Need to use something to keep the middle of your tarp supported?
Sewn on the underside of a tarp, this will keep wear of the main fabric and the pole/paddle in place.
Tarp paddle holder
Tarp Paddle Holder
Tarp Paddle Holder
Tarp Paddle Holder
Category Archives: backpacking tarps
Durability success-70 denier nylon with silicone/polyurethane blend coating
Shower cap made of 70 denier ripstop nylon with a .5 oz silicone and polyurethane blend coating.
14 years continuous use. Coating still waterproof. No fraying. The elastic needs to be replaced, the rubber wore out.
The fabric is used in tarps and tents for hard use applications. Outdoor schools, rentals etc. Custom made in small batches or seasonally available in stock. Current color is yellow.
Filed under backpacking tarps, Fabric, Oware Backpacking Gear, oware tarps, pyramid tarp
Control those tarp cords
A simple coiling method to keep cord untangled until you need them. I learned this at Outward Bound. Firm Cord works best. I like to use 2mm cord on the most used tie outs and carry a bit of 1mm cord for long reaches to distant anchors.
Starting at the bitter end, coil around hand leaving a foot or two between the hand and tarp attachment point.
Wrap the remaining cord tightly around the first coil and then pass a loop, close to the tarp attach point, through one end of the now figure eight shape of the coil.
Loop this over the other end of the figure eight and pull. Reverse process when you need to use the cord to tie up your tarp/tent.
Thoughts on Tarp Setups
Some of nylon’s stretch can be mitigated by how the fabric pieces are cut out. Curves etc. in seams and hems can help maintain shape. I far as I know, nylon is still the fabric of choice for shock absorption (parachutes, ropes) and does a good job for shelters suddenly loaded by wind or snow.
It does sag a bit at times from temperature drops or moisture. In something like a pyramid tarp, having a method for adjusting the pole upward to take up slack from within the shelter is nice. If your tarp pole is not adjustable, this could be as simple as having a stone handy to place underneath the pole. If you use outside shear poles, reaching under the hem and pulling the two pole bottoms inward can do the same.
Two wooden poles can be lasted to hold the tarp up from outside.
Be sure in any case or fabric type you stake out the hem in the right shape. On a symmetrical 4 sided mid, a diamond shape instead of a perfect square will produce saggy walls with any fabric. Floored shelters are easier to get the stake out pattern correct. On a floorless shelter you could tie tiny cords corner to corner to insure proper and repeatable layouts.
Customer FlatTarp set up Photos
Grateful to a customer who sent these photos of a FlatTarp set up at several campsites.
New Size Silnylon Tarp 7×9′
Flat tarp 7×9 finished size. A solo tarp shelter for 1 person. 12 reinforced web tie outs around hem, and 1 tie out centered in ridgeline. Price includes shipping in the USA, and a stuff sack. 30 Denier Silnylon with stuffsack weighs 12.4 oz. Free shipping in the USA. Works great with a bivy sack for all weather protection. Notes- fabric is NOT flame retardant, keep away from heat and flame.
FlatTarp7x9
FlatTarp7x9 center tie out
flattarp7x9 edge tie out
http://shop.bivysack.com/product.sc?productId=107&categoryId=6
Filed under backpacking tarps, flattarp, Oware Backpacking Gear, oware tarps
Line Locs, How To Add To Existing Tent Tie Outs
Use a 12″ or longer piece of 2-3 mm cord. Use a 2 wrap prussic knot on the Line Lock. Form a loop in the cord.
Girth hitch (Larks Foot) the loop around the tarp or tent tie out.
Buy linelocs here
http://shop.bivysack.com/product.sc?productId=88&categoryId=10
Pyramid Tarp, Set Up
Pyramid, Stakes, Adjustable Pole
Zip and buckle bottom before staking out
Stake out the four corners. Use a small loop of replaceable cord so wear from rough stake edges will not damage the tent web tie outs.
Stake corners in a perfect square and slightly stretched. This prevents a diamond staking pattern which will cause one corner to be up in the air.
Doors can be tied back and pole inserted after the 4 corners are staked out
Additional tie outs can be staked around the hem and the upper center tie outs can be used to gain headroom in windy or heavy snow conditions.
A green branch can be used instead of a tent pole sometimes.
Two wooden poles can be lasted to hold the tarp up from outside.
Two through-hikes down and one to go for Ben and brother using Oware Pyramid!
Ben Ward sent some nice pictures. I have the tent to patch some small holes and then they are off for more hiking.
Through hike photos
Oware Pyramid
Ben Ward
Alphamini Photos
Alphamini Photos
Take a pyramid tarp, cut it in half and add an A Frame door and you have the Alphamid TM. Half Pyramid floorless shelter 4×8 by 5′ feet tall. 30d silnylon Weighs 13.5 oz A floorless tarp which is quick to set up, light and inexpensive. A favorite for winter campers, it can be set up over a snow pit for extra roominess. It includes a stuff sack. Use your ski probe poles, hang it from a tree limb or order the separate shock corded pole to set it up. Just clip the buckle at the bottom of the door, zip up the zipper, stake out the four corners evenly and put up the pole. Additional tie outs are on the center seams. The apex is reinforced , the zipper is a #5 coil. The taller steeper pitch sheds snow and rain much better than the competitors shelters as well a providing more headroom. Includes 1 oz. pole connector (3 webbing straps) so you can use two trekking or ski poles to make a height adjustable pole. Fabric is not flame retardant and will burn and melt when in contact with high heat or flame. Keep away from camp stoves, gas lanterns, campfires etc.
Great shelter for Search and Rescue-very light and you can set it up over a prone victom without
moving them. Current color is grey.
http://shop.bivysack.com/product.sc?productId=39&categoryId=4
Oware 