One simple question to all ground tarp users

The 2 ridgelines have the most force in calm and windy weather

Thanks for sharing your experience.

For calm weather I would also strongly guess that the ridge line guy lines bear the most force. In windy conditions the tarp acts like a sail pushing the tarp sideways which puts a lot of force on the corner guy lines where the wind is coming from.

yeah, good point

if the wind blows sideways, from the sides, there’ll be a lot of force on the ridge ties also

old school – have a line going along the ridge, tarp goes over the line, you should still have ridge guylines but there’d be less force on them

You mean the tarp would only be held up by sitting on the ridge line without being attached to any guy line at the ridge line? Wouldn’t the tarp just “collapse” into the middle of the ridge line since the ridge line is lower in the center (catenary style)?

But I thought about doing that guy line along the ridge line anyway to attach the inner tent to this guy line. You said that’s old school. Any reason why you would not want to suspend tarp and inner tent this way (nowadays)? Or are my concerns above the reason people don’t do it anymore. I

First tie the ridge line between two trees

Then throw the tarp over it and tie the four corners to stakes

That’s what I did many years ago with plastic rectangular tarp, the four corner stakes keep it from collapsing to the middle

But, it’s better to also have guy lines at the middle.  at the ridge.  on each of the two sides.  like you said.  Tie the guylines to the ridgeline with a taut line hitch.  So it doesn’t collapse to the middle like you said.

You can put a lot of tension on that ridge line.  But it works fine not having it too, probably arbitrary if you can have guylines robustly attached to the tarp..

I have found that with raised ends, if it’s windy and raining, water gets under the tarp, so I’ve gone to a pyramid tent with a center pole.  All edges are close to ground so little rain or blowing dirt and stuff get inside.

Add a couple more tie-outs to the sides. That will help in the wind and give more pitching options if it is a flat tarp.

Nickolas, Yes, technically speaking, you only need the 6 stakes, as you said. I usually carry 7…I can add one extra on the windward side.

In lean-to mode, you only need 4, stakes. Other pitches will require more than 6. Often, I simply find a stick and use that as a stake.

Thanks everyone for the valuable input!

My design has evolved a bit towards a patrol style tarp, see https://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/mld-patrol-shelter-can-it-be-improved/#post-3552721 for an idea how to realize it without a zipper.

Jerry, I think I understand your idea for resting the tarp on a ridge line: you have two additional guy lines which pull the head and foot and of the tarp towards the trekking poles or the tree.