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  1. #1
    See you at Springer, Winter 09' Chance09's Avatar
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    Default Tarp/poncho shelter setup

    I just bought a 4 1/2 by 8 1/2 poncho/tarp today and i was wondering if anyone had any suggestions as to the best method to set it up for inclement weather? I am planning on taking it on the PCT next year and not really having too use it to much. I'm assuming that i'll just be setting it up with two trekking poles and some guylines. I was thinking about maybe making some with elastic in the them like i used for my hammock guylines to give the lines a little play and to give the fabric some relief.
    AT - Georgia to Maine '09
    PCT - Mexico to Canada '10
    CDT - Canada to Mexico '11


  2. #2
    NOBO toBennington, VT plus 187 mi in MH & ME
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    here's one approach that looks cool if you're not too tall

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgoqAtw-55g

    It makes a mini dome tent out of a poncho
    Grinder
    AT hiker : It's the journey, not the destination

  3. #3
    Hiker bigcranky's Avatar
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    I like to use a half pyramid pitch, using one pole, with maybe a second optional pole to add volume. Like this:



    The open side should face away from any weather coming your way. The pole can be higher or lower depending on how much protection you need. The second pole just pulls out the center of the fabric to give more vertical room inside.
    Ken B
    'Big Cranky'
    Our Long Trail journal

  4. #4

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    There are a few different designs of poncho tarps. Most are like flat tarps and would be pitched like flat tarps. The SMD Gatewood is designed to be pitched pyramid style. The flat tarp style are more flexible in the way they can be pitched.
    There may be others, but I haven't used em.
    "If we had to pay to walk... we'd all be crazy about it."
    --Edward Payson Weston

  5. #5
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    With a flat, standard poncho such as the Golite, Campmor, etc, typical setups are the A-Frame, Lean-To, or a hybrid of those two, but there are a lot of options. High A-Frame if not expecting bad weather and wind, bring the foot-end of the A-Frame down as low as possible and bring the head end down too if weather looks more doubtful, etc etc. Use of any sort of a bivy can skew this too.

    Shouldn't be difficult to search the web for threads that go into this in more detail, such as this one.

  6. #6

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    My friend who is 6'5" tall used a Golite poncho for a shelter for the entire PCT, even during a lot of bad weather. He usually set up one corner with the trekking pole. Here is a picture:
    http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=420900

    I usually set mine up with the trekking pole in the middle like this:
    http://picasaweb.google.com/dianesoi...68149072907202

    I was really glad to have a tent when I got to mosquito country, though. If you are planning on tarping it the whole way, bring a headnet and some DEET.
    Some knew me as Piper, others as just Diane.
    I hiked the PCT: Mexico to Mt. Shasta, 2008. Santa Barbara to Canada, 2009.

  7. #7

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    YOu dont want to use shock cord for tiouts etc. Use just regular cord like triptease or spectra etc.

    If you go on youtube and type in tart tent you will get alot of setup vids.

    http://www.youtube.com/results?searc...rch_type=&aq=f

  8. #8

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    I agree shock cord will stretch and cause your shelter to flap.
    Braided mason's line is a cheap and light alternative.

    Quote Originally Posted by tammons View Post
    YOu dont want to use shock cord for tiouts etc. Use just regular cord like triptease or spectra etc.

    If you go on youtube and type in tart tent you will get alot of setup vids.

    http://www.youtube.com/results?searc...rch_type=&aq=f
    "If we had to pay to walk... we'd all be crazy about it."
    --Edward Payson Weston

  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by brooklynkayak View Post
    I agree shock cord will stretch and cause your shelter to flap.
    Braided mason's line is a cheap and light alternative.
    I've started using a rope called ZING-IT for tarp tie outs. Worked out pretty good this past weekend.


  10. #10
    Wild at Heart J5man's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chance09 View Post
    I just bought a 4 1/2 by 8 1/2 poncho/tarp today and i was wondering if anyone had any suggestions as to the best method to set it up for inclement weather? I am planning on taking it on the PCT next year and not really having too use it to much. I'm assuming that i'll just be setting it up with two trekking poles and some guylines. I was thinking about maybe making some with elastic in the them like i used for my hammock guylines to give the lines a little play and to give the fabric some relief.
    I have one of those and I use it as a tarp over a my hammock when I use it. Not a lot of extra space but it gets the job done.

  11. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bulldawg View Post
    I've started using a rope called ZING-IT for tarp tie outs. Worked out pretty good this past weekend.
    Hey Bulldog, thanks for the hint. I'd never heard of it until know. It is thicker and a little heavier than braided mason's line, but rated at 400 lbs, I may have to get some.

