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  1. #1

    Default here's my plan...comments pls

    So i've finally and literally shed all my old gear off me and am planning on doing it all DIY. Here's my plan for a shelter and I would like suggestions/comments/tips, etc.

    I have enough silnylon to make an 8x10 siltarp, which will have tulle (as oppossed to noseeum netting [seems better]) on all four sides. I will most likely set it up like Henry's tarp tent, but for added versatility I want the tarp to be free to fit any shape yet always have bug netting on the sides. The netting will probably be extra long where the front and back will be so it can take any shape.

    I also plan on sewing tyvek envelopes together for the ground cloth, and maybe a sleeping bag cover (they are breathable / waterproof right?)

    How come tarps aren't being made out of tyvek?


    (A)

  2. #2
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    Tyvek isn't really breathable. Instead of sewing them together, why not just visit a construction site and ask if you can take a piece from the dumpster?

    I think Tyvek is only waterproof to a certain water pressure, which is much less than silnylon, and allows misting in not-so-heavy rains. Silnylon can mist in very heavy rains, though.

    Maybe someone here HAS made a tarp from Tyvek and can review its abilities?

  3. #3
    Section Hiker - 339.8 miles - I'm gettin' there! papa john's Avatar
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    GA-VA 2005, VA-CT 2007, CT-ME ??
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    Quote Originally Posted by circleda
    I have enough silnylon to make an 8x10 siltarp, which will have tulle (as oppossed to noseeum netting [seems better]) on all four sides. I will most likely set it up like Henry's tarp tent, but for added versatility I want the tarp to be free to fit any shape yet always have bug netting on the sides. The netting will probably be extra long where the front and back will be so it can take any shape.
    I think your bugnetting idea will be a waste. Even if you have only 3ft or so on each side, that's still about 12yd2 of fabric. Which means heavier, more sewing, and a larger volume to pack. My suggestion is to use either a] a combination of a 3oz windshirt and a 1oz headnet, using the gloves and pants you probably already use; Keeping your even just your head protected can make a huge difference in mood

    or b] just buy a simple, cheap, light netting addition like those available from Dancing Light Gear, Equinox, A16, and Integral Designs. It allow your tarp to maintain every bit of it's flexibility, and won't compromise your bugproofness as much. Probably $20-30 and it's far less work.

    -Mark

  5. #5
    Registered User Patrick's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Whistler
    I think your bugnetting idea will be a waste. Even if you have only 3ft or so on each side, that's still about 12yd2 of fabric. Which means heavier, more sewing, and a larger volume to pack. My suggestion is to use either a] a combination of a 3oz windshirt and a 1oz headnet, using the gloves and pants you probably already use; Keeping your even just your head protected can make a huge difference in mood

    or b] just buy a simple, cheap, light netting addition like those available from Dancing Light Gear, Equinox, A16, and Integral Designs. It allow your tarp to maintain every bit of it's flexibility, and won't compromise your bugproofness as much. Probably $20-30 and it's far less work.

    -Mark
    I strongly agree with this. I had a nice silnylon tarp that I made. A couple months ago I did just what you're talking about with noseeum around the edges. I made a Velcro closure on the front for a door. I won't say it ruined my tarp, but I definitely wish I hadn't done it.

    I subsequently bought four yards or so of nanoseeum from thruhiker.com and made a bug bivy that slips over my sleeping bag. It has three tie-outs at the top. One in the middle for a quick set-up and two at the "corners" for better volume. It also has stake loops at the bottom (which I doubt I'd ever use), an elasticized drawstring that keeps it snug, and it's huge. I can actually use it when my girlfriend and I zip our bags together. 5 oz. with stuff sack and guy lines, packs to the size of a pair of socks and is super versatile.

    I don't like using a tarp if there's no chance of rain and I don't like netting of any kind if there are no bugs. This setup accomplishes those options perfectly while being way lighter, simpler, and easier to make compared to a netted tarp.

    To me, if you're going to camp with a tarp, this is by far the best way to get bug protection.

  6. #6

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    Patrick-

    What configurations do you use your tarp and how/where do you tie the bug screen that is pictured.

  7. #7
    Registered User Patrick's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alligator
    Patrick-

    What configurations do you use your tarp and how/where do you tie the bug screen that is pictured.
    Alligator,

    I set my tarp up in a simple A-frame. Down close to the ground in cold or very wet weather, up high otherwise. When on-trail it's never too hard to find trees to set up on. Worst case is I use my hiking poles, which seems shaky at first but works fine. Never had a problem with it. I do a lot of camping on the river, which usually means a rocky beach with no trees and I don't have my poles. I've always been able to find fallen branches that work fine there. I slept in the worst rain storm I've ever been in just fine like that. Didn't get a bit wet.

    The bug screen that I have will tie to the front tie-out on my tarp. It works fine with just that, but I can also tie the side stake loops out to the front corner tie-outs to spread the netting out more.

    I considered making loops inside the tarp a bit farther back, but it works fine tied to the front. I lie in the middle and the line slopes forward to the tie-out.

    The nice thing about this set up is that it's entirely imprecise. You can throw it up pretty much anywhere as long as you rig it to keep the netting off your face. That's why I don't like the netting-on-tarp idea. The tarp is such a versatile weather shelter and this is such a versatile bug shelter that you can set either up almost literally anywhere.

    I forgot the very biggest advantage of this over the tarp with netting. You can set it up very easily in a shelter without taking up any extra room. I was in a shelter in MA with a kind of attic. I slept up there and tied off to a nail or something and it was great.

    One change I'd like to make is to use elastic instead of regular cord, just for extra protection if I'm really tossing and turning.

