Please recommend toughest material for winter tarp to be used in extreme conditions

[mab0852]

For semi-permanent...you can't beat canvas. For something more portable/packable, silpoly. I wouldn't use silnylon as the nylon fibers will wet out and freeze in a freezing rain/transitional situation. I also don't think is sheds snow as well for the same reason. That's a lot of extra weight and stress on the tarp. Tyvek might be a budget option somewhere between synthetics and canvas, but then noise would be a factor.

[BrianWillan]

I want to make a large winter A-frame tarp with doors, not as cramped as my Superfly, and one with no snow or sleet or wind blowing in on the bottom anywhere --only the open slits for the hammock lines at the apices for ventilation.

I live in a severe winter area with most of the snowfall on my hilltop property blowing sideways, and am not concerned about the weight of the tarp fabric. (Local and car camping only for this one.) Anti-noise is also a consideration.

What is the strongest material you recommend for this?

BTW, I do have several 12 foot and 16 foot Kelty Noah's tarps like new that I could cut and alter and resew. Would that material be good for subfreezing strong winds and sleet?

Thanks in advance.

Do you plan on heating your shelter? If so, a canvas wedge tent might be the way to go. Beckel Canvas makes some nice canvas wedge tents. Add a stove jack, a stove and a couple of adjustable poles to help support the weight on the ends and your all set. If you are concerned about sleet, freezing rain etc. Just throw a tarp over the wedge tent to help keep it dry and have the snow slide off more readily.

Cheers

Brian

[bkrgi]

Agree for severe winter duty without concern for weight....Canvas is the hands down winner.
This is what i did for cool/winter season hammocking using a wood stove.
Painters drop cloth Canvas


Silpoly PU4000

[DrPhun]

You could go to one of those places that make awnings and truck tarps and get one made out of truck tarp material. Obviously made to take high winds.

[MrJames]

Thank you all. As I suspected, canvas still seems to be the strongest available today. And OutandBack, special thanks for that prairie setup video. It's surprisingly similar to both of the two designs I've modeled, except that mine are strictly A-frames, no side pullouts. One uses only EMT conduit, and the other pressure treated 2 x 3s sealed and with edges rounded, and some conduit for extra anchoring and side support. And her conduit with hitch pins is what I use on my portable no-trees hammock rig that uses only two conduit poles.

My desire when weather permits, is to build 3 frames, semi-permanent, at 3 locations here on the property. And a lighter one to fit in my car for anywhere and bad weather. With few exceptions, I sleep outside year-round: until now on the ground open or tent, or hammock, or portable nylon cot on my sheltered open porch. I find it healthy and delightful being outside at night in the wilderness here. And now want to add winter hammocking in any winter weather or location, but securely, with no problems and no snow or wind creeping in, or fabric tearing or collapsing. Hence my original question about fabrics. Yes, cost is a concern, weight not really, because I do have to pull the pulk and snowshoe to these places here, other than the immediate yard. bkrgi's videos and design are "wow." An outstanding heated palace. They hadn't crossed my mind until your post, but I do have large tough rubber-coated painters dropcloths in good condition and will try those as fabric as well as some new Sam's heavy duty tarps -- those brutally thick heavy blue 12 x 16s they've sold for years. Also will give the Noah 16 a try for several days. For just a few nights, I suspect most light fabrics will do in strong wind icy blowing weather, with silnylon and the blue tarps slipperiness to snow and ice helping when you punch the walls from inside, as with my tents. I also use steel tree stake rods that I pound in, to anchor anything large or subject to bad wind loading, or myself in a hammock on open ground, with certainty. They do not bend ever when hammered, yet pull out easily with bare hands. So thanks again for everyone's help. Wind, snow, and sleet right now are ugly. Will post much later on the actual rigs in action. The ones that have held up, that is. ; )

[Loki]

TZBrown designed and built a canvas hammock tent with room for a stove. That thread is on here somewhere.