DIY 1lb 2-man Tarp/Tent

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This is really cool. How do these floorless tents do with a heavy rain, with the rain basically running in underneath?

If you pitch it in the right spot no rain will run in underneath. If you are challenged to find an ideal spot you can always trench the exterior to catch runoff.
 
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BenFrank

BenFrank

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This is really cool. How do these floorless tents do with a heavy rain, with the rain basically running in underneath?

It's all about site selection. Just make sure you don't pitch it in a low spot or on a non porous surface ( rock, clay, etc.). Most semi-forested areas have a thick layer of pine duff or leaf litter that will soak up any surface water. Never had an issue with water running in underneath.
 

Tbuckus

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Is that mesh for your peak vent? If so do you have a flap option for weatherproofing it?
 
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BenFrank

BenFrank

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Is that mesh for your peak vent? If so do you have a flap option for weatherproofing it?

The peak and foot vents are made from no-see-um mesh. The vent covers overhang far enough that their should be no issue with water getting in. It would have to be raining absolutely sideways and even then I'm not sure if enough water could get in to cause much problem. That said I'm looking forward to testing it in a good downpour to see how it performs in general.
 
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This is really cool - never thought about making a tent before. Did you have much sewing experience before this?


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BenFrank

BenFrank

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This is really cool - never thought about making a tent before. Did you have much sewing experience before this?


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Yeah, I had sewn a couple tarps and a sleeping bag. The sewing is pretty straight forward but a bit of experience in seam construction and fabric management would help. A simple flat tarp (like a Kifaru sheep tarp) is a great way to learn while yielding a functional piece of gear.
 

The Angelo Kid

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Apr 29, 2019
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That is about as awesome as it gets. Good ole God given ingenuity put to good use. Well done on the build.
 

30338

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Neat that you pulled it off. For me, I'll whip plastic on a mountainsmith tarp again if I need one. Low skill set lol.
 

Jxferg7

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did you follow any specific plans for your DIY Supertarp? I did my first DIY project and was a quilt and was hoping to try and supertarp/annex or equivalent this year but trying to keep weight in mind and sounds line yours is pretty lightweight.
Interesting design. I would prefer the shorter pole inside. Wouldn't require too much more fabric, would make it easier to pitch, and you'd get a bit more square footage to boot.

Im afraid your weight estimate is pretty conservative but i have been wrong many times before. 7 yards of 1.1 oz material will actually weigh. 14.14 oz. The 1.1 oz is per square yard. 7 yards of fabric is 14 square yards. Not sure if you worked that into your math or not. Obviously you wont use all of the 7 yards. My diy supertarp with zippered annex and 10 6" aluminum stakes weighs 2 lbs 5 ozs. The 10 stakes weigh 4 ozs total. I used either 1.1 or 1.3 fabric. Can't remember. I assume you will use your trekking poles to pitch, but if not you will have some extra weight for poles. I use my trekking poles so i do not include pole weight in the shelter weight.

Looks like you are on the path to a good shelter though. Enjoy the journey. Thanks for sharing it with us.
4b31e89c5d3bf19de97088509eed7d32.jpg


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