Modded pup tent and tarp shelters

CamoDeafie · Feb 12, 2015

Please note; this is not to replace tents, nor fire positions nor actual cabins nor other bug out shelters, but these designs are meant for the trek in between, or for patrols..

First up; a variation of the classic USGI Pup Tent, using material from two scrap halves to make my 14" tall side walls, this is now a 58-59" tall tent, and can use cots or airbed if you suspend from a ridge line like so.

View of tent closed up

Entrance unbuttoned

Side view

Closed up

With one side entry opened up fully, that is a Fullsize airbed in there, there is room enough in the rear for gear/duffle and with the entry opened, it is possible to have a fire nearby or a camp stove in there to heat up the shelter.. this is NOT for light bags or anything like that, it is more for a vehicle kit, like that of an ATV/UTV or Motorcycle or truck.

Now comes the lightweight tarp shelters;

with a 9x7 tan tarp, I can do this set up; a half pyramid, no pole set up, using a tree with branches to tie to

Windward view

Interior shot.

Same tarp; ground set up in A-frame with Doors using ski poles over bug tent.

Camo Batwing hammock tarp, 9 ft long, 7 ft wide, set up as a ground diamond with doors folded in on one end, and doors staked out on other end

Brown 10x14 tarp, one pole pyramid set up and two different set ups. Also a pic of it packed down minus pole

Size of above set up; floor is 8 feet wide by 6 feet 6 inches long, the ground tarp is 6x8. Height is 7 feet or so.

CamoDeafie · Feb 12, 2015

Same brown tarp but set up with 3 poles, using this diagram, with slight modifications (instead of following diagram exactly, I made 42"x42" squares and folded them to make the 42" tall back wall)

Diagram for tarp tent

sizes of the above set up; floor is 7 feet wide, 6 feet 6 inches long, height is just over 6 feet, triangle front measures 7 feet on all 3 sides, thus an equilateral triangle.

And a 4 pole set up, Quasi-Baker tent configuration... (no awning)

floor size is same, back wall is same, the front however now is a trapezoid, 7 feet wide and 58" tall, with 5 feet or so spacing between front poles.

FWIW, the brown tarp is $10 at Wheeler Dealer, and the tan tarp was a $3 goodwill outlet bin score, the camo batwing is one I made myself for hammock usage, but is shown here as a ground tarp...and the army pup tent mod used two scrap shelter halves from a resales thrift store, and a good pup tent from Action Surplus store. To make the 14" tall side walls, you need to cut 4 strips of 48" long fabric, that is 16-17" tall, and to make the center side walls, you need to cut a 15" tall strip frm the BOTTOM edge of each shelter half's center panel, the same width as the rectangle panel, which is 62-64" long. the taller size is to provide you with the space needed for hemming. I did this with two halves, because I wanted to save the triangle pieces for a sort of lean-to/Baker tent set up, and also for patching purposes should the pup tent get holed.

TapRackNGo · Feb 12, 2015

Good stuff. I recently bought a <broken link removed> . At 11oz it's nice and light and versatile. I also have a 10x10 but at 2lbs it's getting replaced in the pack.

mjbskwim · Feb 12, 2015

I can just hear all the neighbors driving by...."Oh gawd,he's not leaving that up is he?"
Lokks like you are having some fun with this

SheepDog223 · Feb 18, 2015

Whenever I'm at the goodwill bins I usually find one or two rain fly's from a tent. They're in good condition and they're light weight. $0.89 per pound. Great for your get home bag. Light and compact to pack.