does anyone know how to make the tarp tent contrail fit into something smaller than 14x4 stuff sack? it's taking up entirely to much room. my only other option is to sell it/trade it and get a 8x10 silnylon tarp that fits into a 7x3 sack

You could skip the stuff sack. When you take it down, fold the sides in towards the center. Fold it into a strip as narrow as the two rear supports. Fold the strip in half. Roll it tightly up. (Or something like the above.) Place a wide rubber band around the rolled up Contrail, or use a strap to wrap around it to hold it. Let us know if this does the job for you.

Not sure if this is going to help , but...
You can easily remove the tail struts so that you can stuff the fly and maybe place those struts next to the back of your pack or even use them as part of the frame/support.
Franco

Consider carrying it external to your pack body in external mesh --- in that context, a little more or less volume matters less to me, at any rate, and I prefer storing the tent outside my pack anyway.

not an option

i was able to stuff it into a sea to summit xxs stuff sack which is 10x4. you'd be surprised how much 4" makes in a pack

Do as Franco suggests, remove the rear CF struts rubber band them & put them in an exterior pocket/pouch. The Contrail is one of the very smallest packing tents I know. Had one for 3 summers.

Eric

yea, that's what i did to get it in the 10x4 stuff sack. which is bulging btw. i don't think i could get it to go any smaller.

Taking advantage of my heritage I have made a Contrail salami.
This one is 11"x4".
You could use a shock cord or a spare thick guyline . Nothing too thin or it will (?) damage the fabric.
Not that I would bother with that myself, but can be done.
Franco

This experiment was done under the supervision of Lucy, my site manager.