My DIY Double Pole Mod Tarp Setup

**foxrun** · 05-10-2016, 08:38

So I am almost done my full setup. All purchased from RSBTR. Hammock made of 1.6 HyperD, Hex Tarp of SilNylon, Full length snakeskins, Apex 5 UQ and still need to finish up the TQ. What I really like is the tarp setup. After I made the tarp, I saw a post on here where someone did a double pole mod to essentially make a floating tent over Hammock. I went down and grabbed some poles I had from a tent in the basement, sewed on some pole pockets on the pull outs and Voila!
Hammock Tarp3.jpg

It is cavernous inside and the headroom is increased so I can stand up inside (I am 5'11").

I can change the pole orientation from an X to a )( and it makes an awesome porch mode setup, without attaching the top pullouts to anything. I am sure if it is windy, I will want to anchor them, but with no wind, it is going to be perfect.

Hammock Tarp2.jpg

Next on the list is aluminum poles, but man does this make a HUGE difference.

Length of the poles I am using now are 146". I could probably get away with 140-143" poles...

**BigE94** · 05-10-2016, 10:10

Pretty cool wide open spaces there.

**foxrun** · 05-10-2016, 12:59

Thanks BigE

**Eidson** · 05-10-2016, 13:05

The setup looks great! I typically use an exterior pole setup with the panel pullouts on my tarp, but this reminds me that I do have a pair of old tents...I hadn't really considered re-purposing the poles despite seeing this method done before, but I may just have to addon some pockets to try something new.

Thanks for sharing.

**foxrun** · 05-10-2016, 14:07

Thanks Edison. I will try to post pics for you later to show you how I did it...

**Loaf** · 05-12-2016, 07:39

I've been looking at doing something similar, and you setup looks great. More instructions/pictures would be great!

**kershaw** · 05-12-2016, 08:11

Wow, I've never seen this. Looks very cool :-)

Is it stable or is it tippy along the ridgeline?

**foxrun** · 05-12-2016, 10:15

Thanks!
Pics attached...
Basically, I took a piece of 3" gross grain, folded the ends to the middle , folded it in half and sewed the sides- forming a pocket.
I sewed this to the 4 corner pull outs and inserted the tent poles. If I were to do it again, I would have started out with a slightly longer piece of gross grain and made the back side longer than the front, so the pole tip slid in without catching the back of the pocket.
I also added a gross grain tab on the bottom-middle of the tarp and added a piece of mason line to center to hold the poles in place.
It has held up really well over the last 3-4 days. I took the poles out last night to see if the fabric stretched and did not notice any. It creates a dome out of the tarp and is really spacious. Porch mode is awesome too...

**foxrun** · 05-12-2016, 10:22

I have not staked it yet, but imagine it would not be tippy at all once it is. I use the pullouts on either end of the center of the tarp and attach my ridgelines that way. It centers almost perfectly without being staked out.