Made myself another tarp shelter

[CamoDeafie]

Finished my long Ogee tarp! It's named Ogee after Gargoyle Gear's tarp design, which is what this is based on, however unlike the Gargoyle version, I elected to have the doors be much longer, and the side triangles be a little shorter...the overall length is around 18 feet (6 yards of fabric) at 58" fabric width... Ridgeline is 11 feet 8 inches, while maximum width is 11 feet 4 inches... here are the photos of it set up using poles... the pronounced bow is a result of me staking one of the side triangles first before I did the ridgepoles... ideally it would be set up ridgeline first before I stake the sides down. There are 16 tie outs, though I am considering adding two more tie outs in the middle of the seams where the triangles attach, to enable pulling out for more room...not sure yet. Tie outs are made with 3/4" crosgrain tape and on the ridgeline and corners, they are attached via X-in-box stitches plus 4 lines of stitching onto the hems, whereas the rest of the tie outs are attached via 4 lines of straight stitching onto the rolled hems on the sides...which is similar to the BCUSA tarps... this thing packs down SMALL! The shotgun ammo pouch used is 4.5"x4.5"x3", and holds the entire tarp with ease, without guylines and stakes. The fabric used is 1.1oz Silnylon from Ripstop By The Roll, in "Khaki" color. This solid color seems to fit the light yellowish green in woodland camo, and in between Coyote tan and olive green... Should blend in pretty decently in most areas out here.


Side view of long tarp



end view of long tarp


side tie out detail


small pouch to hold entire tarp

Advantages to this design as opposed to the normal rectangles and hex shapes;
-No ridge line seam to seal and worry about like other tarps
-minimal amount of fabric for hammock coverage
-versatile and creative pitching options with the 16 tie outs provided
-different shaping is harder to discern against background if it is not straight lined or rectangle shaped

There might be disadvantages to this, like lack of space for more than 2 people...but for its purpose as a hammock tarp, I think it will be great companion to my smaller batwing tarp..
The shaping is basically a Diamond tarp with long doors/beaks on the ends... OR the ENO DryFly tarp with doors on the ends.
Two hammocks occupied can be covered entirely by this tarp, due to the large triangles, and because the hammocks are narrowest at their ends, doesn't need as much coverage on the ends as a normal cot or air mattress would need, although in tent mode/ground mode after I play around with the various set ups, it should be able to cover a full size air mattress with room to spare...

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[lowly monk]

Nice, Good job.

 

[erudne]

there is a cowboy diamond shaped fly, can't find it on the net, tuck one long end under itself, stake it out, with a single low pole in front and it becomes a open ended pup tent (ish) thing.
Wind is always a problem which is why the triangular spike tent has the advantage, but I have even seen those blow away, leaving the tent stakes firmly sunk in the ground.

 

[CamoDeafie]

there is a cowboy diamond shaped fly, can't find it on the net, tuck one long end under itself, stake it out, with a single low pole in front and it becomes a open ended pup tent (ish) thing.
Wind is always a problem which is why the triangular spike tent has the advantage, but I have even seen those blow away, leaving the tent stakes firmly sunk in the ground.

You mean somewhat like this? (same style shaping but corners tucked in and staked out)

older tarp in hammock tarp format; it is a small tarp; ridgeline of only 9 feet and a width of only 7 feet, but the above set up is similar to what you are proposing?




Or more like this below?

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Deafie, that is awesome!

 

[erudne]

I'd say the bottom one, they are great for keeping the morning dew off your bed roll and gear as well as the intense sun out east

 

[CamoDeafie]

I'd say the bottom one, they are great for keeping the morning dew off your bed roll and gear as well as the intense sun out east

I don't technically have a bedroll, but I do have an USGI bivy sack and the USGI ECWS bag and Kelty top quilt which can be combined to make for a much warmer system under the tarp if not in a hammock... (could also be used in the hammock without the bivy sack though) I will see if I can make that kind of set up with this tarp and see how roomy and useful it is. I do have some plastic tarps to experiment with for an open-faced fire shelter...

 

[rick benjamin]

It's an art work, nice!

 

[rick benjamin]

there is a cowboy diamond shaped fly, can't find it on the net, tuck one long end under itself, stake it out, with a single low pole in front and it becomes a open ended pup tent (ish) thing.
Wind is always a problem which is why the triangular spike tent has the advantage, but I have even seen those blow away, leaving the tent stakes firmly sunk in the ground.

Colorado Range Tent
Canvas <broken link removed>
Cowboy comfort

 

[erudne]

I don't technically have a bedroll, but I do have an USGI bivy sack and the USGI ECWS bag and Kelty top quilt which can be combined to make for a much warmer system under the tarp if not in a hammock... (could also be used in the hammock without the bivy sack though) I will see if I can make that kind of set up with this tarp and see how roomy and useful it is. I do have some plastic tarps to experiment with for an open-faced fire shelter...

I have a canvas bedroll w/ 4 wool blankets and the "war bag" a small denim ditty bag that keeps your possessions in one spot at the base of the bedroll, it weighs 40 pounds. The classic bedroll came into being in the 'golden age' of open range ranching south of the Canada Line (also north of that line) when there were plenty of wagons to cart tents, tarps and bed rolls for the big round-ups that took a month or more. For single horse travel the Goretex bivvy bag is the only sane option.
Traveling with a pack horse allows 100 + pounds of rig and gear, 50 pounds of that will be grain.
Good, well fed, horses and riders can cover 125 trail miles in 3 days hardly breaking a sweat.
I did it once when I was 49YO w/ one horse. 375 miles, in the mountains.
Am I off topic yet?

