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  1. #1

    Utility tarp for a winter hang in a pinch?

    Wondering as I shop for new winter tarp, in a pinch is there a way to rig up a big rectangle utility tarp (I have an extra in the garage) for winter? Mostly wondering if I can rig makeshift doors? Anyone has tips?

  2. #2
    all secure in sector 7 Shug's Avatar
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    Sure you can as a tarp is a tarp. You can see one being pitched in this video at about 6 minutes in. https://youtu.be/1oQSeciL9KI
    Pretty easy and straightforward.
    Go for it.
    Shug
    Whooooo Buddy)))) All Secure in Sector Seven

  3. #3
    Hey Shug,

    I figured that part would be doable, I'm interested in how to create doors with a little tarp origami but I didn't see him do it in this vid - unless I missed something?

    Quote Originally Posted by Shug View Post
    Sure you can as a tarp is a tarp. You can see one being pitched in this video at about 6 minutes in. https://youtu.be/1oQSeciL9KI
    Pretty easy and straightforward.
    Go for it.
    Shug

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    FLTurtle's Avatar
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    If it has grommets along the edge, you can use the next to last grommet on either end to tie out to a stake then use the corner grommets to pull the doors together.

  5. #5
    all secure in sector 7 Shug's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by onemorebike View Post
    Hey Shug,

    I figured that part would be doable, I'm interested in how to create doors with a little tarp origami but I didn't see him do it in this vid - unless I missed something?
    On my DIY Blackcrow tarp I added tabs to bottom edge about 20 inches in. That measurement worked for this tarp. I can add a line and stake out and pull in doors.

    DIY BlackCat Tarp by Sean Emery, on Flickr

    DIY BlackCat Tarp by Sean Emery, on Flickr
    Whooooo Buddy)))) All Secure in Sector Seven

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    Quote Originally Posted by onemorebike View Post
    Wondering as I shop for new winter tarp, in a pinch is there a way to rig up a big rectangle utility tarp (I have an extra in the garage) for winter? Mostly wondering if I can rig makeshift doors? Anyone has tips?
    Do you know the dimensions of this tarp in question?

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by onemorebike View Post
    Wondering as I shop for new winter tarp, in a pinch is there a way to rig up a big rectangle utility tarp (I have an extra in the garage) for winter? Mostly wondering if I can rig makeshift doors? Anyone has tips?

    Yessir. Take out a piece of copy paper to make a crude model.

    1.Fold it in half down the middle, long dimension. That middle fold will be your winter tarp's ridge. 2.Lay it out flat and on one shorter end fold the corners in to the center to meet that center line. Those represent two triangular door flaps that meet on that middle line. Do the same on the opposite short end. 3. Put a piece of tape on those folded-in corner"doors" to tie them together touching, same on opposite end corners. 4. Now pull those end door bottoms apart with your fingers. 5. Flip the paper over and without releasing those ends, hold the ends apart on the table. This is the basic idea. A fully closed winter tarp touching the ground on ends and sides. Simplicity.

    Well, as you've noticed already, you are going to have to put some new attachment points on the tarp to make it work, because you won't have grommets exactly where you need them. So what to do?

    Best answer: Get a ten pack of Tarp Buddies. They are indestructible, lightweight, easy to use, and work without fail. And don't harm the tarp.
    https://tarpbuddy.com/?page_id=3418

    Over the years I've tried many tarp attachment gadgets. Some better than others. I have a box of them. Most end up disappointing or fall off or chew the tarp. I eventually settled on the Buddies for blue tarps, even heavy grade ones.

    The Buddies will not let you down or harm the thinner tarps in my experience. You can put attachment points anywhere.

    If you don't have fifteen dollars for the Buddies because you're barely scraping by, feeding the baby Big Lots spaghetti noodles, then the old standby of quality pingpong balls works also. Sixty years ago, we had Visclamps which used a small jack's rubber ball and wire loop. You're going to make the same thing but with cord instead of the stiff wire loop. I still have a couple of Visclamps. Ball goes inside the tarp, pinch it from the outside, and wrap your outside guyline with a hangman's noose knot around the inside ball and snug it. Similar to the Buddies.

    Of course your guyline cord might abrade the tarp. If that's a concern, then make you own "Tarp Buddy" loops out of this stuff instead of paracord or other line so as to avoid abrasion. Snug the soft loop then attach your guyline to it.
    https://www.amazon.com/Diameter-Brai...s%2C261&sr=8-8

    Attaching my guylines to this soft cord around the pingpong balls (or golf wiffle balls, more abrasive but stronger) works fine. And still does on my most expensive tarps.

    But on my other tarps, blue tarps and Keltys, the Tarp Buddies work great.

    For blue tarps (I'm using the word generically) or similar poly tarps of any weight or color, unless you're backpacking, you can just use Zing It or other cord and real golf balls.

    Play around with this. Every tarp is different, and incidentally, if you are looking for tarps here in USA, Harbor Freight Tools has the best poly tarp prices for the money I've found. And they'll mail them to you for a reasonable price. I use them all around my property and woods for different things and they hold up to extreme cold and winds and UV quite well, except for the most bottom drawer cheapest ones. BTW, if your copy paper model seems too short for your particular hammock, try a longer 8 x 14 legal size piece, trimming it down until it meets your specs. Harbor Freight fortunately does have some odd-sized tarps, longer rectangles.

    Hope this helps.

  8. #8
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    Here's a real winter tarp with doors setup, demonstrated, using a common Kelty Noah's 16. A common tarp, often marked down. I have two of them.

    Pete, from RiverKings shows you how to do it.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjpUrC7ppDY

    Quick and EZ

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by MrJames View Post
    Here's a real winter tarp with doors setup, demonstrated, using a common Kelty Noah's 16. A common tarp, often marked down. I have two of them.

    Pete, from RiverKings shows you how to do it.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjpUrC7ppDY

    Quick and EZ
    I'll second this. I also saw it on youtube, and now it's what I normally use. All the privacy of a tent, with sleeping comfort of a hammock.

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