What is your tarp or tipi rigging setup?

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Apr 5, 2015
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Curious about the accessories more than the brand of tarp or tipi.

Stakes -Which and how many?
Guy lines -What type? How many? How long?
Tensioners or Line locks - what type? Or go with knots?
Ground sheet -what type?
How do you deal with bugs?

I just wrapped up a long hiking trip and want to upgrade my setup.

I am currently thinking:
DST tarp from seek outside
6x guylines in reflective 550 cord gutted in 6-8 foot lengths
4-6x mini msr stakes.
Tyvek floor sheet
Trekking poles for support

Looking for input and ideas.

Thanks
 

snowplow

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Sep 25, 2016
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Washington
Bivy Setup:

Bearpaw LaGarita 2, (6) msr stakes, (6) 6' hanks of 3/32 (l think) atwood paracord, (6) linelocs make up on 4" loops of the same paracord, trekking poles and tyvek.

I had John from bearpaw include but not sew in the linelocs. Since l put them on loops you can larkshead knot them to the tarp at multiple points, or not, or use them with your cord anywhere else. I usually keep one lineloc loop hooked up to each end of the tarp ridge and the rest in the stuff sack. I usually just stake it down to the ground with the ends guyed out. Works pretty slick.

Basecamp Setup:

Titanium Goat Vertex 5 tipi, 13 msr stakes, trekking poles and tyvek.

I have a 3' 3/32" guy out on back that is tied on. Also have one tied to top of tipi that is the exact length of center pole l need. I pitch it with black diamond carbon cork trekking poles. Remove lower section and slip the other tip on there and your good. Use the leftover lower section on the back guy out point. OR go cut a stick perfectly the first time using the line on top of the tipi to measure. OR bend over a small tree or limb and attach line to that for no center pole. This is a killer setup.

I should get kit weights of both.



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Muttly

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Ketchikan, AK
DST tarp and ground tarp from SO..
Need to round up one more of each, keep a set in my pack and my wifes..like the ground tarp better than tyvek. Otherwise, pretty similar for that set up..
Bit of laziness on my part, with a slight weight penalty, have trekking pole anchor cups, think I like little carabiners from the guy line to the the trekking pole straps better..
Enough cordage to set up the DST multiple ways dependent on terrain, A-frame it, diamond pitch, whatever..
And haven't put in the time to get it figured out completely, a bit of a bath tub floor would add some piece of mind in rain county..
 

Beendare

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General comments;
IME the short 6" stakes are pretty much worthless....longer and stronger is probably worth the extra dough.

Tyvek is not 100% waterproof...and its slippery unless you wash or sand it. Its only OK.

I have gone to 1.6oz Sil Nylon with strips of sealer so my pad doesn't slide around.

The reflective guy lines are the only way to go if you come stumbling into camp at night as much as I do /grin
 
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sneaky

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I would second leaving the tyvek at home. It doesn't pack as small, isn't as light, or as waterproof as silnylon or silpoly. I've got a tyvek ground sheet for a BA CS2. It weighs 9 or 11oz, can't remember... the sil ground sheet weighs 4oz with all attachments on it. Get a Recon bivy from EE, or a Borah cuben bivy and be set. Both are around 6oz and will keep your sleep set up together and clean, and splash free.

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snowplow

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I would second leaving the tyvek at home. It doesn't pack as small, isn't as light, or as waterproof as silnylon or silpoly. I've got a tyvek ground sheet for a BA CS2. It weighs 9 or 11oz, can't remember... the sil ground sheet weighs 4oz with all attachments on it. Get a Recon bivy from EE, or a Borah cuben bivy and be set. Both are around 6oz and will keep your sleep set up together and clean, and splash free.

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Can you give us some ground sheet examples? I didnt realize the weight savings was so great. Are the silnylon/poly ones as tough?

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sneaky

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Can you give us some ground sheet examples? I didnt realize the weight savings was so great. Are the silnylon/poly ones as tough?

