tarp shelters

[Beo]

Tarpps rock, best shelters I've ever made for trekking.

[Rick]

I've used tents and tarps. Both are fine and each has its advantages and disadvantages. The tarp gives me the luxury of many different configurations based on my need and that's what gives the tarp an edge over a tent for me.

[dilligaf2u2]

Gortex!

TDW and TGF want the big tent along. With them, I take the truck for camping.

For me alone, I made a 9 x 14 tarp out of gortex. Best thing I ever did. It is heaver then a plastic tarp but lighter then the 10 X 10 heavy Cotton canvas tarp. It has kept me dry in the worst of storms, both rain and snow. It is big enough for 2 and gear or me and Ugly. Ugly takes a lot of room for a small dog.

If I know bugs will become a problem, I have a tent.

Don

[MedicineWolf]

Two shelter halves from the army and I'm good.

[Ridge Wolf]

Hey
I had a question about the tarps. Iv used them sometimes while in my lean too so i don't make any holes in my sleeping bag over the winter. But was wondering if i was out and only had a tarp and it rained it tie it over me so the rain does not fall on me yes. but what about the rain the flows along the ground? Iv been lucky for when i bring just a tarp, it has not rain yet, but if i did how would i stop that? I guess i could make a little pocket for my sleeping bag to go into that is sewn and sealed, but what about over my head? And this would work up to my shoulders what would i do then...Just wondering what if theres something else i should be doing.
THanks

Dig a trench around the edge of the tarp for water run off. The trench should be about 3 to 6 inches deep depending on how much rain you're expecting and dig it past your tarp area (perferrably downhill) so the water will run away from the tarp area. You can easily do this with a camp shovel/pick or even a digging stick.

[warman87]

would a large tent fly work for stormy weather i have an old tent that has seen its fair share of storms and on the last one the poles broke so i was wondering if that would work it has kept me dry with a tent its about 10x10 silnylon or would a 10x10 canvas tarp hold up better in the woods?

[Ole WV Coot]

Always keep a tarp in the truck and on the ATV. Covers the ATV & gear without unloading. More uses than a tent IMO and out of habit I always have the mil poncho. Both very good shelters.

[Pict]

I don't like sleeping in tents at all unless I'm in a civilized campground and need the privacy. My normal shelter here in Brazil is a poncho and bivy bag placed in whatever natural sheltered spot I can find. The downside to using your poncho as a tent is that you can't use it as raingear. I don't remember the last time I slept in a tent. I use them mainly for my little kids (9 and 7). They feel safer when hermetically sealed away from the wilderness. Mac

[warman87]

did a quick google on bivy bags and i have a question do they create condensation
on the inside of the bag during hot or muggy weather and also how water proof are they?

[julian]

Seconded on the Henry Shires tarptents! In mosquito country, they provide all the bug protection of a tent and still give you a tarp-type simplicity/size. I'll be using one on my Pacific Crest Trail thru-hike next spring.

[Rick]

Mac - Is your main reason for a bivy bag to escape insects? Just wondering.

[monalisa1155]

The Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance Pod System (TARPS) is a large and sophisticated camera pod carried by the F-14 Tomcat it was pressed into service upon arrival in the fleet

[crashdive123]

Alrightythen. How about flying over to the introduction section when you get a chance and tell us a bit about yourself. Thanks.

[trax]

The Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance Pod System (TARPS) is a large and sophisticated camera pod carried by the F-14 Tomcat it was pressed into service upon arrival in the fleet

Which is clearly overwhelmingly important to people who are asking questions about shelters while out in the wilderness. Tarps to the rest of the world is short for tarpaulins, maybe you wanna google a dictionary and get back to us on that. Just a thought. Hey, it's humor, welcome aboard, snap a shot of crashdive's suggestion and do a flyby of the intro section maybe.

[Pict]

Mac - Is your main reason for a bivy bag to escape insects? Just wondering.

Rick my main reason for carrying a bivy bag is that they are the best shelter asset for their size and weight for my area bar none.

My bivy's are nothing special either. I use the Guide Gear version from Sportsmans guide. (This reminds me I need to pick up about 4 more).

The bottom of the bag is made from coated nylon and the top has a large panel of something like Goretex. The hood has a wire stiffener and a full face bug screen. the whole thing packs into its own little zipper pocket at the toe-end and takes up a little more room than a lightweight US Army poncho. I have never had condensation problems with my Guide Gear bivy's, even using them down to about 18 degrees F (obviously not in Brazil on that trip)

I have slept in them with the hood zippered shut but I think they get stuffy. Most of the time I just leave my head unzippered. For bug protection I use a combination of DEET and permethrine (in winter/dry season) when we have loads of ticks and chiggers. In rainy season there are no ticks or chiggers and DEET can handle everything else.

My basic set-up is a Poncho, bivy, and either a tropical weight bag or poncho liner. The entire system packs into a small US Army drybag and fits in a day pack. With these three assets any expedient shelter that you care to construct will be FAR more effective. In decent weather they are more than adequate for shelter by themselves.

For example. The last time I ran the Alpine Survival course we stayed at 4500 feet on a mountain slope and got hammered with wind/rain. I was staying in a small cave-like rock shelter on a grass mattress. I had rigged up the poncho to close off a wide open space to the front of the cave to protect my head from rain spray. The bivy got soaked from the knees down but I stayed dry inside. Mac

[wareagle69]

mine is the aurora bivy cost me around 350 or so ifn i recall correctly about 12" inches long and wrap both hands around when in stuff sac about 2lbs made of gore tex (www.orgear.com) works for me

[BruceZed]

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum. I live in this one just last week in Northern Saskatchewan. It is simply a poncho 5' x 8' made of Siltarp with a few small budgie cords and a piece of string to hold it up.

[Runs With Beer]

I like a tarp in the winter, But down here in the summer a tent is a must.

[Rick]

Thanks, Mac. It helps to understand the whys. It looks like the Sportsmansguide has some of their bivy's on sale.

[HOP]

I have a tarp that is pre-sown into a Whelen lean style, pretty effecient.

I think the Whelen lean to is the greatest for winter use with reflective fire but must confess that I prefer something you can button all the way up and with a floor for when the crawlies are about.