Help with tarp design and modifications

[majandra22]

Hello all! This is my first post on here after a lot of lurking over the past week in preparation for Black Friday sales. I've decided to make my own winter tarp using the kit from RSBTR, but with several modifications. Most of the mods (okay, like all of them) I've gotten from this site, and the pictures belong to their respective owners. I'd really appreciate your input/suggestions/feedback/experience on each of the modifications I have planned:

1. Once I saw a picture of an Olive Yellow tarp there (on RSBTR and all over here as well), I had to have it, but they were out of the 1.1 silpoly in that color, or so I thought. They did actually have some Olive Yellow in their pre-cut kit which I ended up ordering. The kit is for a 12' winter tarp, but I just got the HG zippered bugnet hammock and they suggested I stick with an 11' tarp if it has doors, which seems to match what I've read on here. Any reason why it would be better to leave as 12'? If not, my big question to everyone is how to trim down the pre-cut 12' panels to work for an 11-footer? The way I see it I'm going to lose some height due removing/recreating cat cuts, but maybe someone else knows how to scale it better to not lose as much. Also, will a change in length affect reinforcement points, door angles, etc?

Screen Shot 2018-11-28 at 7.35.56 PM.jpg

2. The consensus seems to be to stick with a rolled hem over one edged in grosgrain, correct?

3. Plan to use a standing French seam for the ridgeline like FJRpilot did rather than the felled seam in the kit directions, just because I like how it looks. Any feedback on this?

34a677f9839a0dd05143ae87fe2616ba.jpg

4. Split rings or the Beatie D's that come with the kit? I've seen arguments for both...

5. Will do the panel pull-out to be able to attach trekking poles like the mod Wafflebox did. This way I can get extra interior space with no added weight while backpacking, and the poles will rest on the standing seam rather than the tarp.

wm64acv.jpg

6. Will add a 1/2" Beastie D on the inside of each corner tie-out to be able to use 2 interior poles when not backpacking. Will add the mitten hook from the ridgeline to support. What size/length poles should I get for this size tarp, and from where?

7. Should I have the doors close via kamsnaps or with shockcord to opposite tie out? Also want to be able to tie doors open (on inside) for fair weather...

8. Guylines: my current plan is to put a loop on each tie-out. Then, guyline will be spliced to stakes with a tensionlock hook on each to snap onto tarp loops and be able to tension quickly. Does this sound like an okay plan? Should loop on tie-out be shockcord or zing-it?

I really appreciate you all's feedback on my design plans. This will be my first MYOG. Although I've designed some fairly complex bag modifications in the past, I always had someone else sew them, so this will be quite the project for me to start with! I did buy a couple little kits and will do the stuff sack first so I can get more comfortable before working on 12' of slippery fabric. I will actually be making TWO of these tarps- the olive yellow for myself and crimson for the boyfriend. I will likely start with his as he will be less persnickety about the stitch quality than I will be I'll be sure to update this thread with images on the process. My dad thinks he has a old Consew industrial sewing machine somewhere, so I'm hoping that (and some MYOG supplies) will be under the tree this year!

[jabraso]

(1) to make the RL shorter you could just make the V on the ends 6in deeper on each side, no need to change cat cuts. If anything it will just give you more overlap when you pitch the doors closed.

[jms53]

7. Shock cord will provide some help with wind gusts at lower effort.

I would suggest velcro instead though, just as good holding power as the kam snaps, but easier to work with when wearing thick gloves

Sent from my SM-G390F using Tapatalk

[MagicPaddler]

I know this was not what you were asking about but while making your own it is something to consider.
I find that I am only on one side of the hammock and want more room under my tarp on that side. I made a tarp with that in mind.

https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...ig-Winter-Tarp

I really like this tarp but with this big of tarp the pull outs should have been further apart and the poles for the pole mod should have been longer.

[chapinb]

1. 12 foot is nice for winter. For 3 season camping, 11' will usually keep you drier.

2. Rolled hem is easier. Gg on the edges adds a neat look potentially but the added strength isnt needed.

3. Either srtle is fine. If your soso at sewing. Grosgrain over the seam hides alot. The regular felled seam will need to be seam sealed and you also need to push 1/2 the tarp thru the right hand side of your machine. Just personal preferance.

4. For ridgeline, take your pick. For tie outs I prefer beasts as it makes porch mode easier.

5. High abuse can wear thru the seam where the poles sit but for the vast vast majority of us, that works fine.



7. I'd guess snaps would rip in the wind or if you run into the door (and you will...). No personal experiance with snaps on tarp though. I add some light shock cord, mitten hooks and line locks to the doors. Give flexibility to attack to the ground, around the tree or to the opposite tie out. Also gives lines to tie the doors back to out pull outs. Chexk out how the minifly/thunderfly/mountianfly doors are managed for more pics.

8. There are a million ways to attach tarp to stake. As long as it holds, it's fine. Iv never used shock cord on my lines, but others swear by it. With the silnylon tarp, it's probably a good idea as the tarp will stretch some after it's set up. Any cord works, I usually use zing it. Keep in mind not all diameters of cord work with all hardware.

Look up some of kitsapcowboys guides. Hes a wealth of information, esp for the new diy-er

Best of luck!

[mathineer]

I did a standing French seam on my winter tarp. I liked it and I think it turned out okay, but I did have some difficulty sewing it. At the time I had problems sewing a seam very close to the edge (newbie) and so there were a couple of places where the stitches showed just past the grosgrain. Seems (seams??) waterproof, but I haven't slept in it in a serious rainstorm (I tested the waterproofness of the seam by "raining" on it with a garden hose). Also, several people recommended seam sealer which I applied. However, when I tensioned the ridgeline in setting it up, the sealer just pulled away from the seam so as far as I could tell it was useless.

mathineer

[TominMN]

Put the Beasties on. You can cut them off if you later choose to do so! Split rings can be added to grosgrain loops at any time.

You can change whatever material you use for loops on the tie-outs at any time. I'd start with shock cord. Line-Loc Hooks are a nice way to tension if you use the appropriate cordage. Dutch hardware if you opt for ZingIt/LashIt.

Quest is the obvious source for poles. Build the tarp first and then order the pole pieces that give you at least as much length as you need. You'll be trimming to get a perfect fit.

I like Jabraso's idea re the ridgeline length if you're sold on a 11' ridgeline. The resulting bigger doors could be nice even if they pretty much rule out the snap option.

Jealous re the Olive Yellow. I know it's not been a huge seller for Kyle but I wish he could find the room to stock the various less popular colors that some of us crave...

[ChrisJHC]

Split rings can be added to grosgrain loops at any time.

Or just tie your guy lines directly to the grosgrain loops. I’ve never seen the need for anything more (and it saves a little weight).

[majandra22]

(1) to make the RL shorter you could just make the V on the ends 6in deeper on each side, no need to change cat cuts. If anything it will just give you more overlap when you pitch the doors closed.

Wow, I hadn't thought of doing it that way! It would save me the hassle of having to re-do the cat cuts which is great, but wouldn't it throw off the overall shape in that the angle from the side tie-out to the ridgeline would change? Could this have any negative effect? Think I'm going to make a little paper mock-up tomorrow to better understand how that would change the shape of the tarp...

[majandra22]

7. Shock cord will provide some help with wind gusts at lower effort.

I would suggest velcro instead though, just as good holding power as the kam snaps, but easier to work with when wearing thick gloves

Sent from my SM-G390F using Tapatalk

Interesting, most posts I've seen seem to prefer the opposite, but maybe I just haven't hug deep enough into the forums yet! Would the shock cord to opposite side be sufficient on its own without velcro or snaps?