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Seek Outside makes one, and I know Bearpaw will make one to whatever size you want. If you know anyone who sews, you could make one relatively cheap.

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Joined
Feb 25, 2012
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848
Location
Poulsbo Wa.
DST tarp and ground tarp from SO..
Need to round up one more of each, keep a set in my pack and my wifes..like the ground tarp better than tyvek. Otherwise, pretty similar for that set up..
Bit of laziness on my part, with a slight weight penalty, have trekking pole anchor cups, think I like little carabiners from the guy line to the the trekking pole straps better..
Enough cordage to set up the DST multiple ways dependent on terrain, A-frame it, diamond pitch, whatever..
And haven't put in the time to get it figured out completely, a bit of a bath tub floor would add some piece of mind in rain county..

A cup or pocket to capture the top of the pole is very worth while. I did that and a bit more
 

colersu22

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Wa
When I use my DST I take

6 stakes(either msr groundhog or some carbon fiber ones from zpack)
4 4’ reflective cords
2 6’ reflective cords
Borah ultralight bivy
2 trekking poles

I sometimes take just a sheet of tyvek for me and my buddy but it depends on how the bugs are, if bugs are bad then I take the bivy or if I think they could be a problem.

We take the dst every time we go out even if I have my cimarron since it is nice to have to get out of the elements. I looked at the thread about the dst when I first got it to try different pitches and I feel like I have a lot of options with the setup above.

Most the time if I am using it to sleep under I set up one pole in the center and the other at the front opening and run a 6’ cord to the ground, stake the back corners and center to the ground and have the front corners stretched out and off the ground about a foot or so.
 

Lawnboi

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I run a paratarp, with some thin cordage for times I want to set it up differently. I have 3 main pitches I know and like dependent on the situation. Pre rigged prusik knots for tensioning.

A bivy for bugs, to keep stuff together, a little more dry and clean. Also gives my bag and pad some protection. Currently running a borah UL but I want waterproof again, thinking of trying their snowy side bivy. The bivy takes the place of a ground sheet.

Stakes, really like groundhogs and mini groundhogs, I use a combination, groundhogs for the 4 corners and minis for the rest. At times all minis will work but normally take some standards as well.

Huge fan of the kifaru tarp. Easy and fast to pitch tight to the ground when a lot of protection is needed, just as easy to raise and change up the pitch. Don't have to be an expert to get a decent pitch out of it either.

I always pitch with trekking poles or sticks.

It's one shelter I will never part with. It's very versatile, and very light.

I highly reccomend a bivy with the tarp, makes the system all around more versatile. There have been a handful of times I was really glad I had a bivy.
 
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Owenst7

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Reno
Ms mountain shelter:
Curious about the accessories more than the brand of tarp or tipi.

Stakes -Which and how many?
15, combo of ground hawgs and mountainsmith aluminum angle stakes. I find them to be equal in weight and holding strength, although the MS gets the nod for price and packability.
Guy lines -What type? How many? How long?
Lawson Glowire. The lightest stuff he sells. The ones at the base of my mountain shelter are 6', the ones at the peaks are 8'. I have a couple 15' lengths in there loose for pitching it freestanding if I want to use my poles for hiking and leave the tarp as a spike camp.
Tensioners or Line locks - what type? Or go with knots?
wagoneers hitch, bowline, and whichever hitch you just pass through the bowline for short runs. I use a figure eight to lengthen a guyline when i pitch it freestanding.
Ground sheet -what type?
2 mil LDPE painters plastic. Holds up longer than a year for me. I use a 7'x3' section under my pad and prefer some dirt in the shelter for cooking over. I substitute this in my kill kit to save weight and just swap it for a clean one at the truck, or sleep on the clean side.
How do you deal with bugs?
only thing I have issues with in northern Nevada is red ants. They're not really a problem, other than sometimes it's hard to find a flat area where they don't have a hive. My solution is a hammock in when it's warm enough that they're active.
I just wrapped up a long hiking trip and want to upgrade my setup.

