DIY Kits for 5×8′, 9×9′ and 10×10′ ultralight tarps
How to Video Steps
1 Sew Reinforce Panel Tie Outs
2 Sew Tarp Center Seam, 1st Pass
3 Top Stitch Center Seam, 2nd Pass
4 Sew Reinforced Tie Out to Center of Tarp Along Seam
5 Sewing the hem and inserting reinforcements
6 Sewing on the webbing
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.
From our friends at Equipped.org. Extensive article on using tarps to make shelters.
Equipped
Cat Tarp 1.5 cuben fiber. Center seam photo. Felled seam, then taped.
CatTarp TM
Home of the backpacking tarp with the catenary cut to the ridgeline. And the first ones made of silicone coated nylons and Cuben Fiber TM laminates. We coined the term “cat cut” to describe and differentiate this new feature on our tarps from others on the market. By using this curve, it takes stretch and bag out of the fabrics and enables the tarp to be a “hummer not a flapper” with fewer tie outs and stakes in high wind.
Others may have copied the name, descriptions, even drawings from Oware. Not all tarps with “cat” in the name are made the same way or have 26 years of tarp making experience and goodwill behind them.
Dave Olsen
Oware
See them here
http://shop.bivysack.com/category.sc?categoryId=7
Filed under cat tarp, Oware Backpacking Gear, oware tarps
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