My new TN ltra 1 w/ net tent, half pyramid! SUL

Michael, I really like your tarp. I've noticed people here at BPL shy away from TN products. Perhaps it's because of the price or maybe it's because TN mainly caters to the European market.

But I believe the length of the Utlra 1 is more like 8' 4" (250 cm ) long and not 9 feet.
I'd sure hate to be under the pyramid set-up you have shown in a major blow, you'd certainly suffer ship-wreck.

I've been obsessed with small tarp (or tarp/poncho) pitches for years. I think I've watched every YouTube video on the subject numerous times. I believe a low pitched A frame with an MLD Bug Bivy would be the most plausible set-up for a balance between comfort and protection, but the one that provides the most protection is one that my former room mate (who did 2 tours in Vietnam as a Green Beret) showed me.

The Ultra 1 features a tie-out in the dead center, so you can do this pitch. Here is the YouTube video showing how it's done.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IIuBEKS2og
Or go to YouTube and type in "Military Poncho Shelters Type 3". It's pretty restrictive and I'd only use it if I thought a strong storm with high winds was approaching, but I believe it is the most bombproof pitch for a tarp the size of the Ultra 1.

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OK Michael that looks sweet!!!!

But don't go selling that solomid XL just yet (unless you need the funds….)! it is a nearly perfect winter/bad weather shelter that you could still pair with the same inner net if needed – that way you could take this little beauty for fair-weather trips, but still have a back up bomber shelter that literally will take anything you can throw at it.

I have to agree with Jennifer on this one. That's a sweet set up you have now, but I would keep the Solomid XL for trips with expected bad weather and winter trips. If funds are to tight, sell the solomid and get a larger tarp to use when the TN tarp would be pushing it. You'd be able to buy a larger, used silnylon tarp and still have quite a bit of money left over.

Good set up you have there. It would just worry me to have it out in a blowing storm. Good Luck with it!

I took some more pictures today and added 3 more guylines and moved the 2 front flaps in more for better storm worthiness, I will upload the pics shortly. I also clipped the net tent to 2 inch guylines I made so the net tent sits back further away from rain. I feel like its a pretty good shelter, for the weight especially!

I added 3 more guylines to my TN ultra 1. including 1 in the center attached to a bungee! I also lowered the front sides for better protection.

Also I want to comment on this cuben fiber, from what i have read its made of .51 cuben. but compared to Zpacks cuben this cuben is a dark grey and feels stronger too. It also has a better cosmetic appeal and has more shine. It just looks better and looks and feels thicker than .51. The TN is also bonded along the edges and overall nicer construction, and that is saying a lot, because Zpacks is top notch!

Also I got my MLD solomid XL today! but After seeing how large and heavy it is I will be returning it. It is just so massive and it wont fit in my zpacks small zero. The terra nova flat tarp is just sooooooo small and light, I love it!

The duomid is 18.5oz before lines or sealing! The TN flat cuben tarp was 3.2oz before lines!

Also, should I put a ~20 inch carbon pole in the center rear? Would that be better to help the tarp slice through the wind easier and tighten up the pitch?

3.9oz / terra nova ultra 1 flat tarp and sack 5x9ft
2.2oz / titanium center apex 6.25" .22 oz each, 10
.09oz / zpacks 1.43 cuben green
7.9oz / SMD solo pyramid .7 net, 30d sil floor, mesh sack.
3.1 / ruta locura .450 carbon, 4 section, 1.0 white sack

= 1.07 pounds

I must say that I really like this net tent more than a bivy or smaller net. I can easily change clothes, roll up sleeping mats, pack up, do camp stuff, read, all this without touching the sides of the mesh and feeling claustrofobic. I think i will stick with this setup for a while.

It looks really good man. I need to get one of those mid inner tents for my cuben cricket tarp.

I think you'd be fine in a big storm as long as you pitched in some cover. Say, pitched with the open side against a large tree or boulder of sorts. That would increase your odds of staying dry.

Overall, should serve you well. And let me know if you ever want to sell the net tent. Lol

While you're setting up your rig in nice weather experiment with ways to use your rain/wind shell as an additional part of the tarp covering the top of your open end. When I used a tarp on the ground (I hammock now) I was pretty successful putting the end of the pole through the hang loop on my jacket and running lines from the ends of the sleeves and the bottom of the zipper (both sides) to my existing stakes on either side of the open end of the tarp. I also had an additional line from the center bottom of the back of the jacket to the stake holding the line in front to keep it in place. Lightweight lines don't weigh much and you should be able to use existing stakes. Depending on your jacket you might want/need to add a couple of tieouts to make this easier, but keep in mind that you'll want to be able to easily remove your jacket while mostly protected by your tarp in case of a downpour.

It wasn't a perfect seal by any stretch of the imagination but the goal was to prevent most of the wind-blown rain from getting under the tarp on the large open end. I couldn't find any photos but you should be able to figure out what I mean.

Really nice setup!

Big +1 to Kevin's post about using your rain shell to block the opening. I use mine in the exact same way on my A-frame tarp and it works well.

Ryan

I also bought a half yard of cuben I will use if rain becomes a problem. The cuben measures 18 inches x 52 inches and only weighs .255 oz. I was thinking about clipping it to the lower part of the net tent.

It's starting to sound like some of the original benefits of your setup are getting compromised. Potentially adding another pole in the rear, adding a length of cuben fiber, having to use your rain jacket, added weight and reduced simplicity.

Maybe just stick with the original setup for reasonably predictable good weather and used the Duomid for the other…?

Edit:

Or maybe get the zPacks Solplex and have full rain protection:

Weight:

The included guy lines and clips weigh .7 ounces (20 grams)
The included medium 6" x 12" stuff sack adds .3 ounces (8 grams)
The total weight for the tent including the doors, floor, screen, and the above is 14.6 ounces (414 grams).