 

[CamoDeafie]

I don't have horse, but I do have bikes....well, whats left of three thanks to cannibalizing for parts on bikes I've repaired and sold....and a golf bag wheel caddy thing, and I suppose these can be used in a duty of being gear carriage once the $300 Suzuki sedan breaks down.

But this is why I am going minimalist somewhat with my gear. Sure I have a lot of heavy duty stuff that can be carried via the Suzuki, but for reals though, I would probably use my larger green hiking backpack that is lighter than the smaller MOLLE bag system, to carry the majority of the gear I want to use plus whatever misc things I have. (also, easier to strap rifle or shotgun to the backpack frame than trying to mount a MOLLE scabbard to a tiny MOLLE bag )

EDIT: Oh yeah, the large tarp is under a pound, whereas the 9x7 tan tarp in the other thread is 2 and a half pounds....for a smaller size.

 

[erudne]

Back in the day I used to drive my CO crazy, and my Sgts as well, they finally shipped me off to a group of pud pounders that were just as crazy as I was, maybe more so. We/They actually wanted to learn (and teach) field craft. Deep Wisdom starts with physical skills, skill leads to knowledge, knowledge leads to
Wisdom.
Keep in mind it's not the skill, it's the wisdom behind the skill...The Lore

Have I posted this yet?

 

[CamoDeafie]

yea ya posted that in the ghb thread

I'm a member over at Bushcraft USA forums where they talk all about fieldcraft, knives, axes, shelters, fire making, fires, wool, canvas items, and so on..... it's where I've picked up a lot of ideas and tricks..as well as Hammock forums for the tarps and hammock systems...though I have to be a supporting/donating member to be able to post in HF's off topic areas (like camping and backpacks...)

 

[CamoDeafie]

Here is a few more different set ups!


A-Frame with gable ends, two poles (or two trees)


Side view; it's the same as the first pics, BUT with an important difference, I am using the 11 ft 4" ridge line instead of the longer ridge line, and using 4 stakes on the center of the sides, which means the doors are tucked under.


Another view, you can see clearly the doors are tucked underneath...and that there is ample room for one sleeping mat in the space.
Could probably hang a hammock in there and have a little more protection from sideways rain...


And a ground set up;


It involves dropping one end of the A-frame set up, and then staking that corner down, and stake the ends a little differently. Still enough space for one or two people...and gear!

And here's a couple more set ups.... variations of the above set ups..


This time, I'm using the longer ridge line to stake down... and two extra poles to the sides..


Another view, from the side..


Windward view!

and a modification of the above set up;

Looks almost the same..cept the back is a little wider...


AHA. That's why the back looks wider...I staked down two more points on the rear...
Well I hope you enjoyed this post!

 

[CamoDeafie]

One more set up, this isn't the final set up...but it is the most protected, AND smallest set up I can see using with this large tarp.....
Pup tent style half with a vestibule!

I didn't do the pole lines perfectly, so this is what it looks like in a hasty set up...likely would have a continuous ridgeline between the poles...
Basically, I folded in the panel thats on one side of the two triangles, then staked the triangles corners down, then ran lines up to two poles for the ridge line.


A view from the "front"; You can see how the wings are basically like an army pup tent....


View to the inside. In actual use, I would likely just roll the extra material to the edges, so as not to ruin the thin 1.1 Silnylon, and put in a bivy sack and or a small vinyl tarp/shower curtain for a ground floor.
It's kind of like a mix of Whelen lean to and A-frame....if I were to raise the awning part so as to provide me with more view, it might be suitable with a small camp fire or heater in front, with the doors folded back and attached to back lines..

 

[CamoDeafie]

Two more set ups!
Same as above; but with awning pulled up and poles set further out;

plenty of shade and room!


windward view


Side view


view from the front; with pad rotated to be parallel. This gives one a good space or two for gear and items!
Possibly can be used wit a fire nearby, as long as firewood is not poppy....repairing nylon is a pain in the bubblegum...


And a narrow, low profile bad weather set up! Mix of Adirondack Wind Shed and baker Lean to tarp set up!


Side view; you can see how the staking layout is a little different!


windward view; looks boring right?


view into the interior! The triangle openings are handy for breezes, and the extra materials are all rolled up under the edges for draft protection and for protection of the thin material from the ground.
I am glad I decided to do 16 tie outs! And this is with keeping symmetry for all the set ups! There are a few more set ups I've seen of similar shaped tarps that are asymmetric/"turned corners"....which are usually strung up between two trees for hammocking...

 

[Gator Monroe]

'It's a Tarp" thread

 

[CamoDeafie]

'It's a Tarp" thread

a tarp shelter I made; that weighs under a pound, fits a 12ga shotgun ammo box, and doesn't cost almost a hundred dollars...and has no janky weak grommets that would pull out at first wind storm...... and its more low-profile than the blue cheapy tarps everywhere

 

[Gator Monroe]

I would love a Chocolate Chip or multi color Desert Camo tarp ,or even woodland to cover some of my boats

 

[CamoDeafie]

I would love a Chocolate Chip or multi color Desert Camo tarp ,or even woodland to cover some of my boats

Good luck on the Chocolate Chip or Desert Camo tarps; but I've found Woodland silnylon and Woodland 1.9oz tan Polyurethane coated nylon fabric online.... I believe Ripstop By The Roll also sells Multicam fabric but that is bloody expensive and at that point you might want to look at Bushcraft Outfitters' tarps, they have Woodland and Multicam and khaki tarps, not sure what size you want...10x10 and 10x12 are the max sizes they have.