Side entrance for tarp set up?

[Michael Haubert]

I am interested in an A-frame tarp set up that has a zippered <span style=”text-decoration: underline;”>side</span> entrance, rather than crawling in from either end.  Has anyone here done, or, can anyone point out, an MYOG design, for this sort of set up? (I can’t find any designs.)

-Michael

 

[BlackHatGuy]

Not sure why you’d need a design. Make a regular flat tarp and add a zipper to the middle of one of the long sides.

Oware has a build a 5×8 tarp kit he’s selling at the moment, including materials. He might offer a kit for a larger tarp if you asked him, including the zipper.

[Franco Darioli]

you could look at the Walrus trekker Tarp for some inspiration.
(same as the MSR Trekker Tarp)

[Brook / MtGL]

For example (not MYOG), but give you the idea:

https://www.tarapoky.com/product/coastline/

 

[JCH]

Looking at the Tarapoky shelter…what if at the head end of the tarp you ran a second guy line from the trekking pole to a stake positioned between the corner and head guyline stakes. It would stay tensioned and might keep the structure of the tarp in place while you disconnect the tarp corner and lift it up like a door.

Hope that description made sense.  Also, it’s just a thought off the top of my head…never tried it, and not a tarp guy so 🤷‍♂️

[Michael Haubert]

Thank you everyone for chiming in.

@brookqwr – Those are works of art.

@doug-I – I don’t necessarily need a design.  I wanted to see if others had crossed this bridge and had any insight before I dig into the project.  I currently use an Oware tarp (9×6).  I might reach out to David about mixing my concept with his tarp kit idea.

One issue I am bumping up against—and a reason I asked if anyone had done something like this—is the placement of guylines on the long side and zipper placement for entry.  For my 9 ft long tarp, there are three guylines: One at each end and one in the center.

For a 10 foot long tarp, I think four guylines would be best: One at each end and two even spaced along the outside.  That puts a guyline at 40 inches from one end and 40 inches from the other. The zipper could run vertically up the tarp wall from one of those guyline points, providing a 40 inch entrance, e.g. the distance between the two center guyline attachments.  That will probably give a roomy enough access.  I’ll have to fiddle with that a bit.

I’m probably overthinking this, but I’d rather overthink a project then under think it.

-Michael

[Monte Masterson]

The main problem I see is that when it’s raining you’re going to expose your sleeping area to the elements. You’ll also be limited to using a bivy, that’s if you want  some kind of bug protection and/or a waterproof floor. Otherwise you’ll also have to make a side-entry, prism-shaped innernet. And with the tarp pitched taught it’s going to do some weird things when a large part of one panel opens up. Might be would be worth a try though, at least if you can use some cheap silnylon. RSBTR has Khaki 20d Sinylon at $4.75 per yard and Dutchware has various colors of 20d silnylon for $5 a yard.

https://ripstopbytheroll.com/collections/waterproof-nylon-fabric/products/1-1-oz-silnylon?variant=11168937601

[Michael Haubert]

@septimius – Good points.  I envision a similar situation as a pyramid entrance. One side of the doorway is guyed to the ground, the other opens up.  When the doorway is zipped closed, I would put a buckle to take stress off the zipper and keep it from creeping upward.  It may react oddly for the brief moment it is open; that is, the doorway will be loose and floppy and might throw some things off, but I think that buckling on the inside and zipping it closed, it should not be any worse off than a pyramid’s door.  Again, this is all in theory.

I would use a MYOG bug tent that is also A-Frame in style to match the tarp style.  That would have either an L-shaped door or an arch-shaped door–don’t know yet.  I’ve made bug tents like that before.  The process would go: (1) unzip the tarp entry; (2) unbuckle the tarp entry; (3) unzip the bug tent; (4) buckle the tarp entry; (5) zip up the tarp door; (5) get in bug tent and zip up.  I think this is fairly standard for mids with a separate inner, but not sure if it would work or not.

I’ll probably give this a try, just for grins and giggles. :-)

-Michael

[R]

A round door like this would help maintain panel tension while open – put a cord across the bottom connecting the lower corners.  This will work nicely w/ your 40″ guy line spacing.  No need for a buckle at the bottom.

https://www.tarapoky.com/product/lightrock-tent/

A no-zip approach would be to put a big dart in the side panel that opens like a TrailStar tunnel entrance, and can be secured by folding it in to a large pleat and securing the two folded corners with clips.  You’ll still want to maintain a line of tension across the bottom of the door when open to keep the structure taut.  Or maybe you can pull the two side guy lines down to one stake aligned with the center of the door.

[James Marco]

Actually, Stephensons has been making their Warmlite 2R with 2 side “windows” for many years. It is easy enough to sew in a zipper and use the side windows as doors.

 

[Michael Haubert]

@jamesdmarco – Ah, yes! The Warmlite.  Forgot about that one.  Good example and very similar in concept to Franco’s nod toward the Walrus.  Both suggestions give me another avenue: two zippers that can open up a window or “porch”  in good weather (assuming I can find some sticks to tie off to) but can batten down in bad weather.

My only hesitation with dual zippers is adding weight to the set up for a feature I may not need or use much, when a single zipper would do.  But it’s something to mull over.

Thanks, James!

-Michael

[Sam Farrington]

A side entrance on an A-frame, or tunnel for that matter, raises the issue Monte pointed out: A shelter that doesn’t shelter.

The solution is to rotate the sleeper, so the sleeper lies head to foot between the sides of the A-frame. Lots of ideas on the tarp page of SMD:  https://www.sixmoondesigns.com/collections/tarps
Lightheart Gear and Gossamer Gear may have some answers in their designs also.

To make the tarp wide enough for the sides to run head to foot, a fair area of unsupported fabric spans are created; one on each side of the apex, or apexes if two poles (SMD Haven).  Maybe that’s why SMD favors the one pole design, because it is all downhill from the apex, and there is less chance of water pooling on the canopy.

A friend asked me to seam seal one of the single pole SMDs, and it did pitch pretty taut.  But she thought it was pretty steamy inside and sold it.  However, if you want a true tarp, with no sewn-in floor or net inner, ventilation might be much better.  Shows why SMD puts those nice big covered vents at the apex.

Monte’s issue will still be an issue, but at least opening the door would not allow rain to fall in directly.  And the height of zip door can be a little short, so there is some overhang when the door is guyed out, and the zip opened on one side.

Full disclosure:  Not a tarp fan, which reminds me of squads of daddy long legs flooding into tarps pitched on a girl’s camp overnight …. Never mind, that all belongs in the glorious past.

[Author]

Posts