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Over The Hill
02-01-2010, 17:15
I have been given a nice solo tent that weighs in at 2.5 #'s trail weight. But it is NOT freestanding. Are the platforms set for just freestander's or are they also usable for non-freestanding tents?
Or to keep it short, should I just bite the bullet and buy a freestander?

CrumbSnatcher
02-01-2010, 18:41
no problem with non-freestanding tents on platforms, carry some parchute cord to tie off with.

white_russian
02-01-2010, 18:51
you just have to be a bit more creative to use a non freestanding tent on a platform, but works

veteran
02-01-2010, 19:48
Nail it down. :D

makoboy
02-01-2010, 20:25
I have read suggestsions on other forums to use small nails that can be pulled out with your leatherman, or screw in eye-hooks. Not the best for the platform, but prob lower impact than setting up on the ground.

CrumbSnatcher
02-01-2010, 21:24
easy to tie off to the end of the boards, and alot of the tent platforms have eyehooks to tie off to! leave the nails at home!

garlic08
02-02-2010, 00:41
All the above, and you can even make "deadmen" out of sticks and a short length of cord and put them between the planks.

It is a hassle, but you'll probably only have to do it a couple of times. I avoided those as best as I could.

cascader
02-02-2010, 08:52
All the above, and you can even make "deadmen" out of sticks and a short length of cord and put them between the planks.

It is a hassle, but you'll probably only have to do it a couple of times. I avoided those as best as I could.

Often too you can wedge tent stakes in between the boards--can take some pushing and some pulling later to get them out but usually they stay put once in.

Over The Hill
02-02-2010, 15:49
Thank you all!! You just saved me from explaining to the wife why I needed to buy a different tent. :)

burger
02-02-2010, 18:03
FYI, you don't even need extra cord. Worst-case scenario, you could cut off a couple of feet of whatever you're using for bear hanging, but I doubt you'd even need that.

CrumbSnatcher
02-02-2010, 18:28
yeah i didn't mean buy extra cord, i cut off a few small pieces off my bear bagging rope! once i got far enough north where theres more tent platforms! doing it without any rope might be more trouble than just using the rope/cord. parachute cord is so light and strong.

spike camp
02-09-2013, 13:07
Nail it down. :D

lol lol lol

Carry-On
02-09-2013, 19:02
My tent is not freestanding (LHG Solo) and I was worried the first time I used a platform. Luckily, the places I had to use a platform had a bear box, so I just used my bear bag rope, without cutting any off. I saw and used several methods depending on the platform, sticks between the planks, tent stakes, rocks holding down the rope, even rocks hanging off the platform tied through the tabs with the rope. I got better at it. I finally got good enough at it that I could set it up inside shelters using only my rope and rocks, but it took a little practice. Just be creative, you'll be fine. It took longer than my friends with their freestanding tents, but cheaper than buying a new tent. :)

Chaco Taco
02-09-2013, 20:45
Double Rainbow sets up easy on a platform. The msr tent stakes that are X are great and fit in between the boards very snug. There is always a way.

rustmd
02-10-2013, 14:37
and don't be shy about asking other hikers (or the caretaker) how to get your non-freestanding set up on the platforms. really not a problem once you "kknow the ropes"!

.com

pelenaka
02-10-2013, 15:13
Good thread I was wondering the same. For now I've decided on a Moment tent ... for now.

Chaco Taco
02-10-2013, 16:44
Good thread I was wondering the same. For now I've decided on a Moment tent ... for now.
The stakes that came with mine are ok, but I replaced them with some of the MSR Darts and Golites X tent stake. Also, first time you use it on a platform, just add the guy line with some slack to be able to modify when you need to, also for ground tenting. Makes it easier the more you use it, esp on platforms. Most of the time, hiking poles will be just fine for the free standing of HS Tarptents. I do not carry poles, so I set mine up non freestanding and it works much better for me than if I had poles. If you do have hiking poles then its a non issue with Tarptents.

Tinker
02-10-2013, 17:52
Given enough of a breeze or snow load no tent is freestanding. Bring or make stakes or bring enough line to tie off to trees, roots, rocks, and

tent platforms.

I grew up hiking in the White Mountains in NH. Tent platforms were expected. We would often thread a short piece of line between the boards and tie it off to a typical stake underneath, or tie off to surrounding vegetation.

Tinker
02-10-2013, 17:56
I've known people who carry screw eyes to thread into the platforms. Officially a no-no. Don't do it.

eblanche
11-13-2016, 15:26
3694336944I know this is an older thread but i think these pics could help others. MLD Cricket tarp setup using deadman stakes in between the boards on the side over at Osgood campsite in the Whites and the LightheartGear Solo using pre-installed eyelets on sides of platform at Guyot Shelter, also in the Whites.

eblanche
11-13-2016, 15:29
36944 and the LightheartGear Solo using pre-installed eyelets on sides of platform at Guyot Shelter, also in the Whites.
The LHG Solo is also using fisheye hooks in the platform. This is what NOT TO DO!

egilbe
11-13-2016, 15:35
I just put my stakes in between the boards on the platform and tighten up the guy lines. It holds fine. No need to screw into the boards.

KDogg
11-13-2016, 16:08
I was pretty worried about it before I actually did it. You can put your stakes in between the boards. Many of the platforms also have screw-eyes located around the edges of the platform. When I couldn't put the stake between the boards I put a rock on the platform and either tied the line to it or put it on top of a stake attached to the line. You may have to add a few rocks on top of that to keep it stable. A couple times I also attached lines to my friend's lines when their tent was next to mine on a double platform. Long story short, we never had a problem pitching our tents on platforms and it didn't take much longer to do than normal. BTW, I used a zpacks duplex on my hike.

Bronk
11-14-2016, 12:06
When canoe camping I'm usually setting up my tent on sand or gravel that isn't going to hold a stake. If using a freestanding tent I usually don't worry about it, but on a windy day putting rocks in the corners works. I had never camped on one of these platforms before a few weeks ago and I think I've decided I really like them. We base camped at a state park for a week while we did day hikes in the area. It was nice not carrying a pack and when you were done for the day you came back and your camp was already set up. It was like camping only you had a giant deck and a picnic table. I don't know if there is a standard size to this setup but the one I stayed at was about 16x20. Plenty of room for two tents and room to sit and move around. It was built on a hillside so it also had a wrought iron rail to it where I could chain my dog and you could have tied your tent or guy lines to it. There were also metal rings bolted to the sides for this same purpose.

The other thing I noticed about hiking without a pack doing 10 to 12 mile days for a week is that we were tired at the end of the day, but after getting a good night's sleep we weren't sore when we woke up in the morning. It made the experience so much more enjoyable that I think I may just adopt this method in the future...base camp and do day hikes.