Forum Index > The Trading Post > WTB: Tarptents for family of 6
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Forest_Bather
HikingMama



Joined: 24 Feb 2017
Posts: 14 | TRs | Pics
Location: Where the Mountains meet the Ocean
Forest_Bather
HikingMama
PostMon Mar 20, 2017 11:01 am 
meck wrote:
Here's my 2$. I made my own silnylon tarp tent a couple of years ago that could accommodate two OK, or one with lots of space for gear inside (similar to one of the older HS Tarptents). I've spent ~16-17 nights in it, a few in the rain backpacking in the ONP/ONF. A few recommendations if you go this route: 1. Mosquito netting is a must to keep out them nasty skeeters, and you will be so thankful you included it! (I've eaten dinner in the tent at least twice, not a good practice in that any spilled food will attract critters, but it was better than getting rained on and eaten by mosquitoes). No-see-um mesh is available at Seattle Fabrics. Simple headnets are also super easy to make (take rectangle, fold in half, sew two edges) and literally made the difference for me between a terrible experience and and OK one. 2. Including a low, no-see-um mesh lower portion of the tent, like in the link evergreen199 posted is nice for ventilation, but when a cold wind blows it gets super chilly since the breeze will pass straight over you and your sleeping bag, so you may want to make a provision for being able to lower the edges to the ground. 3. Include loop/tiepoints along the peaks/corners of the tent, both inside and outside, so that you can still string it up in case you set the tent up between trees, or in case one of your trekking poles breaks or is needed for day hikes (options are good!). The loops are also handy for hanging the tent up to dry out in the sun. The interior loops allow you to string up interior drying lines (when its not safe to leave clothing outdoors drying for fear of it becoming a goat meal) 4. silnylon is slippery so if you use the heavier stuff (1.3oz) for the floor be aware that nothing will stay in place if you pitch it on even a slight slope. I sacrifice some weight savings by bringing a cut-to-size piece of plastic to put under my tent for both moisture barrier and to prevent to much damage to the silnylon. 5. Include catenary curves in any long edges/ridges of the tent (not just a straight sewn line). I failed to do this on the two long edges of my tent and regret it every time I pitch the tent in slightly breezy or wet conditions. There is almost no way to keep my tent taut, even with multiple ground stakes. 6. Once near finished with the tent, set it up in you backyards and run a sprinkler on it to see how the rain will runoff of it. Check where the drip lines are to see if any water runs down the mesh edges and enters the floor of the tent. I found out the hard way (1:00 am, pouring rain at Lone Tree Pass, on the Bailey Range Traverse ONP) that my tent pools water on the low flatter end, partially because silnylon stretches/sags a lot when wet, and partially because I neglected to include item 5 above in the design. 7. Don't forget to make a nice silnylon bag too for your lovely new tent, and stakes and guylines! MSR groundhog stakes (the lightweight red ones with the triangular star/spoke cross section) are worth the investment, I usually pack one or two extras so I can string out a drying line from the top of the tent too. After all that being said, I love the tent so much because it takes up very little pack space and is super light!! If I were to make another tarp tent I would consider using a pyramid design, or combination single pole with lightweight crossarm brace suspended from it (to widen the "head" area when sitting up)
I can't thank you enough for your incredible response, meck. Definitely worth more than 2$. biggrin.gif I've read through it twice. I have been pondering catenary curves. I know it's best for rain and wind wear, but it intimidates me. I did see a page somewhere that is for calculating cat curves. Very cool! I am happy to hear that you would definitely include that in your next design. With the slippery floor, what did you do to battle that? I've found that I can rarely find a flat surface to pitch a tent. Can't you apply silicon or seam sealer to the floor? Also....what kind of plastic do you use for a ground cover and how did you decide on that vs. tyvek? Netting: Amazing idea to DIY mosquito nets. We have some lightweight hat/net combos that we used last summer, but we need more...because....6 people. dizzy.gif

