I am very strongly considering buying and making the Ray-Way tarp kit. I know how to use a tarp, in fact, in 6 years and over 2500 miles of backpacking, I've never even owned a real backpacking tent. My mother is a skilled seamstress and would be instructing/ assisting me in the project, although she has no experience sewing sil-nylon. I have a copy of Beyond Backpacking that includes rough instructions for sewing your own tarp. My question is weather or not I need to purchase Ray's tarp book along with the tarp kit? Will I learn anything new or usefull about tarping or sewing sill from it, or will it be a repeat of what I have already learned from BB and various internet sites, including this one? (I did read the 5 yards to ultralight tarp article)?
thanks in advance to any and all who reply.

P.S. I know Ray can be a bit eccentric and many poke fun at him, but he really is a genius and an innovator. He has done a great deal for the sport of backpacking I for one would like to thank him, if he's reading for all that he has contributed.

I just finished sewing a Ray-Way tarp, and feel that the book was well worth the money. Not only does it have excellent step-by-step instructions, it also has a lot of good info on pitching options, knots, and general UL backpacking tips.

Absolutely order the book.Since there is a timespan between the two,there is naturally a big difference in the amount of information regarding the instructions and so forth.So much detail that was never scratched upon in BB.Have fun sewing.The kits were my introduction into sewing and "if I can do it.you can do it" really does apply.
Patrick

Does anyone have a copy of beyond backpacking they would sell or even loan to me? Happy to pay postage to/from UK.

Roger

you can order a copy via Amazon UK if you want:


http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beyond-Backpacking-Jardines-Lightweight-Hiking/dp/0963235931/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1220279317&sr=8-1

Peter

Brett,
I highly recommend the combination of the book and the kit. Without any previous sewing experience, my wife and I were able to put together one of the Ray-Way Quilt kits over a weekend: the instructions that came with the kit were very well written. We are about to start one of the Jardine tarp kits later this month, and it looks as if the instructions in the tarp book are of a similar high quality. The procedures illustrated in the "Ray-Way Tarp Book" are much more detailed, specific and up-to-date than the directions in "Beyond Backpacking". Also, don’t forget to check Jardine’s website; he has posted some revisions and clarifications for the instructions in the tarp book.

Yeah, you’re right, “Ray can be a bit eccentric and many poke fun at him”— but that’s because the rest of us at BPL are so traditionally conventional ;-). In any case, good luck with your project.

LIBERTAS+PAX

The news link on Ray' site says the 12th printing of BB will be out soon (look at second paragraph)....

http://www.rayjardine.com/news/index.htm

It appears that the only way to obtain the book is to buy a tarp kit... Same with the Tarp DVD/Video that backpackinglight.co.uk has. Does anyone know of a good reference book on the subject that doesn't require the purchase of a tarp...? I checked the wiki, and didn't see anything there yet. I suppose that will evolve over time, but in the meantime...
Thanks,
Jerry (in torrid Tucson, AZ)

I was able to borrow the tarp book through interlibrary loan--the lightweight solution. How long do you really want to hold it? Even if you prefer buying books, this gives the easiest access to the out of print ones.

You could post a solicitation to buy someone's book in the gear swap forum. Or maybe even just the instructions that come with the kit?

Done! I will help share the knowledge of the Ray-Way.

I just finished reading the Ray-way Tarp book and now I am on my way to making such a tarp and net-tent.

I am considering purchasing the tarp kit from Ray but I would prefer a green fabric and he does not sell this color.

Also, for my own satisfaction, I want to research and price each piece of material used to make the tarp and net-tent before I make the decision to purchase a kit. I have several online vendors in mind but I need more information on some of the materials:

- thread:
- webbing:
- guy lines:

Instead of using no-see-um netting for the net-tent, what do you think of using the lighter nanoseeum netting ?

Any other advice regarding this project would be appreciated too.

Thanks,

Nick

order from OWFINC.com

If you buy 20 yds of one type of fabric you get your entire order wholesale. I normally do it with ripstop. 10 yds for a couple quilts, 5yds for a tarp, a few more yds for some packs. The cool thing is it doesn't all have to be the same fabric. I was told any ripstop (or any mesh...) would qualify, so i can mix 1.1sil, 1.1uncoated, 1.9 coated, 4oz coated to make up my 20 yds. They sell everything else you need too.

Webbing-gross grain 1/2" or 3/4"

thread- Gutermann - Don't need anything bigger than that but can use size 46, don't go bigger

I have used the yellow 1/16" drawcord from them for guys, it works pretty good, there is better stuff out there but it is cheap and comes from the same place.

nano-see-um would work fine, but at a big price bump.

I think the net tent is way over built anyway. Do what ray does now, throw some mesh over your head (attached to quilt near chest)


-Tim

.

Edited by ultralightly on 05/26/2010 15:09:55 MDT.

For the side, beak, and lifter guy lines, Ray refers to using a "specialized flat line carefully chosen for its subtle stiffness, greatly reducing tangles."

Any idea on the type of line he is referring to?

Thanks,

Nick