Giant Tarps: Kelty Noah's 16 and 20??

[zukiguy]

This isn't really a hammock tarp question but I figured I'd ask. Last month Kelty put some of their gear on a deep discount so I picked up one of the Noah's 12 tarps. I'd never hike with it but for car camping with me and the kids it's great. Now that I had a chance to try it out I'm kind of having buyer's remorse about not getting the 16 or even a 20 to use as a HUGE shelter/awning. Anyone here have some pics to share or info to pass along on how well this works?

Most places we car camp unfortunately end up as big open fields so I throw the kids in the tent and I go off and stealth hang somewhere nearby. I'm trying to transition to all of us hanging. I set up a "portable" a-frame stand for those sites where there just aren't enough trees and the Noah's 12 fits nicely.

I'd like some feedback from folks using the bigger 16 and 20 either suspended between trees or better yet rigged up with poles and guylines. I'm thinking maybe a 10' section of EMT or similar rigid tubing would make some nice/cheap poles. A tarp that big though will take off like a parachute in high wind. I still think this might be a more useful replacement for my big 10' EZ-up canopy.

FYI....I hit up Kelty to see if their having another big sale soon. The answer I got from the chat window was Black Friday but it will probably only be a 30% discount this time around but who really knows.

[OneClick]

I don't have a good photo, but I used my 12' grouse hunting last month in place of a 10' canopy. I used the two corners at the end of the seamed "ridgeline" since it gets nice and taut that way. Then staked one in the ground and one up about 5' for a porch mode. Even though it's big, I would want to limit it to 3-4 people max in rain. EMT is a perfect idea - add some type of nipple or just pound the end with a hammer to make a point to go into the grommet. I have something similar but forgot it, so I used a cutoff branch.

The 16 sounds like a good size.

[2 Samuel 22]

I have been looking at the Noah 16 and 20 myself for car camping. We typically use those pop-up canopies for the cooking and seating areas but they are bulky for a 10x10 shelter. I like the idea of the adjustable tarp pole from Kelty, REI has a cheaper version as well but maybe a couple of EMT poles cut in sections would work. Good to know about the potential Black Friday sale, I missed out on that Kelty sale last month.

[dkurfiss]

I don't have a picture but I use my Noah 12' as an area cover when I am base camping. I have used it with 4 of the Kelty poles in the corners and a rope tossed over a branch in the middle. When I set up this way I pull the middle up first with a temp tie off, then put up the corner poles on diagonal corners first, followed by other two corners. Once I have the corners pretty much set, then I pull the middle up via the temp. tie off rope, followed by adjusting the corner poles to make taunt. I usually end up doing tie offs to the ground at the middle tie off just to ensure good run off.

Found a friend of mines picture. He is the one that helped me learn to set up the Kelty
Ken's.jpg