Playing with a tarp.

[ducttapetech]

+1

Nate
That's us mobile

[hiraethus]

Thanks Rossko07, Nate.   Been honing my gear for the last few years, got a pretty sweet minimalist setup now.  Must take some pics next time I'm out.  The area I was in is great - very scenic but not too touristy and once you're away from the roads, you're unlikely to meet anyone all day.  Nice place to grow up.

[Luna Knife]

takes up a lot less room than a tent

[NKlamerus]

takes up a lot less room than a tent

But so does a hammock

[Gareth]

Looks great mate.   I was wondering what you do about midges, and now I know: you stay away.

[Syncop8r]

takes up a lot less room than a tent

But so does a hammock

Hammock need trees.

[AimlessWanderer]

I did think a few times about trying a tarp, but kept talking myself out of it. A tarp is lightweight, but there's the issue of groundsheet, misting through, changes of wind direction, bugs and critters, keeping the rest of your gear dry and safe.....

I opted for a Sixmoondesigns Lunar Solo instead. A tarp "type" shelter with a floor and all round bug protection, that I can leave the front open on in fair weather, and close off in foul weather. There's enough space for me and my gear, and even throwing in the tent pegs, hiking pole, and a lightweight bivvy for misting through or condensation, is still a very lightweight, and quick set up. Another addition if you can afford the weight, is an Orginal space blanket. Throw it under the floating bathtub floor, metalised side up, to give extra protection for the floor, and prevent radiated heat being lost to cold ground. That way, even if there is a major tent catastrophe, you can still use the space blanket and bivvy for shelter.

No reliance on trees, versatile shelter options, bug protection .... yeah, that's as minimalist as I'm prepared to go  I like the idea of a tarp, for about 15 seconds, then I remember why I don't do it 

[AimlessWanderer]

Also, I have one of the old heavy army ponchos here. If you want, we could take it down to the meet to play around with  I also have an original space blanket, plus one of the ones with with "pockets" and hood. Can't remember what they're called

[dks]

I remember those army canvas tents where you each had half and needed to find a partner to join the parts and have a proper tent. If there was an even number of soldiers you had a problem. No groundsheet so you had to pile earth around to stop the rainwater from coming in from underneath and spread salt and garlic to stop the ants and snakes from coming in. If you touched the canvas from the inside when it was raining then you would get water sipping in through that area all night long.....

[NKlamerus]

takes up a lot less room than a tent

But so does a hammock

Hammock need trees.

Not always

But i do see your point. Without trees or tripods a tarp And a hammock pretty much both become bivy sacks eh?

[ducttapetech]

As long as you have a walking stick or pole,  a trap will work anywhere.

Nate
That's us mobile

[Gerhard Gerber]

Hammock need trees.

Not always

With my weight I won't tie my hammock to anything I care about....or an expensive car.....

......But I'm a 100% hammock convert and believer.

Has anybody tried poles with 3 guy-lines each as a sort of bring-your-own tree?

There's an Instructable where the guy uses PVC pipe for the poles, as mentioned I would need something more substantial....

BTW, even my huge home-built hammock is still the easiest and most compact method I have of sleeping out.
I bought a tent for durability rather than ease of use and I don't plan to but another, as soon as the tent comes into play I need mattresses etc etc........ 

[AimlessWanderer]

BTW, even my huge home-built hammock is still the easiest and most compact method I have of sleeping out.
I bought a tent for durability rather than ease of use and I don't plan to but another, as soon as the tent comes into play I need mattresses etc etc........

We need details and pics

[Gerhard Gerber]

Hi

4m x 1.8m ripstop canvas with 1" webbing in the seams.
Pics from my most recent trip end of May at the Orange river.

[Gerhard Gerber]

Hi

Just BTW - my grand scheme is if there's really nowhere to hang it, I have a large......tarp! 

