Let's See Your Tarp Creations

[lars]

Ok all you polyester architects, let's see how you use your tarps. I'm particularly interested in fast and durable ways for setting up kitchen/dining/campfire shelters to withstand heavy rains.

But any use of a tarp while camping is fair game.


...lars

[Dan]

Ahh the tarp. One of the most versatile camping accesories next to the Umbrella.

Unfortunately I've never felt any of my uses of a tarp to be photo worthy, but the list of uses is extensive.

There is one photo though caption: "Fortunately he had a spare steering linkage AND a tarp to lie on"
http://www.bc4x4.com/tr/2002/rc/day3-11.jpg


Besides lying on a tarp to keep whatever is on the ground off of you, you can lay it on the ground to catch whatever vehiclular fluid is leaking from above.

I was forced to use a tarp as bikini top on my Jeep when I left the top at camp, not because it was raining, but because the sun overhead was getting unbearable.

A tarp has become a tent, when said tent was found missing at the worst possible moment.

Shelter from rain, snow, and often just shade from the sun. I covered the windows of my old Honda with a tarp at the Airshow to keep the interior temperatures down, as well as keep that thick layer of dust off of it that gets stirred up in the dirt parking lot.

I've seen it hung up as a wall between camp and the toilet area, and used as a shower curtain by the rednecks using a five gallon bucket of water and a hose hanging from a tree

When breaking down a campsite in a hurry when the drunks got violent, everything was thrown on the tarp and wrapped up in it to be thrown in the truck all at once. The broken windshield was later pushed out onto the tarp and wrapped up in it to contain it.

The hot tub using a tarp is covered on another thread, a waterproof tarp will hold water in as well as it will hold water out.

Lacking something better you could transport a reasonable amount of water from the river to camp in a tarp thats folded the right way.

I heard this rumour that someone at stave lake was having trouble reseating a bead on a tire, and rolled up a tarp and wrapped it around the wheel to take up some space and temporarily seal the gap so the tire could start to reseat. I haven't tried it and I'm doubtfull it would work, but try it if nothing else is working.

A tarp works as well as a floor as it does as a roof, making the mucky ground at the campsite a lot more bearable.

Often a tarp will work as a big garbage bag, when trying to figure out how to get 140 cubic feet of packing peanuts into the sales managers office, it was decided the best way was to dump them all onto a huge tarp, wrap them up, and then toss it over top of the glass wall .

My favorite use of course, Redneck Slip n slide
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfZrTuNW1sk&feature=related

[Tmax]

we had a really good set up last weekend. gavman might have a picture of it.

the way i like it is to run a heavy rope in the middles from two strong points like trees or rocks then lay the tarp on top and anchor all the points and such. if you have to, you can place some poles at the begining and end of the rope to make it nice and even.

[gavman]

Dan That's one of the best posts in awhile, well said and I seen most of the things you mentioned. even the hotties in the tarp hot tub...

[Dan]

even the hotties in the tarp hot tub...

:worthless_without_p



incidentally, I read these guys a while ago, and theres some decent tarp info hidden on their site http://www.mwestfall.addr.com/nigal/tarp_basics.htm

[Lone Ranger]

I have a tarp stashed in my quad at all times, if for nothing else it makes a great emergency shelter in a pinch. LR

[Moose good]

Good thread

I use tarps quite a bit during the summer months when I'm backpacking but not usually for truck camping. I have used them to make a low 'garage' for the truck when sleeping in the back though. You can drive out for a day trip and back in again when you get back to camp.

It's a nobrainer to recut and reshape them. Tuck Tape (looks like red packing tape) sticks to them well, and a seam doubled over with double sided carpet tape is great for making a ridgeline with grommets that's still watertight.

Tyvek housewrap works well too, especially for bivies: like a poor man's goretex.

If you look up homebuilt sailboats, there's a lot of builders that make sails from tarps so they can play with the shape before getting Dacron ones made, then altered. I plan to do mine the same way (my one-off pirogue/kayak is getting a sloop rig)

And yeah, +1 on the hot tub!

I'll try and find some good pics tonight.

[lars]

Tyvek housewrap works well too, especially for bivies: like a poor man's goretex.
I'm planning on buying some Tyvek to try it out. For an emergency tarp, I keep an army surplus tarp in my Jeep but it's gettin' pretty greasy from the various in-the-field repairs. So I'm thinking of replacing it with some sheets of Tyvek. Also considering making a tent groundsheet out of the stuff, too.

BTW, have any of you used mason's twine (the braided kind) for tying down tarps? Just wondering if it's difficult to undo the knots, or if the knots slip at all with that twine?