  8. #8

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    I like the design. I have the cot netting type (rectangular prism) and use a tarp also. I find tying it up to be somewhat difficult as it needs four attachment points to hang as it is supposed to. Adding netting to a regular tarp is not the way to go IMO either. I too like having the separate pieces depending on the conditions, and my try something like you have pictured.

  9. #9
    Registered User Patrick's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alligator
    I like the design. I have the cot netting type (rectangular prism) and use a tarp also. I find tying it up to be somewhat difficult as it needs four attachment points to hang as it is supposed to. Adding netting to a regular tarp is not the way to go IMO either. I too like having the separate pieces depending on the conditions, and my try something like you have pictured.
    That's what I built first -- separate full netting shelter with nylon floor. It was heavier and much bulkier than my tarp.

    What I have now took me only a couple hours to sew and I'm slow. And it's very imprecise. I just sort of pinned and folded and cut and sewed till it looked about right then went back and sewed all the hems again for reinforcement.

    Oh, by the way, I used nanoseeum from thruhiker.com. I'm pretty sure it was the same price as regular noseeum, but it's like 2/3 the weight. Not a huge deal, but it seems to have a softer hand, which is nice.

    I'm not sure how much sewing experience you have, but this is a decent first project. It's super forgiving and sewing with mesh is nice in that it's grippy instead of slippery like silnylon, which can be frustrating at first. I find that it's sort of stretchy in that after you sew a seam you can pull on it and the material won't get tight, but the thread will. I used more of a zig-zag stitch which helped that a lot.

    Anyway, be sure to post pictures when you make it. I'm sure you'll come up with some improvements.

  10. #10

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    Oh no, I thought yours looked rather nice. I can't sew for beans, but I think you are right in that it would make a good first project. One of these days I'm going to take a short course to get an idea of the different stitches and how not to break the needle on the machine.

  11. #11

    Default The Mysteries of Tyvek, Solved

    Hello all, thought I'd add my two cents to the ongoing saga of Tyvek misinformation. As background, I've been experimenting with and fabricating gear from Tyvek for four years now and have grown to love this stranger material almost as much as I've enjoyed people's reactions to it. Anyway, first, Tyvek certainly is breathable, which is why homewrap is used as a vapr barrier on houses. Now its breathability depends on which grade you have (and there are many) but for the most part, they all breathe fairly well. I know this because I've been making and using an 80z bivy made from homewrap that I consistently camp in (primarily 10,000ft. + elevations and in snow, but alos near Eugene, oregon in severe rainstorms.) I use a down bag and have never had a problem with too much condensation or "misting" and none in dry environments.

    Also, Tyvek should never be sewn. It works okay for banners, but will not hold up for trail use and besides, the seams aren't waterproof if you sew. The problem is that the holes made by the sewing needle do not shrink. This means that you have to use a small needle (with a rounded point) and as large a thread as possible. And even then, Tyvek has low friction, so the seam will not be strong at all. A better way is to tape it. Some have used double sided carpet tape with some success. Howver, most of these (even the official Tyvek Tape, are not rated for immersion in water and extremes of temperature. The best solution we have found is an adhesive transfer tape from 3M using the 300LSE adhesive. This tape makes a strong waterproof joint that stays pliable over a large temperature range, maing it good for use in mountaineering/backpacking gear. The resulting seam is stronger than the tyvex itself, and much stronger than a sewn seam. If you can't get the tape (often requires large orders) I reccommend using outdoor carpet tape in place of stitching, though not idea, it's still stronger than thread.

    As for the terrible noise of hard structure tyvek, washing can help, but the best method is simply to roll and unroll the finished product. Do this as tightly as possible (like rolling up a tent) but then roll it on the bias (45 degree angle) as well. Then flip it over and roll from the other side. Conditioning the tyvek in this way really cuts the noise down to nylon levels, and makes it easier to pack. I reccommend doing this after you fabricate your design, however, as it's easier to cut and tape in flat/hard form.

    Tyvek is really awesome stuff and we've been making custom ultralight gear from it for mountain runners and climbers for a while now. It just takes a whole different set of tricks to work with it. But that's the fun, right?

    Hope this helps.

    --
    wiley davis
    http://www.tyvekwallet.com

  12. #12

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    Here's just another Tyvek use,
    I used 10 Tyvek PO envelopes to make a 6 Oz. ground tarp.
    The priority and Express mail Tyvek envelopes from the PO are about 15"x12".
    I split the 2 long seems with an exacto and leave only the bottom seem, opened up they are 30"x12" with a small strip of tape at one end.
    I make 4 pairs of them taped together by there own tape. Each 60"x12". I cut the other 2 envelopes in half and use half an envelope for a final length of 75" on each one.
    I lay the 4 on the floor next to each other and tape them with Priority Tape, this stuff sticks to Tyvek permanently, it makes a 75"x48" ground cloth that weighs about 6 ounces. It not the Tyvek used in homes, it's a VERY thin, waterproof tear resistant paper.
    Made with all used materials as it is illegal to use Priority Mail Envelopes and Tape for anything but Priority Mail.
    I used it as a picnic blanket and to sit on outside and it held up great, it just tends to show alot of dirt, as stated before like other Tyvek, folding it up a few times makes it more pliable and softer.

  13. #13
    Hiker Trash Downhill Trucker's Avatar
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    Has anyone dyed tyvek?

  14. #14
    Registered User randyg45's Avatar
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    I'd pattern my setup after the Coghlans # 9775, which I've used for years. A small gripclip will put it where you want it.
    http://www.coghlans.com/catalogue/pr...t.php?catID=11

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