tarptent notch?

[Franco Darioli]

How do you stake out the two ends at the right distance without the inner for a guide?

I just had another look at my set-up video to remind me of how I did it in that one.
(I just go out and set up tents not always the same way…)
You can see at some point that I am gauging the loose fabric between the ends to determine if it is enough or not.
In that moment, it either looks right or wrong just from having it done before.
(no I don't mark the ground so that I know were to put the stake in…)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJa5Mc36n7U
So in my case , it makes no difference if the inner is there or not.

[Joe]

I just go my notch and love the design. I may sell my moment DW and just get the solid inner for the notch to help combat breezes in colder weather use.

It did come a lot darker color grey than my moment DW and the material has what I can only describe as creases in wax paper. Not sure if this is normal. The mesh had a few imperfections like something hard had rubbed against it but it looks like it wont allow any bugs through.

[Stephen Parks]

Henry's instructions state to pull the second end out until you start to feel a little resistance from the inner, and stake it there. Even so, it seems that I still tend to get the ends a little too far apart, which prevents me from being able to get the ridge line tight. Relocating stakes is one thing in soft ground, another on hard ground. I have set it up without the inner, seems like "pull the end all the way out then move it back the length of forearm and hand" or something like that was close.

I like my notch, it just seems a little sensitive to end-to-end distance and pole length. I may be a little more concerned about getting every panel taut than most people ;)

[Patrick O’Neil]

I have the same problems, one side of one vestibule is always a little saggy unless I'm willing to start over. I try not to worry to much about it as in the end it's light weight and does an excellent job without having to spend 600 bucks for a cuben shelter.

[Franco Darioli]

From Joe :
"the material has what I can only describe as creases in wax paper"
Very good description, it does look exactly like that.
I have seen it on some tents that I have seam sealed and had that on one or two of my tents.
I am pretty sure that my SS2 at some point did look like that but not now.
(so I think they just disappear in use…)
Patrick :
"one side of one vestibule is always a little saggy unless I'm willing to start over"
Maybe you don't need to start over.
Several reasons why one side may sag.
Most likely to do with the poles not set up at the same height.
For example , apart from starting with the poles uneven, one may be perpendicular the other isn't.
One could be lower because sitting in a slight deep.
Can also be because of where the door panels are guyed out.

You could post some photos here or send them to me at francoattarptentdotcom and I should be able to figure out what is happening.

[Joe]

Thanks Franco that's a little more reassuring. I was concerned this was a defect that might lead to leaks in the future.

Can wait to get out and try this without the inner. Seems like a fun option.

[Patrick O’Neil]

I hope i didn't leave the impression there's something wrong with the notch. It's me really, I get the same problem with my copper spur ul2 and that uses fancy DAC poles. I always have to fiddle, I'm just a clutz when it comes to setting up tents. Franco I don't have any photos right now, but I'll try to take a few on my next hike.

[Matthew / BPL]

I just received my Notch in the mail and have only set it up in the yard. I'm wondering how & why people use the apex guyout points. I can see the utility in nice weather when you want to roll up both halves of the vestibule. I can see using them being handy in the heavy wind (if I brought extra stakes or guyed out to rocks/bushes/sticks/whatever. In this use, it would make sense for the line to be an extra foot or two longer than the length of the fly+lower guyout. Any thoughts on the apex guyouts would be appreciated!

[Billy Ray]

Recently, I had a tent site that was not quite large enough for one side of my Notch due to a log being where one vestibule would be. That meant that I could not use the tie out at the bottom of the zipper. But I was able to use a guy line from the apex to the other side of the log. Billy

[Franco Darioli]

Matthew, My apex guylines are about 6' long. Way longer than you often need but very handy for special occasions. Here is one : The day after I took this photo I went for a day walk so I needed my snow shoes and my trekking poles. I found a stick for the near side and used the apex guyline on the other side tied up to the gumtree at the back of it. So it was standing there waiting for my return with one stick as support. (not looking particularly pretty but they did the job) Sticks also replaced the snow shoes. I have also used those gouy lines on rocks and bushes with or without vestibules. BTW, that shot was taken in the morning after a night on snow. Note that the end tie outs are fully extended so they have not been re-tensioned after the night-before set up. This is a comment for the "continuously sagging silnylon" brigade. Yes the fabric did ice up during the night.

[David Ure]

I always use the top side tieouts but use the same peg for the fly. It makes the ridgeline rock solid.

[Matthew / BPL]

Thanks fellas. I think I'm going to bust into this new hank of Lawson Glowire and set this up.

