Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Tarps and tarp tents

You might take a look at this new Sildome from Integral Designs, it is a really impressive looking unit, weighing 26oz. I think that it will withstand most storms and has just enough inner space for one or two in an emergency.

I am waiting on my gear supplier to test one and see if I "need" it.....docdb will doubtless chime in here as HE has GOTTA test it!

I'm curious if anyone has just used a tent rainfly and a footprint?

I have a early prototype of the HS Contrail and it is awesome. The version that actually is for sale is even better. Henry Shires make some of the most innovative and lightest tarp tents available anywhere.

I also have a Kifaru Super Tarp and it rocks for a floorless, wood heated shelter. I also like the Golite Hex which I modifed to accept a wood stove.

Ed T

I use these SUPER SNAP GROMMETS to poly tarp my boat and camper. They work great as you can put them anywhere on the tarp. I get the heavier tarps that make the grommets a little harder to install, but they still work just as well. Don't use the plastic hooks on the grommet as shown here. Use a bungee hook or rope through the hole. The plastic hooks are too flexible and in a wind, they'll let go.

I've never tried them on a nylon tarp, but they should work very well. Several in a pack will weigh close to nothing and would greatly increase the adaptability of a tarp.

Dick

Kute,
I've slowed my gear testing lately, as a friend has turned me on to a suburban sliver of deer hunting woods, and I've been up a tree even when on call (it's so close), and have seen some decent deer. I have several floorless shelters that I'm playing with and one itch left to scratch. I have a Kifaru 6 man that's all set up with mosquito netting and a liner with medium stove.....that's my heavy weight option when someone else is going and can split the load. For solo situations I've used several times the Paratarp and an ID bivy with Tyvek ground cloth....have the annex on order to all foul weather capabilities and TiGoat Cylinder stove (although if you are seeing the news, our Govenor just applied for Federal Disaster Aid due to the drought). I also bought the TarpTent Contrail that I haven't tested out yet.
The itch that I haven't scratched is out of confustion about the best tipi in 1-2 man situations. This seemed a great shelter solution on the sheep hunt this year in which the guide had a modified BD megalight tent
which he had bug netting sewn around the base. It was fast and easy to pitch, stable, and had a large interior. The walls stayed wet! I envision it to be about the size of a K 4-man , just much cheaper and with only one door and no bug netting.
I've since been turned on to Oware , and they give you the option of sewing on the bug netting for you, plus several fabric options. Then there is the Ti Goat Vertex 5 tents...which one? The prices seem to vary greatly for reasons that are not apparent to me.
In conclusion, in the niche between the Kifaru Paratarp/paratipi and the Kifaru 6-man tipi, I've been searching for the right balance. Wouldn't it be nice if there was some Mega-Store somewhere that you could go and see all of these tents pitched.....it would be so easy then. You'll know when I find just what I like, there will be a fire sale on the campfire!
Don

The relentless search for perfection goes on and docdb leads the pack! Me, I'm pretty happy with what I have and would not really change anything or add anything, except, IF I had a place to dry it, I would buy an Empirecanvasworks Snowtrekker tent plus stove for longer stints in remote areas, not really a backpacking rig, but, about the same o/a weight as my Kifaru-8 man and a better rig for holding longterm fire.

For fly-ins in the far north, I would LOVE a Hilleberg Atlas,, but, mucho dinero for something, like the Snowtrekker that I might only use once every couple of years. What I now have will make EVERY camp I will ever need in western/northern Canada and that is enough for me.

BTW, I just took a look at your new McHale on Dan's site, a truely fabulous pack and EXACTLY what I would choose if I were to get one, I would add a couple of waistbelt pockets, as you may have done, as well. CAN you use a Kifaru GB on it or WHAT do you do to pack a rifle?

I DO "notice"that this pack is just a BIT pricey !!! Ah, WTH, you only live ONCE, eh?!

Here is a Tyvek Tarp I made @ 23 oz. 9x10

I'm going to give the Tarptent a try next year. Either the cloudburst II or the Double Rainbow. I like the side entry on the double rainbow and think it would do better as far as condensation. I like the cloundburst II also and it's arched sidewalls. Think because of the way it's arched makes it roomier than the other's and It prolly takes up less space as far as places to pitch verses the Double rainbow. Either one is a great lightweight! Leaning toward the Double Rainbow.

Kute,
The K Gunbearer works just fine on Dan's packs. I'm noticing with the little that I've used it so far (more later in the season) that I'm not needing the extra room afforded by the bayonets, and thus remove them, making the pack much less tall, and gives you more head room.
Don

bwortman,
I truely admire your creativity with the tyvek tarp. I have a roll of it in my basement that I got from a friend in construction, and I cut off a hunk for a ground cloth as the last one gets grungy. My next instinct was boy that rig would be loud in the wind, but hey with the ipod earbuds in, who's to know?
Don