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Big and tall seamless tarping


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  • #1293990
    Will Elliott
    BPL Member

    @elliott-will

    Locale: Juneau, AK

    Hi all,

    I'm over 6 feet and too tall for my 5×9 DIY flat tarp (think MLD Monk Tarp) in the modified a frame pitch. Curious what's worked for others… Should I sew a new seamless tarp, say 5×11, or add a seam and make a wider one in the 9' length? I like the versatility of the flat tarp and I like the modified a frame pitch, so I'm looking for what dimensions have worked for others for solo use.

    Thanks!

    #1911585
    Tyler Johnson
    BPL Member

    @riemannia

    Locale: Northeast Georgia

    I can't say either way about the dimensions – I've always been happy with my little 5'x8' tarps, so long as I have a bivy, though I definitely am not big or particularly tall. I'd make a couple prototypes on of cheap 3 mil plastic drop cloth stuff or whatever cheapo fabric you can come by (preferably something somewhat waterproof, so you can test it in the rain).

    Also, consider the versatility a bivy provides in addition to allowing you to use a smaller tarp (if you don't use one already)

    #1911744
    Vick Hines
    Member

    @vickrhines

    Locale: Central Texas

    As Tyler said, 5' works with a bivy. I would add that it works as long as you are on relatively level ground and don't slide out from under. The narrow tarp also works very well for hammocks and I've lived under one for half a year at a time. However, for ground pitching, I really prefer something wider.

    Obviously, you want a longer tarp. If you stick with a flat rectangle, the weight will compound quickly as you widen, say, a 10 or 11 foot tarp. You might consider a hexagonal tarp that forms its own beaks on the ridgeline. Beaks improve coverage while minimizing weight. Beaks can be flat and you can add tabs that fold them into downward-angled hoods which shed wind better and give better protection from blown rain.

    I'm a taller guy, and feel comfortable with an irregular hexagon, 11.5' along the ridge (beak end to beak end)and 7.5' across the middle. The sides are 6'. I put mosquito net around the edges to form a curtain (we have West Nile Virus here) and use a separate groundsheet.

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