[hiraethus]

I did think a few times about trying a tarp, but kept talking myself out of it. A tarp is lightweight, but there's the issue of groundsheet, misting through, changes of wind direction, bugs and critters, keeping the rest of your gear dry and safe.....

Totally agree with all of those (except misting through - try a decent silnylon tarp and you shouldn't get any problems).  I've had to move my tarp a couple of times in the past when the weather has changed, but it's not too big a problem.  I've woken up with slugs crawling over my face which was unpleasant.  If you don't take much gear and keep it in dry bags it shouldn't get wet.  And I wouldn't use the tarp for a fixed-base camp - only for one where I'm moving on each day.  Typically I'll only use it for wild camping anyway so there's no issue with keeping my gear out of sight.  If you need to worry about that, you're camped in the wrong place.

My favourite thing about the tarp is how open and flexible they are and how you're not shut away from the environment.

I do own tents (5 in fact, from a 1.5kg solo to a 4-bed family tent) and am perfectly happy to use them when the conditions demand it.

[AimlessWanderer]

You've not said anything to change my mind there, Chris 

For me personally, the Lunar Solo gives me heaps of benefits, and any disconnect from the environment is only to the extent I want it. If I'm sleeping outdoors, it's not just the weather I want shelter from, but bugs and critters too.

The misting still occurs despite the silnylon, but only in the heaviest downpours. I'd be more likely to suffer a bit of condensation, but I'd rather have that than something crawling over my face or into my sleeping bag 

Each to their own, but I'd only use a tarp shelter in an emergency 

[hiraethus]

Each to their own

Absolutely.

TBH, I'm not bothered what people sleep under when they're outside - just as long as they're outside once in a while.  It's all good.

[AimlessWanderer]

Each to their own

Absolutely.

TBH, I'm not bothered what people sleep under when they're outside - just as long as they're outside once in a while.  It's all good.

For sure!

 I'd probably be happy under a tarp if it wasn't for little creatures trying to share my shelter, but that means only using it at the top of Everest or in the Anarctic the Lunar Solo is as close as I'll get to a tarp for planned camping, but I'm not averse to carrying a tarp

As for emergency shelters, the configuration I always have in mind, is a small arrowhead/ploughpoint for my head, and a bivi for the rest. Only time I've ever rigged a tarp "in the wild" was for impromptu shelter to cook or tend to blisters. For that reason, I' happy to add an original space blanket or sportsman blanket (remembered the name this time) to my pack. One also goes in my winter car kit.

[AimlessWanderer]

Oh, Gareth...

You were asking about cheap bivis. Mine is a Khyam VSS Bivy, which can be had for about £20 I think

[Gareth]

Well I am going to try out the blue tarp at the meet-up.  So if Al feels someone snuggling up to him at 3am, then he'll be the first to know it's not worked.

[Smashie]

Well I am going to try out the blue tarp at the meet-up.  So if Al feels someone snuggling up to him at 3am, then he'll be the first to know it's not worked.

No, not saying anything 

[AimlessWanderer]

  I plan on eating beans for three days mate. Ever seen the camp fire scene on Blazing Saddles?  You might want to pick another tent 

 

[Smashie]

I plan on eating beans for three days mate. Ever seen the camp fire scene on Blazing Saddles?  You might want to pick another tent 

 

[zoidberg]

I plan on eating beans for three days mate. Ever seen the camp fire scene on Blazing Saddles?  You might want to pick another tent 

 

 

[Smashie]

Too be fair, he did it



And he was the last up this morning

[zoidberg]

 

[David]

 

[Gareth]

I think the drink had a bit to do with how long I slept.   In fact it only because a wasp seemed to want to climb in my ear that I actually got up when I did.

Other than the invading insect life the tarp was a success.  It stood up to a few hours of heavy rain in the early hours of Sunday morning and not a thing under it got wet.  Still not certain I'm happy sharing my sleeping arrangements with quite so many beetles though.

[AimlessWanderer]

..... and you have no idea how close you came to me and Mark pulling a couple of your tent pegs out at 4:30am