paul standley
11-04-2011, 07:21 PM
Here are my thoughts on an inexpensive plastic Tarp that I recently purchased and I used it in anger in the field last weekend in "ground-dweller" mode.
1070 1071 1072
First off - I'm not advocating this tarp over any other. As with all my budget priced kit and DIY kit, I simply put it up as an option, particlularly if someone is new to tarps and wanted to test the idea out cheaply.
So, It's nominally 8ft x 12 ft with eyelets every 1 m approx. It's plastic but waterproof and does what it says on the tin and I was very comfortable in it recently in the woods. I used in it the configuration you see in the photo's so that I had both ends closed off and used it in conjunction with a piece of black builders plastic as a groundsheet which I 'rolled' up against the bottom of the tarp down the two long sides to produce a semi bathtub effect. The last image shows inside from one end and so looks a bit 'loose because I had to fold the end flaps back and away to get the photo.
The tarp weighs around 750 grams and the plastic ground sheet weighed approx 250 grams so here's a ground dweller set-up for 1KG that is VERY roomy with loads of room for kit and bags and good 'sit-up' height.
It has a camo print on one side and is plain green on the other.
With the 12 ft length 'longways', there are no eyelets at the point of the ridgeline center at each end so I used a couple of tarp 'gripper' clips and then used paracord and prussic knots to tension the tarp.
On the night I used it, the temp dropped to 4 C and there was some fine condensation on the inside but because the shelter is so roomy, and had good ventilation, it didn't cause any problems at all.
It could be made more rigid still and possibly "gale proofed" by simply adding a couple of sets of hazel stick "A" frame supports inside for example and shortening the width a little to provide an overlap on the ends/doors.
Here is the link to to the retailer. They also do other sizes and other tarp types.
http://www.greenmanbushcraft.co.uk/shelter-sleep/camouflage-tarpaulins.htm
Paul
1070 1071 1072
First off - I'm not advocating this tarp over any other. As with all my budget priced kit and DIY kit, I simply put it up as an option, particlularly if someone is new to tarps and wanted to test the idea out cheaply.
So, It's nominally 8ft x 12 ft with eyelets every 1 m approx. It's plastic but waterproof and does what it says on the tin and I was very comfortable in it recently in the woods. I used in it the configuration you see in the photo's so that I had both ends closed off and used it in conjunction with a piece of black builders plastic as a groundsheet which I 'rolled' up against the bottom of the tarp down the two long sides to produce a semi bathtub effect. The last image shows inside from one end and so looks a bit 'loose because I had to fold the end flaps back and away to get the photo.
The tarp weighs around 750 grams and the plastic ground sheet weighed approx 250 grams so here's a ground dweller set-up for 1KG that is VERY roomy with loads of room for kit and bags and good 'sit-up' height.
It has a camo print on one side and is plain green on the other.
With the 12 ft length 'longways', there are no eyelets at the point of the ridgeline center at each end so I used a couple of tarp 'gripper' clips and then used paracord and prussic knots to tension the tarp.
On the night I used it, the temp dropped to 4 C and there was some fine condensation on the inside but because the shelter is so roomy, and had good ventilation, it didn't cause any problems at all.
It could be made more rigid still and possibly "gale proofed" by simply adding a couple of sets of hazel stick "A" frame supports inside for example and shortening the width a little to provide an overlap on the ends/doors.
Here is the link to to the retailer. They also do other sizes and other tarp types.
http://www.greenmanbushcraft.co.uk/shelter-sleep/camouflage-tarpaulins.htm
Paul