...lars

[Moose good]

Umm...a bit of tension and maybe some water and those knots are permanent, lars. Sailboats could use 1/8 Spectra for damn near everything but they don't because you can't handle it very effectively.

Paracord or plain-jane 3/16 nylon braid from the hardware store are plenty strong enough and you don't need tweezers to tie & untie it.

One of the tv bushcraft guys, Ray Mears (the one with his head on straight) has some interesting tarp rigging tips for a single shelter. And it actually works pretty well...

[jeeper]

I'm planning on buying some Tyvek to try it out. For an emergency tarp, I keep an army surplus tarp in my Jeep but it's gettin' pretty greasy from the various in-the-field repairs. So I'm thinking of replacing it with some sheets of Tyvek. Also considering making a tent groundsheet out of the stuff, too.

BTW, have any of you used mason's twine (the braided kind) for tying down tarps? Just wondering if it's difficult to undo the knots, or if the knots slip at all with that twine?

...lars


Ive never tied Tyvek but have used lumber wrap before !

I usually like to use a good 3/8 to 1/2 inch center line and they try to tie off avery grommet on the tarp with bailing twine . You can get it at otter coop for about 27 bucks for 6500 ft , So disposable but still fairly strong Its 200 pound test strenght and i usually double up the more stressfull points !


If I anticipate a high wind area I will tie rocks into each of the corners (instead of using the grommets) and use heavier rope on the corners!
Bruce

[Mike Wild]

Saw this and it looked rather interesting

came from this site:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-Your-Own-Tarp-Tents/

[jeeper]

Mike you surprise me :0


I always knew you had all kinds of links to knot tying etc (You s and m bugger !But to have a usefull link surprises me :)

[Dan]

Saw this and it looked rather interesting

came from this site:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-Your-Own-Tarp-Tents/

I check the instructables site daily. I've solved a lot of computer problems with some of their writeups. its a great site.

[lars]

Wow, there have been some good links posted to this thread. Thanks guys! Still lookin' forward to seeing some pics of your own tarp setups as well.

...lars

[lornix]

I check the instructables site daily. I've solved a lot of computer problems with some of their writeups. its a great site.

I was reading this post last night and followed the link. An hour later I was still on that site! :laugh

[Mike Wild]

I was reading this post last night and followed the link. An hour later I was still on that site! :laugh

yeah, you can really kill alot of time on that site! :read

[Chris.S.]

Almost bought this book last weekend:

http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Tarp-Bible-Unsightly-America/dp/1594850895/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1218671365&sr=8-2

[jeeper]

Wow, there have been some good links posted to this thread. Thanks guys! Still lookin' forward to seeing some pics of your own tarp setups as well.

...lars


Ive got some awesome old pics ille have to dig up and scan from back when we used a 40 x 60 ft tarp as our main cover !


We had some great setups but we were also setting up for 10 days so it was worth the effort !


Bruce

[smac]

coolest thing I ever did with a tarp. (no pics) was hiking through the stein valley for 5 days as a kid with a summer camp program. we got to the top of one moutain and it starts to snow (in July). guide whips out a decent size tarp. the 10 of us circle around it grabing onto it. and do the parchette game thing. ( I bet everyone did that in ememtary school PE). threw it up in the air, ran underneith, and pulled it down behind us and sat on the edge. we had a snow and wind free dome shelter to have lunch in. no rope no polls, it stayed up just fine from the air pressure.

[jeeper]

coolest thing I ever did with a tarp. (no pics) was hiking through the stein valley for 5 days as a kid with a summer camp program. we got to the top of one moutain and it starts to snow (in July). guide whips out a decent size tarp. the 10 of us circle around it grabing onto it. and do the parchette game thing. ( I bet everyone did that in ememtary school PE). threw it up in the air, ran underneith, and pulled it down behind us and sat on the edge. we had a snow and wind free dome shelter to have lunch in. no rope no polls, it stayed up just fine from the air pressure.

Thats Awesome !

What a fantastic way to stay warm and ride out the storm !



We did some backpacking trips when i was 17 -19 where we took some younger kids out camping , 12-13 , for many it was there first time out backpacking . We used to use only Plastic and the kids would all have to build a shelter from a sheet of plastic ! Its amazing the creations some came up with , and for others I still cant beleive they are alive today :)


Bruce

[HMFI]

I like using 1" ratchet straps to keep the tarp tight. Since I'm not a boy scout when it comes to tying knots this works great.

[Goof]

I like using 1" ratchet straps to keep the tarp tight. Since I'm not a boy scout when it comes to tying knots this works great.

Also makes any adjustments easier. Need one side tighter? Just give it a few ratchets. No having to tie/untie knots.

