[Critter]

Do you have tarp or shelter configurations to show and talk about. Even just a picture of your tarp when it's set up. I know people don't really use tarps as much as they do tents. This is how my Kelty Noahs tarp is made to be set up.

Kelty Noah's tarp

Tall rock wind screen.

My survival set up compared to my girlfriends comfy set up.

This is a configuration for a view and maximum coverage.

I call this a wedge configuration, although it may really have a name. Here a trekking pole is added on the outside for more room.

Car Camping

I call this the P51 Mustang configuration, after the plane. This is a configuration for high wind but in this picture the guy outs aren't tied down and it's set up with twine.

This is a basic cat cut tarp in a more wind proof configuration. I call this configuration of mine the P51 Mustang.

This is the P51 Nose Dive configuration. It's a P51 Mustang with the tail lifted way up for a view and to control condensation. The wind(coming from a constant direction) is fully blocked. Here a windsod is helping to block almost 100% of the wind. Windsods- Upturned turf or banked earth, sand, snow, etc that overlay the ‘ground' edges of a Tarp-shelter.

I call this configuration of mine the P51 Nosedive. Enlarge to see how I made a wind sod with sand.

I know there are a few people here who are tarp experts because I got this link from one of you guys and it's where I learned that a windsod is called a windsod.

I call this configuration of mine the Spiked Ball configuration

This didn't work. You should put them in your pocket or in your sleeping bag.

Equinox 6' x 9' tarp, A-framed in the rain.

My Mylar Shelter

[wolffie]

Overwhelmed by alpine scenery.

This is a tent fly, an old model Mont-Bell "Diamond". I seldom use the inner tent. This rig is about 1.5 lbs. Needs 8 stakes or attachments. I like it because it doesn't need trees or poles, and I'm often above treeline. It has one hoop pole. Seems OK in wind. Neat trick, "pop-up" mode: pitch it, then collapse it for stargazing by yanking the slipknot at the head. Later, if cold or rainy, redo that main line and it's back up. Site it to get morning sun in the door, like this. It's low at the head and toe, inviting condensation, but well-ventilated without the inner tent. To keep the toe and head higher, I'm experimenting with a taut stay running the whole length, with a clove hitch around the pole at the peak. With that rig, you might be able to leave the basic setup more intact for stargazing, just peel the top half back. The primitive version of this is the poncho over an A-frame. The TarpTent "Moment" seems an improved version of this basic idea, with little poles and vents at either end. I label the head, peak, tail, sides, door, etc. with Sharpie pen cartoons; makes it easier when setting up. The optional corgi accessory costs thousands of dollars if you count everything, adds a pound or two of dog food and gear, but adds about 25 degrees of comfort and unquantifiable companionship.

[Tom_Sjolseth]

The "Concorde" ready to take flight below Nooksack Tower.

[Critter]

wolffie, thank you for all of the information. You have some good ideas and I think I'd like that Mont-Bell rain fly more than my Go-Lite Shang-ri-la. I might try the sharpie pen thing. Tom, that is a nice tight set up. I like how you have it anchored down with climbing gear in the rock and snow. You've gotta tell me what that tarp is. Inside of the tarp. 2nd and 3rd pictures are Shangri-La shelter under Noah's tarp while car camping.

Wichita under bug protection. She usually likes me to tuck the netting in around her.

Severe Weather Configuration

This night we had long, 40 mph, gusts at Kalaloch.

[Hulksmash]

Cuben Fiber tarp about 6 oz.

Hammock worth every oz cause i'm not sleeping on the F#$@%^* ground.

[HitTheTrail]

Cuben fiber tarp, hammock with bug net, plus hanging suspension and stakes all at one pound 15 ounces. And like Hulk says, the best part is you are up off the ground and can set-up in places that would make a tent camper scream.

Cuben tarp and hammock

[Navy salad]

The Cliff Jacobson books (check out from the library) have loads of info on creative tarp configurations.

[Critter]

Thanks Navy salad, I will see if the Hoodsport Library has it today. I'm mostly interested to see what people are currently doing in the real world. I saw my first tarp configuration when I was a kid and it really left an impact. A Green Beret I knew, came and drug me to a nearby camp where a climber had some very simple and light gear. I thought it was so cool and I can remember my teacher showing me how the climber had found some pretty resourceful places from which to tie off.

[PTLateHiker]

I use my 8 X 10 sil tarp as additional shelter so that I have a place to hang out if the weather turns crappy. So I've used it a lot in the Olympics. I hardly ever us it if I'm alone, but sometimes even then, if bad weather is a certainty.

Across the Dungeness from Camp Handy

I can usually find a curved limb so that I can pull up the center of the tarp for more room and to help shed rain.

[fox212]

Cuben tarp and MYOG 2-person net tent maiden voyage

same cuben tarp set up over table

[Critter]

Those are very interesting and exciting set ups that everybody has. On this trip I used no sleeping bag, or pad. I slept on trash bags full of debris(I'm going to start calling them debris bags), and I covered up with mylar. The secret was in my clothing system(it's boring but I'd tell you). I was also blessed with wind coming from a constant direction. In this third picture you can sort of see this problem I've been having. The breeze is hitting the back of my tarp and should carry the smoke away but the placement of the shelter causes the air to get turbulated and it can fill the shelter. The best way I know to counter this is to enclose, at least part of, the front of the shelter.

First I strung up my shelter in a lean-to configuration, then lifted the back off of the ground for extra clearance. I would be spending more time in there due to the rain, so I wanted more room.

After I had the back lifted for extra clearance, I added plastic on the backside to block the breeze.

After the backside was set, I needed to block the breeze from the side. I was able to control the temperature and smoke with the corner vent. In this picture the vent is open.

Here the corner vent is closed.

I also want to add this picture. It's not as cool as the hammocks but it is a shelter. This night we received about three feet of snow. We were under a canopy of trees so we didn't have quite as much snow around our tent. Still, I had to keep getting out to shovel around the tent as huge amounts of snow were dumping off of tree branches.

Over 3 ft of snow in 6 hours. I shoveled away snow from around my Go-Lite shelter every 30 minutes.