I am currently thinking:
DST tarp from seek outside
6x guylines in reflective 550 cord gutted in 6-8 foot lengths get something lighter that unties easier and won't stretch when wet
4-6x mini msr stakes.
Tyvek floor sheet LDPE holds up just as well and is way cheaper and can be bought at Walmart.
Trekking poles for support

Looking for input and ideas.

Thanks

I personally prefer the full-sized groundhawgs in the Sandy stuff I deal with a lot of the time. It's not a huge weight savings. My best advice is a combo of a few things so you can find a compromise that works in just about every situation.
 
OP
Desk Jockey
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A cup or pocket to capture the top of the pole is very worth while. I did that and a bit more

Can you paint that picture a bit more? When you say cup are you talking about on top of the pole? What do you use.
 

Muttly

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Ketchikan, AK
Trekking pole cups.. Take a look at Z Packs site, about 5 bucks each..basically a nylon cone with two two nylon loops. Couple in your pack with quick clips kinda handy to have, great for popping over a center pole on a tipi. Let's you hang a nest off, or make it easy to guy out a tarp from a trekking pole..

Also, may have answered my own question about a freestanding ( sort of..) bathtub floor, notice Z Packs also has those..
 
Joined
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The pocket is shaped similar to a pleated paper coffee filter only smaller in diameter ( just big enough to fit around the handle of a trecking pole) I put some holes around the bottom edge of the pocket and laced 550 cord through it. I tie it tight around the pole so that the pole won't slip out during high wind. I'm out of town now but can send a picture when I get home

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Netherman

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I'll second the use of Lawson's glowire or atwood reflective cordage. especially if you plan on using knots rather than linelocks or other tensioners. both are much easier to work with and untie than paracord.

I like Andrew's system that wind gypsy linked. I leave the trucker's hitches tied in when I take the tarp down (just pull the stakes) it saves a bit of time not having to tie the full knot as I'm typically in the same adjustment range. I'm also experimenting with some shock cord to see if I can save some time setting up for glassing/waiting out a storm.

I'm still on a quest for the perfect floor material/solution. I've used tyvek and had an issue one time setting up on some really wet clay that never dried. anywhere you put weight on the tyvek it leaked. I know I know I'm doing it wrong and tyvek is water resistant not waterproof. It'd be nice to be able to set up on a puddle though. I'm looking at tarps and bivys and am leaning towards an eVent or similar bivy that would protect my sleep system while working as a dry/clean spot to sit and set things.

to answer your question

Shelter - SO DST pitched in diamond, A-Frame, and Modified A-Frame configurations. There's a really good thread on this. http://www.rokslide.com/forums/sleep-systems/73736-dst-tarp-pitches.html

Stakes - Kungix but am moving to MSR Groundhogs as I have bent a few of the Kungix (possible operator error and would have bent the name brand stakes. time will tell...)

Guy lines - Lawson's Glowire 2mm. 8' x2 and 4' x2

I use the trucker hitch for tensioning

Ground sheet - Tyvek but looking for something better

I don't have a good answer on the bug front. Probably a good argument for a bivy as my new floor solution.
 

kickemall

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On my tarps and tipis I use ground hog stakes and line locs. Line locs for the speed and ease of tensioning because I'm adjusting them quite a bit. I carry a carbon fiber pole for my tipi but will leave it home if I know where I'm going to camp I can cut a center pole. If I'm using my tarp I'll stretch a line between trees or cut limbs to support it. I won't use my trekking poles as I hunt with my pack on and they come with me because I want them if I kill something and need to pack it back.
 

WoodBow

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I would def suggest using cordage smaller than 550 cord. That is mega overkill.

IMO stakes depend on where you pitch. If it is soft loose soil, you need long stakes. If it is rocky soil, the long ones become a problem because you can't seem to get them only the way in without hitting a rock. After a couple of years of frustration with 10" stakes, I cut mine down to 6 and they worked great in CO pitching a DIY 8 man tipi and megatarp.
 
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