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Custom tarps?

Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2025 2:55 pm
by jameso
I couldn't find anyone online who makes tarps to spec, any tips? I don't have a sewing machine and 20D silnylon seems slippery to work with for a DIY project.

Got a Gatewood Cape that's light, compact, very easy to set up, great coverage. PITA to get in and out of for me at a bit over 6' though. Seems most tarp tents use a single central pole and while I get how that creates a stable structure, ime the wind is flapping the fabric more than I can sleep through long before there's a risk of it all blowing away. I have a 3m x 1.5m flat tarp that I was trying out some new pitches with the pole offset to the end for better headroom, then drew something similar in F360 to get the dims of a better version and the flat plan dimension. It's a simple rectangle shape with triangular wings off to each side and it needs 2 runs of 3 tie-outs along the main piece (5 in total as one is central), plus the line-loc points with 2 that can take a pole tip.

Re: Custom tarps?

Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2025 3:35 pm
by jameso
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(green dots are where the pole/s go, orange dots are tie-outs, loop/lifter tie-outs along the dotted lines)

Re: Custom tarps?

Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2025 3:52 pm
by whitestone
James, for pitches I've settled on the asymmetric Holden. Single offset pole at the front plus either a second pole or bike handlebars at the diagonal to the front pole to hold the foot area up.

The images are of a 2.5m x 1.5m dcf tarp.

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Re: Custom tarps?

Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2025 6:49 pm
by fatbikephil
https://wildskygear.co.uk/tarps-3-c.asp
This guy does custom tarps - spendy though. I've one of his standard sizes and it is very light...

Re: Custom tarps?

Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2025 11:43 pm
by RIP
Aye he does some insane 0.34g dcf tarps. You may as well shelter under a newspaper, but have been sorely tempted . Problem is not wide enough.

Re: Custom tarps?

Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2025 8:09 am
by jameso
Thanks Bob - I'll give that a go, it's similar to what I set up that got me thinking about the 'winged' tarp shape - this pitch here with a 110cm Gatewood pole and a short walking pole
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Then I added a line under the tarp, from the taller pole to the rear edge. Worked well to help the fabric resist the wind but would wear. Not enough tie-outs on the top to do that. Also being a bit smaller overall would help reduce that sag, being 3 x 1.5 means there's a lot of unsupported material in the centre.

wildskygear - nice but ££ :shock: I would go for something in DCF if I was happy with the size & shape in use but 20D silnylon would be fine for now.