8 Stakes are not included. 8x Ultralight Titanium stakes, and a stake sack will add 1.6 ounces (45 grams), bringing the total packed weight to 16.2 ounces (459 grams).

Or even just get the Duplex and have a 3 season shelter that is also very good in non-extreme storms and is still ridiculously light:

""Weight:

The Duplex Tarp with taped seams weighs 8.8 ounces (250 grams)

The included guy lines and clips weigh .9 ounces (25 grams)

The sewn in Cuben Fiber bathtub floor and bug screen weigh 10.0 ounces (284 grams)

The included medium-plus 7" x 13" stuff sack adds .3 ounces (8 grams)

The total weight for the tent is 20.0 ounces (567 grams).

8 Stakes are not included. 8x Ultralight Titanium stakes, and a stake sack will add 1.6 ounces (45 grams), bringing the total packed weight to 21.6 ounces (612 grams).

These weights are as accurate as possible. Compare carefully! Many other manufacturers leave out seam sealing, lines, stuff sack, stakes, etc from their weights.""

As long as the tent is set-up to where the winds don't come straight toward the front, you'll be ok, but if a strong blowing rain comes head on toward the entryway, you're up s*its creek…even with your raingear attached.

With a 150 cm X 250 cm tarp, an A frame with the foot end staked lower to ground will provide the best protection. Then you can attach your raingear to the head end.

I really do love your Ultra 1 tarp though! There are triple crowners who only use a 5' X 8' tarp, but you can darn sure bet they're experts at pitching.

Check out Chad "Stick" Poindexter's YouTube videos. In one of them He shows how he used his Cuben rain skirt as a beak on a flat tarp pitched as a half pyramid. He's a contributing member here so he may give you a link. I'm too lazy for all that. But it appears to give great coverage for what it is. Also could use the skirt as a beak in a frame.

Michael or anyone,

Did you weigh the SMD net tent? I've considered buying one. The weight on the SMD site says it weighs 11 oz. Did you ordered a custom cuben version. Just wondering how yours is 7.9 oz because I want one at that weight. Thanks

Don, the older version of the SMD Serenty Net Tent was about 8 oz, so I'm guessing it's one of those. The new SMD nets have been out for about a year and a half.

its 7.9 in the sack, its a very low weight I agree. It is the new version I thought w/ the side pullouts. They must have added features or used a heavier mesh or fabric.

Something could be wrong with the 11oz weight on the website too. Maybe incorrect.

… IMHO it's barely enough protection in a light rain, let alone a thunderstorm.

Just because its not a TT Moment doesn't mean it isn't weather worthy. ;)

That tarp set up could handle just about any weather. You gotta know how to do so though. If it was a real blow, then he wouldn't need to worry about bugs, so he could drop the net and lay on top of it while keeping the floor under him, and then he could lower the pitch on the tarp. Then he'd be set for just about any thunderstorm.

Added: you know what Mr. Eric, I should have looked at the specs for that tarp a little closer. that size of tarp is definitely a fair weather tarp for most. Looking at the size of the tarp and how tight it would be pitched low to ground, it would be awful to spend the night under in a blowing storm. I wouldn't want to use it in a severe T-storm. You're exprience is far greater than mine. Next time I'll investigate further before my rebuttal.

The problem with a low a frame is my net tent would sag and not be as functional. It would be possible but I would lay the netting on me like a bivy sack. Which I might do if there's a huge thunderstorm / rain / high wind in the forecast.

This setup is really light, kinda cheap, really roomy, I can cook in the extra space etc. But yeah its perfect for summer / fair weather where getting wet wouldn't be life or death situation.

When it comes down to it this tarp works great for summer camping. It also works perfect with the SMD net tent I already own.

The smd net is really nice and is less claustrophobic vs. A bivy. I can inflate my air mattress, change clothes, pack up everything else before shelter take down, all in a bug free net tent. I couldn't do that in a bivy.

Also I love how light and small this tarp is! It would be easy to pack on day hikes for "just in case" emergency needs. It's modular so on bug free trips I can leave the 8 oz net tent home and have a sul 3 oz shelter. Check. With the solomid xl I wouldn't really have this option as it's mass is significant. I can't fit it in my pocket like the ultra 1 cuben .51.

The solomid xl is very bomber and capable of handling anything thrown at it. But it is really bulky and heavy vs. The cuben tarp. When it comes down to it I would rather have a 3 oz cuben tarp than a 19 oz tarp and I am okay sacrificing protection for those benefits.

Michael, you described exactly how I feel about it. Prefect set up for trips where no foul weather is forecasted, but will work to protect you if it turns foul for a night or two.

If 90% of your trips are in fair weather the whole time, Then why bother withs bomber shelter? You're logic is sound. Have fun with it man!

I STILL think this is a nice tarp BUT…

But I'd add a detachable front vestibule, porch or whatever you want to call it. It could be attached to the underside of the front edge either with a long separating zipper on each side or with buttons sewn to the underside edge of the main tarp (seam sealed after sewing, of course).

Then, with the optional "porch" you can sit out a lot of windblown rain AND have a place to cook. Cooking shelter in rainy weather is all-important. (Don't ask.)

Personally, for the small amount of area I would use .75 Cuben fabric. The porch should be one piece with a gusset sewn in the center to angle it down. I'd want at least 18" overhang at the peak area. 2 ft. would be best. Look at Tarptent's wedge tent designs like the Contrail for design guidance.

If you took this tarp canoeing in eastern Canada or Minnesota you would HAVE to have this addition. Ever endure 5 straight days of rain? It's a luxury to be only "damp", let alone dry.