Tarp Help

Ok folks I am about to take the dive and buy a cuben made tarp. But before I spend my precious dollars I want to pick ye brains <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> I have "cat" tarps and they are nice but limited in their pitch options. I like the versatility of flat tarps (5x8) but getting them picthed tight sometimes can be an issue. I would lke to hear your opionions on the matter. And is a 5x8 (I have been playing around with this configuration in just a blue poly tarp) better or is a 6x8 better. I am having it "custom" made so I can have what ever siz or shape I want. And for those of you out there that say just do it yourself, I have done the math work and beleive it or not it is going to be significantly less to have it made for me than to do it myself. Thanks so much for your advice.

Well, try not to short change yourself. I think the Cuben fiber weighs something like 0.5oz a square yard, so the changes you make in size may be of greater value to you than the weight. Personally, I wouldn't care for the 8' length. I like something longer since a 6' person only gets about a foot of coverage on each end (I prefer a 10' length, but that's just me). Another thing, if you go a little wider, you might even have enough room to share your tarp if the need ever rises. So, lets say you went with the 6'x8' instead of the 5'x8', that's like 0.44oz of extra weight or, ahem, protection.

So what do you think??
Eric

Those Cuben fibers are the stuff now-a-days and as soon as they came into view I got me one. They are very nice but the second or third time that I took it out we had serious winds (about 25-35 MPH) and it held up very well, however with that being said, in the wind that thing is about the loudest thing flapping in the wind that I have ever heard. I had it pulled so tight that you could bounce a penny off of it but it still made a tremendous amount of noise, so much that we could hardly get any sleep. I went back to the 1.1 oz silnylon 10X12 and it serves me well and is a lot less noisy. Hope this helps...Happy Trekking...sabre11004

The first step that you take is one of those that will get you there!!!!!!!! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I love square tarps.

I always manage to get my 5x8's pitched really tight - rain sounds like a snare drum on them. it's soothing to me at night for some stupid reason <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> Anyway, I always find the little micro-mini aluminium cord tensioners , you know the kind with a hole and a notch that loops back over the line and you can slide up and tighten.. they weigh next to nothing in the ultra small size and work really really well for snugging everything down.. I know in theory you are supposed to need tarp tensioners with silnylon however using what I use I never have.

I'll find the camera and take a pic of them if ya want.

I think I know what you are talking about. Do they have a little "jaw" looking end to them on one side?

Kind of, they're about 2.5 cm long, and less than a cm wide and have a little jawlike notch..

oh bother.. lemme go upstairs and get my camera, and dig the tarp out of my pack hanging on the wall behind me..... sec..

ok.. got it.. These thingys..

I do not think you are overlooking any factors.

I prefer a flat tarp when I might pitch differently each night, but the cat cut with a fixed pitch over a hammock.

A small tarp will keep you dry, but they are really confining. I have found places that are too tight to pitch an 8'X10' or my MacCat Deluxe, but not often.

Mugs, ask Bill/Gardenville for advice as he has used most of his Cuben gear already camping. I like a 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 square flat tarp myself for being eaiser to pitch in various configurations.

Wow, those are really neat. Must be a Canadian thing. Does MEC have them I have a membership...oh wait I can probably look for myself. But some purchasing info would be nice. I suck at knots and especially knots for tarps that are adjustable but still hold when adjusted. I can't find the ones I was talking about in any pictures, but I saw them at REI one day.

Phat, Moss tents used to make those in various sizes, I don't know who does now.

MEC doesn't have them I don't think, but I can check. They have 'em at
Campers village (another place up here that has parts and bits) because they
do tent repairs and sew stuff up to wall tent size. I'll stop in at campers and
see if they've still got 'em. I recall them being stupidly cheap.

I have a few old a-frames that came with the same type mechanism.

Have u used a spinnaker tarp in the past ? I would like to know if it's as noisy as the cuben you desctibe. I like my zzz's.

I'm good with knots so I have some of these laying around...just don't know where these days <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

I agree. I use a tarp and tried these plastic things but for me, the taught line or even double half hitch works great and I don't have to worry about losing pieces.

Chuck