!

[RAPPLEBY2000]

Hi I don't know If I've shared this document before.

a couple of years ago I was playing with my tarp and found a way of making it into a single pole dome tent and wrote it down!
Here's what it looks like:

here's how it's done(sorry, I don't have exact measurements):

British army shelter sheet (basha) Hoop tent conversion.
​

This shelter design will house me comfortably (I'm 5'11 and chunky!)with the equivalent space of two rucksacks either side. The beauty of this design is that all you need is your basha, nothing else everything else can be found or made.

Equipment needed:
One x hoop pole or a springy sapling
Six – eight tent pegs or hand made (more added later)
No cord is needed at all


Turn the basha upside down; so the label is up, the stretcher handles will also be on top there should be a hanging loop in the centre of the basha underneath.

Take opposite diagonal corners, peg one down, then the middle one next to it on the short side.

Next, pass hoop under the centre of the basha through the central loop (double it if possible to make a tight fit). Bend the pole and put the either end through the loops at the middle of each long side this should give you a good idea of where the poles should sit on the ground, (about 4ft apart).

Poles now in stand the pole so the top is equal with the top (and centre) of the basha, push the poles into the ground slightly (1&#8221 to secure them, now peg out the opposite corner, and make it taut! Then peg the middle (of the loose short side) next to it.

That is the basics, now peg down the remaining spare loops, and pegging points, leave the two spare opposite corners loose at the moment.

Climb inside it will be a tight entrance seeming only allowing you to crawl in, when lying down position feet and head diagonally towards the pegged corners, this will give you the most sleeping space, as for the loose flaps one either side of you, you have three options:

1. Leave it loose fine in hot windless weather good for ventilation.
2. Put your bag on one to hold it down
3. Pull the corner out and peg it down (which will leave loose bits but will work try playing with the position of this peg).

My advice is peg one out and use the weight of your bag to hold /close the other then you have an entrance exit and you can position the exit away from wind.
You should end up with something that looks like a small single person dome tent!

enjoy!

 

[w00dsmoke]

I use alloy hoops in either end in mine which is an awesome conversion. It just needs midge netting sewn in at the ends. Any pics of yours?

 

[RAPPLEBY2000]

I think I have a pic...somwhere...in the back corner of a disk....It'll take some finding, the document is dated 01/08!

 

[Jericho]

I use alloy hoops in either end in mine which is an awesome conversion. It just needs midge netting sewn in at the ends. Any pics of yours?

I was in a gardening store looking at cloches the other day and thinking about that.

 

[Peter_t]

sweet idea!
so the strecher handles are the bottom? i'v always thought they where the top and the little loop was for hanging a torch or similar. not that it matters i supose...


pete

 

[basha]

hi RAPPLEBY2000
I'd be very interested to see the pictures.

In the interim you and others may be interested in this if you haven't seen it already;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgoqAtw-55g.

He is using a poncho but it should work for a basha as well. I had a go at making one and it has potential.

 

[RAPPLEBY2000]

sweet idea!
so the strecher handles are the bottom? i'v always thought they where the top and the little loop was for hanging a torch or similar. not that it matters i supose...
pete

The stretcher handles are at the bottom for the purpose of this shelter design! I know, it's confusing.
But just to clear it up, the label is "the underside".

the little loop in the center is just another handy hanging loop for attaching to a tree or suchlike. If soldiers hung torches there at night the tarp would be lit up like a lampshade! not very tactical, though for bushcraft uses...anything goes mate!

hi RAPPLEBY2000
I'd be very interested to see the pictures.

In the interim you and others may be interested in this if you haven't seen it already;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgoqAtw-55g.

He is using a poncho but it should work for a basha as well. I had a go at making one and it has potential.

Ah yes, AKA "alpha poncho shelter", I saw this about 10 years ago! on a US site, I've tried it, it works, but I'm too tall for it! :bluThinki my feet stick out even if i sleep diagonally.

I tried a similar idea with the British Army tarp, and it does work, not as well , it's thinner and longer when erected.I found it too floppy it wouldn't do well in a storm!
Because the shape is different the poles don't want to stay crossed.

it's where i got the idea for a single pole version!

AhA!! I found the pics! (added to first post too:

 

[TJRoots]

ooh thats a good idea, gotta try that out myself

 

[FerlasDave]

Looking good! I was just thinking maybe this could be done with a ridgeline or a line to a tree aswell.

 

[Laurentius]

looks a bit too much like origami to me, not sure I could figure it out.

 

[RAPPLEBY2000]

Naah it's easy once you've done it once.

I have a tent pole cut to size, and as long as you remember which corners are which it's fairly easy.
(you could put a coloured cord on the corners/loops used.