    I'll still use the mason's line for most stuff, but it may not be strong enough for some critical things so having some XING-IT looks about perfect..
    "If we had to pay to walk... we'd all be crazy about it."
    --Edward Payson Weston

  12. #12

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    I just used cord for curtains. It is white, braided and oddly does not unravel.
    Some knew me as Piper, others as just Diane.
    I hiked the PCT: Mexico to Mt. Shasta, 2008. Santa Barbara to Canada, 2009.

  13. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by sbhikes View Post
    I just used cord for curtains. It is white, braided and oddly does not unravel.
    I haven't really compared the different curtains cords out there, but isn't that more expensive than the other options? I'm sure it's good and strong stuff.
    "If we had to pay to walk... we'd all be crazy about it."
    --Edward Payson Weston

  14. #14

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    I'm looking at the tarp fotogs posted here and wonder how well they would hold up to the original poster's Inclement weather question. I don't know where you guys camp, but here in the mountains of TN and NC we have some terrible windstorms with pelting rain and I just can't see an open tarp working like in the pics of Big Cranky and sbhikes.

    I was in a recent blow at around 5,000 feet and we had some fierce winds with the rain coming in horizontally and the normal tarp setup wouldn't work. And then I wonder, wouldn't the hiking pole handle/tarp apex lift off the ground in a tough wind, collapsing the tarp?

    Another situation and problem I see are heavy rain ground sheets and water pooling underneath. I spent enough time under tarps to remember trying to put everything I had up on my boots and getting my bag off any part of the ground or wet ground cloth but still the water formed a one inch lake for an hour or two. Anybody committed to tarp useage have to remember these points.

    And then there's the winter snow blizzards blowing in spindrift, fine particles of snow getting into everything.

  15. #15

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    It's all in site choice and weather watching Walter. You have to have a bail out option and a backup plan like a shelter. If no shelters are around, you have to have a bail out plan. That or lay there wet dying. Well, that or be an indian.

  16. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bulldawg View Post
    It's all in site choice and weather watching Walter. You have to have a bail out option and a backup plan like a shelter. If no shelters are around, you have to have a bail out plan. That or lay there wet dying. Well, that or be an indian.
    Bail out plan? What if you're dropped off somewhere for two weeks and your bail out plan has to be on your back? Why use a shelter that limits your freedom by first having to carefully consider site choice and weather watching? And I know of very few sites that won't collect water in a ground pounding heavy rain, even never-used, first-time camps. And as far as established "naked" camps, like around AT shelters, they often become temporary lakes.

  17. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tipi Walter View Post
    Bail out plan? What if you're dropped off somewhere for two weeks and your bail out plan has to be on your back? Why use a shelter that limits your freedom by first having to carefully consider site choice and weather watching? And I know of very few sites that won't collect water in a ground pounding heavy rain, even never-used, first-time camps. And as far as established "naked" camps, like around AT shelters, they often become temporary lakes.

    Whatever Walter. Going into the woods without some sort of bail out plan is stupid.

  18. #18

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    Here's a picture of a poncho-tent I had made for me by Ron at Mountain Laurel Designs:
    http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/1...59664855OKnpkD
    Since I hammock most of the time now, I only use it as a poncho (and minimalist tarp for my hammock on weekend trips).
    Bringing the back stakes closer together and raising the rear hiking pole will get you more headroom. I would never use it without bug shelter now that I've had Lyme disease at least twice (never confirmed, just suspected - rash and bite site, joint stiffness and lethargy). Hanging gets you a little further from the critters, though you're most likely to pick them up while hiking and they have a nasty way of making it past your treated clothing and deet-sprayed skin.
    As I live, declares the Lord God, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn back from his way and live. Ezekiel 33:11

  19. #19
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    All that water pooling crap is why I hang a hammock. My site requirements are then based mostly on availibility of tie-off points rather than drainage. I do still tent withthe family but I'm very picky about where I put my tent. I would never plan on spending more than a weekend under a tarp on th ground....my luck just isn't that good.
    Take almost nothing I say seriously--if it seems to make no sense what so ever it's probably meant as a joke....but do treat your water!

  20. #20
    Hiker bigcranky's Avatar
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    I've had the smaller tarp in blowing rain and even a blizzard. My current tarp is 6x10 (that's the one pictured above.) So far I guess I've just been really lucky to not have giant pools of water under my tarp. Or, maybe I know something about choosing a tarp site. One or the other, anyway.
    Ken B
    'Big Cranky'
    Our Long Trail journal

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