camping ideas/ DIY

[Oregonhunter5]

Where do you guys get real tarps? Not that plastic bubblegum.

 

[Certaindeaf]

It's fun to dig a latrine with a 12 gauge. patent pending

 

[Member 34319]

Where do you guys get real tarps? Not that plastic bubblegum.

Thought those were tarps?

Good expensive ones can be found at REI. I'm not sure if they are any better. I've never bought them. Just oogly eyed them trying to think why any idiot would spend 50 on a tarp you can get at harbor freight for 2.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I'd like a big roll of Tyvek but that stuff is crazy expensive.

 

[Martini_Up]

Tree cones make good scouring pads for the grill.

If you're camping on water, you can make a 6' ring of rocks to hold water from current / waves. Build a big fire, using more rocks to ring the pit. after the fire has been going good and hot for at least a half hour you can transfer the rocks from the fire ring into the ring of water - hillbilly hot tub.

making a fire, use needles from the base of a conifer tree - they are usually dry.

Don't leave food out at night or your garbage. Critters WILL get at it.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I heard that some river rocks will explode/shatter if placed in a fire.

 

[3MTA3]

Thought those were tarps?

Good expensive ones can be found at REI. I'm not sure if they are any better. I've never bought them. Just oogly eyed them trying to think why any idiot would spend 50 on a tarp you can get at harbor freight for 2.

If you aren't backpacking, I like the blue ones at Costco. High quality, low price, got mine over ten years ago and no failures.

 

[clambo]

I heard that some river rocks will explode/shatter if placed in a fire.

They will, but I wasnt gonna say anything. Trust me, I know every single dangerous/stupid camping move there is. I went straight from camp to the ER on more than one occasion. Getting fragged by 1000 degree pieces of sharp rock at estimated 500 fps is something you will only do once. Sorta like learning about .45 acp hardball bounce backs. Very similiar imho.

 

[rainiergreen]

I use a wrist rocket to launch 550 cord over high branches so I can hang a tarp (shelter) up high enough to walk under. If I can get it up over 8' you can keep a small fire going even in heavy rain

 

[Oregonhunter5]

Thought those were tarps?

Good expensive ones can be found at REI. I'm not sure if they are any better. I've never bought them. Just oogly eyed them trying to think why any idiot would spend 50 on a tarp you can get at harbor freight for 2.

Canvas ones

 

[GunRightsCoalition]

I use a wrist rocket to launch 550 cord over high branches so I can hang a tarp (shelter) up high enough to walk under. If I can get it up over 8' you can keep a small fire going even in heavy rain

I thought I knew all the tricks. Guess not, that's a pretty cool idea. Save me from shinnying up the trees.

 

[CamoDeafie]

Canvas ones

Coastal Farm and Ranch have OD green and brown canvas tarps...be prepared to pay a lot more than the plastic ones...by the way; plastic tarps are
1) noisy
2) relatively heavy compared to the REI and similar lightweight nylon tarps (think of the USGI poncho material, these tarps are made of the same sort of thing, and the tent rain flies also)
3) prone to having grommets ripped out and tears easily.

now...good canvas tarps, I believe uses the spur grommets (grommets that have teeth to bite into the material), like the sails of the old days, and more often, they are much more durable than plastic tarps... depending on the type of coating, they may be totally waterproof (rubberized canvas and Polyurethane coated canvas/heavy nylon), or they may be extremely water resistant (waxed or oiled canvas).

Also, compared to the plastic and the nylon tarps, the canvas tarps usually actually provide a much more darker shade under the sun. (whether its warmer or not, I don't know.....been a long time since I've spent time under a canvas shelter as opposed to cheap plastic tarps)

EDIT: Also, canvas shelters are better for being close to campfires, they are not likely to have holes melted through or to catch fire quickly like nylon and plastic shelters.