I recently bought a cheap tarp. What's your favorite way to pitch a 8X10 tarp?

For an 8x10 I just prefer the A-Frame. IME, that is a bit too wide to pitch in a regular half pyramid , which is my other favorite pitch. However, you could fold under about a third of it and then pitch it in the half pyramid... or, if there are tie-outs on the panels, you could do a half pyramid, with the back wall pulled out. This would create an almost vertical space for a bit before the wall started to slope up towards the peak. There are plenty of other options though with a flat tarp, these are just my 2 favorites...

The weather makes a big difference to how I pitch my 7x9. Most of the time in the dry mountains of Cali I want to block the wind and keep warm. So I do an A frame with the sides to the ground and one end closed off. I use a grip clip on the center line about 1/3 the way in on the closed end to hold it up and a trekking pole at the opening. That way it's like a pup tend with one end closed and pointing into the wind (hopefully).

I want to try this guy's method next time though... There's loads of good ideas on youtube.

My 8x10 is a cat tarp so A-frame is about the only thing it does well. My 5x8 tarp is flat though and I like to pitch it as a half pyramid. It takes less poles and stakes than an A-frame pitch so it goes up faster, which is good because I'm a bit lazy.

Adam

I tried pitching my 8X10 tarp in a half pyramid style pitch, and I had some troubles. My method was: On the 10' side, I staked the the second ring in from each corner. In the front (the other 10' side), I lined the corner rings up with the back staked rings and staked those too (So the tarp tapered in at the front). Then I put my pole up between the two front stakes. I noticed that the sides of the ridge were not taut, so I tried to stake the ring in the middle of each 8' side, but I couldn't pull that side taut because of the tension between the front and back stakes. How should I fix this? Should I not pull the tarp so tight between the front and back stakes?

Bear paw wilderness designs has a video at his site that shows him setting up this one:


http://www.bearpawwd.com/tents_tarps/tent_images/tarp/dtarp_16.jpg



BTW, His prices are good. If I were to order another one I'd request that he add attachment points at the ridge line on the inside to hang a bug shelter.

This guy explains it well I think...

click here

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Edited by daniel@fishfamilypdx.com on 06/12/2013 00:16:45 MDT.

Hey Daniel. Pics would be great.

8'x10' pitch

I've tried this one a time or two and works out well.
-James

That's the setup I used James. But you see when he stakes out the sides at the end? Those wouldn't pull out tight because of tension between the front and back stakes.

I had to fiddle around with it a while before I could get it right and the height of the pole was important too. It takes some practice. I have sometimes added a length of line to the pull out on the ridge line where the pole is to add some more panel tension there. After that the side pull outs pulled tight.

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Edited by daniel@fishfamilypdx.com on 06/12/2013 00:17:35 MDT.

Thanks for the input, everyone. I used a different half pyramid pitch method, this is how it turned out.

I also prefer the one James DeGraaf posted, with modifications.

What I do differently, is to
1) pitch it with the 10' side going from the pole(entrance) to the back.
2) I also add short lengths of guylines to the front two corners to get them off the ground about 4-6".
3)I add a guyline from the pole to the ground.
4) Lastly, if your tarp doesn't have a tieout, add one, or use a monkey fist to the back half, about 2 feet in, and in the center of the rear stakes. Use a second pole outside the tarp to pull the back end up, giving you more "head room" at the feet.

Ends up looking like an A frame but with the foot end closed off to the elements.
Hopefully that makes sense.

I recommend you try many pitches.

The flying diamond is about the quickest and easiest to pitch and you usually don't need to use a pole. Just run a line from one corner to the nearest tree. You can get by with three stakes in calm weather, but don't count on it if it could get breezy.

If it's going to be cold, I will usually pitch a low half pyramid or modified A-frame to reduce air flow.

Although the lean-to variations can be great for ventilation, shade and coverage, they can be a problem in windy conditions, unless pitched against an object(Boulder, bush, fence, wall, car, ...)

Modified A-frame and some pyramid variations are some of the most stable in strong winds.

I like teh tarp setup in the paperback book "Lighten Up!" by Don Ladigin and illustrated by none other than Mike Clelland.

On p. 12 there is the heading "SHELTERS" and on the next page is the illustration of the Bombshelter setup with a 10' X10' tarp (for two).

With the Bombshelter's beak-like front you have good entrance protection. The center ridge is held by four tie-out points which would work even with a fairly heavy snowfall.

DISCLAIMER: I am no langer a "tarper" but this setup has worked well for me in the past in Pennsylvania winters and rainy spring weather.

Note the illustrated "quarter point" tie-out setup. Very versatile.

If someone has this book and can scan and post the illustration I'd be grateful. My ancient printer's scanner won't work.

Edited by Danepacker on 03/11/2013 13:12:06 MDT.

Setup in about 10 minutes... I really think having the stakes pre-attached to the guylines is the best little trick I can suggest to getting the tarp set in the wind.

Was a beautiful day. 80 deg. Catherine Creek, WA.

I think it's safe to swap out the blizzard stakes :)

Lots of good suggestions - just one thing though: Don't fold under and use it for a ground cloth. Condensation will soak you - especially bad on a grassy spot in the humid summer. I've seen some really bad pitching videos on YouTube that used fold under - I can tell they never actually used it in the field.