DCF Pyramid (myog)

[Jerry Adams]

yeah, those came out nice.  Taut panels.  Really good job.

a question about mid panel tie-outs.  Are they better on the ridge, in the middle, or both (like yours)?  And should they be in the middle or down lower? And do they really increase the maximum wind speed the tent will tolerate?

There are probably no answers but maybe you’ll have a better idea after some use.  Maybe someone else has useful experience.  It would be interesting to hear your ideas about this.

Another thing, in some pictures, the center of the sides is up in the air a little, where the corners are right at the ground.  If it’s really windy, stuff can blow under, into the tent.  If, rather than right triangle panels, you make them a few inches longer at the middle, then they’ll be on the ground

This is more of an issue with woven fabric that stretches more on the bias, but from your pictures, maybe DCF does the same thing.

[Stumphges]

Love the enormous belt pockets. Liteskin?

[Michael B]

New tent and pack both look great.

[Michael B]

1. a question about mid panel tie-outs.  Are they better on the ridge, in the middle, or both (like yours)?

They should both help. From a theoretical perspective, the point the midpanel guy outs should be the location where the  panel area below and above the guyout are equal, that way each of the panel guyouts will support half of the wind load. This will not likely be in the center, but likely somewhere around 1/3 up from the bottom. Being halfway up will work also though , I am sure.
i believe the ridge ones would work well at the mid point of the ridge, since they are supporting the load on the ridge, a linear tension load, not an area load.
Do the bottom and mid guyouts usually get routed to the same stake?

[Eric Blanche]

Thanks everyone for the compliments!

Yes, liteskin ls07 (soft) for the hipbelt pockets.

 

The mid ridgeline guyout points help with wind more so than the mid-panel guyouts. I have on occasion only used one or two of these guylines depending on shelter location and wind block. I only use all four when I expect high winds or camp in an exposed area where high winds/storms may roll through during the night.

Mid panel tie-outs do also help but not as much. They do also aid in maintaining a larger and more stable living area when the wind is kickin’.

 

My bought used MLD duomid had all the mid panel tie-outs using same line and stake. I figure its a efficient way to save weight and add simplicity. As mentioned previously, the mid ridgeline guyouts work better at keeping the shelter rock solid in wind. Obviously, two stakes and separate guylines would be more bomber but IMO is unnecessary especially for the added weight and inconvenience.

[Jerry Adams]

thanks for theory and experience about tie-outs

I play with these a little and I’m not sure what’s best, good to get other people’s ideas

[Eric Blanche]

Jerry, regarding your other post, I think playing with the pitch it can be perfectly straight and towards the ground. At least, the back panel can, with the front zippered panels slightly beaked.

 

I do, however like the idea of incorporating extra material in the design stages. It kind of makes the shape a pentagon or hexagon rather than rectangle. It for sure would create a lo of room inside for gear storage or w/e. Isn’t there a cottage manuf. that does this with their tipi designs, Seek outside maybe?

[Jerry Adams]

yeah, in your pictures the center is only a little off the ground in a few pictures.  I think this is more of a thing for woven fabric.

If you do make the right triangles longer in the middle, then yeah, it becomes sort of an octagon rather than square base.

Again, great tent and pack.  I may have to do a DCF mid some day.

[Michael B]

I do, however like the idea of incorporating extra material in the design stages. It kind of makes the shape a pentagon or hexagon rather than rectangle. It for sure would create a lo of room inside for gear storage or w/e. Isn’t there a cottage manuf. that does this with their tipi designs, Seek outside maybe?

Most of Zpacks have a hex-shape for the exact reason you are proposing. The rectangular footprint is used for the purpose of taking geometric variation (as much as is reasonable) out of the work of getting a correct pitch, and having the ability to use just 4 stakes. But of course, that is not really a priority for some. In fact, if you wanted to beak out your current rectangular mid, you could just cant in the ends of the shelter a little toward each other, i.e. pull the door panel corners in a bit compared to the back wall. I am pretty sure it would work better for a silnylon shelter than a DCF one, but possible not a big deal one way or another. I don’t see doing this a a really big improvment in vestuibule space unless you a have a requirement for extra width which could be met by limited extra width gained by the configuration change ( extra width is only in the center of the vestibule area), and also the slight reduction is bed area length was not an issue for you. But maybe I misunderstood your point entirely.

 

[Eric Blanche]

Hi, Im not 100% who I’m responding to hear but the “last post” message points to Michael.

 

Your image depicts my most often pitch. I try to align the back panel as nearly flat and the zipper panel is a tiny awning, even in high wind situations. I think this provides an ample opportunity for moisture to escape and avoid condensation. You are right in that silnylon (or less extent, silpoly) would create more versatility in being able to produce a higher awning pitch. This is the exact reason why the MLD cricket is IMO a much better shelter in their Silnylon fabric rather than dcf.

[robert v]

What program did you use to sketch this out? Any suggestions? I have 10 yds of .5DCF that I’d like to use.

Thanks

Robert

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