How do you rig your tarp?

snowplow

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Sep 25, 2016
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Washington
Just got a DST and loving it. Ive used the structured tarps in the past. How do you flat tarp guys rig yours out?

Line locs?
How many lines?
Always attached?
Line length?

What do you guys think?



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sheep tarp
 

mcseal2

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I usually set my DST in the flying diamond like they show on their site. I tie the front to something with paracord, put a trekking pole in the center patch, and stake the other corners down. How tight to the ground depends on wind and weather.
 

Whitetoptom

Lil-Rokslider
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Apr 19, 2018
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Here is a high pitch for summer use from this past weekend. A place to chill out of the rain and sleep in the tipi.
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Whitetoptom

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I actually have eight tie outs on mine now. Two for the ridge and three for each side That is a new tarp that I took out this weekend and I carried a new 50' length of reflective guyline to add as I went. Always allow more line than you think you need in a given situation. It sucks to come up short when you need to tie to something other than a stake. I leave my lines attached after I get it the way I want them.

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oldgoat

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Arvada, CO
Best setup I've done, found a good size log down on a bench, years of water had kind of flattened out the ground on the uphill side, probably wouldn't be a good spot in heavy rains though. Pitched it tight to the log on the back wall with tie outs, essentially giving me a back wall about two feet tall. Had a decent rain for hour or so and it stayed dry under except for about ten inches in the front. In the picture I had replaced my trekking pole for the day with a stick so it was a little higher than optimal I think on the front end.

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snowplow

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Thanks guys. Not so much wondering on what type of pitch you use just more what kind of rigging you have to do it with. For instance right now I have for 10 ft lines off My DST with detachable line locks. I'm wondering if I should be better off with 6 lines. Your standard Diamond fly just takes for steaks and one piece of cordage but depending on the condition you could use up to six lines. So I'm just trying to figure on what to carry.

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oldgoat

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Thanks guys. Not so much wondering on what type of pitch you use just more what kind of rigging you have to do it with. For instance right now I have for 10 ft lines off My DST with detachable line locks. I'm wondering if I should be better off with 6 lines. Your standard Diamond fly just takes for steaks and one piece of cordage but depending on the condition you could use up to six lines. So I'm just trying to figure on what to carry.

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A Hank of the skinny Paracord and I think four groundhog stakes are in my pack all the time, I have a few feet of cord that was whatever length I needed the last I used the tarp that stays attached to the tarp, shorter on one side and longer on the other, then I just make a cinch type knot that you can just pull on the tag end to undo, don't know the name of it, my dad taught it to me. I attach the lines to the tarp via a bowline knot so I can move them around as needed. Keep it Simple! I would suggest just having the cord with you if this is a new setup and figure out what you need first time you use it and maybe just make each one a little longer then you can adjust next time you use it. Hope that helps!
 
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Sweden
On the DST, I keep 4 6ish ft lengths of guy line on some of the tabs. Easy to move around depending on the setup, which varies according to terrain (beauty of flat tarps). For extra length, tie two together or complement with a shot of paracord. With flat tarps, my suggestion is just to bring the tarp, some stakes and cord and just wing it. Tarps are handier the less you plan around it and just get creative with your suroundings

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Lawson equipment 2mm glowire and knots. Check out Andrew skurka blog on backpacking and he has a lot of good useful info. I usually do and a frame or lean-to depending on weather.
 
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Forgot to add, lines all stay attached with Bowline knots. I use 10ft on ridgelines, 6ft on each corner and 3ft on center bottom. I also carry extra line for jic. I use taught line hitch knots for the stakes and sometimes the McCarthy hitch (read skurkas blog) which is a slippery hitch-truckers hitch variation.
 

Netherman

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Lawson equipment 2mm glowire and knots. Check out Andrew skurka blog on backpacking and he has a lot of good useful info. I usually do and a frame or lean-to depending on weather.

This ^^^

I've also been messing around with some shock cord and am liking it for quick setup. I can't crank it down as tight as with the glowire but if your stake point is +- 3" from where it needs to be you don't have to move it. I'm not ready to trust it if I got some serious weather but for most uses I'm liking it. I've got about 2' of shock cord tied in a loop at the four corners.
 
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