[Patrick O’Neil]

I had kind of a funny moment a couple of weeks ago. I was at hamilton lake below kewah (sp?) gap and set up my notch. I had to use rocks, I couldn't get the thing set up at at all. The wind picked up (maybe 20 mph) nothing major, and the thing kept falling apart and I couldn't get it lower to the ground. I was so pissed, I just took it apart and cowboy camped since there was no clouds (i'm from the east where it basically rains every night in the forest). The next morning I grabbed my poles and started to readjust them for hiking and saw that they were still at 122cm (48 inches) . . . duh! no wonder! Just a dumb moment. I guess I was real tired the night before and never thought to readjust my hiking poles. The rest of the trip I had it at like 105cm (41 inches) and the thing didn't budge.

[Matthew / BPL]

That's a good one to remember. I'll try bot to let that happen to me.

[Franco Darioli]

I can't read the numbers on my poles but if I grip the handle with my elbow at a right angle that is 115cm for me. Easy enough to add or subtract 5 or 10 cm as required .

[Nigel Healy]

I've trialled+errored on apex guyout. I still prefer the original only method, my trekking poles inverted have the basket where you can loop a guyline, for storm-proof I guy inside (steeper angle ) and outside (gentler angle). I did try the external attachment but its quite a force tugging on the fabric. Total of 8 pegs (I think) but rigid then. Mention of Notch vs SS1. SS1 is roomier but Notch is enough room and easier to setup and takes up less pitching space. Bigger people might find it narrow but average size should be fine. It's a small difference whichever you pick you're unlikely to regret not getting the other.

[Matthew / BPL]

I'm used to carrying my old Contrail horizontally in my ULA Circuit about halfway up the pack. My new Notch doesn't fit horizontally because of the length so I'm carrying it vertically. This goes counter to the way I was taught to pack with my quilt on the bottom followed by clothing and tent then food as I work my way up the pack. I don't think it's a huge problem because my pack is getting pretty light (I think I'm around 13.5 pounds now) and it doesn't feel off-balance. Still, I'm curious if anyone has any thoughts about what the best way to carry this tent is.

[Todd T]

In my opinion, with gear as light as it is these days, there's not really any way to pack that's better than another. Everything weighs about the same, so pack however it fits and gives convenient access. The one exception is food, which is the heaviest so it should go high in the pack, but you're also likely to need access to it during the day so…you want it high in the pack. :) As for the Notch specifically, I carry mine vertically in the pack's front mesh pocket. I like my tent on the outside of the pack so I don't have to unload the pack to set up in the rain. Edit: typo

[Franco Darioli]

"This goes counter to the way I was taught to pack with my quilt on the bottom followed by clothing and tent then food as I work my way up the pack" I know that many do it but it does not make any sense to me to have the tent half buried inside the pack. The reason is that if you arrive at camp when is raining or particularly windy having to pull half of the stuff from inside the pack out in the open does not work for me. My way is to first set up the tent , then open the pack, inside the tent if needed. (my Notch does fit across the top of my pack) Same size as the Contrail in this photo : (keeping in mind that I am talking about sub 30 oz tents, I would not put a Tipi Walter shelter there…)

[Eric Blumensaadt]

OP, you may want to go with the "solid" inner tent. My original TT Moment single wall tent had a mesh perimeter all around the tub floor and a mesh wall on the door side. In Utah wind would blow fine dust through the mesh and all over me, my bag and clothes. In my hair, in my teeth, on my glasses… Aaaarrrrgghh! So my Moment DW, for 4 seasons, naturally has the ripstop/mesh top vent inner. MUCH better at keeping out dust. This winter I'll see if it keeps out spindrift snow.

[Matthew / BPL]

Todd, thanks for confirming that weight distribution doesn't matter as much with lightweight gear. I will be interested to see how my assume trial loud carries over the miles this weekend. Franco, that's a good option too. I've carried my Contrail that way before after a rainy night. It carried fine and I agree that setting the shelter up first before opening the pack is ideal. That's one of my favorite benefits of using a tarp when I do the hammock thing.

[Larry De La Briandais]

Personally I fold/roll my tent up so that it will fit where ever I want it to go. I generally prefer mine on the bottom of the pack on the outside. I almost always put it outside of the pack even if there is "no" chance of rain. :^)

[Matthew / BPL]

I carried the Notch vertically inside my pack on Saturday and it felt a little off. On Sunday I strapped it up top as Franco recommended and it felt great. I walked a little more upright. It squeaked a bit as I walked but I fixed that with my reflectix sit pad after a break. I'm happy. Case closed.

[william ritchey]

i only own the notch outer so i use it all of the time that way, i have some problems in blowing rain and just learned that you can remove the 4 carbon stiffeners to get a lower pitch. i like the large amount of space under the fly w/ out the inner and i think i will soon buy an inner tent to keep out the bugs.

[Willem knopper]

<p style=”padding-left: 30px;”>Franco where was this picture taken?</p>

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