Amy
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Forest_Bather
HikingMama



Joined: 24 Feb 2017
Posts: 14 | TRs | Pics
Location: Where the Mountains meet the Ocean
Forest_Bather
HikingMama
PostMon Mar 20, 2017 11:01 am 
Slugman wrote:
I recently bought a Six Moons Skyscape X used for $250. So I am selling my Zpacks Hexamid Twin. They are discontinued, but sold for $565, plus I bought the carbon fiber tent poles, since I like to use my trekking poles on day hikes from camp. Here is the tent, though mine is a slightly older version which doesn't have the convenient "split beak" for easier entry and exit. It does have full mosquito netting, and the removable floor. It is cuben fiber, and weighs just 20 ounces with the poles and eight stakes, assuming all the stakes are titanium. But i think I only have four such stakes, so figure 22 ounces with four aluminum stakes. http://www.zpacks.com/shelter/hexamidtwin.shtml I was going to ask $250 to make my aquisition of the Skyscspe revenue neutral, but I support your mission of keeping the kids dry and their packs light, so you can buy it for $200 if you like. I would include the tent poles and four titanium stakes. The tent has plenty of room for two, as long as at least one of them is not a large person. Excellent condition.
Amazing! PMing you.

Amy
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meck
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meck
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PostMon Mar 20, 2017 6:45 pm 
I've yet to give the slippery floor problem much more thought, I've just dealt with it (waking up in the morning slumped to one side of the tent). Carrying one of those anti-slip cabinet shelf liners (a couple small parts maybe near the head and foot end of the tent) might work well between the bottom of the tent and any plastic you put down on the ground. Placing a couple of 0.25" wide lines of seam sealer across the inside of the floor every 18-24" would probably help keep everything on the inside from sliding around too. For the plastic, I gave up some weight savings and used some thickish black plastic that I bought at the hardware store and then cut to size (not sure how many mils thick). It is definitely durable and has prevented me from damaging my floor thus far, but does weight a bit. I think RangerRock, another NWHikers member, has some experience using some thinner clear plastic liners under a pyramid style tarp tent and might have some useful feedback on durability versus weight. I was not really sure where to go physically purchase a small portion of Tyvek so that is the only reason I did not try that out first. For the catenary curves, I figure I'm just gonna' eyeball it :-) on my next tent by first drawing a straight line, maybe calculating the max dip in the center of the straight edge length, then sharpie mark in an approximate curve and sew it. I made my somewhat crude mosquito headnet from a piece of no-seeum that was 2' x 3', folded in half along the 3' side, then stitched the L-shaped edge leaving an opening on the now 18" wide edge. I find it works best when worn over a hat. I carry it on every single hike (it made an unplanned overnight on the side of Mt. Gladys, sleeping under the stars, in a mosquito swarm, actually accomplish-able).

*Just say NO to Rent-Seeking, don't give up the concept of "ownership"*
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InFlight
coated in DEET



Joined: 20 May 2015
Posts: 847 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle area
InFlight
coated in DEET
PostTue Mar 21, 2017 9:22 am 
It's hard to beat a large pyramid for providing sleeping coverage for a bunch of boys. Black Diamond Mega Light 4 would be my pick. Oware, MLD, and Hyperlight Mountain Gear are some others. The two adults could split carrying any tent which would be reasonably light. Huge list of options. For two people, a dual side entry /vestibules would be a requirement for me. They're not super light, but most scout troops in the area use the REI Half Dome Tents. Pretty much bomb proof for the worst of Norwest weather. The Plus model is an absolute luxury hotel. I'm sure about half the people on these boards has one of some vintage in their collection.

“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately...” ― Henry David Thoreau
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trestle
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trestle
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PostMon Apr 03, 2017 8:29 am 
I have two youth-sized sleeping bags from REI, used but cared for, I would sell for $25 each if you're interested.

"Life favors the prepared." - Edna Mode
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