[Granite Grinder]

Here's one from Lodestone on the Aug. long weekend. It's hard to see, but I have two 12' logs lashed together with a 15' horizontal one. Basically an A frame, the other end of the horizontal is lashed to the tree on the left side of the pic. This withstood snow, rain and wind. As most of you know Lodestone can get pretty windy. I also used another branch to hold up the centre where the kitchen is. I carry 4" thick foam squares to dissipate the stress on the tarp (and so the pole doesn't go through the tarp). I was camped there from M-F with just my two kids, then on Friday the rest of the group started to show up. They were calling it the Chalet, the tarp is a 30' x 50'. I left the structure it intact when I bugged out on Monday, might still be there... if somebody hasn't used it for firewood.
GG

[Zuk Rider]

Covering A tent, a hammock, and a sammi at Whipsaw
11882

Conserving heat on a hot tub at Bible Camp
11883


wicked creations... i know :cool:

[BackCountryPunk]

My best tarp creation was on my old mothership (aka: The big dodge van).
The van had square roof racks on it, into which I slipped a stick of 3/4" EMT. These were held in place with a cotter pin.
When setting up camp, I would remove the cotter pin, slide the bars out, reinsert the pins in the next set of holes (now I had 2 "arms which stuck out about 5' from the roof line), sling the tarp over & bungy in place.

Voila, an awning. Without the need for suitable trees, pegs, etc.

[lornix]

This bad boy is at the back of my house this weekend for a birthday bash. It's a 30x40 and covers the whole patio and a chunk of the yard. There is a 10x10 Easy up under it :soso

http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp10/lornix/Test/tarp1.jpg


http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp10/lornix/Test/tarp3.jpg


http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp10/lornix/Test/tarp2.jpg

[jeeper]

This bad boy is at the back of my house this weekend for a birthday bash. It's a 30x40 and covers the whole patio and a chunk of the yard. There is a 10x10 Easy up under it :soso

]


And WHY wasnt I invited ?:cwm30::beer_cheers:


Bruce

[lornix]

And WHY wasnt I invited ?:cwm30::beer_cheers:


Bruce

lol Bruce, you would have to be 19 and listen to gansta rap ... it's a festival of sideways hats, baggy pants, and bling chains - Casey's 19th.

lol .. I'm not sure I even want to go :cwm30:

:beer_cheers:

[gavman]

Thats a decent set-up for sure, Next time though get a white tarp if you can find one, way brighter and your complexion will be a bit more natural.
I'm a little ticked Bruce wasn't invited too:finger_1::beer_cheers:

[lornix]

Thats a decent set-up for sure, Next time though get a white tarp if you can find one, way brighter and your complexion will be a bit more natural.
I'm a little ticked Bruce wasn't invited too:finger_1::beer_cheers:

Yeah we came to that conclusion too - the blue is a tad dark, but we have lots of lighting for the evening.

On the matter of Bruce ...

I didn't think bumpin phat beatz wit da boyz and da crew and dey bitches was straight up dope for da dog yo. Homie gots ta git some bling ta get all up in this shiat ... know what I'm sayin? You straight trippin!


I've been practicing the local linguistic nuances in order to better recieve the young master's party guests. :cwm30::redneck



On a side note ...

Here is another picture of a tarp. It's the one over my wood pile. If you look really close you can almost make out the XJ

http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp10/lornix/Test/tarps-007.jpg

[ChrisL]

Wow, there have been some good links posted to this thread. Thanks guys! Still lookin' forward to seeing some pics of your own tarp setups as well.

...lars


Does this count? I didn't build it, but I did take it apart. It's mostly made of tarp and tree poles.


12115


Chris.

[Binford]

Funny, Lars, but I've been having the same sort of thoughts lately about tarps. I kind of shy away from the blue ones though. At least for camping applications.

A friend of mine from Oregon is big into using them for camping. He also prefers brown or green! The trick, he says, is to use bungees to attach opposing lines so the wind will be absorbed. Tie them tight and you'll be rewarded with a torn tarp. Probably in the middle of the stormy night.

Best of all, there's a television ad that's been on a while for PEMCO insurance. It's a Seattle-based insurance company that only operates in the Pacific Northwest. They have a series of ads and this one, compliments of YouTube, is my favorite! Enjoy....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpfcO4Yfw44

[Jeep_Explorer]

I dunno if this is worthy.... but defenetly worth looking at....

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b177/00_integra_GSR/Misc/100_6388.jpg


Didn't need rain protection... no clouds in the forecast for weeks......
I also do the ratchet strap thing... but I got some of those crappy blue canadian tire tarp rings also.... I found the brass rings in the tarp ripped out in about .5 of a second....